Enabling HSDPA on the Dell Streak

[Guest Wee Thomas]

So,

I've recently switched to a data only plan on my AWS (t-mobile usa) dell streak. I'm using a voip service to make calls . . . pretty much I have this setup:

someone calling me -> Google Voice -> Sipgate -> pbxes -> sipdroid on my phone -> I talk

And the reverse for outgoing. . .well not quite. Sipgate has free incoming calls, but you're limited to 60 minutes /mo outgoing so I have an app that intercepts all outgoing calls from the dialer and places them via google voice. . .so that I get a callback from GV then the call is connected transforming what would be an outgoing call into an incoming one.

My call quality has varied from pretty awesome to tolerable. The times it is worse than tolerable usually involve dropped calls but that only happens about 10% of the time. The remaining breakdown is awesome calls - 50%, good - 30%, tolerable - 10%.

Anyway, given that t-mobile has HSPDA in my area (and for the most part any areas that I usually travel) and the streak supposedly supports HSPDA, and having higher speeds, especially upload speeds, would really help my call quality, I'm now interested in finding out how to enable HSPDA or if it's even something I should need to "enable".

[Guest HoTdiGiTi]

In the UK, my DellStreak automatically goes to HSDPA, ive only seen the 3G icon on my signal info about a handful of times. It almost always show an 'H' when theres a 3G signal. So im guessing it would be tge same in the States.

[Guest jmhalder]

In the UK, my DellStreak automatically goes to HSDPA, ive only seen the 3G icon on my signal info about a handful of times. It almost always show an 'H' when theres a 3G signal. So im guessing it would be tge same in the States.

in the US rom the "3G" icon mean either UMTS or HSPA (HSDPA/HSUPA)... either is considered "3G", its going to be HSPA MOST of the time as the previous poster mentioned... with ANY of the O2 or european roms, it may show "3G" for UMTS and "H" for HSPA, the US rom will never show the "H" icon, basically cause Dell (and a lot of manufacturers do this) thinks we're too stupid to know what "H" means, and the 3G term is super hyped here...... to answer your original question, there is NOTHING you need to do to enable this, its a feature and automatically enabled... the ONLY time it wouldnt be is if you were using a service with incompatible frequencies (Tmobile on a US streak, or AT&T/Tmobile on a EU streak)

[Guest MikeF74]

in the US rom the "3G" icon mean either UMTS or HSPA (HSDPA/HSUPA)... either is considered "3G", its going to be HSPA MOST of the time as the previous poster mentioned... with ANY of the O2 or european roms, it may show "3G" for UMTS and "H" for HSPA, the US rom will never show the "H" icon, basically cause Dell (and a lot of manufacturers do this) thinks we're too stupid to know what "H" means, and the 3G term is super hyped here...... to answer your original question, there is NOTHING you need to do to enable this, its a feature and automatically enabled... the ONLY time it wouldnt be is if you were using a service with incompatible frequencies (Tmobile on a US streak, or AT&T/Tmobile on a EU streak)

I think it's actually a limitation of Android 1.x. Once you're on a 2.x ROM, the H icon will appear. Reading the posts from the author of the "Mobile Signal Widget", he says that details on the underlying connection were unavailable to him via the APIs under 1.x.

[Guest Spike8585]

I think it's actually a limitation of Android 1.x. Once you're on a 2.x ROM, the H icon will appear. Reading the posts from the author of the "Mobile Signal Widget", he says that details on the underlying connection were unavailable to him via the APIs under 1.x.

Maybe, but the 2.1 Rom is based on the O2 European Rom, therefore you would see 'H', as it was described above.

[Guest gilrad]

Hmm, I notice my phone is constantly switching from 3g to HSDPA... Perhaps this could be the culprit for my unusually high "cell standby" battery drain? Its usually 50-80% of my drain.

[Guest jmhalder]

I think it's actually a limitation of Android 1.x. Once you're on a 2.x ROM, the H icon will appear. Reading the posts from the author of the "Mobile Signal Widget", he says that details on the underlying connection were unavailable to him via the APIs under 1.x.

