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iPhone "Enable LTE" Question

luke11992
Model Citizen / Citoyen Modèle

Hi all, I have a somewhat dumb question that's mostly out of curiosity. On the iPhone (I have a 6s), under Settings-->Cellular-->Cellular Data options, there it the option to toggle "enable LTE".

 

I realize that Public Mobile's 3g plans are really just throttled LTE. However, is there any real difference between using the 3g option vs LTE? Maybe it was just a fluke, but I did data speed tests with LTE toggled both off and on, and both times I tested, my data was faster (only slightly, by about 1 mb/s) when using the 3g option vs LTE. The results averaged around 4mb/s vs 5mb/s, the faster speed with LTE NOT enabled.

 

Does enabling LTE using a different frequency or something like that? Just curious as to why I may have been getting this result, and if there's any benefit that should cause me to start enabling the LTE option on my phone.

 

Thank you.

15 REPLIES 15

TK123
Great Citizen / Super Citoyen

https://www.vanfm.com/CSFBFailureRate.pdf

I have highlighted on the 5th of 8 pages (listed as Page 141) where the "CSFB failures
across the network are around 1–2 percent"

 

Now, keep in mind the date of this article is 2013, but when I look at what is involved in a successful switch from LTE to 3G, it looks problematic.  Technology has likely improved the reliabilty of this switch, but again, the real solution appears to be VoLTE.

luke11992
Model Citizen / Citoyen Modèle

Hmmm, interesting. As far as I've heard, there haven't been any issues when people try to call me. I'll have to look into that.

TK123
Great Citizen / Super Citoyen

@sheytoon wrote:

@TK123

On a properly configured network, calls will work just fine on LTE without VoLTE.

 

The mechanism is called CS fallback or CSFB.

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Discussions/LTE-network-fundamentals/td-p/130581#M428...

 

There's some other issue that's causing missed incoming call notifications for you. Your phone is not being paged correctly, and Telus should be addressing this to fix it.


Yes, from what I have gathered from googling this issue, it seems that the failure to switch properly from LTE to 3G happens about 2-3% of the time - that's 1 in 50 or 1 in 33 incoming calls, kind of rare, but enough that it seems easy to switch to 3G to eliminate this issue.  The solution is VoLTE, but Telus doesn't want to enable this feature on Public Mobile.

 

Telus would know EXACTLY what this failure rate is.  They have network diagnostics that would monitor this.  Can you tell us  Telus? 🙂

 

@TK123

On a properly configured network, calls will work just fine on LTE without VoLTE.

 

The mechanism is called CS fallback or CSFB.

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Discussions/LTE-network-fundamentals/td-p/130581#M428...

 

There's some other issue that's causing missed incoming call notifications for you. Your phone is not being paged correctly, and Telus should be addressing this to fix it.

RayT3k
Great Neighbour / Super Voisin

I echo TK123's experience. There are many variables that influence what to set.

 

I don't have a strong signal at home and was missing calls (iPhone & Galaxy). I figured that the delay for the phone to switch to 3G for the voice call was too long for it to start ringing. 

 

Switched it to 3G, WCDMA/GSM setting on my Galaxy S9, and way more reliable at receiving calls. Feedback from callers is there is less of a delay before the dial tone rings and I picked up in less rings than previous.

 

If I am outside and need to make a skype call let's say, then I would switch it to LTE. Other than that, 3G is more than adequate for my needs both in and outside my home.

 

Again, all depends on your environment. If I had a strong signal at home, I would let the phone default to LTE/WCDMA/GSM (Auto Connect).

EdmondY
Model Citizen / Citoyen Modèle

That's strange, I would have calls come in while connected to LTE.  The network instructs my phone to switch to 3G to receive the incoming phone call.  My family and friends hasn't told me about calls not getting picked up frequently.

TK123
Great Citizen / Super Citoyen

I have an iPhone too and had the same experience with LTE and 3G.  In my first three weeks on Public Mobile on LTE, I had three instances when my phone did not ring, but I got a notification of a voice mail while I was in a good reception area and my phone was not in "Do not Disturb" mode.  I googled this and found that because Public Mobile has only LTE but NOT VoLTE, the phone has to switch to 3G in order for you to receive an incoming call (or any call).  I have simply switched to 3G and have not missed an incoming call again.

 

Let me know if you experience and "missed calls" on LTE.

