Due to the rapid development of technology wireless communication, and with the active introduction of 4G technologies, a logical and pressing question arises - which phones support 4G communications?

First, it’s worth understanding what it is and how it works. 4G is new standard wireless communications, which is characterized by increased data transfer speeds and improved voice quality. The advantages of such technologies are obvious to everyone, because communication quality and high Internet speed are the two most important requirements of every user. cellular communications. 4G phones open up new possibilities that have virtually no boundaries.

Currently, according to research results, only two technologies comply with the 4G standard:

• WiMAX.

These technologies allow data to be transmitted over wireless networks with a speed of at least 10 Mbit/s, thanks to which they officially received the status fourth generation communications.

1. Mobile phones with 4G today

Along with the introduction of fourth generation communications, new phones with 4G support appear on store shelves. However, on currently Not many devices are capable of supporting fourth generation networks.

When buying a phone, it is also worth remembering that some devices that support 4G cannot work in the coverage area of ​​Russian operators. This is explained by the fact that in different countries, different operators use specific frequencies. Each operator mobile communications there is a frequency at which data is transmitted. For example, the most common and first smartphone with 4G support, the iPhone, operates at a frequency of 2100 MHz, while Russian operators communications use frequencies from 2500 to 2700 MHz. Thus, phones supporting 4G LTE, which are tuned to the 2100 MHz frequency, will not support 4G communications from Russian operators.

To avoid misunderstandings when buying a phone, you should carefully study specifications, in which the frequency range at which the device is capable of operating must be indicated.

2. 4G LTE on Sony Xperia V: Video

Phones with 4G support are not yet very common and can not be found very often in Russia. This issue alone is being resolved today and a significant expansion of the range is expected in the near future.

The advantages of such communication, in particular of phones that support 4G, are not only higher data transfer speeds and improved voice quality. In addition to these improvements, 4G Internet allows you to play online games, which was impossible to do with a 3G connection. It is also possible to use video communication and watch videos high resolution in online mode.

According to Megafon, LTE should be available. The first thoughts that came to mind: the phone does not support our 4G LTE or is it something from the operator?! Well, is there a connection at all 😀 it turned out to be easier! Forcefully enable LTE support on your phone. Launch Play Market, look for LTE Setting or LTE OnOFF applications, install.

We launch the application and see a little information about the current communication mode:

Some carriers require you to register a new phone directly with them in order to be fully functional, and ask you to take your purchase receipt to the carrier's store. Contact your operator directly to ensure this is necessary.

If you have any suggestions for the guide, drop me an email, and if you have any comments, you can leave them down below or send me a tweet. What does each operator group mean? A topic that gets talked about a lot is spectrum and bands. This is the space in which the signal travels.

As expected - HSDPA mode. Scroll down and in the “Set preferred network type” item set the value to LTE only.

We watch the network indicator... and hurray. Shows LTE connection!! Let's look at the information:

It is a limited resource managed by the government and awarded through auction to telecommunications companies that want to provide voice and data services. pay attention to the following table. And the key is in the box where your new computer came. The box, in addition to providing instructions on how to use the equipment, informs each user which spectrum bands can be connected.

On the back of the box where the device is located, information is provided about the networks and bands to which the device can be connected. Below the reference find are 2 lines: The first indicates the technology or general format of the equipment for voice and text messages, and the second indicates the operation of the data network.

Everything is fine: there is a signal, there is an LTE connection...

Now the cross on the network indicator is confusing. This happens because there is NO option to CALL!! Well, of course, no one will call you)) You are on the Internet)) Yes, this is a minus of the current implementation of 4G LTE by operators. What can we do, we were interested in the Internet - let’s check the speed... I’ll give some statistics on ping requests to the Google DNS server:

It's very simple, regardless of the telecom operator and operating system, phones that support 4G inform the user about the type of network connected. Typically, such data is located in top corner screen, next to the battery charge indicator. By analogy with packaging, labels may contain the following information: 4G, LTE, WiMAX. However, alerts can also be located in hidden menus or settings. Information related to such indicators should also be included in the instructions.

We suggest you contact your service provider to find out if there is any instability in the area or configuration is missing. If your device is running on other carriers and only one is not, you need to check the carrier because there is a lower chance of chip related irregularities.

