Verizon LTE Band missing on Nexus 5

[James Changstein]

I am very disappointed that Nexus 5 wasn't designed to work with Verizon.

Can someone explain which LTE bands were missing or other technical reasons why the Nexus 5 wouldn't work with a SIM card already activated to work on Verizon?

Thanks

jc

 

[Johnly]

Because vzw can't rade your wallet on a nexus. Like they can on a droid.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

 

[clevin]

Not sure it's designed against vzw, more likely vzw wasn't interested.

I really have no warm feeling towards vzw, I suggest switch if you can.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[phathands]

Because vzw can't rape your wallet on a nexus. Like they can on a gawd awful droid.

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ITT: Someone who hasn't used the new droid maxx

Sent from my Nexus 7 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[Johnly]

ITT: Someone who hasn't used the new droid maxx

Sent from my Nexus 7 using AC Forums mobile app

Let me rephrase that. A proprietary gouge to the wallets. I can quote several Jerry post, but you must be Jerry to post such, otherwise double standard. So I bid you a permanent goodnight.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

 

[phathands]

gawd awful droid.

The first part of your sentence was right. This is what was wrong.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[James Changstein]

My thread asked for the technical facts / reasons why the Nexus 5 won't work on the Verizon network.. I'd appreciate it if we can stay within the topic.

 

[phathands]

My thread asked for the technical facts / reasons why the Nexus 5 won't work on the Verizon network.. I'd appreciate it if we can stay within the topic.

Then to answer your question there are very limited markets where you may potentially have LTE coverage (band 4) with Verizon but you will have no voice / text coverage. Verizon still requires device approval before being allowed on their network, even if the bands would be compatible.

See the LTE nexus 7 2013 experience for an idea of what you might face.

Sent from my DROID MAXX

 

[galfert]

First let's put the blame where it belongs. It is Verizon's fault not LG/Google.

Why? ... Because even if the Nexus 5 had the correct frequencies it still would not be able to work.

Technicalities:
Verizon does voice calls using CDMA technology. No CDMA phone will work unless the carrier approves the device on their network. SIM cards are not used for this network. SIM card is only there for LTE (data) and international GSM roaming. If the phone had the Verizon CDMA frequencies it wouldn't matter. For example take Sprint's MNVO Ting. The Nexus 5 has Sprint CDMA frequencies, the same ones Ting uses. But Ting has already stated via Twitter that Nexus 5 will not be activated on their network. Because Ting feels like it. This isn't a technical problem. There is nothing you can do to put the Nexus 5 on Ting even though there is no reason technically why it wouldn't work. It is just Ting flexing their control and using the way CDMA works to flex their muscle.

For 3G data Verizon also uses CDMA. So same restrictions apply as voice.

For 4G data Verizon uses LTE. For now LTE is not used for voice calls. Here is where the SIM card would work for just data if the Nexus 5 had the right frequency band. Verizon's nationwide band (13) is missing. It could have been included but it would be pointless to have a phone that can't make and receive calls (because of my previously stated CDMA restrictions) and only connects to the Internet. Verizon does have a second data band (4) that is included in the Nexus 5 but that band is very very sparingly used on Verizon ... Like almost nowhere. That band is in the Nexus 5 for T-Mobile and to a limited extent for AT&T.

So the Nexus 5 was made to purposely not work on Verizon because of the disagreement between Verizon and Google. Look back at the upgrade mess the Galaxy Nexus was on Verizon. And more recently the new account activation for the Nexus 7 (2013). Verizon is an immature control freak.

In the future (like next year) when Verizon deploys VoLTE (Voice over LTE) then Verizon will not be able to restrict devices on their network. All you'll need is an unlocked VoLTE device with the right frequencies and a Verizon SIM card... And Verizon will not be able to do anything to stop you. You'll then have a device that can use Verizon's LTE network for both voice and data. But you won't be able to fall back on Verizon's CDMA network. It will be VoLTE/LTE only access.

The FCC put some special requirements on the block of LTE that Verizon purchased. It has to be open for any device.

CDMA allows the carrier to control which devices connect to their network. GSM and LTE do not give the carrier that kind of power.


Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk 4

 

[gravage]

I'm just glad they won't get a chance to ruin it like they did the Galaxy Nexus.


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[JonK]

First let's put the blame where it belongs. It is Verizon's fault not LG/Google.

Why? ... Because even if the Nexus 5 had the correct frequencies it still would not be able to work.

Technicalities:
Verizon does voice calls using CDMA technology. No CDMA phone will work unless the carrier approves the device on their network. SIM cards are not used for this network. SIM card is only there for LTE (data) and international GSM roaming. If the phone had the Verizon CDMA frequencies it wouldn't matter. For example take Sprint's MNVO Ting. The Nexus 5 has Sprint CDMA frequencies, the same ones Ting uses. But Ting has already stated via Twitter that Nexus 5 will not be activated on their network. Because Ting feels like it. This isn't a technical problem. There is nothing you can do to put the Nexus 5 on Ting even though there is no reason technically why it wouldn't work. It is just Ting flexing their control and using the way CDMA works to flex their muscle.

