Comments on: Sprint Says All 4G Devices will have LTE, is this true?

By: cybericebyte

cybericebyte — Mon, 07 May 2012 20:49:56 +0000

Understand that LTE compatibility to work on LTE network and taking full advantage for LTE 4G speeds are two different things. just as a 2g device working on a 3g network vs taking advantage or 3G speeds. while it may work it may not take advantages of the speeds. working means sending reciving phone calls and sms not so much mms or network speeds.

By: Carl B

Carl B — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 18:59:11 +0000

Yes, it is possible through firmware update.

Sprint has tons (if not close to all) the licenses for the 1900mhz spectrum, which is what Sprint will be using for there initial LTE network. As long as your phone has a radio capable of 1900mhz, you will be able to use the LTE network.

If the Sprint/Clearwire deal had went through, then a new phone would be needed to take advantage of Clearwire’s spectrum of 2.5-2.6mhz spectrum that was intended to magnify Sprint’s 1900mhz. But even if the deal went through, 1900mhz-capable phones (with firmware update) would be able to use the LTE network as long as it’s in range of a tower emitting that frequency.

By: Shabbypenguin

Shabbypenguin — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 21:08:08 +0000

Wifi/BT/GPS/Wimax/CDMA/GSM are the ones i know of in the photon. the spectrum available in the US for the photon is for CDMA only. it has a lock on the gsm capabilities. it is a world phone so you can use it as soon as you leave the states on a gsm network. there is no need for programming at all, it has a gsm radio in it so it can receive umts… or 3gpp. just the same as verizon’s iphone as well as sprints are both world phones.

so forgive me for being ignorant.. but it seems like you are saying you can absolutely program a gsm radio… to receive gsm..?

By: Mark G.

Mark G. — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 20:44:29 +0000

I’m a qualcomm CDG rep.,The Photon carries various radios. If I recall right, there’s 4 in all. That gives users the ability to not only use spectrum in the US, but also switch the RF for international data capabilities. Progrsamming that UMTS radio to receive 3GPP databits can ABSOLUTELY be updated in a kernel and OS update. I will leave you with a small example, the Apple iPhone 4S is the same build and device for ALL carriers, ATT, Sprint, & Vzw, yet it’s NV programming and such gives each carrier’s subscribers different data radios. From 3G with CDMA to “4G UMTS/WCDMA” with ATT.