The signal is provided by the operator with antennas located throughout the city. If by chance the nearest antenna, if your place of residence is uneven or some configuration is missing, this operator may not work on the device. Even if the chip worked before, the device may stop reading because we do not guarantee compatibility.

Tariffs and operators

If you are sure that your device supports 4G, but for some reason it does not work, then it is possible that the selected tariff or telecom operator does not provide such services. What to do in this case? Try to call technical support or come to the sales office, get advice and choose a different tariff. If the operator itself does not have 4G, then it will need to be replaced. It is possible that in some regions this communication standard is temporarily not supported by any communication provider for some reason. In this case, you will have to use a more conservative 3G, but it works on all devices that support 4G.

Therefore, we suggest that you purchase your own chip. In this case, we suggest contacting your service provider. If by chance the nearest antenna, if your residence is irregular or too far away, it may result in no signal or intermittent signal. If possible, try a chip from a different carrier to check if the error is on the device.

It's important to note that if your chip is cut, the cut may result in a poor read, meaning the device may have difficulty "reading" and sending the antenna signal. Some violations may depend on checking the internal components of the device. Thus, the action in these cases is given in the help itself.

What do you need to use 4G?

Immediately following the question of how to find out if a phone supports 4G, another question follows: what equipment is needed to use it? this standard? To date, it has been generally accepted that the LTE standard distinguishes them into five categories. Moreover, the maximum data transfer rate directly depends on them. Most of the networks now belong to the middle (this is the second, as well as the third category). The speeds fall in the range from fifty to hundreds of megabits per second. Already based on these data, we can say that the results were truly impressive and even a little stunning. However, such indicators are not marginal. The fact is that the first fourth generation networks, belonging to the next, fourth category, have already begun to fulfill their direct functional responsibilities. Even if not everywhere, but only locally, the fact remains a fact. Residents of the city of Moscow who had smartphones from the South Korean company Samsung (more specifically, we are talking about the Galaxy S5 model) have already managed to try out the LTE Cat 4 network and feel the difference. The data transfer speed really impressed users. If you have not been to Moscow and have not yet been able to meet such a “miracle,” then do not be upset. Most likely, in the near future the corresponding equipment will begin to be installed in other cities.

How to find out if a phone supports 4G?

In general, support for this standard should be specified in the specification of your mobile device. It may say that the device supports 3G and 4G data transfer standards or only the first of them. Take a closer look at the column with the relevant data. If you see a mark that the LTE module is present, then congratulations: your device supports fourth generation cellular networks. Sometimes you can even find out about this from the name of the phone, since sellers try by any means to highlight the presence of this standard in the device, including including it in the name of the gadget.

Measuring the data transfer speed

Don't forget, by the way, that you can buy inexpensive phone with 4G from the telecom operator MTS. By the way, in the cell phone store they will also help you determine the presence/absence of functions for working with fourth-generation networks. You can also contact the operator directly using a voice call to clarify this point. Now let’s talk a little about what will be useful when handling a device that has access to the Internet through the use of both fourth and third generation cellular networks.

If the device is based on the Android operating system, then we advise the user to download the application from the official Google Play service. It's called Speedtest. A utility is designed to measure the data transfer rate using packet data. The utility is free and is currently quite popular. At all, this program indirectly helps to determine the presence or absence of an LTE module on the phone. But even if you don’t have it, you shouldn’t be upset. You can buy an inexpensive 4G phone at your nearest mobile phone store. Third generation networks also function well by today's standards, although they are an order of magnitude worse than their successors.

How to connect 4G on your phone?

Fourth generation cellular networks, it should be noted, do not operate in a single range. There are several of them. Phones that support 4G may vary in these characteristics. This is very, very important point, which should be taken seriously. You not only need to know whether your device supports fourth-generation cellular networks, but also what frequency bands it can configure its LTE sensor for. The fact is that the smartphone may not work at the frequencies available in our country.

