Galaxy S20 Series Discussion

[BlueAngel]

No 5G for me but I no longer connect to Sprint, that's good at least. T-Mobile lies about their 5G coverage haha, the map shows 5G but nope nothing.

[pokefan02]

When I am connected to B2 the ping times are over 500 with jitter over 1000 and speed test is around 2mbps down and 0.06 up. B66 gives me 20 mb down and 9mb up with 30 to 50 ping times. Something else I just noticed is you can not toggle VoLTE off now it is greyed out.

[NebraskaCoder]

I can still toggle VoLTE. I wonder if in Omaha, Nebraska they have different 5G towers. SignalCheck Pro says I'm on LTE 1900 (B2 on T-Mobile) but it shows 5G in the title and I'm getting faster speeds than I did on 4G (I hadn't checked recently though). Not sure if I'm truly on 5G even though I have full bars at home when I didn't before.

Edited April 29, 2020 by NebraskaCoder

[NanoVirus]

My phone is now on band B66, speeds are no where close to what I was getting on band 41. No T-Mobile 5G in my immediate area, but there are several areas with Sprint 5G available. Volte is greyed out. I have the unlocked version.

[BlueAngel]

I can't even disable VoLTE now lol, lucky for me T-Mobile is solid here.

[clbowens]

10 hours ago, Tengen31 said:

That is why I find lowband 5G pointless. 5G should just be mid band and Mmwave. Put all 600 on LTE and you wouldn't notice a difference. Even tho vzw is planning it next with n5 and at some point n13.

 

Sent from my SM-G975U1 using Tapatalk

 

 

 

Won't all bands (lowband and midband) move move to 5G eventually?

[Tengen31]

Won't all bands (lowband and midband) move move to 5G eventually?

Yeah at some point N71,n12,n2,n25,n26,n66,n5,n13,n30,n41,n46,n48 have all been certified

Sent from my SM-G975U1 using Tapatalk

[mmark27]

Had to run into work early this morning and ran some SCP and Speedtests along the way. Highest I was able to pull anywhere in Madison was 12 Mbps down 10 Mbps up nearer to downtown Madison, but MOST of it was in the 1-3 Mbps range. All stuck on B66 AWS LTE with 5 + 5 CA reported. This performance is abysmal. I was hoping that it was just my local area/tower that was weak. At least off B41 on Sprint I was getting 90+ in most all locations, but even in the slowest areas it would be 5-10. I also assumed that the tower across the street (maybe 400 yards) from me was a stack of Verizon, T-mobile, and Sprint equipment, but it's showing the T-mobile signal coming from a lot further away. My B66 RSRP is steady here at home around -113 to -122 dBm. My B41 was in the -60 dBm range. 

Overall this is very displeasing. In a situation like I had here last Friday when the morons doing road work cut the cable lines and my whole neighborhood lost WiFi, I was at least able to keep working tethering to my Sprint hotspot from my phone. That won't work at all with this shit B66 signal. I always thought that everyone (ATT, VZW, Tmob, USCC) MUST be better than Sprint around here.....careful what you wish for I guess. 

[NanoVirus]

I was able to force my phone to stay on B41. Looks like the Sprint bands are coded as native "roaming". The speeds are night and day, I am able to get close to 200Mbps on B41 compared to 15Mbps on Band 66.

[mmark27]

4 minutes ago, NanoVirus said:

I was able to force my phone to stay on B41. Looks like the Sprint bands are coded as native "roaming". The speeds are night and day, I am able to get close to 200Mbps on B41 compared to 15Mbps on Band 66.

How? did you disable B66? 

[NanoVirus]

54 minutes ago, mmark27 said:

How? did you disable B66? 

I used the Samsung Band Selection app. Just make sure roaming is turned on or you won't get a connection to a Sprint band. 

 

Now if we get charged for roaming, I can't say, I don't wanna assume anything at this point.

[mmark27]

10 hours ago, NanoVirus said:

I used the Samsung Band Selection app. Just make sure roaming is turned on or you won't get a connection to a Sprint band. 

 

Now if we get charged for roaming, I can't say, I don't wanna assume anything at this point.

