Telecom 4G launch 12 Nov 2013

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Telecom 4G launch 12 Nov 2013

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#949486 11-Dec-2013 16:17

yggdrasil:
schmichael: I've got a 2degrees S4 on the Telecom network with a 4G sim. Following the upgrade to 4.3 last week, I still don't have the option to select LTE Network Mode. Anyone know why?

My baseband version shows as I9505XXUEMK9

Hi @schmichael

The short answer is I don't know the details of why, but as @Jeffnz says, you need to update to their firmware. Same thing happened to me with a 'non-Telecom' S4.

I flashed my phone to the Telecom firmware. Here are the instructions I followed:

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=97&topicid=133963

Go to the bottom of the page and follow @michaelmurfy's instructions. The steps are quite clear and work. Get Odin and the firmware from his links.

Couple things:

1. You'll be doing a factory reset, so you have to Back Up Everything. You'll basically have a new phone when finished.

2. You might want to read up on the Knox boot loader before you do this. Installing stock Samsung firmware should not trip the loader. Should not. If it's tripped, you may have problems with warranty claims. I haven't bothered to check mine

Telecom firmware has some annoying branding, but works.

cheers

well found I knew it was somewhere.

the other alternative is take the plunge and flash a custom Rom then you don't need to worry about Telecom updates anymore ;)

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schmichael

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#949488 11-Dec-2013 16:18

Thanks for the replies. I was afraid of that!

I'm not sure I can be bothered with the hassle since I live in Hawkes Bay and won't be using 4G often (if at all). I presume that 2degrees will eventually okay an update that will enable 4G? or is the vodafone/2degrees network using different tech to Telecom?

hamish225

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#950589 11-Dec-2013 19:06

schmichael: Thanks for the replies. I was afraid of that!

I'm not sure I can be bothered with the hassle since I live in Hawkes Bay and won't be using 4G often (if at all). I presume that 2degrees will eventually okay an update that will enable 4G? or is the vodafone/2degrees network using different tech to Telecom?

nah 2degrees will update it eventually, when they build their own 4G network

*Insert big spe*dtest result here*

timmmay

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#950725 12-Dec-2013 07:11

I'm sitting very close to the beehive, just up Bowen St maybe 100m, indoors 8 floors up. I'm not getting 4G. According to the Telecom website I'm in a 4G signal area with good signal strength.

My S4 says H+ and speedtest to the Wellington telecom server gives me 18Mb down and 1.2Mb up. Signal strength is 100%.

Anyone know what's up?

SteveON

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#950771 12-Dec-2013 08:59

timmmay: I'm sitting very close to the beehive, just up Bowen St maybe 100m, indoors 8 floors up. I'm not getting 4G. According to the Telecom website I'm in a 4G signal area with good signal strength.

My S4 says H+ and speedtest to the Wellington telecom server gives me 18Mb down and 1.2Mb up. Signal strength is 100%.

Anyone know what's up?

700mhz will penetrate buildings better than 1800/2100mhz which is why you don't get the signal. But honestly, 18mb on a phone and you're complaining? NZ real world 3.5g is faster than most overseas carriers with 4g deployments.

timmmay

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#950779 12-Dec-2013 09:08

I wouldn't say I'm complaining, I'm just curious why it doesn't work. I'll try it outside later on.

Edit - when I did the test my phone was 30cm from the window overlooking the beehive.

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stevenz

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#951019 12-Dec-2013 15:28

4G has improved significantly in the past week where I am near the intersection of Willis St & Lambton Quay. Up to 4/5 bars versus the 2/5 I was getting the week after launch.

I dare not run a Speedtest as I can't spare the data.

@KnightNZ

timmmay

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#951027 12-Dec-2013 15:33

I tried mobile data in the middle of Lambton Quay today. It still said H+ on my phone, so I assumed it still wasn't working. Are there any tricks needed to get 4G going on a rooted i9505?

Talkiet

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#951033 12-Dec-2013 15:42

timmmay: I tried mobile data in the middle of Lambton Quay today. It still said H+ on my phone, so I assumed it still wasn't working. Are there any tricks needed to get 4G going on a rooted i9505?

Sometimes yes.. .more often with custom ROMs and the method is UNSUPPORTED by Telecom. I have linked it earlier in this thread. I had to download an App to manually select LTE the first time and since then it switches between all the modes normally..

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

timmmay

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#951035 12-Dec-2013 15:44

This is a 33 page thread... do you happen to have the link handy?

Edit - found here.

timmmay

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#951038 12-Dec-2013 15:55

Also, does it matter I'm still on Android 4.2.2, baseband I9505XXUBMG4, build JDQ39.I9505XXUBMG4? I don't want the stock 4.3 because of Knox. Can 4G still work on that?

Talkiet, any chance you can post the right settings for the LTE app? Thought it probably doesn't matter, any time I try to start the app it says "unfortunately LTE setting has stopped".

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Talkiet

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#951106 12-Dec-2013 16:54

timmmay: Also, does it matter I'm still on Android 4.2.2, baseband I9505XXUBMG4, build JDQ39.I9505XXUBMG4? I don't want the stock 4.3 because of Knox. Can 4G still work on that?

Talkiet, any chance you can post the right settings for the LTE app? Thought it probably doesn't matter, any time I try to start the app it says "unfortunately LTE setting has stopped".

Sorry, I am not a mobile expert so I'd hate to give the wrong steer on something which has been known to brick devices. I used that LTE setting App and I honestly don't recall what settings I chose. I was using a 4.3 GE ROM though.

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

stevenz

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#951111 12-Dec-2013 17:05

timmmay: I tried mobile data in the middle of Lambton Quay today. It still said H+ on my phone, so I assumed it still wasn't working. Are there any tricks needed to get 4G going on a rooted i9505?

You could download the latest official firmware from samfirmware.com and flash it using MobileOdin with the "Injectroot" option.

If the Mobile Networks --> Network Mode option doesn't list the LTE/WCDMA/GSM option then you will probably need a newer firmware, or some CSC hackery.

@KnightNZ

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#951115 12-Dec-2013 17:10

timmmay: I'm sitting very close to the beehive, just up Bowen St maybe 100m, indoors 8 floors up. I'm not getting 4G. According to the Telecom website I'm in a 4G signal area with good signal strength.

My S4 says H+ and speedtest to the Wellington telecom server gives me 18Mb down and 1.2Mb up. Signal strength is 100%.

Anyone know what's up?

Coverage maps do not reflect in building coverage,

stevenz

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#951181 12-Dec-2013 19:19

FWIW I've found that coverage over the beehive\train station end of town has been pretty much the strongest place in the CBD for a signal, presumably because of the anticipated rush-hour concentration of devices and resulting beefed-up coverage.

That said, 3G in the Lambton\Bowen\The Terrace has been a problem for a couple of years in my experience, generally a good 3G signal, but data speeds are often nigh unusable and calls will randomly drop. This is just my experience with a couple of phones and a few clients with older datacards. We tried getting it looked at a couple of times a fair while back but nothing ever came of it. Presumably not widespread as if it was an issue for the MPs it presumably would've been sorted out rather quickly.

Maybe it's the GCSB :) Or more likely just cell saturation.

@KnightNZ

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