A contender for your 4G smartphone

Now devices from the MTS company have become quite popular, since they often have an impressive set of characteristics at a relatively low cost. Well, for example, a device called MTS Smart Run Sim Lock Black. This MTS 4G phone has a five-inch screen with IPS matrix and an impressive battery with a capacity of 3400 milliamps per hour. A fairly high indicator, and even with active use of the device this will last for the whole day. In general, a good option for those who like to spend time on the international network and want to do it at high speed.

"MTS" 4G phone under the name Smart Run Sim Lock Black uses only SIM cards of the corresponding operator, as can be seen from the name itself. In general, you can turn to specialists to remove restrictions, but this should not always be done. I would like to note a drawback of the device: the characteristics indicate that its main and front camera respectively have a resolution of 8 and 2 megapixels. In fact, the pictures turn out worse; the cameras do not reach these indicators. But for a price of six thousand rubles, it’s unlikely to find a better candidate with 4G modules, even with the variety of devices that we now have on the mobile device market.

A new type of communication will soon start operating in Ukraine - 4G (LTE). One of these days already on the frequencies needed for such networks. Operators promise that users will see the first LTE icons on smartphone screens very soon. At the same time, only about 15% of smartphones on networks are ready to work with 4G. The editors tell you how to check whether your smartphone supports this technology.

You can find a phone with 4G support from the partner of this material MOYO.UA.

#1. What's happened?

Active preparations are underway for the introduction of 4G. Three frequency operators in the 2600 MHz range, next in line is a tender for 1800 MHz. According to mobile companies, 4G will be available in major cities in the coming months. However, not only operators, but also subscribers need to prepare for 4G, since not all smartphones support the new communication standard.

#2. What do you need to know about this?

First of all, you need to remember that the frequencies of the 1800 MHz and 2600 MHz bands, at which the technology will operate in Ukraine, in the international classification correspond to the names Band 3 and Band 7, respectively (sometimes they are designated as b3 and b7).

This is important, since this is the terminology used in the documentation, many online stores and official websites. Ideally, a smartphone should support frequencies in both bands. Then in Ukraine 4G will work wherever there is coverage.

#3. And how can I tell if my smartphone supports 4G?

Most easy way To find out about LTE support, look in the smartphone settings. If in the “Network Mode” tab (or similar) there is 4G in the selection options, then your smartphone supports the technology. But it is not reliable way- not all phones in this section display 4G, although they support this type of connection.

The next thing to do is check the information in online stores and on the official website. It’s better to look at the official website, as there is often information about those same ranges. You will find out whether your smartphone supports LTE, and, if so, which bands.

#4. I can't find information anywhere. Where else can I watch it?

As a last resort, go to the GSMArena website. Find your smartphone using the search above and look at the NETWORK section. If the required “bands” are indicated opposite the LTE column, then the phone supports the communication standard. Important: pay attention to the model of your smartphone (depending on this, supported frequencies may differ), as well as the region - you need Europe or the EMEA region.

#5. That's sorted out. What about SIM cards? Will they need to be changed too?

Yes, for those who still have regular SIMs. To support 4G, you need new USIM cards that run 4G. Kyivstar subscribers can find out about the compatibility of SIM cards with 4G by calling the number provided. If the SIM card does not fit, the operator offers to change it for free at any branch.

Vodafone said it would also soon introduce a “convenient way to check” whether a card is compatible with 4G. Those operator customers who have not purchased or changed a card since the beginning of 2017 will have to change their SIM card. This can be done free of charge at your nearest service center.

#6. My smartphone does not support 4G. What to do?

There is only one way out - buy a new one. Fortunately there are a lot now budget smartphones that support this type of communication. For example, inexpensive smartphone with LTE you can choose on the website of MOYO, our partners in the preparation of these cards. Available options you can see

When choosing an amplification system, it is extremely important to know two parameters: the generation of the mobile network (2G, 3G or 4G) whose quality you want to improve, and the frequency at which it operates.

The fact is that all the main components of amplification systems - antennas, repeaters, modems and routers - are created for specific frequency ranges and very rarely support all existing standards in the world at once. In other words, you can buy a booster kit “for 4G Internet,” but if it includes an antenna designed for a frequency range that your operator does not operate in, the money will be wasted.

