[LateLateLateShow]

These are screenshots from my Z30. Can someone explain the 4GLTE indicator while I'm making a call? The provider is US Mobile. In some area it seems to use the CDMA signal, but not usually.

Thanks for any input.

LLLS

[Chuck Finley69]

Your screenshot appears to show VZW as the carrier

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Signal indicator doesn't change when you make calls vs data. While it shows you have a good LTE connection at that point, doesn't mean it's using it to make a call. My VZW Z10 would show LTE all the time, even when on calls - in fact you could both make a call on 3G while using LTE for data at the same time.

Only showed 3G when the LTE wasn't very strong.

[Bla1ze]

Your screenshot appears to show VZW as the carrier

US Mobile rides on VZW and T-Mobile networks.

[LateLateLateShow]

Signal indicator doesn't change when you make calls vs data. While it shows you have a good LTE connection at that point, doesn't mean it's using it to make a call. My VZW Z10 would show LTE all the time, even when on calls - in fact you could both make a call on 3G while using LTE for data at the same time.

Only showed 3G when the LTE wasn't very strong.

Thanks for the responses, especially this. My Leap on T-Mobile's network would show 4G, and sometimes HD as well, when the signal changed from LTE to "4G" upon placing a call, or would show g or e for a 2G signal.

Not to be disagreeable, and I've read many questions and responses, but is there a way to verify the Verizon signals in my vicinity by type? When I do a manual scan, T-Mobile shows GSM and 4G LTE, AT&T shows 4G LTE and 4G (HSPA+, no doubt), there are two emergency carriers, and Verizon shows nothing other than 4G LTE. It could be that a CDMA signal won't register on the manual scan, and I'd never know in such a case, but I suppose there's a way to know definitely and avoid speculation on my end.

It occurs to me that US Mobile might be able to provide details that would answer my question, but if anyone has a good resource, I'd gladly know.

LLLS

[joeldf]

The carrier determines how they show their signals. On my Z10 on AT&T, it would drop from "LTE" to "4G" during calls. And remember that on AT&T, "4G" really meant H+, which was really a subset of 3G.

[Chuck Finley69]

US Mobile rides on VZW and T-Mobile networks.

Ahh, I confused them (MVNO) with a different carrier with similar name here. That makes sense now...

[LateLateLateShow]

Well, thank you for the responses. Other perspectives push me to think harder.

I checked with US Mobile. They don't collect or store any information about connections. The "Cell Network info lite" app was mentioned, but I can't make use of it. They also said "The phone cannot connect to 2 different technologies at the same time, like LTE and CDMA." I looked at a description of the information from Cell Network info lite, and after a few minutes I thought "That looks like the information in the Diagnostic Screen." Why don't I just take a look at the Radio Network Info while I'm on a call. The screenshot is below. The GSM and UMTS screens were unfilled, because there is no data when there is no connection to that kind of signal.

This is a relief. I don't know about any other MVNOs but this one allows VoLTE on BB10.

[Chuck Finley69]

Well, thank you for the responses. Other perspectives push me to think harder.

I checked with US Mobile. They don't collect or store any information about connections. The "Cell Network info lite" app was mentioned, but I can't make use of it. They also said "The phone cannot connect to 2 different technologies at the same time, like LTE and CDMA." I looked at a description of the information from Cell Network info lite, and after a few minutes I thought "That looks like the information in the Diagnostic Screen." Why don't I just take a look at the Radio Network Info while I'm on a call. The screenshot is below. The GSM and UMTS screens were unfilled, because there is no data when there is no connection to that kind of signal.

This is a relief. I don't know about any other MVNOs but this one allows VoLTE on BB10.

But the main issue still hasn't been answered. The earlier VoLTE device (not just BB10) protocols seemed to rely on 3G as part of the VoLTE function. The concern has always been, once 3G is shutdown, does that cause those devices to lose VoLTE capabilities? That's one reason why it seems many earlier VoLTE sold devices aren't showing up on future carrier supported devices lists.

