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hello12

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 25, 2012
146
51
Does LTE have a better connection inside buildings and such? Because my unlocked iphone on tmobile just started using 3G the other day, and its super fast... like instant and as fast as wifi. What would even be the point of LTE?
 

Diseal3

macrumors 65816
Jun 29, 2008
1,072
95
Does LTE have a better connection inside buildings and such? Because my unlocked iphone on tmobile just started using 3G the other day, and its super fast... like instant and as fast as wifi. What would even be the point of LTE?

LTE is technology that can and will be built upon. LTE Advanced and eventual VOLte. It's seen as the next milestone for both Voice and Data services.
 

Mr Hill

macrumors 6502a
Apr 28, 2012
500
1
Charlotte, NC
Does LTE have a better connection inside buildings and such? Because my unlocked iphone on tmobile just started using 3G the other day, and its super fast... like instant and as fast as wifi. What would even be the point of LTE?

T-Mobile's 3G is very fast but it's theoretical speed limit is 42mbps. LTE has a 100mbps theoretical limit. It's a more latent connection but yeah in terms of actual usefulness on a phone, once you get past 15mbps the speeds become just something that looks nice on a Speedtest app. T-Mobile mainly needs LTE from a marketing standpoint to say that they have it since the other 3 carriers have it now.
 

equalme

macrumors member
Sep 24, 2012
35
6
Houston, TX
Highest speed test I've ever hit on my S2 on Tmo was 10mbps..and that was rare. It mostly tests around 6-8mbps download and 1-2mbps upload which is no where close to decent wifi.

On the other hand, my friends iphone 5 on ATT LTE can constantly hit 30mbps down and 7-8mbps up. Now that is cable internet speeds.

This is all tested in Houston, TX where we have great coverage.
 

E2EK1EL

macrumors 6502
Nov 19, 2012
493
8
Once you experience a good LTE connection, everything else is just too slow.

Telstra - Adelaide Australia.

270513_10151222909088908_2136195162_n.jpg



Rogers - Scarborough Canada

378550_10151246061428908_1406254949_n.jpg


417106_10151246061433908_2101917647_n.jpg
 

Michael CM1

macrumors 603
Feb 4, 2008
5,681
276
Somewhere I read that LTE was the first mobile standard built with data as a primary focus or something like that. I don't know whether it will help in buildings, but the speeds of LTE are crazy fast compared to all 3G. I'm assuming when voice is transferred to LTE, it should get better quality. Maybe, dare I dream, we could get 128k quality instead of the crappy audio phones have always had.
 

wordoflife

macrumors 604
Jul 6, 2009
7,564
37
LTE isn't that big of a deal if you're using GSM, but for CDMA, it's the next thing up. CDMA is already very slow, and the technology is at its end. In other words, CDMA technology cannot be improved anymore to offer the service that GSM providers are offering on their HSPA+ Networks, let alone HSPA.

CDMA = Sprint, Verizon

To put it in perspective, T-Mobile's HSPA+ network probably gets 6-10 Mb/s. I haven't seen Verizon got past 0.55-1 Mb/s. And don't even ask me about Sprint...
 

boomhower

macrumors 68000
Oct 21, 2011
1,570
56
If you have a really good T-Mobile 3G or AT&T fauxG signal the difference isn't as drastic. But as mentioned, if your coming from CDMA is a massive massive upgrade.
 

jstar002

macrumors regular
Dec 5, 2012
117
0
LTE isn't that big of a deal if you're using GSM, but for CDMA, it's the next thing up. CDMA is already very slow, and the technology is at its end. In other words, CDMA technology cannot be improved anymore to offer the service that GSM providers are offering on their HSPA+ Networks, let alone HSPA.

CDMA = Sprint, Verizon

To put it in perspective, T-Mobile's HSPA+ network probably gets 6-10 Mb/s. I haven't seen Verizon got past 0.55-1 Mb/s. And don't even ask me about Sprint...

That's surprising.. From reading the boards it seems like Verizon's LTE network is much faster and superior than ATT in Los Angeles and also a lot faster?
 

corvus32

macrumors 6502a
Sep 4, 2009
761
0
USA
What good is LTE speed when your phone bill is $100 per month and all you get is a 2GB data limit.

Seems more of a money making scam than anything of good use or value.