Let's give an example. Most often, 4G Internet is provided at a frequency of 2600 MHz, and most 4G booster kits are designed for this frequency. However, increasingly, domestic operators are starting to use additional frequencies of 1800 and 800 MHz. If this is the network in your location, then a kit designed for a frequency of 2600 MHz will be useless.

So, to choose a kit, you need to know which technologies you want to amplify and in which frequency ranges they operate. The easiest way to do this is using a smartphone running operating system Android or iOS (iPhone).

Defining a generation cellular network

Determining the generation of a cellular network using a smartphone is usually very easy. In most modern operating systems, the data transfer technology is indicated in the status bar next to the level cellular signal. The technology can be specified directly (2G, 3G or 4G) or using one of the abbreviations. The most common designations are:

• 2G, GPRS (G), EDGE (E) - traditional 2G technology, which runs standard GSM voice communication and slow Mobile Internet;
• 3G, UMTS, HSDPA (H), HSPA+ (H+) - the third generation of cellular communications used for calls and access to broadband mobile Internet;
• 4G, LTE (L) - the fourth generation of cellular communications, currently used by domestic operators only for access to high-speed mobile Internet.

For example, on Xiaomi smartphones With dual SIM cards the status bar looks like this:

It is easy to determine that the first SIM card of the MTS operator is currently operating in 4G mode, and the second SIM card of Tele2 is in 3G mode.

What frequencies do operators operate on in Russia?

It would seem that once you know what communication standards are available in your location, you can start choosing an amplification kit. However, there is one significant problem: the same communication technology can operate at different frequencies.

Each communication standard (2G, 3G and 4G) contains many substandards. In order for the amplification system to work correctly and amplify exactly the frequency range in which your operator is working, you must first know this frequency range.

The following cellular communication standards are currently available in Russia:

Unfortunately, finding out what frequency your operator operates on is no longer so easy. Operating room developers Android systems and iOS considered that this information would not be useful to ordinary users, and hid it in a special service menu. Below we will tell you how to call hidden menu and find out the frequency used by the operator. But before that - one more important step!

If your smartphone defaults to the network you want to strengthen, no additional action is required. But there are situations when you need to determine the frequency range of another network. For example, you want to find out the 2G frequency, but your smartphone automatically connects to 3G. Another example: you need to strengthen voice communication, and your phone is connected to a 4G network, in which only mobile Internet is available. To measure the desired standard, force your smartphone into the appropriate mode.

To do this on Android devices go to Settings > Other networks > Mobile networks > Network mode and select the required communication standard. Depending on the smartphone model and operating system version, the path to the section Network mode may vary slightly.

Apple smartphones, unfortunately, do not support manual mode switching. Thus, iPhone users can only determine the frequency of the standard in which the smartphone operates automatically.

How to find out the cellular frequency

As we said above, to get information about the frequency at which your smartphone is connected to base station, you need to go to a special service menu. On Android devices it is usually called Service Mode, on Apple smartphones- Field Test. To call up the corresponding screen, just dial a specific number from your phone.

Important! Depending on your device model and operating system version, the instructions in this article may not work. In this case, entering the code will do nothing. Also, on some smartphones the menu may look different, and network information may be in one of the submenus. You may have to search through the menu subsections before you find the mobile connection information page you're looking for!

Before testing the frequency, turn off your WiFi connection. If your phone has two SIM cards, it is recommended to remove the unnecessary card and leave only the one that needs to be tested. This way you can avoid unnecessary confusion and get accurate information about the current connection.

How to call the service menu on Android

Depending on the Android versions The service menu is opened using one of the following codes:

• *#0011#
• *#*#4636#*#*
• *#*#197328640#*#*

After entering the last character, the hidden menu should open automatically; you do not need to press the call button. On Samsung smartphones You will immediately be taken to a screen with information about the network status. On devices from other manufacturers, you may need to go to the “Phone Information” subsection or another that contains information about mobile connection. Unfortunately, on some models of Android smartphones this menu may not be available at all.

On Samsung smartphones, to get network information, just dial *#0011#

To obtain network information on Xiaomi smartphones, you need to dial *#*#4636#*#*, go to the “Phone Information” section and scroll down the page. On devices with two SIM cards there will be two “Phone Information” sections.

