Using T-Mobile 600 Mhz. Band 71?

[stevec1001]

Trying to see if B71 would be usable in the area, I've seen claims of being able to use T-Mobile on B71 up to 8-10 miles away but if that's true why can't I get it on a Moto G7 Power? Here in the E. Mesa area they show a couple of towers on cellmapper that are supposed to have B71 but even if I drive over to where the tower is supposed to be located I only get B2 or 12 and that only works for a couple of blocks then fades out while they claim longer distance for 71. Is there some secret to getting 71?

[Yipzy]

The tower determines what bands your phone will latch on. Your phone just lets the tower know it supports B71 but it doesn't mean your phone will connect to it as the tower knows that B2 and B12 are faster than B71 or configured that way and want your phone to connect to those bands instead. You have to limit the bands the phone supports to say B71 or CA with B71 only then the tower will let you connect B71 if your phone allows you to do that. If B71 is shown in your area on cellmapper, the towers likely have B71.

[ciarlill]

I was just about to post a very similar question.

From what I read there is a difference between devices capabale of Band 71 vs Band n71. n71 being the 5G band. I am trying to figure out the cheapest way to determine if I have this coverage since I don't currently have any 5G devices. I am using Google Fi which is a T-Mo MVNO, so if I get a capable device I think I can test using my current SIM card. Also not sure if unlimited plans from re-sellers include 5G access or just 4G LTE. Anyone have info on that? Lastly, are there even any ROOTer compatible modems available that work on n71?

Thanks

[stevec1001]

The tower determines what bands your phone will latch on. Your phone just lets the tower know it supports B71 but it doesn't mean your phone will connect to it as the tower knows that B2 and B12 are faster than B71 or configured that way and want your phone to connect to those bands instead. You have to limit the bands the phone supports to say B71 or CA with B71 only then the tower will let you connect B71 if your phone allows you to do that. If B71 is shown in your area on cellmapper, the towers likely have B71.

Since there is no way to limit the bands a phone supports and bands 2 & 12 only go a few blocks that would seem to make band 71 WORTHLESS if there is no way to use it!

[Yipzy]

Since there is no way to limit the bands a phone supports and bands 2 & 12 only go a few blocks that would seem to make band 71 WORTHLESS if there is no way to use it!

Some phone models let you do it directly some won't. Head over to XDA forums if you want to do some digging. Basically you need to root your phone then install Network Signal Guru app or the Qct Modem Capabilities apk from Telegram group to be able to to enable/disable bands. It also depends if your phone actually has the right carrier firmware to enable band 71. The phone supports B71 doesn't mean it's enabled by default if you have a different carrier's firmware. Aso, if there is only one tower in your area and it supports B71, I would imagine your phone will connect to B71 if the other bands' signals get too weak if your phone and tower both have B71 enabled.

[stevec1001]

Some phone models let you do it directly some won't. Head over to XDA forums if you want to do some digging. Basically you need to root your phone then install Network Signal Guru app or the Qct Modem Capabilities apk from Telegram group to be able to to enable/disable bands. It also depends if your phone actually has the right carrier firmware to enable band 71. The phone supports B71 doesn't mean it's enabled by default if you have a different carrier's firmware. Aso, if there is only one tower in your area and it supports B71, I would imagine your phone will connect to B71 if the other bands' signals get too weak if your phone and tower both have B71 enabled.

So basically what you are saying it that B71 will never work.

[Yipzy]

So basically what you are saying it that B71 will never work.

Well since you have no way to isolate the bands to test, you just have to assume it's in your area according to cellmapper or spend some money and buy the Quectel EC25-AF to truly test. Personally, I would try to get better signals with other bands for CA with directional/parabolic antennas because B71 alone is mostly 5MHz deployment vs 10/15MHz for band 2 and 12. I get 20MHz for band 4/66 in my area for T-Mobile.

Check my post and search what B71 actually does CA with if you had a LM960A18 https://wirelessjoint.com/viewtopic.php?f=15 ... 350#p10350 vs other T-Mobile bands.

[stevec1001]

Yes but in this area other T-Mobile bands like 2,4, etc. are so weak and slow they are useless for anything unless I happen to go to the mall or in one of their stores where they have a booster that lets met get up to 90 Mb but go back outside and the speed is back down between zero and 2 Mb again!

[Yipzy]

Yes but in this area other T-Mobile bands like 2,4, etc. are so weak and slow they are useless for anything unless I happen to go to the mall or in one of their stores where they have a booster that lets met get up to 90 Mb but go back outside and the speed is back down between zero and 2 Mb again!

Then you just have to assume cellmapper is correct and most likely it is. Find out which tower your phone it is connecting. Download Network Cell Info Lite app. It will list the eNB ID, you then just match it with which tower it is by clicking on the towers on cellmapper near you. If the tower you are connected has band 71 then it does. Buy the Quectel EC25-AF modem if you don't care about CA to see if you can get that band since it's not expensive compare other modems to test the speeds.

[gscheb]

Have seen cell mapper to be wrong before. What I did was got the EC25-AF since it has all the bands. Made a list of bands to check and band locked them one by one to see what I had. Turned out had Band 71 when cell mapper didn't say so.

[Yipzy]

Have seen cell mapper to be wrong before. What I did was got the EC25-AF since it has all the bands. Made a list of bands to check and band locked them one by one to see what I had. Turned out had Band 71 when cell mapper didn't say so.

OP is stating towers around him have B71. That means users of cellmapper with B71 capable phones have mapped them driving by his area. He just wants to confirm whether he could connect to one. So he needs to find out if his actual tower has it or not before trying out the EC25-AF I suggested.

[gscheb]

OP is stating towers around him have B71. That means users of cellmapper with B71 capable phones have mapped them driving by his area. He just wants to confirm whether he could connect to one. So he needs to find out if his actual tower has it or not before trying out the EC25-AF I suggested.

How should you find out? I did by doing what I said.

[Yipzy]

How should you find out? I did by doing what I said.

You click on the tower points on cellmapper and they show details of bands belonging to them. If one of the towers he stated with B71 is the one he is connecting to then that tower has B71.

[stevec1001]

I got an EC25-AF but when I try to download the drivers, AT command manual, application notes or anything from the Quectel website I get a pop up saying "Please Login"! How do I get past that login requirement?

[Yipzy]

I got an EC25-AF but when I try to download the drivers, AT command manual, application notes or anything from the Quectel website I get a pop up saying "Please Login"! How do I get past that login requirement?

Most of them are only available for download through their distributors, not consumers. For an individual, you have to email support or search their forums and hope links haven't expired. Meanwhile, I found these links for you.

https://sixfab.com/wp-content/uploads/2 ... r_V2.1.zip Windows Driver
https://sixfab.com/wp-content/uploads/2 ... l_V1.2.pdf AT Commands Manual

[stevec1001]

I got an EC25-AF but I'm using it on a laptop in Windows 10. Even if it won't do CA it connects at 150 Mb and is still plenty fast although I don't think there is any way to tell what band it's using. Where I can get T-Mo B71 on a phone it's just as weak and slow as the other bands and turned out to be pretty much useless!

[Yipzy]

I got an EC25-AF but I'm using it on a laptop in Windows 10. Even if it won't do CA it connects at 150 Mb and is still plenty fast although I don't think there is any way to tell what band it's using. Where I can get T-Mo B71 on a phone it's just as weak and slow as the other bands and turned out to be pretty much useless!

Try

Code: Select all

AT+QNWINFO

You could also try band locking to band 71 now that you have it to test speed. It's in one of the tutorials on here. It has to do with

Code: Select all

AT+QCFG="band"

AT Command.