[LateLateLateShow]

But the main issue still hasn't been answered. The earlier VoLTE device (not just BB10) protocols seemed to rely on 3G as part of the VoLTE function. The concern has always been, once 3G is shutdown, does that cause those devices to lose VoLTE capabilities? That's one reason why it seems many earlier VoLTE sold devices aren't showing up on future carrier supported devices lists.

Thanks for addressing me; I have seen that mentioned before. Do you have any reference material that you could point me to? I haven't seen any such idea in my research, but this is a fairly new topic to me. What I have read has been in line with what my technical support team just indicated, that phones can change from tower to tower, from signal to signal, from generational technology to generational technology, but can't actively use more than one technology at a time. My understanding of the relationship between VoLTE and 3G is that much work went into achieving smooth transitions between them, due to the differing methods of network access used by 3G and LTE, and the switch between analog and digital. It also seems that VoLTE has been kept backwards-compatible for at least most of its history, back to possibly (hard to get dates) before the Z10 was released.

I understand that various things could happen to brick these devices. I DON'T recommend that most people bother. If someone has to ask whether to buy a BB10 phone, they probably shouldn't. But they meet my limited use case just fine for now, and possibly well into the future, so I want to get clear information, even if it forces me into something else.

Thanks for your time, and for anyone's additional input.

[m3ach]

Thanks for addressing me; I have seen that mentioned before. Do you have any reference material that you could point me to? I haven't seen any such idea in my research, but this is a fairly new topic to me. What I have read has been in line with what my technical support team just indicated, that phones can change from tower to tower, from signal to signal, from generational technology to generational technology, but can't actively use more than one technology at a time. My understanding of the relationship between VoLTE and 3G is that much work went into achieving smooth transitions between them, due to the differing methods of network access used by 3G and LTE, and the switch between analog and digital. It also seems that VoLTE has been kept backwards-compatible for at least most of its history, back to possibly (hard to get dates) before the Z10 was released.

I understand that various things could happen to brick these devices. I DON'T recommend that most people bother. If someone has to ask whether to buy a BB10 phone, they probably shouldn't. But they meet my limited use case just fine for now, and possibly well into the future, so I want to get clear information, even if it forces me into something else.

Thanks for your time, and for anyone's additional input.

I think provided you have an exit plan ready without losing too much data when the time comes that BB10 is no longer viable and you are fully aware of it’s current limitations then my view is to carry on using it as long as you can while it meets your needs.

Just be prepared for the phone to stop working when you get up one morning so you can switch to another device at a moment’s notice and all will be good.

As always with this sort of thing they normally happen at the most in opportune moment!

Personally I had to leave BB10 behind about 18 months ago as it just didn’t meet my needs any more, it was also a headache to transfer data to iOS so I’m glad I didn’t leave it until the last minute.

Hope BB10 carries on meeting your needs for as long as you want it to, BB10 was great but at some point you will need to leave it behind unfortunately.

[app_Developer]

But the main issue still hasn't been answered. The earlier VoLTE device (not just BB10) protocols seemed to rely on 3G as part of the VoLTE function. The concern has always been, once 3G is shutdown, does that cause those devices to lose VoLTE capabilities? That's one reason why it seems many earlier VoLTE sold devices aren't showing up on future carrier supported devices lists.

I’d say that differently. Some devices with early VoLTE implementation will have to revert to 3G for voice because their VoLTE capability is not functioning on that particular network.

Not functioning because it’s not provisioned because of technical incompatibility or the carrier doesn’t support that device.

[Chuck Finley69]

I’d say that differently. Some devices with early VoLTE implementation will have to revert to 3G for voice because their VoLTE capability is not functioning on that particular network.

Not functioning because it’s not provisioned because of technical incompatibility or the carrier doesn’t support that device.

Well I'll always defer to you because that's smart thing for me to do.