AndroidGood and EVO

Sprint continues shady practice of hiding 1xRTT connections on Google Nexus 5

Nexus 5 3G

Long time Sprint customers are already familiar with Sprint’s practice of hiding slow 1G/2G 1xRTT data connections on phones. Indeed, Sprint programs practically all of the phones it sells to display 1xRTT as 3G, even though only its EVDO network can technically be considered 3G.

Lots of HTC EVO ROMs we’ve discussed in the past modify this “feature,” so that the proper network type is correctly displayed in the device’s status bar. Now, since Google designed a single US version of the Nexus 5 that works across most carriers, whether GSM or CDMA, one might think that Google would also ensure the correct network type is displayed in the status bar of the Nexus 5. Alas, that is not the case.

The following code commit uncovered by Android Police clearly shows that Google approved all 1G/2G Sprint networks to be displayed as 3G:

hammerhead: Show 1/2G networks as 3G for sprint

In case of sprint and related-MVNO, the 3G icon displays
for both Ev-DO Rev. A and 1xRTT.

So far, Google, LG, and Sprint have all been silent on the matter, despite questions asking what’s up. Whatever happened to not being evil, Google?

[Android Police]
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John F

John was the editor-in-chief at Pocketables. His articles generally focus on all things Google, including Chrome and Android, although his love of new gadgets and technology doesn't stop there. His current arsenal includes the Nexus 6 by Motorola, the 2013 Nexus 7 by ASUS, the Nexus 9 by HTC, the LG G Watch, and the Chromebook Pixel, among others.

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