4G LTE icon does not display if connected to Wireless

[loumalnati]

My 4g LTE icon not display if I am connected to WI FI. I know in a way it makes perfect sense in that if I am connected to Wi FI why would I be concerned if the 4g LTE icon displays.

However, I find it curious because I bought a Samsung Galaxy III phone from Amazon 3 weeks ago for 328 USD and this phone always showed the WiFI icon and 4G/LTE icon regardless of connection. I then found the Samsung III on sale for 268 at Virgin Mobile this past Sunday and tonight I set up the phone and the icon (4G/LTE) does not display if wireless is on...

There are other differences also I noticed..Has there been a new release of Android and that is why I am noticing subtle differences on 2 of the same phones.

 

[Rukbat]

Virgin Wireless 4G is Wimax, which is wifi. So you're either on plain old wifi, or you're using the wifi radio to get a "4G-type" data connection. (It's not LTE.)

On a "regular" system, you can be connected to wifi and 4G at the same time (they use different radios).

 

[Jaxmoto]

Virgin Wireless 4G is Wimax, which is wifi. So you're either on plain old wifi, or you're using the wifi radio to get a "4G-type" data connection. (It's not LTE.)

On a "regular" system, you can be connected to wifi and 4G at the same time (they use different radios).

The S3 does not use WiMax, it is LTE.

Not sure about your first phone, but it just has to do with the way Sprint service works. You have data that runs over 4G LTE or 3G and can get slowly put out over 2G (1X on your phone). 2G on Sprint is what carries voice and MMS.

So when you connect your phone to wifi it drops the radio connection to 2G since it does not need 3G or LTE for data.

 

[mydian]

Mine does the same thing although my carrier is Boost. No need for LTE when on WiFi.