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Help Antenna (includes GPS), reception discussion

Also a bit lost... I understand W-CDMA/GSM/LTE but are you referring to the Network app EM referred to??

/r

Allen

No, im not sure what that app is about.
There are a few LTE changer apps and a lot of them just open this menu.
There was a similar app used for the HTC Rezound because Verizon had it disabled to keep people from flipping it into GSM and sticking a foreign sim in :rolleyes:
 
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I've been recording videos of my experiments.. as opposed to my creations and repairs so being destructive is a new thing...

Anyhow i'm about to record a short vid on how to do it for all my One peeps but instead of waiting for the video tour you can do this...

DISCLAIMER:
Mucking about in the radio menu can cause BAD PROBLEMS.
Do NOT do this if you don't feel up to it.
If you still want to do it.... proceed...

1. Open the dialer and dial *#*#4636#*#*
2. Tap "Phone Information"
3. look for "set preferred network type" and change the comboform to read
"WCDMA preferred"
Note this will set the phone to operate on HSPA and GSM (EDGE/GPRS) only!!!
4. tap the "home" key

Again, you do this at your own risk... mucking about with anything else in that menu can cause you bad, bad problems!

Yes, I can be a little slow on the uptake...

The "Network" app that EM mentioned looks to be a shortcut to parts of the phone info (testing) menu.

Looks like the selecting WCDMA preferred may do the trick. Of note, my AT&T phone was set default to "GSM/WCDMA/LTE auto"... I hope that was what it was anyway!

/r

Allen
 
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Yes, I can be a little slow on the uptake...

The "Network" app that EM mentioned looks to be a shortcut to parts of the phone info (testing) menu.

Looks like the selecting WCDMA preferred may do the trick. Of note, my AT&T phone was set default to "GSM/WCDMA/LTE auto"... I hope that was what it was anyway!

/r

Allen

Yes, that is the default setting as you get it out of the box.
Like I said in an earlier post the preference is listed backwards... it goes from right to left... so it likes LTE first, and so forth.
 
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Yes, that is the default setting as you get it out of the box.
Like I said in an earlier post the preference is listed backwards... it goes from right to left... so it likes LTE first, and so forth.

I am nearly convinced that the 4G/LTE coverage gaps are the reason I am seeing streaming apps choke.

I will shift colors tomorrow to WCDMA preferred tomorrow and take a road test to check. I am just surprised this isn't a selectable option (on ATT phones anyway) or that there isn't a simple widget that would allow you to toggle the setting(s).

Many thanks again for the info!


/r

Allen
 
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Mine has persisted across a reboot as I recall but I will reboot and see what it does.

EDIT:
You guys are correct... it's not persisting across a reboot and reverts to GSM/WCDMA/LTE Auto.
I rebooted 3 times to be sure.
Now we know.


I also made a video describing the procedure.
(Only making vids because someone told me that I have a lot to offer in the realm of electronics work.. but I am retired from that :D)

It's here if interested...
 
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Both Tunein and the iHeartRadio apps will drop out when on cellular. I have to assume it is due to signal strength but my question is with 4G/LTE service.

To jump back to the crux of why we are discussing turning off LTE...
Since we know it does not persist across a reboot now at least you can
either use the dialer to get into the test menu or the app Early mentioned.

My experience with LTE on Verizon and AT&T have been completely different animals and naturally with different handsets.
AT&T for me has done handoffs to and from LTE seamlessly and I stream while driving to and from the office.
Verizon handoffs to CDMA/eHRPD are -HORRIBLE-
If I am at the office late I will also stream and there are parts of the building that I will drop LTE and go straight to HSPA without issue and my stream never drops.

The antenna and frontend in this phone is phenomenal but that won't help a bad handoff.
What I would suggest is that you try to note where your bad handoffs are physically located. If it's on an interstate note mile markers and exits.
Call AT&T, tell them the locations and they generally get that fixed.

Handoffs are actually set at the sites themselves, and it's possible that it just is not set. That does happen.
If that's the case they usually fix that fairly quickly.
 
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And for some, turning off LTE in a good 3G area when you don't need high data bandwidth can be a power saver.

I actually had that in mind with this phone... to kill LTE when I did not need it.
I have done some testing with that but the results are subjective because I just did not do it properly... I only have one phone so I can't turn LTE off and let it sit there for a day... you get it...

When I did turn LTE off for most of a day I gained like 30 extra minutes.
That's not really much.... but again my usage patterns for that day surely affected that.

I had a Thunderbolt... if you remember that phone it was a battery killer.
4-5 hours tops on that thing... it was really bad.
 
