Cell Phones

2600 Mhz / Band 7 LTE in Toronto

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  • Mar 18th, 2018 5:06 pm
Jr. Member
May 2, 2009
141 posts
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2600 Mhz / Band 7 LTE in Toronto

Hello,

I'm looking at getting one of the chinese brand phones that only supports LTE Band 7 / 2600 Mhz out of the box.

I want to ensure I have correct understanding.
1) Being on Public Mobile, I will have access to the 2600 Mhz LTE band via the Bell network, in areas where they have deployed 2600 Mhz.
2) My phone will connect to that network with preference (provided the phone settings are LTE preferred), even where a Telus 3G network is available (e.g. if Telus has its own tower in an area with a Bell tower).
3) Access to Band 4 1700/2100, would provide the best Canada wide LTE coverage experience.

Thanks.
15 replies
Deal Fanatic
Sep 23, 2013
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NORTH YORK
julesomar wrote: Hello,

I'm looking at getting one of the chinese brand phones that only supports LTE Band 7 / 2600 Mhz out of the box.

I want to ensure I have correct understanding.
1) Being on Public Mobile, I will have access to the 2600 Mhz LTE band via the Bell network, in areas where they have deployed 2600 Mhz.
2) My phone will connect to that network with preference (provided the phone settings are LTE preferred), even where a Telus 3G network is available (e.g. if Telus has its own tower in an area with a Bell tower).
3) Access to Band 4 1700/2100, would provide the best Canada wide LTE coverage experience.

Thanks.
In GTA area, I do not trust the LTE band 7.
My mainland China PRC phone , Elephone Lite P 9000 does have 2600 MHz. When it starts , it locks on LTE (4g) just one minute before settling back to 3 g.
Another phone (Asus Zenfone 3) with Band 4 & 7 has zero problem locking onto LTE
Daniel

Fido $0 3Gb LTE + overage plan until Feb 2019
Deal Fanatic
Nov 11, 2008
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danieltoronto wrote: In GTA area, I do not trust the LTE band 7.
My mainland China PRC phone , Elephone Lite P 9000 does have 2600 MHz. When it starts , it locks on LTE (4g) just one minute before settling back to 3 g.
Another phone (Asus Zenfone 3) with Band 4 & 7 has zero problem locking onto LTE
Bell/Telus (which includes public) Band 7 isn't deployed as extensively as Rogers. You'd only get Band 7 guaranteed downtown Toronto, and around any major highways. Each of the GTA boroughs are hit and miss with towers ranging multiple kilometers apart. With Rogers, it's almost every other tower with Band 7.

Here are some notable areas.

if I lived at Yonge and Finch, closest band 7 is all the way to Bayview and Finch, or Bathurt and Drewry. I highly doubt I would get Band 7 picked up on my phone.

However, if I lived at Yonge and Eglinton, 4 out of the 5 towers surrounding that intersection have Band 7, so it would work quite well.
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Sep 23, 2013
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I want to see if 2600 is available at 401/404 area (LTE Fido)
I have 2 phones that just refuse to log on LTE
Any input would be appreciated
Daniel

