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Lowest DB for LTE before switching to 3G?

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chamb Member Level: eHRPD

chamb

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What is the lowest DB for LTE before you switch to 3G? 128? 126? 124?

It varies with phone and location.  But, LTE quite often becomes about worthless around a -109 or -110.  You can receive data at those levels, but your transmit signal just does make it to the cell site and be useable. I actually am OK with seeing the LTE drop off and then see the phone lock on to EVDO.  The EVDO will actually work better.

I am now thinking that the HTC EVO LTE phone actually had it right. Just drop off LTE at -109 and forget about it.  Some of the other phones hold on down to -125 or so and it gives you trouble because it is not going to work at those levels.

 

The HTC phone was heavily criticized because it dropped off LTE at a -109 while the other phones held on to the LTE.  This made HTC look bad.  But while the other phones might have held on to the LTE, it did not work.   It is more useful if the phone allows the LTE to drop and gives you EVDO.

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compneo Member Level: 3G EVDO

compneo

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It varies with phone and location. But, LTE quite often becomes about worthless around a -109 or -110. You can receive data at those levels, but your transmit signal just does make it to the cell site and be useable. I actually am OK with seeing the LTE drop off and then see the phone lock on to EVDO. The EVDO will actually work better.

I am now thinking that the HTC EVO LTE phone actually had it right. Just drop off LTE at -109 and forget about it. Some of the other phones hold on down to -125 or so and it gives you trouble because it is not going to work at those levels.

 

The HTC phone was heavily criticized because it dropped off LTE at a -109 while the other phones held on to the LTE. This made HTC look bad. But while the other phones might have held on to the LTE, it did not work. It is more useful if the phone allows the LTE to drop and gives you EVDO.

The problem with the Evo was that it was garbage in the RF dept. When the Evo has a -109 and is dropping to 3g, my note II is sitting at - 94 rocking LTE.

 

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

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themuffinman Member Level: LTE Advanced

themuffinman

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What is the lowest DB for LTE before you switch to 3G? 128? 126? 124?

There is no exact answer to this question.  I have seen my evo be able to use lte while connecting at -126db and other times it will drop off at -115 to-120.  I can also say the same for my One and a gs4 that I had for a few days.

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Steven800 Member Level: 3G EVDO

Steven800

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My Evo LTE is usuable at above -109. I actually can a -115 signal and getting 2 down. I find that to be better and faster than eHRPD because i always seem to get lower pings as well on lte unless I have a -120 or worse signal. 

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chamb Member Level: eHRPD

chamb

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The GS4 seems to work perfectly fine down to -115 to -120 dBm RSRP, then it drops to EHRPD.

My GS3 will hold to that level too, but the LTE rarely works at this level.   Like I said above, if it ain't capable of handling LTE, it should drop the LTE and give you EVDO.  I get frustrated sometimes when the GS3 has a -115 on LTE but the connection to LTE is pure crapola.

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chamb Member Level: eHRPD

chamb

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The problem with the Evo was that it was garbage in the RF dept. When the Evo has a -109 and is dropping to 3g, my note II is sitting at - 94 rocking LTE.

 

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2

You are probably correct with the EVO being garbage in the RF Dept.  I had one for a couple of days and returned it within the 14 day window. I do not have a Note II, but some friends do.  They love em.

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chamb Member Level: eHRPD

chamb

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My Evo LTE is usuable at above -109. I actually can a -115 signal and getting 2 down. I find that to be better and faster than eHRPD because i always seem to get lower pings as well on lte unless I have a -120 or worse signal. 

You might get 2 down, but I bet you get ZERO up.  Mine would NEVER work at -109 because of a poor transmit signal. I could see 2 down or more on a speed test if I was lucky enough to get my request for a speed test to be recognized.

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digiblur Member Level: LTE Advanced

digiblur

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You might get 2 down, but I bet you get ZERO up. Mine would NEVER work at -109 because of a poor transmit signal. I could see 2 down or more on a speed test if I was lucky enough to get my request for a speed test to be recognized.

To get any down you have to get some upload for the ACK packets.

 

The times when it drops the signal isn't based on numbers. It's based on when it becomes non responsive.

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Steven800 Member Level: 3G EVDO

Steven800

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You might get 2 down, but I bet you get ZERO up.  Mine would NEVER work at -109 because of a poor transmit signal. I could see 2 down or more on a speed test if I was lucky enough to get my request for a speed test to be recognized.

I was able to get 1+ up. 

post-73-0-08134400-1376263736_thumb.png

 

Then I got this. 

post-73-0-13230600-1376263746_thumb.png

 

Then I decided to see what speeds I'd get on EvDo because the tower is 3G accepted too. 

post-73-0-73682800-1376263989_thumb.png

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chamb Member Level: eHRPD

chamb

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To get any down you have to get some upload for the ACK packets.

 

The times when it drops the signal isn't based on numbers. It's based on when it becomes non responsive.

Exactly correct.   Many times, a phone will hold onto a LTE signal and people think they really have something good.  In trying to use it, they find their request for a web site or anything else gets no response.  Eventually the LTE connection totally crashes.  Occasionally it will not crash nor will it work, and that is when you start muttering foul language.  Any EVDO connection is better than a LTE connection that will not work at all.

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IsaiahL Member Level: 4G WiMax

IsaiahL

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If that is the *highest* RSRP, then you must be located away from any LTE site in a very weak signal area.

 

;)

 

AJ

Yeah I usually find myself away from the towers which sucks because that means my LTE isn't gonna last long . Traveling about the longest i've been able to maintain an LTE signal before dropping to 3G I have to say about 10 to 20mins :(

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

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Rukin1 Member Level: eHRPD

Rukin1

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If that is the *highest* RSRP, then you must be located away from any LTE site in a very weak signal area.

 

;)

 

AJ

Well 800 indoors with voice It's around 80-99.. So hopefully LTE800 will be the same <3

lol and i got -124DB connected to LTE for 5 seconds n my bathroom xD lolol

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WiWavelength Member Level: LTE Advanced

WiWavelength

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I'm a math teacher ... don't even get me started on confusion with negative numbers!

 

I feel your pain.  I work with a great many students who get confused by negative numbers.  What I do is show them a number line.  Any value to the left is smaller.  Any value to the right is larger.  If they have any potential, they must understand that exceedingly simple relationship.

 

number_line.gif

 

AJ

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mrknowitall526 Member Level: eHRPD

mrknowitall526

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I feel your pain. I work with a great many students who get confused by negative numbers. What I do is show them a number line. Any value to the left is smaller. Any value to the right is larger. If they have any potential, they must understand that exceedingly simple relationship.

 

number_line.gif

 

AJ

Sometimes even that is hard. I usually use a thermometer as an example. Or an elevator in a tall building.

 

Not knowing how to add or subtract them is worse. You can't learn algebra if you don't know how to do that!

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