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Ok, odd observation based on my own ignorance.

It looks as if the issue I am experiencing is related to the handoff from LTE.

The reason I say odd is because I guess I mis-understand what exactly WCDMA is within the AT&T network. I was under the impression that it is used for 3G data but I forced my handset to WCDMA only and it identifies if is on "4G" (not LTE). Does AT&T use the WCDMA modulation mode for 4G as well?

Am I operating from a false premise in that WCDMA = 3G?

With that, the data for streaming was more stable/reliable when I forced the handset to WCDMA only or selected WCDMA preferred, leading me to believe the issue is isolated to LTE service (or the lack thereof). My crude observations also suggest that LTE is VERY sensitive to shifts in signal level and becomes unstable quickly.

Please advise...


/r

Allen
 
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Ok, odd observation based on my own ignorance.

It looks as if the issue I am experiencing is related to the handoff from LTE.

The reason I say odd is because I guess I mis-understand what exactly WCDMA is within the AT&T network. I was under the impression that it is used for 3G data but I forced my handset to WCDMA only and it identifies if is on "4G" (not LTE). Does AT&T use the WCDMA modulation mode for 4G as well?

Am I operating from a false premise in that WCDMA = 3G?

WCDMA is 3G yes...
AT&T and T-Mobile call that "4G" which is why you will see people refer to it as faux G, fake 4G, and so forth.

IMHO, it's not 4G.
This debate can go on forever but what you were accustomed to as 3G on older devices is what the WCDMA setting changes it to.
 
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I can report the HTC One works well with the AT&T Microcell (which only supports 3g) that is in my home. Currently AT&T doesn't offer VoLTE, and voice is only carried over 3g or less.

Initially I was worried the Microcell might wrestle away the 4G LTE connection I'm able to get in my home, but this isn't the case. The phone (network?) is smart enough to connect to both the 4G macro-network for data & the 3G Microcell I have at the house for voice calls.

V3OKQeJ.jpg

This lockscreen pic shows the One connected to the Microcell- and represented by the bars. The 4G icon shows it's also connected to the 4G LTE network- plus the wifi network I have at the house. Inbound and outbound voice calls are routed to the microcell. Data uses wifi, or LTE if I turn wifi off.

AT&T's Microcell used to be an expensive piece of crap. But with the firmware updates a year ago, it's now just expensive. It actually does work pretty well at this point, and so far is playing nicely with the HTC One. At $199 though, plus the extra fee to not eat your minutes, it's a giant rip-off. I was able to purchase mine 2+ years ago when they first became available in my area @ $99.
 
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This lockscreen pic shows the One connected to the Microcell- and represented by the bars. The 4G icon shows it's also connected to the 4G LTE network- plus the wifi network I have at the house. Inbound and outbound voice calls are routed to the microcell. Data uses wifi, or LTE if I turn wifi off.

Not trying to burst your bubble... but that's not LTE.
That's HSPA.
AT&T and T-Mobile tell a white lie to users with that "4G" icon.
That's why they have a separate "4G LTE" icon.

You can blame the carriers for bludgeoning the ITU to death to let them redefine "4G" and further confuse users.
So now we have "faux G" (4G) and 4G LTE.

There are no microcells that I know of released for public consumption that do LTE.
 
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LTE is just as faux G as the others.

LTE Advanced and WiMax 2, both deployed nowhere last I checked, made the actual 4G spec, everything else was negotiated.

Agreed.
The russians already beat everyone to LTE-A
But then again, there are no handsets that can talk LTE-A so I really wonder why they dropped the nodes other than they get to say "we had it first" :rolleyes:
 
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Can't let them get you. They get you with coverage maps... faux tech...
I used to work for Verizon so I know lots of dirty underhanded crap they do.
What do you do?

I'm a dev for a company called TIP Solutions and deal with carriers every day. We keep trying, but can't get any traction with US carriers, but we are going gangbusters with foreign carriers.
 
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Hi guys,

Maybe you can help me finding the right solution to a GPS "issue" on my newly bought HTC One.
Comparing the One's GPS performance against my current phone One X, I discovered that HTC One has some inconsistencies. For example, there are some places where the One X manages to lock to satellites while the One can't or at least, does it very hard (15-20 sec vs 80 sec), especially near buildings or downtown.
In open spaces, both phones perform in the same manner, with a lock time around 5-10 sec. What is interesting is that the One manages to find more satellites than the One X, around 30%.

Can you tell me whether this (sometime) slow performance is indeed a reason to ask for a product change or is it normal and in range with the One GPS performance?

Thanks in advance.
 
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