:lol: well, its kinda a moot point, the carrier can change the icon either way... does the O2 1.6 show "H" instead of "3G"?

[Guest Wee Thomas]

Speed is what matters here. In any case, I get the 'H' icon. I also get the '3G' icons too. However, consistent speed tests show the max I've ever gotten is 3.1Mbps down and 0.6Mbps up.

So, by enable HSPDA, i mean actually getting hspda speeds

[Guest prawnballs]

:lol: well, its kinda a moot point, the carrier can change the icon either way... does the O2 1.6 show "H" instead of "3G"?

I've had H on 1.6 and on 2.1

Edited September 18, 2010 by prawnballs

[Guest HoTdiGiTi]

:lol: well, its kinda a moot point, the carrier can change the icon either way... does the O2 1.6 show "H" instead of "3G"?

Yeah i got a H on both 1.6 and 2.0, ive noticed 3g when ive pulled my phone out my pocket then goes straight to H when i start browsing.

I get typical speeds of about 3mbps i think thats the best speed on O2, vodafone have speeds of 7mbps. Thats going of comparison sites for mobile broadband dongles. HSDPA+ might be able to hit max speed? Not to sure who offers that.

[Guest Wee Thomas]

Yeah i got a H on both 1.6 and 2.0, ive noticed 3g when ive pulled my phone out my pocket then goes straight to H when i start browsing.

I get typical speeds of about 3mbps i think thats the best speed on O2, vodafone have speeds of 7mbps. Thats going of comparison sites for mobile broadband dongles. HSDPA+ might be able to hit max speed? Not to sure who offers that.

I'm more interested in actual speeds on the device, not theoretical speeds or speeds people have gotten with other devices on different providers.

Has anyone ever recorded greater than 5Mbps download over a data connection on the Dell Streak?

[Guest stinky817]

man, i'm jealous. the fastest i've ever seen is about 2mbps... generally i get 1. i only get 2 in the "higher" populated areas... but wee, i've seen over 5mbps, but that was on wifi...

[Guest Wee Thomas]

man, i'm jealous. the fastest i've ever seen is about 2mbps... generally i get 1. i only get 2 in the "higher" populated areas... but wee, i've seen over 5mbps, but that was on wifi...

My top speeds so far on T-Mobile USA have been 3.06Mbps up and 0.60Mbps down (using the speedtest.net app). Anyone have any results they can share as well?

Edited September 29, 2010 by Wee Thomas

[Guest deekarma]

My dl is about 0.5 mb. Upload up to 3 mb. O2 Edinburgh. Downer.

[Guest Spike8585]

HSDPA+ might be able to hit max speed? Not to sure who offers that.

I thought the Streak was not capable of HSDPA+?

Can someone please confirm that it does, or does not?

I know that my provider is supposed to have it, but I am only getting 1.6Mbps down.

Also, in my 'Settings' -> 'About Device' -> 'Status' -> Mobile Network type is UMTS.

I know that my service provider supports UMTS, HSDPA and HSDPA+.

How do I change this?

Thanks!

Edited October 1, 2010 by Spike8585

[Guest jmhalder]

I thought the Streak was not capable of HSDPA+?

Can someone please confirm that it does, or does not?

I know that my provider is supposed to have it, but I am only getting 1.6Mbps down.

its only HSPA (HSDPA/HSUPA) NOT hspa+... it will max out at a theoretical 7.2mbps, closer to 5mbps in reality.

[Guest Spike8585]

Thanks jmhalder, that is what I thought.

I edited my post, any idea on the second part?

[Guest jmhalder]

Thanks jmhalder, that is what I thought.

I edited my post, any idea on the second part?

sure, UMTS is "3G", HSPA is also "3G" but is sometimes also refered to as "3.5G" cause it is a faster more recent technology... HSPA is preferred. Its not something you can change other than by your telco upgrading your cell tower.