[HOWTO] Greatly improve AT&T data speeds (if you are experiencing poor ones)

Droidcarp · May 20, 2011

I think these changes need to be carrier specific.

link below from the X10 forum has many specific carrier settings in post 2:

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=951765&highlight=enhancement

S

uskr · May 20, 2011

As of right now I am thinking the results a spotty. Some people had their speeds improved, some didn't. I wonder if it has anything to do with the upgrades AT&T is doing on their network right now.

I will leave mine as it is, I doesn't matter the time of the day, if I remove those fixes, the speed drops drastically. And immediately goes back up with them applied.

cmd512 · May 20, 2011

Meh, probably time to label this tweak as ineffective...

mchimney · May 20, 2011

Just tried this.
I have 2 Bars at my house, there seems to be almost no difference in data speed, it might have even made it slightly worse. I went from an average of 300kbps down to 100 and less. Upload is hanging anywhere from 15kbps - 50.

otester · May 20, 2011

Some of you seem to be missing the point here, this merely makes sure your device is performing at it's best, actual speed is largely determined by the mast.

Most ROMs have these settings by default, by removing them you are unoptimising.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App

mchimney · May 20, 2011

otester said:
Some of you seem to be missing the point here, this merely makes sure your device is performing at it's best, actual speed is largely determined by the mast.

Most ROMs have these settings by default, by removing them you are unoptimising.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App

I didn't remove anything. I added those lines. I just went out into the backyard with another SGS2 in hand. Mine was getting 1mbps download 1 up on 4 bars, the ohter SGS2 was getting 4.5down 1 up. I even deleted the changes i made and i'm still getting less

otester · May 20, 2011

mchimney said:
I didn't remove anything. I added those lines. I just went out into the backyard with another SGS2 in hand. Mine was getting 1mbps download 1 up on 4 bars, the ohter SGS2 was getting 4.5down 1 up. I even deleted the changes i made and i'm still getting less

1. Did you reboot your phone after adding the lines?

2. Both phones on same carrier?

mchimney · May 21, 2011

otester said:
1. Did you reboot your phone after adding the lines?

2. Both phones on same carrier?

Yea i rebooted. Both phones are on AT&T. However, one phone is on an iphone data plan (the faster speed phone).

bdpyo · May 21, 2011

subscribed

uskr · May 21, 2011

I will add "for those having problem" on the thread label.

You guys are missing the point, this is not to increase your speed if you are already at 6mbps download 2mbps upload. This is fix, not a magic.

For some people the fix did work. For me it's pretty clear when I add the fix to when I remove it. Anytime, anywhere I tested, if I remove, I go to really low (as in 1mbps download) speeds. If I add them, I get better speed.

I am currently using a "4g sim card" (I am not sure if it has anything different from a regular card) with a 4g unlimited data plan (grand-fathered) on ATT. I am currently on VA, close to DC area.

xxmwxx · May 21, 2011

uskr said:
I will add "for those having problem" on the thread label.

You guys are missing the point, this is not to increase your speed if you are already at 6mbps download 2mbps upload. This is fix, not a magic.

For some people the fix did work. For me it's pretty clear when I add the fix to when I remove it. Anytime, anywhere I tested, if I remove, I go to really low (as in 1mbps download) speeds. If I add them, I get better speed.

I am currently using a "4g sim card" (I am not sure if it has anything different from a regular card) with a 4g unlimited data plan (grand-fathered) on ATT. I am currently on VA, close to DC area.

That might be the reason I'm seeing such poor speeds with full bars on H+ with AT&T (1-1.5 down, 1-2.5 up), I'll call them up tomorrow to get them to upgrade my data to 4G (it's probably still set for the unlimited iphone plan - did they upgrade yours without an extra charge?)

uskr · May 21, 2011

xxmwxx said:
That might be the reason I'm seeing such poor speeds with full bars on H+ with AT&T (1-1.5 down, 1-2.5 up), I'll call them up tomorrow to get them to upgrade my data to 4G (it's probably still set for the unlimited iphone plan - did they upgrade yours without an extra charge?)

Yes, no extra charge. Same price, grand-fathered. Sim card was free too. Just went into an AT&T store and asked for a 4g sim card and to change my iPhone Unlimited plan to 4g Unlimited.

wonderwout · May 21, 2011

otester said:
Remember people, even if a mast can output 21Mbps on a given channel, the maximum channel bandwidth will be limited to the maximum of the slowest connected device's maximum speed (3.6./7.2/14.4 etc.) due to modulation.

This lowest common denominator approach is how multiple access over WiFi works. UMTS networks operate in another way, various terminals or even session on one terminal can use various channels and modulations concurrently on the same site. The assigned channels and speeds are determined by; service required, terminal capability, network capability (and settings), available capacity and signal quality.

