[67Tucker]

How To Switch Between 3G And 4G On HTC Thunderbolt



If you already have a Verizon HTC Thunderbolt you will most probably notice that there isn't an easy, user-friendly way of switching 4G off or flipping a switch to 3G.

If you're an advanced user who's not afraid to enter test menus and tweak setting you will be able to expose a 3G/4G option which will allow you to choose between the two standards. You have to go into the Dialer and call *#*#4636#*#* which will take you to the Thunderbolt's Test Menu. Head over to Phone Information and Set Preferred Network Type according to your liking: available options are LTE and EV-DO, EV-DO only, and LTE only. To switch back, follow the same steps, only this time choose LTE Mode and select CDMA + LTE / EvDo auto.

Note: Playing with Advanced Setting and Test Menus is dangerous and you are doing it at your own risk!

Source: AndroidCentral Forums
Via: Engadget

[avt123]

So for the average user enjoy being raped by LTE and terrible battery life without a choice.

[1812dave]

So for the average user enjoy being raped by LTE and terrible battery life without a choice.

ah, you have a choice--if you don't want any LTE goodness, don't bother to buy a 4G-capable phone. I'm happy to join the 4G crowd, just as soon as the Bionic hits. I'll deal with any battery life issues in a mature and sensible manner.

[avt123]

ah, you have a choice--if you don't want any LTE goodness, don't bother to buy a 4G-capable phone. I'm happy to join the 4G crowd, just as soon as the Bionic hits. I'll deal with any battery life issues in a mature and sensible manner.

How is that choice? It has a 3G chip as well. You should have the choice to use it when you want. You should be able to turn off 4G without having to go through such a hassle. You should not only buy the device just for LTE use. That's just bogus.

People are going to realize that first round LTE chips suck, and may just want to turn LTE on when they actually need it. That is choice. The Evo can do it. The Epic can do it. The Thunderbolt SHOULD do it.

And I doubt you will have to deal with battery issues that much, because Moto puts batteries that are worth a damn in their devices.

[1812dave]

How is that choice? It has a 3G chip as well. You should have the choice to use it when you want. You should be able to turn off 4G without having to go through such a hassle. You should not only buy the device just for LTE use. That's just bogus.

People are going to realize that first round LTE chips suck, and may just want to turn LTE on when they actually need it. That is choice. The Evo can do it. The Epic can do it. The Thunderbolt SHOULD do it.

And I doubt you will have to deal with battery issues that much, because Moto puts batteries that are worth a damn in their devices.

I suspect an update will make it easier to toggle it. In the meantime, there is a solution, albeit not a simple one.

[howarmat]

Actually many people are getting good life with lte enabled still. Much better than wimax on the evo

[avt123]

I suspect an update will make it easier to toggle it. In the meantime, there is a solution, albeit not a simple one.

I expect this. I am just a little baffled that it wasn't launched like that. There are going to be a lot of people getting ****ty battery life and are going to blame it on the fact that they cannot leave 4G.

Actually many people are getting good life with lte enabled still. Much better than wimax on the evo

I have heard. But the option to use 4G when you want it should be present stock. Honestly, I wouldn't use 4G when I had no use for it. I would use it the same way I use WiFi, when I want it on. Too bad 4G chips are not *** efficient as WiFi chips though.

[scorpiodsu]

Actually many people are getting good life with lte enabled still. Much better than wimax on the evo

Yeah I was reading that as well too. But I'm sure as many that are claiming great battery life, the same are claiming terrible. With 4G enabled it depends a lot on where you are. If your device is constantly fishing for LTE it could drain your battery much quicker. But we all know everyone's experience is different because people have different programs and settings and use their devices differently. But I for 1 refuse to have to manage the device and tweak every setting all throughout the day to make sure the battery lasts and that's what I had to do with the EVO. Hopefully this is a step up.

I just don't know why HTC doesn't put higher capacity batteries in their phones straight out the gate and then people have to wait on Seidio for an aftermarket one or buy a spare. The other main Android manufacturers especially Motorola seem to care a lot about that or at least more than HTC.

[scorpiodsu]

I have heard. But the option to use 4G when you want it should be present stock. Honestly, I wouldn't use 4G when I had no use for it. I would use it the same way I use WiFi, when I want it on. Too bad 4G chips are not *** efficient as WiFi chips though.

I agree and the ones who get hit the hardest are the ones that are on the border of 4G coverage. Their phone is constantly trying to connect to it and using power to do so. Feel kinda sorry for those that don't read tech blogs and message boards who actually have to figure out stuff for themselves. They will mostly like look to buying that gigantic extended battery and/or a bunch of chargers/USB cables to make sure they can charge at anytime throughout the day.

[1812dave]

I agree and the ones who get hit the hardest are the ones that are on the border of 4G coverage. Their phone is constantly trying to connect to it and using power to do so. Feel kinda sorry for those that don't read tech blogs and message boards who actually have to figure out stuff for themselves. They will mostly like look to buying that gigantic extended battery and/or a bunch of chargers/USB cables to make sure they can charge at anytime throughout the day.

That, or they'll march it back to the store for a refund, with a complaint of hideous battery life.

[avt123]

Also, I wouldn't believe everyone who is saying they are getting great battery life. There are a ton of HTC fanboys, and their are a ton of people who will defend their device because it is the first LTE device on VZWs network.

