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So I got an iPhone 5S AT&T full price, put my T-mobile sim card in then ...

M

macno0b

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 20, 2013
27
0
Got a 32gb silver 5s last night full price from an Apple store. I plugged it in itunes, it says congrats, your iphone is unlocked. I put my Tmo sim card in, it works perfectly. However, the LTE speedtest is slow

I get 5-7mb download and max 1mb upload. I got up to 15mb download on my old Galaxy S3 which I ditched to go back to iOS because Android is horrible.

Is the slow speed because I'm using an ATT version? Is the 5S Att version the same as the Tmo version? Will I get better performance on a Tmo version?

Thanks,
 
B

Beezy253

macrumors 6502
Sep 19, 2013
350
12
Tacoma, WA
macno0b said:
Got a 32gb silver 5s last night full price from an Apple store. I plugged it in itunes, it says congrats, your iphone is unlocked. I put my Tmo sim card in, it works perfectly. However, the LTE speedtest is slow

I get 5-7mb download and max 1mb upload. I got up to 15mb download on my old Galaxy S3 which I ditched to go back to iOS because Android is horrible.

Is the slow speed because I'm using an ATT version? Is the 5S Att version the same as the Tmo version? Will I get better performance on a Tmo version?

Thanks,
Click to expand...

Could it be your location?
 
M

macno0b

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 20, 2013
27
0
my house is right next to Tmo tower. I used to get 15mb download from a Galaxy S3. I get 8-10mb download from my IP5. I'm in Chicago where has strong Tmo signal.
 
d123

d123

macrumors 68020
Oct 19, 2009
2,236
709
Earth
Col Ronson said:
the ATT and Tmobile phones are IDENTICAL in every regard. Well except for the different sim cards inside.

It's probably just your network area.
Click to expand...

You may want to tell the OP, and not me ;)

I just said exactly the same as you in my post you quoted.
 
K

KPOM

macrumors P6
Oct 23, 2010
18,031
7,872
macno0b said:
my house is right next to Tmo tower. I used to get 15mb download from a Galaxy S3. I get 8-10mb download from my IP5. I'm in Chicago where has strong Tmo signal.
Click to expand...

Try resetting network settings in the Settings menu. It's possible that the carrier settings aren't updating properly.
 
M

macno0b

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 20, 2013
27
0
7e9udyqa.jpg


I only get 5-6mb download compared to over 10mbs before.

This is in downtown Chicago where tmo signal is strong.

I will post one at home later

Any tmo users experiencing low speed lte using the Att ip5s?
 
K

KPOM

macrumors P6
Oct 23, 2010
18,031
7,872
macno0b said:
I only get 5-6mb download compared to over 10mbs before.

This is in downtown Chicago where tmo signal is strong.

I will post one at home later

Any tmo users experiencing low speed lte using the Att ip5s?
Click to expand...

Part of it may be T-Mo's own network. I have a T-Mo locked 5s that I'm trying out in addition to the unlocked Verizon model that I'm using with AT&T. Downtown I've been getting similar speeds as you. In some cases, T-Mo's HSPA+ network is faster than their LTE network. I'm not sure how many LTE channels T-Mo has in Chicago. I'm guessing not many.
 
C

CEmajr

macrumors 601
Dec 18, 2012
4,452
1,243
Charlotte, NC
It's the network. I get around 15mbps down on LTE but when I go inside my apartment it drops to "4G" HSPA+ and the speeds are around 22-25mbps down.
 
M

macno0b

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 20, 2013
27
0
2yzy6umu.jpg


I get horrid speed at home. I normally get 15-18mbps on the crappy Galaxy S3.

Is my phone defective?

I havent updated tmo carrier update because i dont want to lose hotspot tethering. May be the update helps with the lte speed. Can someone confirm?
 
C

Col Ronson

macrumors 6502a
Aug 7, 2008
619
2
samven582 said:
how did you buy one at full price?
Click to expand...

go to the apple store and say you want device only.


Try calling tmobile and making sure the IMEI of your new phone is associated with that sim card. Sometimes unfamiliar IMEIs on the network are given low priority access. There was some guy using ATT 5S who was complaining his LTE kept dropping out and it was because ATT had the wrong IMEI for his phone.
 
K

KPOM

macrumors P6
Oct 23, 2010
18,031
7,872
macno0b said:
my house is right next to Tmo tower. I used to get 15mb download from a Galaxy S3. I get 8-10mb download from my IP5. I'm in Chicago where has strong Tmo signal.
Click to expand...

I've tried T-Mo on LTE and HSPA in Chicago. Oddly, HSPA is faster for me.
 
JoeG4

JoeG4

macrumors 68030
Jan 11, 2002
2,843
518
Perhaps it's because you're using the wrong APN, there's epc.t-mobile.com and fast.t-mobile.com - usually the "fast" APN is the default for LTE towers.

If you're using one, try the other.
 
K

knux11

macrumors regular
Apr 22, 2008
209
11
macno0b said:
Image

I get horrid speed at home. I normally get 15-18mbps on the crappy Galaxy S3.

Is my phone defective?

I havent updated tmo carrier update because i dont want to lose hotspot tethering. May be the update helps with the lte speed. Can someone confirm?
Click to expand...

¿Que?
 
M

macno0b

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 20, 2013
27
0
NuggetSauce said:
So you paid almost $800 for a phone?
Click to expand...

It works out to be a lot cheaper than being on contract. I develop apps too, need the phone to play with core motion api (m7). I will make the investment back in a month from my apps sale.
 
Raibyn

Raibyn

macrumors regular
Sep 24, 2013
154
8
South Carolina
BruiserB said:
I did as well. I pay $30 for my monthly service. Do the math and see who's got the better deal.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Should it realistically cost $800 for an iPhone? Probably not. However, the carriers absolutely rip you off with their postpaid plans and contracts. The $299 subsidized phone is no great deal when you are locked into paying around $100 a month for 2 years. You will save money buying phones outright and getting cheaper prepaid plans.
 
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