I think the parameters modified here are used to communicate to the network the maximum capabilities of the terminal so the network can decide on the best channel and modulation of the channel. Tweaking these parameters beyond the terminal capability will not help much I think. But if the phone reports lower capabilities 'per default', then overriding them might make sense.

otester · May 21, 2011

mchimney said:
Yea i rebooted. Both phones are on AT&T. However, one phone is on an iphone data plan (the faster speed phone).

Could well be prioritizing, wouldn't put it past them.

wonderwout said:
This lowest common denominator approach is how multiple access over WiFi works. UMTS networks operate in another way, various terminals or even session on one terminal can use various channels and modulations concurrently on the same site. The assigned channels and speeds are determined by; service required, terminal capability, network capability (and settings), available capacity and signal quality.

I think the parameters modified here are used to communicate to the network the maximum capabilities of the terminal so the network can decide on the best channel and modulation of the channel. Tweaking these parameters beyond the terminal capability will not help much I think. But if the phone reports lower capabilities 'per default', then overriding them might make sense.

Assuming 2 phones on 1 channel, 1 phone of the phones is 7.2 the other 14.4 and the channel is capable of 14.4, would that not limit the total bandwidth of both to 7.2?

Also do you have a link regarding this because others have mentioned it and I want to read up on it so I don't come across as a dumb***?

xxmwxx · May 21, 2011

uskr said:
Yes, no extra charge. Same price, grand-fathered. Sim card was free too. Just went into an AT&T store and asked for a 4g sim card and to change my iPhone Unlimited plan to 4g Unlimited.

Cool. Gotta love AT&T, just called them up and they keep insisting I give them the IMEI for the device because it's new and they need to see it will even work on their network etc. I think I'll just go to a service point and get them to do it there.

wonderwout · May 22, 2011

otester said:
Assuming 2 phones on 1 channel, 1 phone of the phones is 7.2 the other 14.4 and the channel is capable of 14.4, would that not limit the total bandwidth of both to 7.2?

Also do you have a link regarding this because others have mentioned it and I want to read up on it so I don't come across as a dumb***?

No, the maximum capabilities of one terminal in a cell will not directly limit the maximum bandwidth of another terminal in a 3G WCDMA cell as it does on WiFi. They will use shared resources like back-haul transmission capacity of a site and transmission power of the used carrier. So they can and do impact each other in high load situations.

Scheduling and resource management in 3G WCDMA networks is very complex and hard to understand and explain, and I was in no way implying you where dumb. I work as an engineer for a 3G operator and after many years I still don't fully understand all the mechanisms for managing resources.

If you are interested, all specifications are public through 3GPP but it is hard to filter through this information. This links to a book which explains some WCDMA principals:

http://books.google.nl/books?id=yN5...Ag#v=onepage&q=UTRAN shared resources&f=false

otester · May 22, 2011

wonderwout said:
No, the maximum capabilities of one terminal in a cell will not directly limit the maximum bandwidth of another terminal in a 3G WCDMA cell as it does on WiFi. They will use shared resources like back-haul transmission capacity of a site and transmission power of the used carrier. So they can and do impact each other in high load situations.

Scheduling and resource management in 3G WCDMA networks is very complex and hard to understand and explain, and I was in no way implying you where dumb. I work as an engineer for a 3G operator and after many years I still don't fully understand all the mechanisms for managing resources.

If you are interested, all specifications are public through 3GPP but it is hard to filter through this information. This links to a book which explains some WCDMA principals:

http://books.google.nl/books?id=yN5...Ag#v=onepage&q=UTRAN shared resources&f=false

I just felt like I had a massive gap blown in my knowledge lol.

Thanks for the link.

Just got hold of "WCDMA for UTMS - HSPA Evolution & LTE" (4th Ed. - Wiley), so I'll read that as it is more complete than the Google link.

wonderwout · May 22, 2011

otester said:
I just felt like I had a massive gap blown in my knowledge lol.

Thanks for the link.

Just got hold of "WCDMA for UTMS - HSPA Evolution & LTE" (4th Ed. - Wiley), so I'll read that as it is more complete than the Google link.

Wiley is good, the link I send you was just a first relevant hit in Google to give an indication this stuff. I have information in my head and in many specific documents, but didn't have an obvious link providing information at this level

lgald · May 22, 2011

. .

otester · May 22, 2011

wonderwout said:
Wiley is good, the link I send you was just a first relevant hit in Google to give an indication this stuff. I have information in my head and in many specific documents, but didn't have an obvious link providing information at this level

I would like to read it but the books near £70 lol.

[HOWTO] Greatly improve AT&T data speeds (if you are experiencing poor ones)

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