Help Switching 3g/4g and vice versa ?

[storageman]

Other than switching to airplane mode or restarting the phone, is there a way to manually switch data modes ? I've noticed that most of the 4g support is along major roads and freeways where I live. I've noticed that if I get 1/2 mile away from a major road, my phone while still say 4gLTE, but the signal is so week you can't do anything. The phone won't switch to 3g because its still has a little 4g signal, but when restarted, it goes directly to 3g and everything runs (though a bit slower).

Any ideas on how to accomplish this ?

 

[jmatherly411]

Settings --- More Networks --- Mobile Networks --- Network Mode --- by default LTE/CDMA is selected just tap on CDMA only. This will reboot your phone and you will stay on 3G CDMA EVDO once your phone powers back on. Sprint is still deploying 1900 LTE, the deployment is much from over I encourage you to check every once in a while to see if you get LTE in new areas.

 

[storageman]

Settings --- More Networks --- Mobile Networks --- Network Mode --- by default LTE/CDMA is selected just tap on CDMA only. This will reboot your phone and you will stay on 3G CDMA EVDO once your phone powers back on. Sprint is still deploying 1900 LTE, the deployment is much from over I encourage you to check every once in a while to see if you get LTE in new areas.

Ok but thats no different than doing a standard restart. It switches back to 3g when I restart it and stays there until I move into a stronger 4g area and then it switches to 4g as it should.

 

[Rigmaster]

I don't think you can just toggle from CDMA-only to LTE/CDMA. They're 2 different radios, and I don't think they work at the same time, which is why the phone reboots when changing. The LTE/CDMA phone allows for non-user controlled switching based on signal strength, but it's also much more demanding on the battery.

 

[jmatherly411]

Ok but thats no different than doing a standard restart. It switches back to 3g when I restart it and stays there until I move into a stronger 4g area and then it switches to 4g as it should.

If you switch it into "CDMA Only" it will only stay on 3G EVDO, it won't switch back to LTE when an LTE signal becomes available unless you keep it on CDMA/LTE mode.

The Galaxy S3 supports SVDO and SVLTE which means it has multi-path radios, meaning the radio is separate for 1x CDMA2000/EVDO and the 1900 LTE radio. You either have to keep the phone in 3G CDMA only mode and wait for more Sprint sites to go LTE live or keep the phone in CDMA/LTE mode and let the phone switch back and forth from EVDO to LTE. I know its a pain as I am in the same situation as you, I get LTE on and off at home and it becomes annoying after awhile. As soon as they turn LTE on at my home site I shouldn't ever go back to eHRPD/EVDO 3G.

 

[legalkill]

Some carrier versions do not let you directly choose CDMA only. Verizon for example does not.

There is an old app called phone info (not on play anymore). If you can find it, you can switch the radios manually from cdma only. Then turn on LTE when you want.

This is also a battery saver in areas that are like you mention. with no LTE. With the LTE radio searching constantly, i usually know when i am out of lte when my pocket gets hot.