So I did this with the Band Selection app and my phone's on B41, and status is "not roaming", so 🤷‍♂️. Cell mapper data for T-mobile towers is not great for Madison. I'll monitor any adverse effects. I selected B41, B25, and B26. 

On the flip side, I did get like 6 phone calls today on B66 which at least 4 of those would have went to voicemail directly on Sprint's network. So I guess I have to pick data or phone calls? 

[preskitt.man]

Have a GS20. Called Sprint yesterday about my issues with MMS messages over WiFi calling - basically it doesn't work if only in WiFi reception area with no cellular.  Sprint thought a reprovisioning of Network services would clear up the problem. It didn't clear up problem, but now my phone is only getting TMobile bands.  I live far away from Sprint and TMo towers.  Sprint did give me a 1-2 bar signal on Band 25.  Now TMobile is give me 1-2 bar signal on B12 and B71.  But more significantly, It is not picking up the Airave that I have in the house - B41. Not quite the end of the world since I mostly rely on WiFi calling - go back to my origins of my call to Sprint  :))  Definitely not getting any 5G signal. Not sure in the overall scheme of things if only getting TMo service instead of Sprint is a good thing or not.

[ingenium]

Have a GS20. Called Sprint yesterday about my issues with MMS messages over WiFi calling - basically it doesn't work if only in WiFi reception area with no cellular.  Sprint thought a reprovisioning of Network services would clear up the problem. It didn't clear up problem, but now my phone is only getting TMobile bands.  I live far away from Sprint and TMo towers.  Sprint did give me a 1-2 bar signal on Band 25.  Now TMobile is give me 1-2 bar signal on B12 and B71.  But more significantly, It is not picking up the Airave that I have in the house - B41. Not quite the end of the world since I mostly rely on WiFi calling - go back to my origins of my call to Sprint  )  Definitely not getting any 5G signal. Not sure in the overall scheme of things if only getting TMo service instead of Sprint is a good thing or not.

MMS over wifi doesn't work on Android. Sprint's MMS servers are only accessible via mobile data unfortunately.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[preskitt.man]

19 minutes ago, ingenium said:

MMS over wifi doesn't work on Android. Sprint's MMS servers are only accessible via mobile data unfortunately.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
 

I am amazed to hear that. For many months now I have setup my phone in the house with Airplane Mode turned on then I turn on WiFi.  Saves a ton of battery, and cellular in the house sucks, if it's there at all.  But until I got the GS20, I never noticed any issues with SMS/MMS. Admittedly, do much more SMS than MMS, but since even text to multiple parties goes as MMS, I'm sure I must have been doing previously on my S8 on Sprint.  So, is this unique to Sprint.  Will problem go away with Tmobile? Would RCS services solve the issue, or only if the other parties were also RCS?

[ingenium]

I am amazed to hear that. For many months now I have setup my phone in the house with Airplane Mode turned on then I turn on WiFi.  Saves a ton of battery, and cellular in the house sucks, if it's there at all.  But until I got the GS20, I never noticed any issues with SMS/MMS. Admittedly, do much more SMS than MMS, but since even text to multiple parties goes as MMS, I'm sure I must have been doing previously on my S8 on Sprint.  So, is this unique to Sprint.  Will problem go away with Tmobile? Would RCS services solve the issue, or only if the other parties were also RCS?

It's always been that way on Sprint, though I've heard Textra could get around it somehow I think? No idea if other carriers do that as well.

RCS can use wifi for everything. But both people have to be using RCS.

You can probably enable developer settings and then disable "always on mobile data". With wifi calling set to wifi preferred, it *should* basically disconnect from the mobile network when not in use, and you shouldn't really notice any battery difference compared to airplane mode. Then if you need to send/receive a MMS, it'll quickly connect and do it, then disconnect.

Also, a bit too late now, but you should have just requested an Airave. Would have solved your low signal issue. Phone barely used any power idling on wifi with full service.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[preskitt.man]

3 minutes ago, ingenium said:

 

 

It's always been that way on Sprint, though I've heard Textra could get around it somehow I think? No idea if other carriers do that as well.


Also, a bit too late now, but you should have just requested an Airave. Would have solved your low signal issue. Phone barely used any power idling on wifi with full service.