Let me know when it's available at $45 a month without a contract and $350 early termination fee that can go against your credit score. If someone can't afford to keep paying the monthly bill, how are they going to afford the ETF?
 

aristobrat

macrumors G5
Oct 14, 2005
12,292
1,403
Does LTE have a better connection inside buildings and such? Because my unlocked iphone on tmobile just started using 3G the other day, and its super fast... like instant and as fast as wifi. What would even be the point of LTE?
On Verizon 3G, if you go to download a song or install an app, it could take several minutes. On Verizon LTE, the same things now often take 10 seconds.

Like everyone said, on AT&T and T-Mobile going from 3G to 4G to LTE isn't a big increase on speed usually. But for the millions of people on Verizon and Sprint, the speed increase that LTE brings is about the same magnitude as you just having going from EDGE to 3G on T-Mobile. Night and day difference.

What good is LTE speed when your phone bill is $100 per month and all you get is a 2GB data limit.
Hmm, I don't know of any big carriers in the US that charge extra for LTE (or charge less for 3G).
 

Beeplance

macrumors 68000
Jul 29, 2012
1,564
500
The thread-starter is absolutely right. There's no need for LTE speeds when 3G speeds of a mere 3mbps is already enough to do everything so quickly on a mobile phone.

The only useful use of LTE is for the personal hotspot feature to connect to a com/laptop for an insanely fast internet connection.
 

aristobrat

macrumors G5
Oct 14, 2005
12,292
1,403
The thread-starter is absolutely right. There's no need for LTE speeds when 3G speeds of a mere 3mbps is already enough to do everything so quickly on a mobile phone.
3G speeds aren't fast everywhere.

The #1 and #3 largest carriers here in the US are CDMA, where typical speeds don't exceed .5 mbps.

That's the majority of Americans.
 

Xgm541

macrumors 65816
May 3, 2011
1,098
818
The thread-starter is absolutely right. There's no need for LTE speeds when 3G speeds of a mere 3mbps is already enough to do everything so quickly on a mobile phone.

The only useful use of LTE is for the personal hotspot feature to connect to a com/laptop for an insanely fast internet connection.

Lte in my experience has much lower ping times so you're never waiting around.
 

scaredpoet

macrumors 604
Apr 6, 2007
6,627
342
The thread-starter is absolutely right. There's no need for LTE speeds when 3G speeds of a mere 3mbps is already enough to do everything so quickly on a mobile phone.

The only useful use of LTE is for the personal hotspot feature to connect to a com/laptop for an insanely fast internet connection.

The point that is being missed entirely is that LTE adds capacity and forces carriers to add backhaul. More people can be using the network without overloading the network.
 

2298754

Cancelled
Jun 21, 2010
4,890
941
Lower latency. Higher speeds. Better building penetration (700mhz band).

I can get stupid fast data speeds in places where my previous phones would barely get on EDGE. (inside buildings)

----------

The point that is being missed entirely is that LTE adds capacity and forces carriers to add backhaul. More people can be using the network without overloading the network.

That's also because LTE is much more efficient at managing data and high amounts of users. That is why we probably won't see LTE choke in high user areas, like we saw 3G/EVDO do.
 

Kashsystems

macrumors 6502
Jul 23, 2012
358
1
The point of LTE is to make you use up your data plan up as fast as possible in the name of more monies.
 

Jordan921

macrumors 603
Jul 7, 2010
5,069
2,171
Bay Area
Because LTE is newer and better technology. I bet once T-Mobile gets LTE you aren't going to be asking what's the point of LTE.
 

Menel

Suspended
Aug 4, 2011
6,351
1,356
Once you experience a good LTE connection, everything else is just too slow.

No, just no. I get 50-60 regular in ATL. Everything else is not 'just to slow'.

I drop to 4G when I go upto Chattanooga and pull 7-9mbps. And I can't tell a bit of difference for Mail, Safari, YouTube, or streaming iTunes Match/Pandora.

LTE is overkill for mobile handsets.
 

Myiphone7

macrumors 6502a
Nov 18, 2010
848
0
Does LTE have a better connection inside buildings and such? Because my unlocked iphone on tmobile just started using 3G the other day, and its super fast... like instant and as fast as wifi. What would even be the point of LTE?

LTE is actually faster than wifi.

Until you use it, you really don't know what your missing. Imagine streaming movies in HD INSTANTLY.
 

SomeDudeAsking

macrumors 65816
Nov 23, 2010
1,250
2
LTE is actually faster than wifi.

Until you use it, you really don't know what your missing. Imagine streaming movies in HD INSTANTLY.

You can watch all of one HD movie before you start paying a second arm and leg. Obscene overage charges can track up like the is no tomorrow.
 
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