Google Pixel and Pixel XL by HTC Users Thread

[crazy_vag]

BTW.   According to this post, despite the fact that Pixel support 3x CA, it seems like Sprint needs to whitelist our phones to use it:

 

https://www.cnet.com/news/sprints-hidden-a-secret-turbo-boost-in-your-phone/

"The capability, which Sprint plans to deliver as a software update pushed over the air, will let Sprint's phones tap into a technology called 3 x carrier aggregation -- a technical term for Sprint's ability to create a fatter pipe to deliver you YouTube videos and Taylor Swift songs. Other devices slated to get an update include LG's G5 and Google's Pixel."

 

That explains why Pixel XL doesn't seem to be seeing any faster speeds than Nexus 6P.  Wonder if B25-B25 2x CA is enabled with this update too.

[Jackietreehorn]

BTW.   According to this post, despite the fact that Pixel support 3x CA, it seems like Sprint needs to whitelist our phones to use it:

 

https://www.cnet.com/news/sprints-hidden-a-secret-turbo-boost-in-your-phone/

"The capability, which Sprint plans to deliver as a software update pushed over the air, will let Sprint's phones tap into a technology called 3 x carrier aggregation -- a technical term for Sprint's ability to create a fatter pipe to deliver you YouTube videos and Taylor Swift songs. Other devices slated to get an update include LG's G5 and Google's Pixel."

 

That explains why Pixel XL doesn't seem to be seeing any faster speeds than Nexus 6P.  Wonder if B25-B25 2x CA is enabled with this update too.

 

Not like I ran a speed test or anything, but I saw 3x band 41 in Signalcheck while I was driving around seeing if my signal would drop.  Strange that you could see it, but not take advantage.

[mtciii]

Not like I ran a speed test or anything, but I saw 3x band 41 in Signalcheck while I was driving around seeing if my signal would drop. Strange that you could see it, but not take advantage.

³ does not mean 3xCA

 

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[ingenium]

Probably a regression from the latest Dec update....

 

 

Hopefully you can last until January, so Google rarely does out-of-cycle updates.

They actually just released an update today. Not sure if it does anything to address that issue, it's mostly to deal with a bug that prevented MMS on a UK carrier. No other changes are mentioned.

 

They also released an out of cycle update to fix Canadian band 4 connectivity last month. So I'm hoping from now on they'll be more likely to release out of cycle bug fixes.

 

Sent from my Pixel XL

[Jackietreehorn]

³ does not mean 3xCA

 

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

Oh?  Seemed like it would, given that it showed up exactly as it would with 2x CA.  Given that I looked at the FAQ and help section and didn't see what it would mean, what exactly does it mean then?

[mtciii]

Oh? Seemed like it would, given that it showed up exactly as it would with 2x CA. Given that I looked at the FAQ and help section and didn't see what it would mean, what exactly does it mean then?

² also doesn't mean 2xCA. They mean second and third carriers - but it's not indicative that you're actually connected to multiple.

 

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[caspar347]

² and ³ mean the tower you're connected to is potentially capable of 2x and 3x CA, but those will show up whether or not the device actually supports 2x/3x CA.

 

and if you want to get super technical the 2 and 3 occasionally show up before 2x/3x CA is actually enabled tower side, but they indicate that the tower has the spectrum required deployed for CA.

[Jackietreehorn]

² also doesn't mean 2xCA. They mean second and third carriers - but it's not indicative that you're actually connected to multiple.

 

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

 

² and ³ mean the tower you're connected to is potentially capable of 2x and 3x CA, but those will show up whether or not the device actually supports 2x/3x CA.

 

and if you want to get super technical the 2 and 3 occasionally show up before 2x/3x CA is actually enabled tower side, but they indicate that the tower has the spectrum required deployed for CA.

 

Interesting.  Learn something new every day I guess.  Back when they first started showing up, I'd run speed tests, and they were (obviously anecdotally) higher than I expected, so I never looked into it any further.

 

Thanks for the explanation.

[caspar347]

Interesting.  Learn something new every day I guess.  Back when they first started showing up, I'd run speed tests, and they were (obviously anecdotally) higher than I expected, but that's quite a while back now.

 

Thanks for the explanation.

Well they do go along with CA, so you were probably getting CA if you were using a CA device. But not necessarily.

 

And since that little number means more spectrum is deployed, you will see slightly higher speeds even without CA thanks to load balancing. But not nearly as dramatic of a difference as you'd see with CA, which would be more like double the old speeds. You get some benefits from a tower set up for CA even if you don't have a CA device.

[Dkoellerwx]

Oh?  Seemed like it would, given that it showed up exactly as it would with 2x CA.  Given that I looked at the FAQ and help section and didn't see what it would mean, what exactly does it mean then?