 

 

Well, with regard to the Airave - I have one.  Gives out a great 4G signal in the house.  Even supports VOLTE now.  But since Sprint reset my network services, I don't pick up the Airave, even when I am standing right next to it.

As for the MMS issues: Saw this from the Sprint FAQ on WiFi calling:

 

Android phones: SMS (text) is supported in Wi-Fi Calling mode. MMS (pictures and group texts) is supported on select devices in Wi-Fi Calling mode. Depending on the device manufacturer and messaging client, cellular coverage is required for MMS. For example, devices with the Android Messages client requires cellular coverage for MMS.

Well, I would think that an S20 would be a selected device.  And I am using Pulse for my messaging client - though I did try Android Messages and Samsung Messages with the same results.  I'll give Textra a try.

[mmark27]

9 hours ago, mmark27 said:

So I did this with the Band Selection app and my phone's on B41, and status is "not roaming", so 🤷‍♂️. Cell mapper data for T-mobile towers is not great for Madison. I'll monitor any adverse effects. I selected B41, B25, and B26. 

On the flip side, I did get like 6 phone calls today on B66 which at least 4 of those would have went to voicemail directly on Sprint's network. So I guess I have to pick data or phone calls? 

RCS seems to not like this setup at all. Says "connecting......." in chat settings in Google Messages. Sucks! 

[dkyeager]

9 hours ago, preskitt.man said:

Have a GS20. Called Sprint yesterday about my issues with MMS messages over WiFi calling - basically it doesn't work if only in WiFi reception area with no cellular.  Sprint thought a reprovisioning of Network services would clear up the problem. It didn't clear up problem, but now my phone is only getting TMobile bands.  I live far away from Sprint and TMo towers.  Sprint did give me a 1-2 bar signal on Band 25.  Now TMobile is give me 1-2 bar signal on B12 and B71.  But more significantly, It is not picking up the Airave that I have in the house - B41. Not quite the end of the world since I mostly rely on WiFi calling - go back to my origins of my call to Sprint  :))  Definitely not getting any 5G signal. Not sure in the overall scheme of things if only getting TMo service instead of Sprint is a good thing or not.

I would take a different approach that will help you possibly until your market sites are converted: 

 https://www.reddit.com/r/galaxynote10/comments/ga2a1l/app_samsung_band_selection_app/
Available in play store. Select only Sprint bands and you will be connected to the Airave. Toggle roaming might be needed.  Alternatively get a cellspot or signalbooster from T-Mobile (or from your "Sprint" store after August 2).

It would not surprise me that over time T-Mobile will move bandwidth from Sprint sites to T-Mobile sites even in areas where no Sprint cell sites are converted. Aka following the Nextel merger playbook. You might be better with a different carrier altogether; although after the Sprint sites are offered to Dish, I would expect some greater rural density simply because T-Mobile will have more rural customers to justify their expense. Band 71/ n71 could also move closer to you. It might only be on 5% of sites in my area for example.  Look at cellmapper.net for details. Add data yourself through the cellmapper app.  Basically do whatever works for you, but be prepared to have to make changes.

Let us know if you still see roaming on AT&T or Verizon on this S20 and if CDMA still works on your S20. Good luck!

[ingenium]

RCS seems to not like this setup at all. Says "connecting......." in chat settings in Google Messages. Sucks! 

I've had that happen before. A reboot fixed it.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[preskitt.man]

So, several updates:

1) Called Sprint.  It looks like the Airave is now a paper weight.  Sprint has enabled the Tmobile bands.  They are now the primary ones and the old Sprint bands like 41 (Airave) and 25 (macro cell) are secondary. However, fwiw, the Tmobile towers identify to Sprint phone as native Sprint - not as roaming.

2) Outside the home, TMobile signal is decent.  Let's me stream music on my morning walks.  Inside the house, I'm on WiFi calling.

3) MMS seems like a loser over WiFi or WiFi calling.  Tried it with Textra.  They haven't supported MMS over WiFi for several Android releases now.  Tried it and it doesn't work, nor does Pulse nor Samsung Messages nor Android Messages. Guess RCS would work, but most of my friends are on iPhone. Even my daughter, who has a Note 9, is using Pulse, so RCS is a no-go.

