EV-DO marketed as 4G LTE? vs. HSDPA+ (4G) vs. LTE? APP CHANGE BETWEEN THEM?

[blahcomp222]

deciding between these phones
HTC Desire 510 specs
LG TRIBUTE specs
http://www.phonearena.com/phones/Kyocera-Hydro-VIBE_id8...
LG Optimus F3 specs
All of these phones Virgin mobile markets as 4G LTE when available on their website. But I research things like EV-DO as not being LTE, possibly not even 4G.
For Technology Data in the links above, it tells what phones use what technology(s) like EV-DO or LTE cat 4, some have just one and some have multiple.
What I want to do is use 3g %98 of the time for calls and texts and just having the phone in my pocket being pinged, because of radiation phobia especially LTE which I read is real bad. My current phone is 3G which is uselessly slow for internet most of the time even with almost all data bars full, so I would like the option to go into phone settings and change to use only 3G when I want and then turn LTE on if needed. The LG Optimus F3 has multiple data technologies in the link (LTE and EV-DO Rev.A), and I found a simple tutorial on Sprint's website that shows just going into it's settings and turning LTE to use only EV-DO. But I'm wondering if the phones which the links say only have 1 technology type like EV-DO can do that. I called all the manufacturers and got no real answer.
Another thing I'm wondering is basically which phone is fastest and how is virgin mobile saying EV-DO is a 4G LTE phone? The Kyocera Hydro has the best RAM and as good a quad core CPU as the rest and is waterproof but is EV-DO. My current phone is 3G EV-DO and is practically useless for internet sometimes.
see, virgin mobile shows these all as LTE
The HTC Desire 510 4G LTE Android Smartphone specs. | Virgin Mobile USA
LG Tribute 4G LTE Android Phone Specs | Virgin Mobile USA
The Kyocera Hydro Vibe 4G LTE Android Smartphone is available from Virgin Mobile. Get a no contract plan with unlimited data and messaging. | Virgin Mobile USA
LG Optimus F3 4G LTE. Get a no contract plan with unlimited data and messaging. |Virgin Mobile USA
So what I'm wondering again is basically, if a phone is said to have only LTE technology if I can set it to use plain 3G hopefully without an APP but if an APP is needed, I'll look into the best one. But if an LTE phone that is listed as only having LTE technology and not something else like EV-DO to make lowering from LTE possible, then I might just get a slower phone to avoid the constant LTE radiation.

update, LG email rep said neither of those phones can do what I'm asking about changing LTe to 3g or anything like that even though the sprint tutorial shows doing that as a simple phone settings change, not a special app or anything, which makes me thing the LG rep was wrong.
But maybe I should just get an app to do this? Anyone have a suggestion for one that won't add spyware or any shady stuff like that?

 

[kate]

Hi blahcomp222, welcome to the site

All four of those phones have both 3G and 4G LTE. EV-DO is 3G.

You linked to the Desire 510 GSM version, here are the CDMA version specs:
HTC Desire 510 (CDMA) Specs, Features (Phone Scoop)

HSDPA+ is a GSM technology, so these CDMA phones don't have it.

Some phones do let you turn off, or switch, between using 3G and 4G LTE but I'm not sure if those four phones include that feature. Another option you could try is keeping data off completely so just talk/text works, and only turning data on when you need it - all phones let you do this.

 

[DonB]

Moved here for proper comparison.

 

[blahcomp222]

thanks. So you're saying that even if I can't change the phone to use only 3g and the kick it into LTE when needed, that all of them can set 'all data off' (which will be even less radiation than having it sit in 3G mode) and that 'data off' will still allow incoming and outgoing calls and text?

I will still call virgin mobile and see if they can tell me which of their phones allow force stopping LTE to only use 3G for things like GPS, but if not, I guess I'll have to use LTE at those times because the lower-grade 3G phones VM has I had problems with due to poor programming, and if I can set an LTE phone to 'data only' most of the time, it should be less radiation overall anyway.

 

[kate]

thanks. So you're saying that even if I can't change the phone to use only 3g and the kick it into LTE when needed, that all of them can set 'all data off' (which will be even less radiation than having it sit in 3G mode) and that 'data off' will still allow incoming and outgoing calls and text?

Correct, yes. You can go into the data settings for your phone and turn data on or off. When data is off you can still call and text.

 

[blahcomp222]

I called Virgin Mobile. All 4 phones I linked can be set to use only 3G instead of 4G or LTE with a Virgin Mobile plan.

The Kyocera Hydro Vibe is the best phone unless there's something I don't know about what data technology it uses possibly being slower than the other (type of 3G or 4G etc) , but I'm just assuming there's little to no difference in speed between the 4 and just getting the Hydro Vibe.


Radio shack has the Virgin Mobile version for $71.50 with tax and $7 shipping included. You Can get ship to store for $7 less. It's about $99 everywhere else, ebay has them new for like $85 but you most likely won't get the 1 year warranty if not buying direct from VM or a registered reseller like RadioShack.



If I just put it in 'data off' most of the time instead of even just locking it in 3G mode, I guess the only downside is I have to remember to enable data at least once a day to update Apps and security etc. Best time to do is while showering and leaving the phone in the other room so that when I do need to turn data back on to use something like GPS navigator that the Apps and security will already be updated and all the update data (radiation) won't be coming in while the phone's close to me.

thanks for the help.