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No 4G after upgrade to Android Pie

dannica2113

Lurker
I updated my phone a few days ago, and since that date, I cannot access 4g. My phone consistently says LTE and that's it. I can access Facebook messenger, and IMs, but I can't get my games to load. I have updated PRL and Profile, I have turned off mobile data and back on, I have tried airplane mode on and off again, I have tried changing the mobile networks, I have done a quick reset, but my SIM card status shows network as LTE only, when it should show 4G. I've seen multiple other complaints about this, but have yet to find a solution that works.
 
LTE is 4G, and 4G is LTE. They've probably changed how they label it, but it's the same thing.

But I wouldn't set to LTE only: I'd want the option to fall back to 3G if 4G isn't available (where, assuming you are using a GSM-based network, 3G may also be called HSDPA, HSDPA+, UMTS or WCDMA - those are all 3G technologies, though some US networks did try to con their customers by marketing HSDPA+ as "4G". I can't remember what CDMA networks call their 3G because only a few places on the planet have them).

Your games not loading is a different problem, since you clearly do have mobile data access. Is it specific games, and if so, which? Are you using a non-root ad blocker (those things use a VPN, and can sometimes cause connectivity problems)?
 
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The bar used to show 4G next to my battery when I was connected to 4G, and everything I've looked at shows that the SIM card status should show 4G for the connection. Either way, this was not an issue before the update to the new version (Android 9 - Pie) and I have not changed anything else in my settings or apps. I do not use VPN, I do not have an ad blocker. My Network Mode only has these options:
CDMA
LET / CDMA
GSM / UMTS
Automatic
I have my phone set to Automatic. It's not just specific games, it's really any game, or anything that uses more data than just scrolling through Facebook or responding to messages. And it only happens when I'm on Mobile Data rather than Wifi. If I'm on Wifi, there are no issues whatsoever.
 
If it's a CDMA phone (Sprint, Verizon, or whichever Canadian network(s) use that technology) that's not something I'm familiar with as they only really exist in North America. Automatic sounds like the correct choice.

You say it used to say "4G" next to the battery (I'd assume next to the signal bars). Does it now say "LTE" instead? If it does then you still have 4G data connectivity. Perhaps use speecheck app to test its throughput? I'd also check your APN settings (will probably be hidden in the "advanced" part of the mobile data settings), since those are important for mobile data connectivity.

You've not gone into the "testing" menu and changed anything? This is the thing you access by typing *#*#4636#*#* into the dialer, then select "phone info". You can change more settings in there than the phone menu allows, but that means you should avoid it unless you know what they do. Some carriers disable the menu anyway.
 
I have not changed or messed with anything. All I did was update my OS to Android 9. That's all I did. I changed nothing since I got the phone. Everything is exactly the same. The service I have is with Boost, which runs on the Sprint network and I am in North America in the states. I know Automatic should be the right choice as that has never changed. And yes, I mean that it says LTE instead of 4g with the signal bars. I don't know why anything would have changed with a VPN in any way because I didn't change anything.

I'm just getting really frustrated that I can't access all of the things I have available on my phone that I always had access to before the update with no issues.
 
For a lot of networks, LTE and 4G mean the same thing... (so your network may just prefer that term)

Yeah, I understand that now. Feel a little silly that I didn't know that before. I guess I should have used a different title for this thread then. More along the lines of "no decent 4g connection after update" or "games will not work at all on mobile data connection after update". My games will work if on Wifi, but will not work when on mobile data, and I thought that was an issue with the 4g. If it's not, then it's not, but I just want to figure out what the issue actually is.
 
I feel your pain... I play a lot of Marvel Strike Force.. and that can be very picky about network connections....

.. i can have a fine 4g connection.. or public wifi access point connection.. BUT if its too busy.. then the game just won't let me play :(

Despite the fact i have a decent connection and can be moaning about in facebook/twitter/discord and now here.
 
I play Coin Master and Board Kings. Games that hardly take a lot of data to run. But they won't even load when I'm not in wifi range, since the update. But it's only since the update. They would load fine and work find before the update. Just this week they will not load.
 
does it error out? or just takes for ever to load? have you updated prl and profile? you can go into settings>system update and then update prl and also profile. it might help.

the other thing you can do is a factory reset. sometimes after updates, things can get a bit wonky which includes your phone's radio signals. you can also try going into safe mode download your game and see if it works there.
 