 

SCP does not currently have a way of detecting CA status. It can only tell you which carrier you are currently connected to as the primary carrier. The 2 and 3 superscripts, as noted above, only tell you if you are connected to the 2nd or 3rd carrier. (1st carrier is just labeled as B41)

[crazy_vag]

SCP does not currently have a way of detecting CA status. It can only tell you which carrier you are currently connected to as the primary carrier. The 2 and 3 superscripts, as noted above, only tell you if you are connected to the 2nd or 3rd carrier. (1st carrier is just labeled as B41)

 

Until SCP finds a way to detect CA status, one way is to get out an old phone that can only do 2xCA (like Nexus 6P) and set it next to your 3xCA phone (like Pixel XL) and run side by side speed test.  If 3x CA is indeed enabled, then you should see roughly 50% higher speeds.  If speeds are the same, then 3xCA is probably not enabled either on the tower or your phone.

 

Seeing 2nd and 3rd carrier in SCP is largely a "hint" that this tower probably does or will support some level of CA.

Edited December 14, 2016 by crazy_vag

[mtciii]

Until SCP finds a way to detect CA status, one way is to get out an old phone that can only do 2xCA (like Nexus 6) and set it next to your 3xCA phone (like Pixel XL) and run side by side speed test.  If 3x CA is indeed enabled, then you should see roughly 50% higher speeds.  If speeds are the same, then 3xCA is probably not enabled either on the tower or your phone.

Nexus 6 does not support 2xCA.

[crazy_vag]

Nexus 6 does not support 2xCA.

Oops... meant Nexus 6P... 

[mhuling]

Can I buy a Pixel XL from Verizon, then take it over to Sprint and activate it? Seeing mixed answers via Google search.

 

Sent from my m8whl using Tapatalk

[JDD]

Yes, it is unlocked out of the box. I just did it and mine is actually still active on Verizon at the same time as Sprint. I have been swapping sim cards and using both services.

[though]

Verizon units have a locked bootloader

[travismheim]

Can I buy a Pixel XL from Verizon, then take it over to Sprint and activate it? Seeing mixed answers via Google search.

 

Sent from my m8whl using Tapatalk

Yes, you can. Keep in mind the bootloader on Verizon pixels is locked if that matters to you.

 

 

 

Sent from my 2PYB2 using Tapatalk

[mtciii]

Verizon units have a locked bootloader

*non-unlockable bootloader.

 

All units have a locked bootloader.

 

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[iansltx]

/me blows the dust off his S4GRU account

 

Add me to the list of folks experiencing complete signal drops while handing off. I need to compare between markets (I'll be back in Denver for New Year's) to see if the issue is network vendor specific...it shows up full-force in San Antonio and Austin, that's for sure.

 

The issue feels like it's specifically B41 related, where multiple B41 cells are visible. For example, the 16th floor of a building in downtown Austin. Or a few blocks away at street level in an area where there are fewer buildings to block the signal. Or while heading down I-35 between Austin and San Antonio...or heading along I-10 in San Antonio.

 

B25 and B26 handoffs seem to work fine, on the other hand, and if the phone has settled on a single B41 cell everything's fine. But if multiple cells are within earshot...good luck.

 

Fingers crossed that Google fixes this. I feel like my 5X had somewhat of this issue, but not anywhere near this level.

[MadTiger]

Well, it seems like Google is promising "software fix" on everything these days...yet has not delivered one fix....

[greenbastard]

Fingers crossed that Google fixes this. I feel like my 5X had somewhat of this issue, but not anywhere near this level.

Now that you mention it, it has happened to me on my 5x when I used to have Sprint. There was always one location that my phone loved to lose signal and a Clearwire B41 and Sprint B41 where within eye sight of each other. This issue better get resolved quick for Pixel users, especially if Sprint deploys Small cells outside of the few select areas it currently has.

[dedub]

I wonder if this is related to hand offs between clear (or clear network backhauled) sites and native sprint sites.

 

I find a lot of times when riding in a car in stl, some games will get interrupted during handoffs. I believe this has to do with different IP networks between legacy clearwire b41 sites and native sprint sites.

 

I don't really see a loss of signal due to full screen game blocking status bar, i just lose my match and/or are forced into a reconnected session.

[Nrbelex]

Just wanted to point out Sprint solved the signal drop / hand-off issue with an update pushed 1/4. Hooray!

[WiWavelength]

Just wanted to point out Sprint solved the signal drop / hand-off issue with an update pushed 1/4. Hooray!

 

Nah, just the opposite.  The update pushed out earlier this month has caused my Pixel XL to start intermittently losing connection on handoffs, whereas before it was fine while the rest of you schmoes had problems.

 

AJ

[crazy_vag]

https://www.wirelessweek.com/news/2017/01/sprint-enables-3-carrier-aggregation-more-devices

 

A Sprint spokeswoman on Tuesday said the carrier flipped the switch on three-carrier aggregation, pushing out automatic updates to enable the technology on six new devices.

According to the spokeswoman, Sprint customers using the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, LG V20, and LG G5 received the update on Friday. The move raised the total number of three-carrier aggregation-enabled devices on Sprint’s network to seven; HTC’s Bolt recently launched with three-carrier aggregation enabled out of the box.

The spokeswoman said a total of 13 devices are three-carrier aggregation capable, but the carrier has yet to enable the feature on the other six devices.

-----------------------

 

Pixel isn't called out here, but here's to hoping that with the February update, 3x CA gets flipped on on the Pixel.