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4G on an iPhone 4?

NJFP

NJFP

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 18, 2009
358
28
Did a search, and couldn't find anything. My iP4 on Verizon is of course 3G. Philadelphia has 4G coverage now, and my buddy's Droid Bionic picks it up. He gets a "4G" at the top of his phone. Mine still says 3G. Is the iP4 capable of receiving 4G?
 
The iPhone 4s is a 3G only device. On AT&T they will sometimes display 4G when on their HSPA+ network, but that is a misleading label since HSPA+ is not true 4G.
 
falterego said:
The iPhone 4s is a 3G only device. On AT&T they will sometimes display 4G when on their HSPA+ network, but that is a misleading label since HSPA+ is not true 4G.
Click to expand...

I am fairly certain that only the 4s is HSPA+ compatible, so there is zero chance that his iPhone 4 will ever display "4g".

In short, OP, no.
 
Last edited:
Some networks are labelling improved 3G services as 4G. HSPA+ is one of these technologies. It is very misleading and quite wrong.
 
It can technically be done. If you have an iPad or Android device on 4G LTE and you use the hotspot and tether your iPhone, you will be running on 4G LTE. Its quite nice :)
 
AT&T is now advertising the iPhone 4S as a 4G phone, as per their latest commercial. "Only AT&T lets your iPhone download __ times faster on America's largest 4G network *picture of iPhone showing 4G*"

So damn misleading.
 
Threads like this are proof that this 3G vs 4G naming war has gotten out of hand and confused customers. This is not meant as a derogatory remark, just that these carriers are doing more harm than good with their "what is 4G what is not" BS.
 
I disagree, my mom has a 4s and I have a 4. We both have AT&T. She was up visiting today and it most definately said 4G in the upper left corner. It was also a lot faster than my iphone 4 when it game to web surfing etc. Whether thats a function of the faster processor/graphics or true 4g I have no clue. It was comparable to my phone on my house wifi network....
 
falterego said:
The iPhone 4s is a 3G only device. On AT&T they will sometimes display 4G when on their HSPA+ network, but that is a misleading label since HSPA+ is not true 4G.
Click to expand...

Thank-you, that is exactly correct.

To many iSheep saying they have 4G now :rolleyes: LOL.

Yeah an OS update some how magically changed the hardware inside my phone to have an LTE radio, ok keep drinking the Koolaid. And HSPA is NOT 4G, it is enhanced 3G that is it.

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So if ATT is advertising the 4S as having "4G" now, how will they advertise the iPhone-next this Fall that will have true 4G/LTE ?
 
cwwilson said:
AT&T is now advertising the iPhone 4S as a 4G phone, as per their latest commercial. "Only AT&T lets your iPhone download __ times faster on America's largest 4G network *picture of iPhone showing 4G*"

So damn misleading.
Click to expand...

The only thing misleading about that is the label of 4G.. everything else is 100% true.
 
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