topic Re: Re: 3G SWITCH OFF in Tablets

3G SWITCH OFF

Jeffers613 — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 05:00:06 GMT

I have a Galaxy Tablet TAB A 10.5 LTE which was first released in August 2018.

My line provider, Smarty ,has advised me that they are switching off 3G during September and that my tablet may not work after the switch-off.

in my tablet - Mobile Networks (under Settings) says "LTE/3G/2G auto connect"

Will my device work after the switch-off?

If it won't, is it possible to upgrade/update my tablet to 4G or even 5G?

I am very happy with my tablet and (in my 80's) can't face the hassle of buying a new device and then transferring all of my contacts, photos, apps etc to a new tablet!

Re: 3G SWITCH OFF

Piper123 — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 06:45:55 GMT

Hi there

Your tablet will continue to work on 4g (aka LTE) and 2g (extremely slow for data so wouldn't use 2g for that).

You need to make sure your Smarty Sim is 4g enabled (it probably is but just check).

Your network setting above (LTE/3g/2g) is fine. Note Smarty / Three doesn't have 2g network anyway.

Re: 3G SWITCH OFF

ynneL — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 09:13:27 GMT

If your tablet is currently working fine with 4G, then the 3G switch off won't really affect you

Re: 3G SWITCH OFF

Jeffers613 — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 13:38:47 GMT

Thanks.
Piper123 - how do I check that my Smarty SIM is 4G enabled?
ynneL - how do I know that my tablet is currently running on 4G ie LTE rather than on 3G?

Re: 3G SWITCH OFF

Jeffers613 — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 13:51:04 GMT

Also, looking on Google, there does seem to be some difference between 4G and LTE although, Piper 123, you imply they are identical. I don't understand what the difference is.

If my SIM is 4G enabled, will it work on LTE?

Re: Re: 3G SWITCH OFF

arianwen27 — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 16:04:35 GMT

Yes, 4g and LTE are the exact same thing

Re: Re: 3G SWITCH OFF

Jeffers613 — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 07:06:49 GMT

Thanks to all.

I have since had extensive webchats with Samsung and with Smarty. Summarising:

Samsung say that in some of their models 4G will show as LTE, which means that if 'LTE/3G/2G auto connect' is selected (which is the case), I will continue to receive 4G (if available in my area) provided my SIM card also supports 4G.

Smarty has confirmed that my SIM card covers 4G and 5G.

However, I am getting a different reply re my device from Smarty!

Smarty are telling me that, as my tablet isn't compatible with VoLTE, some services, like making calls, won't be available to me after they switch off 3G in September. They say that in order to continue to receive ALL of their services I need to upgrade to a device that supports 4G VoLTE

So, if Samsung is correct, I will continue to get 4G and all services after 3G is switched off and I don't need to change my device.

But if Smarty is correct, I do need to buy a new device which supports 4GVoLTE.

So who is correct?

I much prefer keeping my existing device - Samsung say this will be ok but Smarty say I need a new device!

All very confusing for an octogenarian!

In addition, following further reading, there seems to be a 'batting order' for the latest technology ie

4GLTE is an improvement on 4G; 5G is better than 4G. I'm not sure where 4GVoLTE sits within this 'batting order'. Perhaps someone could explain?!

Re: 3G SWITCH OFF

Jeffers613 — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 16:29:19 GMT

Can anyone help me on my 08.06 post today?

Re: Re: Re: 3G SWITCH OFF

arianwen27 — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 19:57:03 GMT

So. 4g is a data connection protocol. Just like 3g and 2g. This is how your phone has data connections.

Phone calls don't use these, phone calls are sorta analogue and use a different system to work. 2g and 3g have a second system to handle phone calls. 4g dropped this analogue system so phone calls are now more of a discord or Skype call and less of a traditional analogue call system. Aka, it uses the internet/data to make the call work. This system is called VoLTE.

Quick sum up, 2g and 3g have a data side and an analogue phone call side. 4g only has a data side, so phone calls must go over data.

Cell carriers took a long time to switch over to the new system so phone calls would swap you to 3g to use the 3g analogue call system. Your carrier is disabling this system and will only support the 4g calling system. This is called VoLTE (LTE means 4g, so voice over the 4g data connection). Some devices support the normal 4g data system but don't support phone calls over 4g.

So a device that doesn't support VoLTE means 4g data will work but phone calls will no longer work. I tried my best to make this easy to understand but it really is complicated. If you don't take phone calls on your tablet, you should be fine to carry on as usual

Re: Re: Re: 3G SWITCH OFF

Jeffers613 — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 12:32:12 GMT

Many thanks. My apologies for the delay in responding.

Smarty has confirmed that all of their SIM cards are enabled for VoLTE. My son put my SIM into his phone and it worked fine.

The problem is that Samsung keep on telling me that my TAB A is enabled for VoLTE.

Under 'Connections' it shows 'LTE/3G/2G auto connect'.

Samsung say that 'LTE' is IDENTICAL to '4G' ie it's just an alternative name - so, they then say that as I have 4G this means I automatically also have VoLTE.

You are saying that 4G is a data service only, so it must mean that Samsung have NOT activated VoLTE on my device.

If that is so, why are they telling me an outright fib?!

I have been speaking to Samsung engineers - not simply to the support staff who man the web chatline.

Assuming that my tablet doesn't have VoLTE , is there any way it can be upgraded so it can take VoLTE? Or must I buy a new tablet? I need a traditional phone call feature on my tablet and can't always rely on Wifi.

Re: Re: Re: Re: 3G SWITCH OFF

arianwen27 — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 12:52:02 GMT

Gonna start out with saying Google says your tablet does support it, or at least should. So the setting might just be hidden for some reason. A 4g device doesn't have to support VoLTE for it to be a 4g device, older devices didn't, new ones basically all do. There's an app called "force lte" that you can use to open the phone debug menu, if you see VoLTE provisioned, the phone at least believes it's on. So if you just carry on as you currently are, it should just work. But if it doesn't, you can't really add VoLTE to a device that doesn't support it.

Re: Re: Re: Re: 3G SWITCH OFF

Jeffers613 — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 15:06:22 GMT

Many thanks.

Where do I find the 'force lte' app?

After I've downloaded it, what do I then do?

Would be very grateful if you could be as detailed as possible in the steps I need to take after I've downloaded the app.

I'm over 80 and not very good at these things!

I hope it works, because I've been very happy with my tablet - up to now!

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: 3G SWITCH OFF

arianwen27 — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 15:09:31 GMT

Open the Google play store, search "force lte", download it. Open it, press method 2, it'll play an ad, when it finishes, it should open the debug page. Have a look at the grayed out switches near the bottom

Re: 3G SWITCH OFF

Jeffers613 — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 15:33:53 GMT

Thanks.

When I press Method 2 it says "This method is not compatible with your device"

I can press Method 1 and get page 'Licence Free Radio System' - 'icomuk.co.uk' with the options to 'open' or 'close'.

Re: 3G SWITCH OFF

Jeffers613 — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 18:05:43 GMT

Update.

I've got Android v 10.

So I clicked on Method 1."VoLTE Provisioned" is greyed out.

So I presume this means that my tablet can't be enabled to receive VoLTE?

Is it possible to install Andoid v11 (or later) on my tablet?

If I can do this, will I then be able to get VoLTE?