I am not saying anyone here is lying but this is always the case with new releases. I remember people saying they were getting great battery life when the Evo first came out and we all know that is absolute bull****.

[howarmat]

I expect this. I am just a little baffled that it wasn't launched like that. There are going to be a lot of people getting ****ty battery life and are going to blame it on the fact that they cannot leave 4G.



I have heard. But the option to use 4G when you want it should be present stock. Honestly, I wouldn't use 4G when I had no use for it. I would use it the same way I use WiFi, when I want it on. Too bad 4G chips are not *** efficient as WiFi chips though.

Agreed there should be an easy toggle

[avt123]

I agree and the ones who get hit the hardest are the ones that are on the border of 4G coverage. Their phone is constantly trying to connect to it and using power to do so. Feel kinda sorry for those that don't read tech blogs and message boards who actually have to figure out stuff for themselves. They will mostly like look to buying that gigantic extended battery and/or a bunch of chargers/USB cables to make sure they can charge at anytime throughout the day.

Yup. All those widgets running with a bad 3G to 4G data connection will render your device useless in a few hours, if not less.

[jd914]

Also, I wouldn't believe everyone who is saying they are getting great battery life. There are a ton of HTC fanboys, and their are a ton of people who will defend their device because it is the first LTE device on VZWs network.

I am not saying anyone here is lying but this is always the case with new releases. I remember people saying they were getting great battery life when the Evo first came out and we all know that is absolute bull****.

Every platform has zealous fanboys (Apple being the worst) that will say anything in order to make it seem they have a flawless device.

Even though it's an amazing device, I personally don't buy that anyone is getting good battery life with the TB, in time we will see exactly what the deal is.

[avt123]

Every platform has zealous fanboys (Apple being the worst) that will say anything in order to make it seem they have a flawless device.

Even though it's an amazing device, I personally don't buy that anyone is getting good battery life with the TB, in time we will see exactly what the deal is.

Exactly. They all have them. But when it comes to Android, HTC and Moto fanboys are the top of the pilar.

There were Moto fanboys saying the Droid had an excellent slide out keyboard. Did I have any problems with it? No, but it is far from excellent.

Apple fanboys were claiming the 3GS had incredible battery life, when it was pretty bad.

They all have them, I was just calling out HTC users (because it is an HTC device) this time around.

[howarmat]

I'm at 86% after 4 hours 12 minutes off the charger on wifi the entire time and rather light use

[FigureThisOut]

I guess the easier way would be to just remove the LTE sim card, right? lol

[howarmat]

Yes I thought about that too lol

[jd914]

I guess the easier way would be to just remove the LTE sim card, right? lol

Someone should try that to see if it works but I think it will just disable the phone all together.

[FigureThisOut]

Someone should try that to see if it works but I think it will just disable the phone all together.

Yeah, someone should try it and report back. I'm assuming it would just revert
to the CDMA 3G radio though.

[howarmat]

it should just go to 3G only. i dont have lte right now so i though about removing it

[Semantics]

The EVO had horrible battery problems out of the gate. I think you need to understand why HTC has a bunch of Fanboys, and I guess I'm one, I'd never buy a non HTC Android phone for the simple fact that XDA is the greatest developer site on the web. Unrooted EVO went from 6 hours battery time to over 30 with custom ROM's and kernel tweaks. I'd much rather have a phone that is going to be supported like mad, and not have a bs locked bootloader and just wait for kernel tweaks to give me the battery life that HTC didn't implement.

If you buy an HTC device and don't plan to root it, then I can see it would be a frustrating experience and you would probably need spare/extended batteries.

HTC is adding a bigger battery in the EVO 3D, but again, I'm sure it will suck and I'll just root my phone and go back to getting excellent battery life. There is no substitution for having the support of the best dev community for Android in the world. And though Moto is making some killer phones, their admission that they will never make a phone with an unlocked bootloader ensures I'll never own one.

[scorpiodsu]

The EVO had horrible battery problems out of the gate. I think you need to understand why HTC has a bunch of Fanboys, and I guess I'm one, I'd never buy a non HTC Android phone for the simple fact that XDA is the greatest developer site on the web.

There is no substitution for having the support of the best dev community for Android in the world. And though Moto is making some killer phones, their admission that they will never make a phone with an unlocked bootloader ensures I'll never own one.

I agree but what about the users that aren't interested in rooting devices and flashing ROMs? I'm pretty sure with the number of Android devices that are sold most of them care less about these things.

[1812dave]

I agree but what about the users that aren't interested in rooting devices and flashing ROMs? I'm pretty sure with the number of Android devices that are sold most of them care less about these things.

Agreed. Most folks don't want to make a hobby out of their phone. they just want to use it, and get on with their lives.

[Semantics]

I agree but what about the users that aren't interested in rooting devices and flashing ROMs? I'm pretty sure with the number of Android devices that are sold most of them care less about these things.

I did address that in my post a little bit.

If you buy an HTC device and don't plan to root it, then I can see it would be a frustrating experience and you would probably need spare/extended batteries.

You are pretty much resigned to buying an extended battery, carrying a spare, or hoping that the newer CPU technologies are really that much better on battery life as the phone makers are claiming they are.