Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Verizon 5S on Straight Talk

T

tbarney

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 17, 2012
66
0
I picked up a Straight Talk Bring Your Own Phone kit this weekend to give the service a try on my Verizon 5S. I'm able to make calls and data is working but I'm not even getting 3G. Data indicator says "E", speed appears to be 1X like. The kit claims 4G LTE. I've been through the directions 3 or 4 times with same result. Hoping someone may be able to point out what is wrong so I can get 4G/LTE working or at least some ideas.

Thanks.
 
Straight talk can work on several different carriers. Do you know which one you purchased? It is possible that the kit connects to T-Mobile towers and you simply don't have good coverage where you live.
 
The kit came with 4 sims, two for AT&T compatible phones and the other two for T-mobile. I'm using one the AT&T Nano sim.
 
AT&T service is great in the area. I've restarted the phone a half dozen times or so.
 
I'm using a 5S on Straight Talk with ATT SIM that I had to cut down myself.

I'm getting LTE.
 
tbarney said:
AT&T service is great in the area. I've restarted the phone a half dozen times or so.
Click to expand...

That is very strange. I haven't dealt with exactly the same situation as you have, but my wife brought her Verizon iPhone 5s over to AT&T about 3 weeks ago and it simply needed a restart and everything functioned correctly.

Try a Reset network settings?
 
I didn't try resetting the network settings but will give it a shot.
 
No change, still only "E" showing and also noticed that there is no mention of 4G or LTE under General>Settings>Cellular. Hmmmm
 
Have you synced it with iTunes? That's when I got notification that new carrier settings were available and did I want to update...
 
tbarney said:
No change, still only "E" showing and also noticed that there is no mention of 4G or LTE under General>Settings>Cellular. Hmmmm
Click to expand...

I don't think you are using a 5S....5S came with iOS 7....There is no such option as General > Settings > Cellular

Its Settings > Cellular

Go to Settings -- General -- About and see if a carrier update is available.

It should say "TFW" on the top left and "TFW 15.7" on About Screen.

Also make sure you actually do have good AT&T Coverage...drive around town and see....

I'm using the Verizon 5S on ST AT&T SIM and getting 3G/LTE all the time no issues.


Do make sure you are using the correct AT&T SIM....not T-Mobile...sometimes things can get mixed up when we don't pay attention to simple things.

Since you are referencing 1x speeds...is your iPhone still active with Verizon service?. Lastly If its a Verizon iPhone 5, you will not get LTE, You will only get 3G[which is relabeled as 4G on most phones but speed and connection is exactly the same]
 
My mistake on the menu, it's defiantly a 5S

I don't see a carrier update thats available. I'm certain that AT&T coverage is good where I am.

I guess it is possible that the SIM's got mixed up in the kit but certainly am using the nano from the AT&T side of the pack. Is there anyway to validate it's an AT&T sim versus a T-Mobile? I know T-mobile in the area is not as good as AT&T and Verizon.

My Verizon account is still active so there's no issue with rolling back at this point.
 
Thanks for all the feenback. Come to find out the T-mobile sim and the AT&T sim were packaged incorrectly. The AT&T works perfectly.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back