At&t Lumia 900: Found a way to turn LTE off and just HSPA+ on to conserve battery

[dtbrown1]

Some people may ask why would they want to turn off LTE and the reason is to have the option to conserve on battery life.

Ive been pretty impressed with the phone so far but the LTE battery life is as typical not stellar. LTE speeds are very nice but there is no option from the phone to turn off LTE and just have HSPA+ to save battery if need be. But I found a way that is really easy to do.

In marketplace under Nokia Collection there is a free app called Network Setup. This app is for people that travel around the world with different carrier network settings based on where they travel.

Nice thing is you can Add your own custom APN settings for HSPA+. The application comes defaulted with At&t LTE settings and AT&t 3g but for what ever reasons the 3g settings don't work.

Once app is downloaded open app "add apn" and use these settings

Connection name: At&t HSPA+

Internet APN settings as follow

Access point name: phone
Yes that's it just the word phone
leave all other setting blank under Internet APN

Under MMS APN

MMS access point name: phone
Proxy address: proxy.mobile.att.net
proxy port: 80
Username: leave blank
Password: leave blank
MMSC address: http://mmsc.cingular.com

Once saved then you can do a before and after internet speed test using a free app called "Bandwidth". I averaged at the time with my test 16-18mbps under LTE and consistent 8-10mbps HSPA+.

Now the LTE logo will still show in the upper left corner next to the reception bars but rest assured you will be using HSPA+.

Hope someone finds this useful.

 

[txaggies07]

Have you tested for battery gains yet?

 

[dtbrown1]

Have you tested for battery gains yet?

No I just figured this out today. So I will be testing this through out the next week or so. The battey saver section isn't very accurate so I'm just trying to find a good battery diagnostics app. Any suggestions?

 

[dkp23]

E-High Five!

 

[ljkelley]

I doubt this does anything in regards to saving battery. As long as your phone shows LTE or uses LTE or is searching for LTE then LTE will use your battery.

That would be the same problem even unlocked on say T-Mobile with their eventually 1900 3G. The 900 will waste battery from time to time to see if it can connect to the better LTE.

If your phone shows LTE it is connected to LTE. All you did was connect to the older data service meant for HSPA+ and as such you are artificially being slowed down as AT&T is assuming you are connecting from an HSPA+ device. That APN isn't gonna offer upto 50Mbps and then have it slowed down by the HSPA+, its gonna offer what it reasonably thinks HSPA+ can offer.

Basically you are connecting differently on the backend, but the frontend is LTE and I think your eventual battery tests will confirm that.

 

[txaggies07]

I doubt this does anything in regards to saving battery. As long as your phone shows LTE or uses LTE or is searching for LTE then LTE will use your battery.

That would be the same problem even unlocked on say T-Mobile with their eventually 1900 3G. The 900 will waste battery from time to time to see if it can connect to the better LTE.

If your phone shows LTE it is connected to LTE. All you did was connect to the older data service meant for HSPA+ and as such you are artificially being slowed down as AT&T is assuming you are connecting from an HSPA+ device. That APN isn't gonna offer upto 50Mbps and then have it slowed down by the HSPA+, its gonna offer what it reasonably thinks HSPA+ can offer.

Basically you are connecting differently on the backend, but the frontend is LTE and I think your eventual battery tests will confirm that.

This is what I was thinking. You need to find a way to turn the LTE radio off, but I fear that is not possible without an update from Microsoft followed by an update from Nokia.

 

[dtbrown1]

I doubt this does anything in regards to saving battery. As long as your phone shows LTE or uses LTE or is searching for LTE then LTE will use your battery.

That would be the same problem even unlocked on say T-Mobile with their eventually 1900 3G. The 900 will waste battery from time to time to see if it can connect to the better LTE.

If your phone shows LTE it is connected to LTE. All you did was connect to the older data service meant for HSPA+ and as such you are artificially being slowed down as AT&T is assuming you are connecting from an HSPA+ device. That APN isn't gonna offer upto 50Mbps and then have it slowed down by the HSPA+, its gonna offer what it reasonably thinks HSPA+ can offer.

Basically you are connecting differently on the backend, but the frontend is LTE and I think your eventual battery tests will confirm that.

Yes I agree that the radio isn't probably turned off but it isn't being used either. The LTE radio is different than the HSPA+ radio. Yes it's not 100% confirmed yet until I do full battery test but even in my speed test it's not that I'm just getting slower download speeds equal to HSPA+ but even the upload speeds are reflected with what are on par to HSPA+ upload speeds.

Again everything will be confirmed this week. I'm doing a full drain of battery now.

 

[ljkelley]

Yes I agree that the radio isn't probably turned off but it isn't being used either. The LTE radio is different than the HSPA+ radio. Yes it's not 100% confirmed yet until I do full battery test but even in my speed test it's not that I'm just getting slower download speeds equal to HSPA+ but even the upload speeds are reflected with what are on par to HSPA+ upload speeds.

Again everything will be confirmed this week. I'm doing a full drain of battery now.

The Radio you are using is the one shown next to the carrier name. It would show 4G or 3G if you were on the HSPA+ network not LTE. I cannot use an APN to select EDGE or force 3G/4G only connectivity. The APN is just passed through the towers to the backend, thats why BlackBerry uses a different APN as a lot of the data goes thru BlackBerry's servers.

Think of it thru WiFi terms. LTE is like WiFi N. If you have WiFi N in your house you don't get fast internet, first you need a fast DSL or Cable or other connection to hook up to your N router. If you hookup that fast connection to a G router than you might not get to use the full connection. Likewise if you hook up a slow DSL connection, there is no point in wasting money for a N Router unless for future proofing or home networking features.

 

[ovrkast]

Some people may ask why would they want to turn off LTE and the reason is to have the option to conserve on battery life.

