Talk iPhone 4S data speeds here

Cleveland

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It's been a known fact for years that AT&T and T-Mobile have different frequencies on their perspective 3G networks ... This was the case with the 3GS and the 4 as well as the 4S
 

E_Brown

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E_Brown

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They say it requires an AWS radio that it doesn't have, so they are saying that it can't work on tmobiles 3G or HSPA+ network.

This is taken from cnet:

Even though T-Mobile, which is a GSM carrier like AT&T and also supports HSPA+, its customers will still not be able to take advantage of the HSPA+ speed boost from the iPhone 4S. And the reason is simple. AT&T is using the same spectrum bands it used for its traditional 3G service to deploy the HSPA+ service. And T-Mobile is using different bands for its HSPA+ service.

T-Mobile HSPA+: 1700/2100MHz ("AWS" spectrum)
AT&T HSPA+: 850/1900MHz

Link:
http://m.cnet.com/Article.rbml?nid=20115705&cid=null&bcid=&bid=-37

But seriously if I'm wrong, and you can prove otherwise, I would love to see it. I just go off of information that I read on tech blogs. God knows I've been wrong a out things before.



Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk
 

Bias X

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You have to have both frequencies for 3G to work.
The iPhone 4S does not support the 1700 frequency.
HSPA+ is an "enhanced" version of 3G I dont see why it would work.
Nor does the iPhone support AWS.
 
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Richard1864

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T-Mobile uses the specific frequency range of 1710-1755 MHZ for uplink and 2110-2155 MHz for downlink on ALL of their cell phones, whether they have AWS radios or not.

AT&T uses 850 MHz and 1900 MHz for GSM/GPRS/EDGE, 850 MHz and 1900 MHz for UMTS/HSPS, and plans on using 700 MHz for LTE.

As you can see, both carriers do NOT use the same frequencies and thus the iPhone on AT&T will NOT work on T-Mobile. T-Mobile also uses the AWS radio, which is NOT, repeat NOT, built into the iPhone 4S. The iPhone 4S would need this radio just to roam on T-Mobile's network, and since it doesn't have it, there is no way for it to work on T-Mobile.

My sources for the above information is the FCC, AT&T, and T-Mobile.
 

sorli

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It's gotten a lot better on Sprint....I'm staying!

What do you classify as better on Sprint. My averages are <1mbps downloads and has only gone above 1 once or twice sitting at a stop light right next to a Huge Sprint cell tower. Even that was spotty and only got above 1mbps for that brief moment and then back to crappy Sprint service.

Either way, we have 5 days to decide is Sprint will work for us and so far it is not looking good! Sorli...
 

Allesandro

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iLounge iPhone 4s review of data speeds

The iLounge did a detailed review of the iPhone 4s and included the results of their tests of AT&T, Verizon and Sprint data speeds. Here is the pertinent paragraph:
Actual cellular voice and data performance was consistently stronger in our main Western New York testing area with AT&T than with Verizon, and with Verizon over Sprint. In each place we visited, the iPhone 4S offered approximately twice the speed on AT&T than it did with Verizon, while Verizon maintained a smaller edge over Sprint. Our main office in East Amherst, New York saw AT&T speeds averaging 2.5Mbps for downloading and 0.8Mbps for uploading, versus 0.6Mbps/0.25Mbps for Verizon, and 0.4Mbps/0.2Mbps for Sprint. We journeyed an hour away to Rochester, New York and saw each phone performing even better: the AT&T iPhone 4S averaged 4.8Mbps for downloading and 1.1Mbps for uploading, versus an average of 2Mbps/0.9Mbps for Verizon, and 1.75Mbps/0.8Mbps for Sprint. No matter where we tested the three phones, at what level of bars they read?and they were surprisingly consistent in this regard in the places where we tested them?the AT&T phone always did the best on average, and the Sprint phone always was the slowest.

Their conclusion: "AT&T phone always did the best on average, and Sprint phone always was the slowest." As a Verizon user, this data surprised me. In fact, I am wondering if I should switch to AT&T while I use the iPhone 4s over the next two years. My contract with Verizon has expired and I have not signed a new one yet. I live in Connecticut and Verizon coverage here is excellent, whereas AT&T has been prone to drop calls. Or would it just be better to use the Verizon iPhone on WiFi? What do you think?
 
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well if you wanna pay up the ass use Verizon and At&T, if you want better coverage use Verizon....if you want cheaper service and less dropped calls use Sprint.....also Sprint is getting EVDO Advanced which is compatible with EVDO Rev. A and will be way faster than Verizon....so I say Sprint
 

sorli

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What do you classify as better on Sprint. My averages are .6 to 1.4 Mbps down, the advertised 3G speed.

Good question I guess and it all comes down to perspective. My results so far:

Palm Pre- (2.5 year old phone on Sprints 3g) - Average 2.5 mbps down

iPhone 4s (Sprints 3g) - Average .05 mbps down

Brothers iPhone 3gs (ATT 3g) - reporting only 3 bars in his home and getting 2.5 to 3.5 mbps down

As I referenced, it all comes down to perspective and if you're used to only getting .6 to 1.4 down then that would be great, but if you've done better with 2 year older smartphones...you got to be wondering what Sprint and Apple are up too with their new 4s units. Sorli...
 

Allesandro

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well if you wanna pay up the ass use Verizon and At&T, if you want better coverage use Verizon....if you want cheaper service and less dropped calls use Sprint.....also Sprint is getting EVDO Advanced which is compatible with EVDO Rev. A and will be way faster than Verizon....so I say Sprint

You live in California. I live in Connecticut. The Sprint plans here are just as expensive as AT&T and Verizon. Verizon is actually less because with them I get a loyalty discount. Otherwise, the cost of the iPhone is the same and the plans are just as costly. Add the fact that Sprint coverage here is no where as good as Verizon or AT&T and leaves Sprint out.
 
Nov 3, 2011
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You live in California. I live in Connecticut. The Sprint plans here are just as expensive as AT&T and Verizon. Verizon is actually less because with them I get a loyalty discount. Otherwise, the cost of the iPhone is the same and the plans are just as costly. Add the fact that Sprint coverage here is no where as good as Verizon or AT&T and leaves Sprint out.
there is Sprint coverage everywhere and you can roam on Verizon....I thought prices were the same everywhere?
 

juelz203

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I'm on Verizon and its blazing fast on 3G alone and with WiFi it feels like I can just think about pressing a link and the iPhone already knew I was gonna do it because the page is loaded in secs. I can only imagine what this will be like when Apple pushes to 4G!!!

Dunno if the OP was solved but u could always do 228 & update your roaming capabilities!
 

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