4) Played around a little with Samsung Band Selection app.  Interesting app, but not consistent results.

5) Did go to Developer Options (had been previously enabled) and Mobile Data Always Active is turned off.

Edited April 30, 2020 by preskitt.man

[mmark27]

9 minutes ago, preskitt.man said:

So, several updates:

1) Called Sprint.  It looks like the Airave is now a paper weight.  Sprint has enabled the Tmobile bands.  They are now the primary ones and the old Sprint bands like 41 (Airave) and 25 (macro cell) are secondary. However, fwiw, the Tmobile towers identify to Sprint phone as native Sprint - not as roaming.

2) Outside the home, TMobile signal is decent.  Let's me stream music on my morning walks.  Inside the house, I'm on WiFi calling.

3) MMS seems like a loser over WiFi or WiFi calling.  Tried it with Textra.  They haven't supported MMS over WiFi for several Android releases now.  Tried it and it doesn't work, nor does Pulse nor Samsung Messages nor Android Messages. Guess RCS would work, but most of my friends are on iPhone. Even my daughter, who has a Note 9, is using Pulse, so RCS is a no-go.

4) Played around a little with Samsung Band Selection app.  Interesting app, but not consistent results.

5) Did go to Developer Options (had been previously enabled) and Mobile Data Always Active is turned off.

So they (Sprint) can't turn your phone back to priority for Sprint bands? Over on reddit they were saying that it was a line-by-line activation and that it could be reversed by calling tech support. I'm debating trying that, but thought others might find out first if that works without me wasting tons of time on the phone. 

My phone is pretty worthless outside WiFi now on the B66....it's new trick has been to latch on to the B4^2 signal, which has a little higher RSRP value but it is just as slow as B66 (1-3 Mbps down, failed uploads). 

I've tested the Samsung Band Selection app switching over to B41, B25, B26, but then I lose my RCS in Google Messages app. Consistent loss on testing flipping back and forth. I also went into the ##data# edit menu for the band priority and B66 isn't even listed in there. The phone is still listening to B25 priority 1, B26 priority 2, and B41 priority 3, then down on the list, but again, no B66 listed at all. 

This seems to be truly a cluster F of the highest order reading the comments on Reddit as well. 

[transitwatch889]

23 minutes ago, mmark27 said:

This seems to be truly a cluster F of the highest order reading the comments on Reddit as well. 

Wrote this post on reddit see if it helps

[preskitt.man]

29 minutes ago, mmark27 said:

So they (Sprint) can't turn your phone back to priority for Sprint bands? Over on reddit they were saying that it was a line-by-line activation and that it could be reversed by calling tech support. I'm debating trying that, but thought others might find out first if that works without me wasting tons of time on the phone. 

My phone is pretty worthless outside WiFi now on the B66....it's new trick has been to latch on to the B4^2 signal, which has a little higher RSRP value but it is just as slow as B66 (1-3 Mbps down, failed uploads). 

I've tested the Samsung Band Selection app switching over to B41, B25, B26, but then I lose my RCS in Google Messages app. Consistent loss on testing flipping back and forth. I also went into the ##data# edit menu for the band priority and B66 isn't even listed in there. The phone is still listening to B25 priority 1, B26 priority 2, and B41 priority 3, then down on the list, but again, no B66 listed at all. 

This seems to be truly a cluster F of the highest order reading the comments on Reddit as well. 

What Sprint specifically told me is they can't put my phone back to "Sprint LTE".  They could make it prioritize CDMA-3G.  Not exactly a winner in my book. I don't think think the tech I was talking to was just giving me a story - sounds like the way the system was engineered. 

[dkyeager]

1 hour ago, preskitt.man said:

What Sprint specifically told me is they can't put my phone back to "Sprint LTE".  They could make it prioritize CDMA-3G.  Not exactly a winner in my book. I don't think think the tech I was talking to was just giving me a story - sounds like the way the system was engineered. 

I think the planning left a lot to be desired. Training staff typically comes last.  The band selector app seems to be working quite well in Ohio for the few I checked with. ( Many use it).   A Samsung Sprint market might be a factor.