T Mobile 3G/4G signal indicator.

[greydarrah]

I'm in an area that the coverage map says I have excellent data coverage, but my signal bars always say 3G. My download speeds range from 8 to 12 mgb, so I'm happy with the performance, but I was wondering if any of you actually show 4G next to your signal? If it matters, I did absolutely nothing to my APN settings...just stuck my prepaid SIM card in and activated it.

 

[willdogs]

As long as it says H you are good.

 

[kgeier82]

Att and T-Mobile will say "H" and that's all. Its 4g non lte

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

 

[XsynthZ]

It could be that the Nexus 4 is set to show HSPA+ as 3G. However, I have seen H in the signal bar before if I remember correctly... It could be due to the APN.

 

[stockandroidguy]

Says H for me. Do get E once in a while

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

 

[greydarrah]

Mine never says H...only displays 3G.

 

[ssgmun5000]

My gnex always bounced from 3g to the H at the but the speeds are always the H+. As a matter a fact my N4 does the same.

 

[Citizen Coyote]

Mine never says H...only displays 3G.

Are you in a city or area that's been upgraded to 42 HSPA+? 8-12mpbs suggests you are, but thought I'd ask.

 

[Nonymous666]

I just activated T-Mobile StraightTalk sim last night and my observation is that it usually says 3G when it's idle. It will sometimes flip to H for a moment, but then goes back to 3G which is where it stays most of the time.

But whenever I start doing anything that's data-intensive, it flips to H and says that way until I'm done doing whatever I'm doing.

It wasn't obvious this was happening until I was playing with speedtest. I'd see the phone showing 3G, then try and run speedtest to see what speed I could get at 3G. But, whenever I started the test, the phone would suddenly switch to H and stay that way for the test, then go back to 3G sometime after it ended.

I'm guessing the phone (or T-Mobile) is switching down to 3G during idleness and is only going to H when "needed" ?

 

[willdogs]

G = GSM / GPRS (2G)

E = EVDO

3G = well 3G (WCDMA)

H = HSPA (either HSDPA , HSPA +42, etc)

I think that covers it. Someone correct me if im wrong

 

[radiocycle]

...

 

[greydarrah]

Are you in a city or area that's been upgraded to 42 HSPA+? 8-12mpbs suggests you are, but thought I'd ask.

I haven't a clue. I'm about 25 miles outside of Atlanta. But now that I think back, I've seen it a number of times change from 3G to what I thought were 2 vertical arrows. I was thinking that it was indicating data going back and forth, but I bet it was actually displaying an H...which looks pretty close to 2 arrows. It's too damn small for my eyes.

 

[minnemike]

In my basement here in the twin cities I get 3G normally and then sometimes E. If in the right spot I'll get the H - usually near a window.

 

[nickacs]

I haven't a clue. I'm about 25 miles outside of Atlanta. But now that I think back, I've seen it a number of times change from 3G to what I thought were 2 vertical arrows. I was thinking that it was indicating data going back and forth, but I bet it was actually displaying an H...which looks pretty close to 2 arrows. It's too damn small for my eyes.

I'm in Atlanta too (like 10mins north off 400) and what I don't get is 3 of my coworkers have TMobile SG3's and their top signal notification bar shows 4G with the up/down arrows underneath it. But my N4 on TMobile prepaid plan shows H and no up/down arrows underneath, instead they are shown in that signal curve to the right of it???

I don't get it? Why do 2 different phones on the same network show different signal layout/notifications? Is it because I'm on a prepaid plan vs. their postpaid? Very weird...
If it's because we have 2 different phones, that doesn't make sense to me... Signal layout/bar is the same for all phones for the carrier

 

[gone down south]

If it's because we have 2 different phones, that doesn't make sense to me... Signal layout/bar is the same for all phones for the carrier

That's like saying all cars have the same dashboard.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

 

[willdogs]

Signal layout/bar is the same for all phones for the carrier

Wrong, each phone does their own thing as far as signal indicators go.

Remember, the N4 is pure android where as other phones (Samsung, HTC etc...) use their own flavors of overlays/widgets.

 

[yfan]

I'm in Atlanta too (like 10mins north off 400) and what I don't get is 3 of my coworkers have TMobile SG3's and their top signal notification bar shows 4G with the up/down arrows underneath it. But my N4 on TMobile prepaid plan shows H and no up/down arrows underneath, instead they are shown in that signal curve to the right of it???

It's the same thing. What is 'H' on the Nexus 4 is the same as '4G' on T-mobile SGS 3. Both indicate that your phone is connected to an HSPA+ (one of: ordinary HSPA+, HSDPA or HSPA+ 21, dual carrier HSDPA or HSPA+ 41) network, which IS T-mobile's 4G network at the moment. The only difference is the visual representation of it on the two phones. T-mobile's prepaid and postpaid phones are on the exact same network when in the same physical space.

 

[jim302]

G = GSM / GPRS (2G)

E = EVDO

3G = well 3G (WCDMA)

H = HSPA (either HSDPA , HSPA +42, etc)

I think that covers it. Someone correct me if im wrong

Close...

G = GPRS
E = EDGE
3G = UMTS (WCDMA)
H = all HSPA variants
4G = LTE

EVDO is a CDMA2000 technology (Verizon, Sprint, US Cellular, and a few other small regional carriers in the US). However, many phones do show EVDO as 3G (or sometimes EV).

 

[flipflopp]

Here is what mine does as others have pointed out. When its using data its on H. On standby it shows 3g. This through T-Mobile

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

 

[yfan]

Close...

G = GPRS
E = EDGE
3G = UMTS (WCDMA)
H = all HSPA variants
4G = LTE

EVDO is a CDMA2000 technology (Verizon, Sprint, US Cellular, and a few other small regional carriers in the US). However, many phones do show EVDO as 3G (or sometimes EV).

Well, while there is a lot of technical debate about what can and cannot be considered 4G, and a great deal saying that no variants of HSPA can be considered 4G simply based on the technology it is based on, it is common for carriers and manufacturers to refer to HSPA+ as 4G (distinguished from LTE with the label '4G LTE') because of the data speeds it offers. T-mobile does not yet have an active LTE network, and T-mobile's SGS 3 phones are all HSPA+ 42 compliant, and on T-mobile's SGS 3 phones, HSPA networks show up as "4G."