Only error is sometimes it will come back saying it can't connect and to check my internet connection. I have tried profile and PRL already. I was really hoping there would be an easy fix that I wouldn't have to do a factory reset, but I'm thinking I may have to. lol
 
well try safe mode first. download the game again. and see if it is still happening. if so then then the only way is to do a factory reset. if that does not fix it then i'm not sure, it could be a hardware issue then.

Turn on and use safe mode
Safe mode allows you to turn on the device with third-party apps disabled. Then you can easily uninstall apps that may be causing a conflict or software problem.
  1. Turn the device off.
  2. Press and hold the Power key past the model name screen.
  3. When "SAMSUNG" appears on the screen, release the Power key.
  4. Immediately after releasing the Power key, press and hold the Volume down key.
  5. Continue to hold the Volume down key until the device finishes restarting.
  6. Safe mode will display in the bottom left corner of the screen.
  7. Release the Volume down key when you see Safe Mode.
  8. Uninstall apps that are causing a problem.
Turn off safe mode
  1. Press and hold the Power key.
  2. Tap Restart.
edit: THOSE PESKY NINJA"S!!!!!!!!!!
 
well try safe mode first. download the game again. and see if it is still happening. if so then then the only way is to do a factory reset. if that does not fix it then i'm not sure, it could be a hardware issue then.

Turn on and use safe mode
Safe mode allows you to turn on the device with third-party apps disabled. Then you can easily uninstall apps that may be causing a conflict or software problem.
  1. Turn the device off.
  2. Press and hold the Power key past the model name screen.
  3. When "SAMSUNG" appears on the screen, release the Power key.
  4. Immediately after releasing the Power key, press and hold the Volume down key.
  5. Continue to hold the Volume down key until the device finishes restarting.
  6. Safe mode will display in the bottom left corner of the screen.
  7. Release the Volume down key when you see Safe Mode.
  8. Uninstall apps that are causing a problem.
Turn off safe mode
  1. Press and hold the Power key.
  2. Tap Restart.
edit: THOSE PESKY NINJA"S!!!!!!!!!!


I can try this, but it's not just one game that I'm having issue with.
 
Yeah, I've seen other people posting about it in differently places but haven't found a decent solution.


Sorry, but I don't think there is much you can do. Sprint is aware of the issue so it looks like you'll have to wait for a fix. Hopefully them and Samsung can figure it out.
 
well you can go into safe mode and try a few games and see. safe mode and a factory reset will determine if it is a software issue or not. sometimes downloads can install and get all screwy with devices as noted by the links provided by tube517.

if it is still doing it then it is possible it could be a hardware issue. you might have to talk to Boost or Sprint and follow up with them.
 
Are we really saying that despite taking 8 months to produce this update Samsung and Sprint haven't tested the data connectivity properly before releasing it? That is sufficiently poor that any appropriate adjective would be blocked by the obscenity filter...
 
Are we really saying that despite taking 8 months to produce this update Samsung and Sprint haven't tested the data connectivity properly before releasing it? That is sufficiently poor that any appropriate adjective would be blocked by the obscenity filter...
well i'm with Sprint and do not have any issues with 4g connectivity. its actually been better since the update. of course i have the note 8 so its a different phone. like i said it could be an error in the download, it could be a bug in the software as some have said, or hardware. it could be a lot of things.
 
If a number of people are reporting it that makes download error less likely (I know that if I were writing the firmware there would be a checksum validation before it installed...). But yeah, individual devices aren't identical.
 
I'm having the same issues but I also lost cellular service and cannot make calls or text either. I'm calling Sprint tomorrow and demanding a free early upgrade with discount and overnight shipping by Saturday. Otherwise why am I paying a monthly service charge for a phone that can't do anything. This is ridiculous.
 
I'm having the same issues but I also lost cellular service and cannot make calls or text either. I'm calling Sprint tomorrow and demanding a free early upgrade with discount and overnight shipping by Saturday. Otherwise why am I paying a monthly service charge for a phone that can't do anything. This is ridiculous.
welcome to AF!!!!!!!!!!!!

sorry to hear about your phone. have you tried a factory reset?
 
I have been suspected there is no 4g in our system which I found out that Samsung S8 system in dev system java script showed it to me only 2g and 3g around the world even USA there is none 4g. I am not sure why they lied to us about 4lite that is 3g speed it seems 4g faked to me.
 
The S8 definitely has 4G LTE. All models do.

Which model do you have? Have you messed with the "testing" menu (which could turn it off)?
 
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