As you can see, the hidden menu provides a lot of technical data. We won’t need most of this information, and we’ll tell you what exactly you should pay attention to below.

How to call the service menu on iPhone

On Apple smartphones, the service menu is called up in a similar way, but using a different code. After entering, you must press the call button:

• *3001#12345#*

To get your cellular connection information, you'll need to find desired item submenu. Depending on your current communication standard, go to:

• for 2G: GSM Cell Environment > GSM Cell Info > Neighboring Cells > 0

• for 3G: UMTS Cell Environment > Neighbor Cells > UMTS Set > 0

• for 4G: Serving Cell Information

Determining the frequency of the 2G network (GSM)

To determine the frequency at which the GSM network operates, a special radio frequency channel number is used - ARFCN. Essentially, this is an identifier that indicates which radio frequency band your smartphone is currently operating in. On the service menu page, the identifier is usually indicated after the designation ARFCN, RX, Rx Ch, Freq, BCCH or other similar abbreviation.

Less often, smartphones in 2G mode immediately display the name of the standard (for example, GSM-900) or the operating frequency. If your smartphone displays the name of the standard ready-made, consider yourself lucky. Otherwise, determine which standard the specified ARFCN belongs to using the table below.

For example, this is what determining the GSM frequency looks like on Samsung smartphones (left) and iPhone (right):

If a smartphone shows several ARFCN values ​​listed in a column, then the active network is usually the first one in the list.

Determining the frequency of the 3G network

The situation is similar with frequency determination in 3G networks. Here the channel identifier is called differently - UARFCN. Unlike 2G networks, two UARFCN values ​​can be specified: one to identify the data channel (DL) and another to indicate the data channel (UL). The name of the standard or its special serial number may also be indicated - the so-called “band” (from the English band).

Thus, in the service menu you can find either the UARFCN value or the serial number of the “band”: for example, Band 1. UARFCN is usually indicated after such abbreviations as RX, CH DL and others. On iPhone, the 3G frequency identifier is called Downlink Frequency or dl_freq.

If a smartphone shows several UARFCN values ​​listed in a column, then the active network is usually the first one in the list.

Let's give an example of defining UARFCN on modern smartphones Xiaomi (left) and Samsung (right). In this case, the frequency of 2100 MHz is used:

Determining the frequency of the 4G network

The situation is similar with 4G networks. The “band” or channel identifier - EARFCN can be specified here. On an iPhone, the easiest way to determine the 4G frequency is by the “band” specified in paragraph Frequency Band Indicator or freq_band_ind. If a smartphone shows several EARFCN values ​​listed in a column, then the active network is usually the first one in the list.

Note that the last standard cited does not specify different EARFCN values ​​for send and receive. This is not at all accidental. The fact is that in the LTE Band 38 standard, data reception and transmission occurs in the same frequency range, but alternately (TDD technology). A special repeater may be required to amplify this standard.

Below is an example of EARFCN definition on Xiaomi smartphones (left) and latest versions iPhone (right).

On Android devices, you can determine the 4G frequency more easily by using free application CellMapper. CellMapper displays information about the cellular network, including the current band. Unfortunately, it cannot be used to determine the frequency of a 2G or 3G network.

Always determine the frequency at the point where you plan to install external antenna amplification systems. If the operator uses several frequency bands at the same time, the smartphone can use one standard outdoors and another indoors. This is due to the fact that more low frequencies penetrate into rooms better and, as a rule, they electronic devices give preference.

For example, if your operator provides 4G Internet simultaneously in the frequency ranges of 800 and 2600 MHz, then indoors the smartphone can select the slower LTE800 standard, and switch to the faster LTE2600 outdoors.

In addition, it should be taken into account that the simultaneous use of two 4G bands opens up the possibility of frequency aggregation for the operator. Aggregation is a function of LTE-Advanced networks, in which subscriber devices use several frequency bands to achieve maximum speed. Today, this technology is just beginning to be implemented by cellular operators, but in the foreseeable future it can significantly improve the performance of the mobile Internet.

If you determine that in your location the telecom operator works in two “bands” simultaneously, it makes sense to think about purchasing a dual-band amplification system.