[bradisace]

Hi I have just upgraded to the Samsung Galaxy S3, 4g/LTE version. I have been reading on the Internet that the 4G version has a shorter battery life compared to the 3G/standard version of the handset. I am guessing this is due to the 4G signal.

So my question is, if I am only using the phone on 3G, as I don't currently have a 4G price plan or 4G access, will the batter life on the 4G version be the same as the standard, 3G only S3?


Thanks in advance!

[Thine Wonk]

Originally Posted by bradisace

Hi I have just upgraded to the Samsung Galaxy S3, 4g/LTE version. I have been reading on the Internet that the 4G version has a shorter battery life compared to the 3G/standard version of the handset. I am guessing this is due to the 4G signal.

So my question is, if I am only using the phone on 3G, as I don't currently have a 4G price plan or 4G access, will the batter life on the 4G version be the same as the standard, 3G only S3?


Thanks in advance!

4G chips aren't yet as power efficient as the 2 and 3G side, it also has to remain connected to 2/3G for calls whilst it's connected to 4G, this is because 4G doesn't support the voice side.

The phone will keep the 4G powered and searching for a 4G signal unless you can turn off 4G / LTE in the menu, doing this will save you battery life if you don't intend to use it.

[flagpole]

do we know that the battery is exactly the same?

[whoever,hey]

Originally Posted by Thine Wonk

4G chips aren't yet as power efficient as the 2 and 3G side, it also has to remain connected to 2/3G for calls whilst it's connected to 4G, this is because 4G doesn't support the voice side.

The phone will keep the 4G powered and searching for a 4G signal unless you can turn off 4G / LTE in the menu, doing this will save you battery life if you don't intend to use it.

It thought it was only 4G verizon that didn't support voice?

[bradisace]

Oh no, sounds like I may have made a bad decision!

I hope there is an option to turn 4G off. I am currently with T-mobile so I physically can not receive a 4G signal.

[flagpole]

i'm sure you can.

[Thine Wonk]

Originally Posted by whoever,hey

It thought it was only 4G verizon that didn't support voice?

No pretty much all 4G doesn't support voice yet, there's something in the pipleline called VOLTE (voice over LTE), but nobody really supports that yet, so it's a data only service for the time being, where the phone must remain connected to 2G or 3G in order to receive calls and SMS.

I'm sure there will be an option to turn off 4G on the phone, it won't use that much extra battery I wouldn't have thought.

[paulker]

Im glad Volte doesnt work yet otherwise I would miss calls all the time. My phone spends quite a bit of time on 1 bar of LTE whereas my 3g signal is nearly always good.

[omipalone]

Anyone know when the LTE version will be released as SIM Free in the UK?

Not so much interested in the 4G side of things but am interested in the 2Gb that this model has over the 3G version.

[Kriskiki]

Originally Posted by bradisace

Oh no, sounds like I may have made a bad decision!

I hope there is an option to turn 4G off. I am currently with T-mobile so I physically can not receive a 4G signal.

I have the same phone, in the wireless and network settings I clicked mobile networks then Network mode and there's 2G/3G/4G (Auto mode) or 3G only.

[PencilBreath]

Is it the 4G LTE identical to the S3 apart from 4G capability?

Also, is it likely that eventually all phones will have to be 4G compliant?

[Thine Wonk]

Originally Posted by PencilBreath

Is it the 4G LTE identical to the S3 apart from 4G capability?

Also, is it likely that eventually all phones will have to be 4G compliant?

Don't know about the UK LTE one, the international one had a different amount of RAM and a dual core instead of quadcore.

Who knows, in the US there's still a range of 2G, 3G and 4G and they have had 4G a lot longer than us. Of course 5G will happen at some point too, it's just really evolution, eventually 2G will be retired.

[PencilBreath]

Well I wish they would hurry up & cover the whole UK. I'm sick of crappy EDGE connections or wonky 3G that cuts out unless you're actually in town. Phone is pretty useless unless it's on WiFi tbh.

[The Lord Lucan]

Originally Posted by PencilBreath

Well I wish they would hurry up & cover the whole UK. I'm sick of crappy EDGE connections or wonky 3G that cuts out unless you're actually in town. Phone is pretty useless unless it's on WiFi tbh.

Who are you currently with?

[PencilBreath]

O2 hahaha Thing is I never really used internet much on my blackberry but the S3 is a different beast.

[bradisace]

Originally Posted by Kriskiki

I have the same phone, in the wireless and network settings I clicked mobile networks then Network mode and there's 2G/3G/4G (Auto mode) or 3G only.

Oh right thanks for that. So do you mean I can select what network types I want active so I can tick 2G & 3G or did you mean auto mode incorporates 2G/3G/4G? I don't want 3G only as I can't get 3G where I live but on the other hand I don't want the phone searching for a 4G signal that it is never going to find.


Thanks