Ive been pretty impressed with the phone so far but the LTE battery life is as typical not stellar. LTE speeds are very nice but there is no option from the phone to turn off LTE and just have HSPA+ to save battery if need be. But I found a way that is really easy to do.

In marketplace under Nokia Collection there is a free app called Network Setup. This app is for people that travel around the world with different carrier network settings based on where they travel.

Nice thing is you can Add your own custom APN settings for HSPA+. The application comes defaulted with At&t LTE settings and AT&t 3g but for what ever reasons the 3g settings don't work.

Once app is downloaded open app "add apn" and use these settings

Connection name: At&t HSPA+

Internet APN settings as follow

Access point name: phone
Yes that's it just the word phone
leave all other setting blank under Internet APN

Under MMS APN

MMS access point name: phone
Proxy address: proxy.mobile.att.net
proxy port: 80
Username: leave blank
Password: leave blank
MMSC address: http://mmsc.cingular.com

Once saved then you can do a before and after internet speed test using a free app called "Bandwidth". I averaged at the time with my test 16-18mbps under LTE and consistent 8-10mbps HSPA+.

Now the LTE logo will still show in the upper left corner next to the reception bars but rest assured you will be using HSPA+.

Hope someone finds this useful.

Can't you use the "Settings" => "Cellular" => "Add APN" instead of having to download the Nokia Network Setup applications?

 

[dtbrown1]

The Radio you are using is the one shown next to the carrier name. It would show 4G or 3G if you were on the HSPA+ network not LTE. I cannot use an APN to select EDGE or force 3G/4G only connectivity. The APN is just passed through the towers to the backend, thats why BlackBerry uses a different APN as a lot of the data goes thru BlackBerry's servers.

Think of it thru WiFi terms. LTE is like WiFi N. If you have WiFi N in your house you don't get fast internet, first you need a fast DSL or Cable or other connection to hook up to your N router. If you hookup that fast connection to a G router than you might not get to use the full connection. Likewise if you hook up a slow DSL connection, there is no point in wasting money for a N Router unless for future proofing or home networking features.

I may be totally wrong and again we'll see with my battery test. I've confirmed that the APN settings for LTE are different than HSPA+. Doing full battery drain with an app were internet among other features on the phone is being used to drain battery. This will just take a while. Should have results by tomorrow.

 

[dtbrown1]

Can't you use the "Settings" => "Cellular" => "Add APN" instead of having to download the Nokia Network Setup applications?

Yeah I tried that but from the "Cellular" tab but it doesn't add an apn to choose from after I put the settings in. Weird.

 

[GMJeff]

I believe the thought here is to stop the LTE radio from broadcasting as some have said previously.

Changing the APN, as said, will only allow the phone to connect to the network at HSPA+, but the LTE radio is still pinging the network looking to run at LTE speeds.

Also, keep in mind that the new LTE phones should show the 4G logo in the network area, whether it is on LTE or not. My Galaxy Note has LTE and the network logo shows a 4G when on HSPA+ or 4G with a small LTE above it when connected to the LTE network. You are already running on the HSPA+ network, it sounds without the APN changes.

Battery life on the device is supposed to be good, or better than most, and besides, if battery life is that bad on the device after launch, I would only bet that Nokia has a firmware update to help resolve the issue shortly thereafter, a la the 800.

 

[dangish]

it'll show LTE in LTE areas... Not 4G. 4G is shown in HSPA+ areas, which is pretty much everywhere.

 

[Tyresian]

I'm sorrry I haven't been following this very closely but can't this be changed through the menus specified in the AnandTech review?

AnandTech - Nokia Lumia 900 Review - Windows Phone with LTE

"The Lumia 900’s cellular settings page includes the ability to switch the device’s preferred air interface between EDGE/GPRS (E), 3G WCDMA (3G), and 4G LTE (4G). However the labeling here is actually hilarious - AT&T’s WCDMA “4G” marketing carries over to the Lumia 900, so selecting “3G” from the drop down will score you a “4G” indicator in the status bar. Likewise selecting “4G” from the drop down gets you “LTE” in the status bar. Finally, a concrete example of where AT&T’s re-branding marketing has resulted in an actual namespace collision!"

 

[ItnStln]

Awesome, thanks! I'll try this when I get my 900.

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk

 

[krayziehustler]

I'm sorrry I haven't been following this very closely but can't this be changed through the menus specified in the AnandTech review?

AnandTech - Nokia Lumia 900 Review - Windows Phone with LTE

"The Lumia 900?s cellular settings page includes the ability to switch the device?s preferred air interface between EDGE/GPRS (E), 3G WCDMA (3G), and 4G LTE (4G). However the labeling here is actually hilarious - AT&T?s WCDMA ?4G? marketing carries over to the Lumia 900, so selecting ?3G? from the drop down will score you a ?4G? indicator in the status bar. Likewise selecting ?4G? from the drop down gets you ?LTE? in the status bar. Finally, a concrete example of where AT&T?s re-branding marketing has resulted in an actual namespace collision!"

Has anyone found this setting????

 

[GMJeff]

The setting is not there on US devices. The device in the article is probably a demo unit with all settings unlocked. Even unlocking the device for development does not show these settings.

You would have to flash a vanilla OS, or some other carriers OS that allows for these settings to be changed. Samsung has an app in the marketplace which does the same thing as this for their phones, but US users can't download it due to regional restrictions.

 

[HillBillJr]

Why don't you use battery saver option to conserve power?

 

[Dalek Sec]

Well most of us live nowhere near a lte market. Since we cant benefit from the faster speed we should be able to get some better battery life.

 

[hasasimo]

For some reason Nokia's Network Setup App is no longer in the marketplace, so scratch that