4G LTE band 2 (1900) and band 4 AWS(1700/2100)

[AJ72]

Hi:

I recently bought a Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 (Sub-model: China). It has the 3G 850MHz, 1900MHz and 4G LTE Band 5-850MHz, Band 7-2600MHz and Band 40-2300MHz. It's working with PM in the GTA and I have good network signal and data speed.

My question is - how important are band 2 (1900) and band 4 AWS(1700/2100) to have in a phone for the best Public Mobile (and other providers such as Rogers/Bell/Telus) signal/experience? I know that the Redmi Note 7 does have a global sub-model that has these two bands, so just thinking if it's worth getting a phone that has all these bands.

Any comments/thoughts?

Thanks.

[computergeek541]

@cnsultnt LTE still provides added network capacity and generally more consistent pings.

[cnsultnt]

@computergeek: I might be going against the popular opinion here, but if you're on a 3g plan, I would say that that the importance of LTE compatibility to be rather low.

Isn't is 3G speed on the LTE network?

[sheytoon]

@hebegebe consider LTE bands 2, 5, 7. There's no B40 TDD in the network. The FDD version, B30, is available in some areas, but it's limited and not necessary.

[geopublic]

@hebegebe  Band 7 is important for LTE you should always look for a phone that has it 

[computergeek541]

---

@hebegebe wrote:

If I were looking for a phone, does this sound like the most current information (May 2020) on Frequency Bands supported by Public Mobile?

3G

850 MHz, Band 5 (UMTS/ HSPA)

1900MHz, Band 2 (UMTS/ HSPA)

4G

1700/ 2100 MHz AWS, Band 4 (LTE/ LTE Advanced).
700 MHz A/B/C/E, Band 12/13/17/29 (LTE/ LTE Advanced).

Do I need to be concerned of:

2600 MHz, Band 7

2300 MHz, Band 40

---

Bands 2 and 5 are also used for LTE.

[hebegebe]

If I were looking for a phone, does this sound like the most current information (May 2020) on Frequency Bands supported by Public Mobile?

3G

850 MHz, Band 5 (UMTS/ HSPA)

1900MHz, Band 2 (UMTS/ HSPA)

4G

1700/ 2100 MHz AWS, Band 4 (LTE/ LTE Advanced).
700 MHz A/B/C/E, Band 12/13/17/29 (LTE/ LTE Advanced).

Do I need to be concerned of:

2600 MHz, Band 7

2300 MHz, Band 40

[sheytoon]

At your house it's fine, but if you go to a shopping mall, airport, hospital, the PATH, or other major venues, you'll notice the difference.

[AJ72]

So I checked my phone at home in Scarborough. It connects to band 5 and band 7.

My wife's phone on PM is also a Redmi and it's a genuine global version - has bands 2, 4, 5, 7 and 40. Interestingly, her phone also shows connected to the same bands as mine - 5 and 7, and sometimes band 2, but never band 4. Our home is within 2 kms of two big Bell/Telus towers on Port Union Road and East Avenue.

This is inline with another PM user's experience in the GTA, which he has shared here, and they're also connecting to band 5 and 7, more than band 4.

Thanks.

---

@AJ72 wrote:

Thanks @Lemony_Snicket and @srlawren. I installed both apps on my phone. Both show my phone connected to Band 5 LTE. I'm in Markham now. I'll check when I'm in Scarborough.

---

[sheytoon · Accepted solution]

For LTE, the main bands are B2 and B4 (B12 in rural areas), and they're equally deployed on macro sites. If your phone is missing both, you're really sacrificing your LTE experience.

[PAULRANG18]

Good to have these bands to have the phone perform at full capacity.

[computergeek541]

---

@AJ72 wrote:

My question is - how important are band 2 (1900) and band 4 AWS(1700/2100) to have in a phone for the best Public Mobile (and other providers such as Rogers/Bell/Telus) signal/experience? I know that the Redmi Note 7 does have a global sub-model that has these two bands, so just thinking if it's worth getting a phone that has all these bands.

I might be going against the popular opinion here, but if you're on a 3g plan, I would say that that the importance of LTE compatibility to be rather low.

I know that LTE does give better pings for data most of the time, and it does tend to handle network congestion better, but I don't often see times when 3g is so bad that it gives slower than 3Mbps speeds. I know it does happen, but just that LTE compatibility isn't as important compared to if you had a full-speed LTE plan.

[AJ72]

Thanks @Lemony_Snicket and @srlawren. I installed both apps on my phone. Both show my phone connected to Band 5 LTE. I'm in Markham now. I'll check when I'm in Scarborough.

[srlawren]

---

@AJ72 wrote:

How do you determine which band is your phone connected to? Is there any mobile app that can be installed on a phone to check which band is the phone connected to? Thanks.

---

---

I'm a fan of LTE Discovery.  You can even drop a widget on your home screen for quick reference if you're so inclined.  For example:  Fun with LTE Discovery widget, LTE bands observed in VGA

I would agree that Band 4 is pretty important.  I'm sitting in the heart of downtown Vancouver at the moment, and connected to band 4.  See my post above for other bands I've seen in the neighbourhood.  🙂

[Lemony_Snicket]

Try network cell info lite.

[AJ72]

How do you determine which band is your phone connected to? Is there any mobile app that can be installed on a phone to check which band is the phone connected to? Thanks.

---

@Lemony_Snicket wrote:

From my own experience, band 4 LTE is very important.  I am most often connected to that LTE band.

---

[Lemony_Snicket]

From my own experience, band 4 LTE is very important.  I am most often connected to that LTE band.