Sunday, 4 October 2015

Choosing a 4G SIM Modem with correct LTE bands



Hello fellow xda users,

I am currently trying to buy myself a 4G LTE modem, and I'm looking into buying one from China, since the devices I need here cost 200 euros and up, whereas from Chinese retailers they go as low as 67 euros.
The only problem I'm having is choosing a device which supports the correct LTE Bands of my country.
Here in Lithuania I am using services of the carrier name BITE. According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...orks_in_Europe (Country: Lithuania) BITE provides users with LTE bands 3, 7 and 20. (1800, 2600, and 800 Mhz respectively). And they sell their expensive SIM Modem devices (such as Huawei E5186s-22a) which support bands LTE FDD DD800/900/1800/2100/2600MHz, TDD 2600MHz (bands 3, 7 and 20 are included).

Whereas the products offered in China have support of only 2 of the 3 bands listed.
Not sure if I'm allowed to share product links here, but here we go:
1. http://www.aliexpress.com/item/5200m...315152662.html
2. http://www.aliexpress.com/item/3G-MI...881314121.html

As you can see, both these devices support Band 3 (1800Mhz) and Band 7 (2600Mhz), however the support for Band 20 (800Mhz) is not listed.
So I'm not sure where to go from this point.
I am using my Xperia Z1 (C6903) phone from the place where I want to use the 4G SIM Modem, and my phone is showing me that it is using 4G network (3/5 bars) on BITE network.
However I'm not sure, which bands are being used in that area? It's AROUND the capital city of Lithuania. The network map of the carrier BITE shows that the city is fully covered in 4G+ network, whereas the outskirts of the city are 4G only -- and my phone proves this (4G works both in and outside the city, can't test the LTE).

In the end what I fully want to know:
Will I have 4G internet access ordering one of these devices that support bands 3 and 7, but not 20?
Will I be able to connect to the Internet at all?
Is band 20 (800 Mhz) that critical for 4G to work with this device? Or should I just spare the extra hundred more euros and buy the carrier certified device?



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