• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

4G phones with 3G service only?

Will I HAVE to get 4G service on a 4G phone? I'm curious If I can upgrade to an awesome 4G Dual Core phone but just use my 3G service.

We don't even know what the data feature plans will be for 4G. I think they will just mirror 3G pricing which would still give you unlimited data for $30/mon. With that said, if they do price 4G differently, they will require a 4G data plan on a 4G phone.
 
Upvote 0
So your suggesting that LTE devices are not backwards compatible?

I am suggesting that the hand off between lte and 3g right now is a nightmare. In most cases between 1-4 minutes, simply transferring from lte to 3g. Now to me, that is not exactly backwards compatible, when it is quicker to unplug the radio and replug it in, then to let it go from 3g to lte or lte to 3g. Sorry, just don't consider it backwards compatible.
 
Upvote 0
I am suggesting that the hand off between lte and 3g right now is a nightmare. In most cases between 1-4 minutes, simply transferring from lte to 3g. Now to me, that is not exactly backwards compatible, when it is quicker to unplug the radio and replug it in, then to let it go from 3g to lte or lte to 3g. Sorry, just don't consider it backwards compatible.

Thanks for clarifying. We have the same problem going from 3G to 1X and vice versa. It's a minor inconvenience that we've lived with for years and I still consider 3G devices backwards compatible. I guess we all have different definitions of "backwards compatible."
 
Upvote 0

BEST TECH IN 2023

We've been tracking upcoming products and ranking the best tech since 2007. Thanks for trusting our opinion: we get rewarded through affiliate links that earn us a commission and we invite you to learn more about us.

Smartphones