Fido $0 3Gb LTE + overage plan until Feb 2019
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Dec 12, 2009
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danieltoronto wrote: I want to see if 2600 is available at 401/404 area (LTE Fido)
I have 2 phones that just refuse to log on LTE
Any input would be appreciated
There is not much you can do other than move to a locale that is well covered by 2600 Mhz towers. The phone can only connect to what is available within receiving distance. Lesson learned, make sure you buy phones with at minimum band 4 LTE.
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will888 wrote: There is not much you can do other than move to a locale that is well covered by 2600 Mhz towers. The phone can only connect to what is available within receiving distance. Lesson learned, make sure you buy phones with at minimum band 4 LTE.
That, or don't expect LTE.
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Feb 9, 2017
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titaniumtux wrote: That, or don't expect LTE.
Seems that is the only way (Band 4).
I have located a Fido tower (generating 2600) nearby and I had to be as close as 150 ft away and outdoor to get lock on 4G or LTE on my phone (with only 2600 and no Band 4) .
Once I was 500m away and it was downshifted to 3 g (still outdoor). There is not much chance at all anything indoor.
My layman knowledge is that the signal of 2600 (compared with Band 4 LTE) is very underpowered
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DanielT998 wrote: Seems that is the only way (Band 4).
I have located a Fido tower (generating 2600) nearby and I had to be as close as 150 ft away and outdoor to get lock on 4G or LTE on my phone (with only 2600 and no Band 4) .
Once I was 500m away and it was downshifted to 3 g (still outdoor). There is not much chance at all anything indoor.
My layman knowledge is that the signal of 2600 (compared with Band 4 LTE) is very underpowered
It is not under powered. It is a function of how high frequency signals behave. Think of the sound coming from a speaker. In a different room, how much of the low frequency sound you can hear is different from the high frequency. Generally, high frequency requires you to be closer to the source to get a good signal. High frequency can carry more data and yield better throughput. In terms of coverage, B4 is the most popular in Canada.
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Sep 23, 2013
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will888 wrote: It is not under powered. It is a function of how high frequency signals behave. Think of the sound coming from a speaker. In a different room, how much of the low frequency sound you can hear is different from the high frequency. Generally, high frequency requires you to be closer to the source to get a good signal. High frequency can carry more data and yield better throughput. In terms of coverage, B4 is the most popular in Canada.
The difference, if any, should not have been so huge as far as I know. We are talking about the difference of 1700 or 2100 compared with 2600Mhz.
Anyway I am giving it up. Maybe in a year's time I can see if there is any improvement
Daniel

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Apr 17, 2005
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danieltoronto wrote: I want to see if 2600 is available at 401/404 area (LTE Fido)
I have 2 phones that just refuse to log on LTE
Any input would be appreciated
Im in Toronto/GTA and I almost always have 4G on Fido. Im using a Xiaomi Mi Max 2 with 2600mhz.

Make sure you set your APN to ltemobile.apn
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Sep 23, 2013
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Wizard1 wrote: Im in Toronto/GTA and I almost always have 4G on Fido. Im using a Xiaomi Mi Max 2 with 2600mhz.

Make sure you set your APN to ltemobile.apn
My finding was as follows:
Seems that is the only way (Band 4).
I have located a Fido tower (generating 2600) nearby and I had to be as close as 150 ft away and outdoor to get lock on 4G or LTE on my phone (with only 2600 and no Band 4) .
Once I was 500m away and it was downshifted to 3 g (still outdoor). There is not much chance at all anything indoor in my house.
My layman knowledge is that the signal of 2600 (compared with Band 4 LTE) is very underpowered
I did log on LTE until I was downshifted. And it was a good test about phone having LTE band 4 or just 2600
Daniel

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Feb 18, 2018
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Wizard1 wrote: Im in Toronto/GTA and I almost always have 4G on Fido. Im using a Xiaomi Mi Max 2 with 2600mhz.

Make sure you set your APN to ltemobile.apn
It seems like a lot of contradicting info here. What par of the GTA are you at?
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Oceanb wrote: It seems like a lot of contradicting info here. What par of the GTA are you at?
Scarborough markham Richmond Hill and downtown toronto.

It's really straight forward... Just go to the site, search the areas you frequent most then check if the towers in that area support 2600. That's it

Whether people that own phones that support 2600 know how to set the APN to actuality access lte is another matter. Some people expect plug and play and whine that it doesn't work when they didn't set the apn
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Sep 23, 2013
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Wizard1 wrote: Scarborough markham Richmond Hill and downtown toronto.

It's really straight forward... Just go to the site, search the areas you frequent most then check if the towers in that area support 2600. That's it

Whether people that own phones that support 2600 know how to set the APN to actuality access lte is another matter. Some people expect plug and play and whine that it doesn't work when they didn't set the apn
I wrote earlier. The tower location was exactly on the intersection of Victoria Pk/Sheppard
Seems that is the only way (Band 4).
I have located a Fido tower (generating 2600) nearby and I had to be as close as 150 ft away and outdoor to get lock on 4G or LTE on my phone (with only 2600 and no Band 4) .
Once I was 500m away and it was downshifted to 3 g (still outdoor). There is not much chance at all anything indoor in my house.
My layman knowledge is that the signal of 2600 (compared with Band 4 LTE) is very underpowered
I am sure the area around 401/Victoria Pk (very close to my test site) will not be covered with 2600.
If you drive along 401 or 404 I am sure you will be in and out of LTE or 4g if you can log on
Daniel

Fido $0 3Gb LTE + overage plan until Feb 2019

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