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Would an LTE-only phone work well on VZW?

I have been waiting for a good non-Samsung, Android phone with a memory slot, and with the demise of Sony phones one your network, I think I will try the HTC A9, but there is no confirmation if it will indeed work on Verizon as HTC claims. What I am wondering is what would happen when I am out of LTE coverage, as that seems to happen frequently indoors. No calls? No emergency calls?

If the user experience is terrible, I might leave to another carrier, as I was already waiting a long time for the Z4v, and all the others I like have no memory expansion, which is the main reason I want to ditch the iPhone (A 64GB sdxc is $20!!). Thanks!

Comments

Bigboss3rm

I understand what you are saying I left IPhone to go with HTC m7 and m8. I am being told the same that with a software update it will work on their network but only the LTE . So in my area we depend on thee 2g and 3g side of Verizon which is CDMA. I love this phone but if I cant use it then its usleless. the only thing we can hope for is that Verizon releases a carrier specific HTC one A9. with the cdma radio. if they don't I will go back to iPhone but I don't want to.

wifiengineer

Apparently it's Verizon's plan to phase out CDMA support in favor of VoLTE, but I keep seeing my phone switch over to 3G indoors, and I am interpreting that as being SOL if I am LTE-only in that location. Is there anything that mitigates that situation, or would I be unreachable until I walk back out to my car?

Weth

There are several factors to consider here.

1) It needs to be more than an LTE phone. It must be an LTE phone that supports Verizon's specific frequency bands. For Verizon, the must have band is 13. Without that you will have a bad experience. The other band to look for is band 4. However, if you don't have band 13, forget it.

2) While Verizon is going to phase out CDMA, they have not yet, not have they even begun to phase out CDMA. It is not unusual for phones to drop back to 3G and 1x CDMA technologies. You would have more frequent loss of signal with band 13 LTE only phone

3) You may have a hard time getting voice service for an band 13 LTE only phone unless it is on Verizon's list as supporting voice of LTE (VoLTE). Since voice usually goes over CDMA, if you do not have a phone that supports VoLTE and is on the list that Verizon will turn on Advanced Calling for that line, you will not get voice.

4) It will not be a Verizon supported phone, so any problems you have, Verizon will not help and only tell you to get a Verizon capable phone.

Bottom line, unless you are prepared for pain, Verizon is not ready for an LTE only phone, if you could even get it to work. NOT ADVISED AT THIS TIME.

Verizon_Support

Wifiengineer, you came to the right place and we certainly want to help you get the best signal possible on your device. I know how important it is to have reliable signal indoors. When did this issue start happening? Does this happen in every indoor location?

GersonG_VZW
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If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

Bigboss3rm

The issue is the same every where not just one customer or one device Verizon wireless used cdma where the they don't have lte service. Its in most of my area here. My company has 7 phones 4 iphones I htc android and the rest are 3g compatible phones. the smartphones when they have full service (full signal) will drop calls going form 3g to 4glte.

It not a lack of signal at all it how Verizon doesn't do a good jpob of the handover between the two signals. I have complained numorous time to my business repr. She even told me that the engineers didn't believe her because she has the same issue with her own phone.

wifiengineer

It is not everywhere indoors, just some rooms at home and work. There's a reason there is a 3G fallback mechanism, right? I have no complaints with my iPhone service. I'm just looking forward to my next purchase, and I was hoping the HTC A9 would be a viable choice. Would it work well on Verizon?

wifiengineer

Good info, thanks. I see my iPhone 5 doesn't have Band 4. So, perhaps my LTE coverage would be better than what I'm used to.

Ann154

It does appear the HTC One A9 has the proper LTE bands for Verizon Wireless. However it doesn't have the CDMA radios at all. For it to even work half way, the Advanced Calling feature would need to be enabled on the device. Advanced Calling might not be possible because it is an unlocked phone and might not have the correct software to enable that type of voice calls. If it works, the phone would only function in LTE network areas and would be a paperweight anywhere the LTE network doesn't reach since the phone doesn't have the CDMA network to fall back on.

http://m.androidcentral.com/htc-one-a9-specs

Bigboss3rm

I did here today that Verizon has filed with the fcc to enable wifi calling. this could possibly be the link in the gap .

In some areas I don't have any signal but I am curious to see how well this htc one a9 would work in my area. More and more manufactures are getting away from CDMA . I know Verizon plans to phase it out by 2021. But they will have to add a lot more towers and improve their signal before then .

they also need a way to better handle the lte-cdma handoff. In my area I have full service 4glte but for some reason it will drop the call when it goes to cdma. It shouldn't even be trying to switch considering the 4g service is so good but it does. I have made numerous call to customer service and they cant explain neither can my business repr.

She has the same trouble but when I call customer service they act like its a lack of signal, not so I have full service and everyone in this area has the same complaint. I have 7 lines on my business account and every phone does it . I have 4 employees with Verizon and theirs doe the same . We have iphones and androids all the same .

Ann154

With Advanced Calling enabled if the signal drops from 4G to 3G or 1xRTT, the calls will drop.

wifiengineer

HTC says the A9 is "coming to Verizon" in December. That's pretty specific. It would be bad if Verizon waited until after phones were purchased for this use to say that it won't work.

I probably won't wait for this confirmation/denial from Verizon, since I want to get a new phone before Christmas. So far, I don't like any of the models available on http://www.verizonwireless.com/smartphones/ :-(

Bigboss3rm

I tried to post earlier, I spoke with HTC and Verizon they will have a cdma a9 in December. Go to the HTC website scroll down click on pre order button. Then click on specs and scroll down where it shows the frequency bands there will be a title that says network with a 2 beside it. There it show cdma band 00. B01,b10 that is verizon. The link was sent to me by a Verizon represents. And they confirmed it will suppoert cdma. Look for my post and replies in the community and you will see the link they sent me . So I would wait

Bigboss3rm

rizon Wireless Customer Support (toDanny Ray) 1 day ago

Bigboss3rm, HTC will be offering a Verizon variant of the HTC One A9 in December. For a full description, including tech specs please visit: http://www.htc.com/us/smartphones/htc-one-a9/buy-b/

LenaA_VZW

wifiengineer

Looks like this article got it all wrong, "HTC's One A9 Is Verizon's First Non-CDMA Phone" (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2493426,00.asp)

The good news: With CDMA, there would be no doubt the phone will work on Verizon.

The bad News: Pre-launch price of $400 expires on Nov. 7th. At $500, I might pay up to a top of the line phone, or save money moving down to a Moto G 3rd Gen.

3rd option: Buy it now and switch carriers. What to do, what to do...

wifiengineer

BTW, the CDMA support you are referring to is under SPCS, which is the Sprint version of the phone. I suppose it's likely that the December Verizon support will be a combination of the CDMA version and Verizon-only software that does not have the unlockable bootloader feature. So, I wouldn't have the option of buying one now and getting an update later... if I want to stay with VzW.

Bigboss3rm

Yes it is for Sprint but the band 4 and 10 are Verizon wireless. Where do you think I obtained the link. it was from two Verizon reprs.

Ann154

Looks like it isn't going to happen. http://www.droid-life.com/2016/03/04/htc-one-a9-verizon/

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