 

Because Public Mobile has only LTE but NOT VoLTE, sometimes you will NOT be notified of an incoming call (the phone won't ring, you won't see a "missed call" notification and you won't know that someone tried to call you UNLESS a voice mail was left). The solution is for Public Mobile is to enable VoLTE but until they do that (and they say they have no plans to do that), the solution is to turn off LTE and use only 3G.

 

On an iPhone, click "Settings" "Cellular" "Cellular Data Options" and turn OFF "Enable LTE".

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/3g-4g-voice-calls-lte-network-implementation-richie-sam-oommen/

 

luke11992
Model Citizen / Citoyen Modèle

Thanks for all the informative responses everyone!

I would say your latency is basically the same for 3G and LTE. About 6 years ago when LTE first launched, it had much lower latency than 3G. That gap has essentially been eliminated with improvements to 3G, as long as your phone is not at cell edge (extremely weak 3G signal).

 

Also note your upload speed is much better on LTE. I would keep it on LTE if these results are typical for you.

luke11992
Model Citizen / Citoyen Modèle

Thanks for all the responses everyone!!

 

It sounds like I should just keep LTE on for better reliability and generally lower latency.

 

However, this morning on my way to work, I did another test, and I'll attach the results. Strangely, when on 3g, I got both faster data speeds (by 10 mb/s) AND a lower latency!3g3gLTELTE

sheytoon
Mayor / Maire

Enabling LTE will allow your phone to use LTE where available. It will still fall back to 3G when instructed by the network.

 

User experience will be similar because PM limits LTE speed on newer plans, as others have said. 3G speed is currently unlimited.

 

Both technologies use B2 (1900 MHz) and B5 (850 MHz), but LTE uses additional bands as well.

DMC
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

You'll want to always have LTE enabled because it's lower latency than the 3G network.  I was originally on a LTE plan, but switched to 3G in september.  Like you, I speed tested the two networks and I also got higher speed from tests using 3G.  However, due to the higher latency of 3G surfing the web, instagram, reddit, etc was noticeably slower despite the higher speed.

 

Staying on the LTE network throttled at 3 mbits, I notice no difference from the LTE plan I was using for 1 1/2 years. However, I now get 5 gigs per month instead of 2 gigs, so I'm completely satisfied with the 3G plan, but wouldn't be if it was actually on the 3G network because that was noticeably slower for me.  I'm sure there's a difference if you were to play 1080p vids or download large files, but that would eat up too much data, so is not something I do.


@popping wrote:

@luke11992

PM uses 3G for voice call.  You can use LTE or 3G for data.

I do not use iPhone. 

Can you set your iPhone to switch between 3G and LTE automatically?

If yes, that is the setting you should use.

 

When you are on 3G, you get the the fastest speed that 3G can provide.

When you are on LTE, you will be toggled down to 3Mbps.


The way I understand it is that it depends on the carrier and in this case it will be automatic.

 

Here is how apple explains it.

popping
Retired Oracle / Oracle Retraité

@luke11992

PM uses 3G for voice call.  You can use LTE or 3G for data.

I do not use iPhone. 

Can you set your iPhone to switch between 3G and LTE automatically?

If yes, that is the setting you should use.

 

When you are on 3G, you get the the fastest speed that 3G can provide.

When you are on LTE, you will be toggled down to 3Mbps.

krazykiwi
Mayor / Maire

@luke11992 wrote:

Hi all, I have a somewhat dumb question that's mostly out of curiosity. On the iPhone (I have a 6s), under Settings-->Cellular-->Cellular Data options, there it the option to toggle "enable LTE".

 

I realize that Public Mobile's 3g plans are really just throttled LTE. However, is there any real difference between using the 3g option vs LTE? Maybe it was just a fluke, but I did data speed tests with LTE toggled both off and on, and both times I tested, my data was faster (only slightly, by about 1 mb/s) when using the 3g option vs LTE. The results averaged around 4mb/s vs 5mb/s, the faster speed with LTE NOT enabled.

 

Does enabling LTE using a different frequency or something like that? Just curious as to why I may have been getting this result, and if there's any benefit that should cause me to start enabling the LTE option on my phone.

 

Thank you.


Hi,

No dumb questions!

This has been pointed out a few times. LTE is more reliable than 3g but potentially you can get faster speeds with 3g. With LTE on you are being regulated by PM's throttling but with it off you are operating on the 3g frequency which is more vulnerable to spikes caused by usage and distance from towers and what not. I use a 6s as well and leave LTE on for the reliable service. The slightly faster speed really does not prove more beneficial than getting dropped service on 3g.

 

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