Droid RAZR MAXX, 4.0.4 ICS (not OTA): Question: Preferred network mode?

[anthonym]

I don't ever go outside the US, however, I do travel between areas that have 4G and areas that are still on 3G.

There are three choices under "Preferred Network Mode"; 1) Global; 2) LTE/CDMA; and 3) GSM/UMTS.


My question is this:

I don't need Global so it is currently on LTE/CDMA. Is doing that wasting battery power searching for additional signals, or should I switch it back to global as it was the default setting?

Thanks!

 

[bsweetness]

I don't ever go outside the US, however, I do travel between areas that have 4G and areas that are still on 3G.

There are three choices under "Preferred Network Mode"; 1) Global; 2) LTE/CDMA; and 3) GSM/UMTS.


My question is this:

I don't need Global so it is currently on LTE/CDMA. Is doing that wasting battery power searching for additional signals, or should I switch it back to global as it was the default setting?

Thanks!

It's not searching for any additional signals in LTE/CDMA mode, just LTE and CDMA. Global mode would presumably allow it pick up GSM signals when you're not in the U.S., so it may have an extra radio running. I say presumably on Global mode because I haven't seen any direct statement on whether already existing Verizon LTE SIM cards are capable of authenticating on a GSM network. It may require a new card for that. If a new SIM is required for GSM use, the GSM radio will be inactive, even in Global mode, since it doesn't detect a usable SIM card.

So, long story short, you're fine in LTE/CDMA mode. That's what the phone had before the ICS update anyway.

 

[anthonym]

It's not searching for any additional signals in LTE/CDMA mode, just LTE and CDMA. Global mode would presumably allow it pick up GSM signals when you're not in the U.S., so it may have an extra radio running. I say presumably on Global mode because I haven't seen any direct statement on whether already existing Verizon LTE SIM cards are capable of authenticating on a GSM network. It may require a new card for that. If a new SIM is required for GSM use, the GSM radio will be inactive, even in Global mode, since it doesn't detect a usable SIM card.

So, long story short, you're fine in LTE/CDMA mode. That's what the phone had before the ICS update anyway.

So if im in global mode, could i theoretically use gsm towers so get the best signal? Kind of a roaming scenario?

 

[bsweetness]

So if im in global mode, could i theoretically use gsm towers so get the best signal? Kind of a roaming scenario?

No. You will not pick up a GSM signal while in the United States. Verizon disables the access to U.S. GSM carriers at the hardware level, so one of Verizon's SIM cards, or a SIM card from U.S. GSM carrier, will not work for obtaining a GSM signal.

Just for the sake of completeness, I'll say this, but it has no bearing on 99.99% of Verizon users. Occasionally, this is not the case (some people have been able to get the Bionic working on AT&T), but that's extremely rare and requires a plan on a GSM carrier. Also, with some global Verizon phones, you can get a GSM signal in the U.S. if you're roaming on a non-U.S. SIM card. But again, neither of these scenarios impact virtually all Verizon users. As far as the use of the RAZR/MAXX on Verizon goes, you won't get a GSM signal in the U.S. It's for international roaming only.