For 3G data Verizon also uses CDMA. So same restrictions apply as voice.

For 4G data Verizon uses LTE. For now LTE is not used for voice calls. Here is where the SIM card would work for just data if the Nexus 5 had the right frequency band. Verizon's nationwide band (13) is missing. It could have been included but it would be pointless to have a phone that can't make and receive calls (because of my previously stated CDMA restrictions) and only connects to the Internet. Verizon does have a second data band (4) that is included in the Nexus 5 but that band is very very sparingly used on Verizon ... Like almost nowhere. That band is in the Nexus 5 for T-Mobile and to a limited extent for AT&T.

So the Nexus 5 was made to purposely not work on Verizon because of the disagreement between Verizon and Google. Look back at the upgrade mess the Galaxy Nexus was on Verizon. And more recently the new account activation for the Nexus 7 (2013). Verizon is an immature control freak.

In the future (like next year) when Verizon deploys VoLTE (Voice over LTE) then Verizon will not be able to restrict devices on their network. All you'll need is an unlocked VoLTE device with the right frequencies and a Verizon SIM card... And Verizon will not be able to do anything to stop you. You'll then have a device that can use Verizon's LTE network for both voice and data. But you won't be able to fall back on Verizon's CDMA network. It will be VoLTE/LTE only access.

The FCC put some special requirements on the block of LTE that Verizon purchased. It has to be open for any device.

CDMA allows the carrier to control which devices connect to their network. GSM and LTE do not give the carrier that kind of power.


Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk 4

I would disagree with the point in bold above. I think some may still have found a data only connection to VZW's network very useful if they wanted to use it for VOIP or just as an internet device. But the market of people for this use case is way to small to justify the trouble of including another antenna. It would probably also cause nothing but confusion for people trying to figure out why they can't make calls on VZW. I look forward to VoLTE. Maybe at that point I'll return to VZW or maybe I'll find that ATT works perfectly fine for my needs and I'll forget about VZW.

 

[Joe the Insider]

Because vzw can't rape your wallet on a nexus. Like they can on a gawd awful droid.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

I'm all about the N5 and ordered one, but Droids are far from awful. The newest line does a lot of things right things others phone don't do.

EX

Durability with Kevlar
48 hr battery on the Maxx
Touch less controls (Moto x only other phone)
Active notifications (Moto x only other phone)
Closest to stock you'll get other than a Nexus
Motorola to this day still has the best call quality.
Moto Assist. (Moto x only other phone)


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[ootuoyetahi]

Verizon just opened the band 4 LTE, so technically, if you put an already activated sim card in the N5 you should get data. I dont know if this has been tested yet, but I think it worked with the N7s. You wont get voice though as the IMEI wont be on their whitelist.

 

[galfert]

Verizon just opened the band 4 LTE, so technically, if you put an already activated sim card in the N5 you should get data. I dont know if this has been tested yet, but I think it worked with the N7s. You wont get voice though as the IMEI wont be on their whitelist.

I already mentioned Verizon band 4 and the possibility of just data, and I also mentioned that there is very little of that on the Verizon network geographically. And CDMA networks don't use IMEI, I they use MEID/ESN.


Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk 4

 

[Premium1]

I am very disappointed that Nexus 5 wasn't designed to work with Verizon.

Can someone explain which LTE bands were missing or other technical reasons why the Nexus 5 wouldn't work with a SIM card already activated to work on Verizon?

Thanks

jc

because verizon wants to control every aspect of the device. They want to test updates and load their apps on the device which google won't allow. It is a shame but hopefully like other devices, the nexus 5 can sell really well and make verizon see they are missing out and need to carry the next version of the device. Otherwise, most likely there won't be a nexus phone on verizon until VoLTE where CDMA is gone and verizon doesn't have to *approve* the devices that can be used on their network and you can get the device from anywhere.

 

[Premium1]

I'm all about the N5 and ordered one, but Droids are far from awful. The newest line does a lot of things right things others phone don't do.

EX

Durability with Kevlar
48 hr battery on the Maxx
Touch less controls (Moto x only other phone)
Active notifications (Moto x only other phone)
Closest to stock you'll get other than a Nexus
Motorola to this day still has the best call quality.
Moto Assist. (Moto x only other phone)


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

They are still overpriced. I mean really the droid maxx at $300 on contract when it launched with the specs it had? Compared to the note 3 which is much more future proof that price was way too high. Yes the experience was great but it should have been $199 from the start and shouldn't have even made the ultra.