Tools to troubleshoot mobile network performance

[xiaofan]

Some good info from Gomo thread.

Just wondering how you know the active bands are N78+N1? Which phone and which app are you using?

Unfortunately for NetMointor free version on my Android phone, the app will only show the main N78 band even though it will show the bandwidth as 100 MHz + 20 MHz. The free version does not show the second active band.

BTW, SingTel 5G SA will usually show the bandwidth as 100 MHz + 20 MHz. StarHub/M1 5G SA will show the bandwidth as 100 MHz+25MHz as per NetMointor app. No real difference in terms of maximum 5G SA speed achieved based on my tests.

SingTel 5G NSA will usually show the bandwidth as LTE + 5G NSA, 20 +10 + 100 + 20 MH, or sometime 20 +100+20 MHz, as per the NetMointor app. Unfortunately the free version will only show one LTE band B3 in this case.

Net monster , network cell info
Android. Pixel 8 Pro on Android 16 QPR3 beta 2.1

Seeing the same on iPhone via *3001 menu

Thanks a lot.

NetMonster works for this purpose -- to see it is N1+N78 for 5G SA.

Network Cell Info Lite does not seem to have this functionality. Maybe it is worth to pay for the app as it is cheap.

NetMonitor non-free app is just too expensive (monthly payment).

My bad.. I paid for network cell info. As you mentioned it’s cheap.. Can offset using google opinion rewards.

it is doing n1 and n78 as aggregation. iPhone's field test mode does not show that properly. If use Mac to see, will see n1 and n78 connected at the same time

it is best if you have a rooted android phone (Pixels are very easy to root), and use NetworkSignalGuru (NSG) to see. It shows a lot of info. How many CA, what's the MIMO mode for each stream (2x2, 4x4)...

https://imgur.com/gallery/nsg-mXlNe8j

 

[xiaofan]

Interestingly NetMonster free version shows either M1 or StarHub 5G SA connection for my StarHub Prepaid S plan. In a way, it is not wrong either since both share the same 5G Infrastructure.

Network Cell Info paid version and NetMonitor free version seem to always shows the correct StarHub 5G SA connection.

Poco X7 Pro phone here.

 

[xiaofan]

Network Monster free version can also show 3CC (bandwidth shows 100 MHz +25MHz for StarHub Prepaid S 5G SA) or 2CC icon (bandwidth shows 100 MHz for StarHub Prepaid S 5G SA), not so sure how accurate it is though. By right I think it should not say 3CC but rather 2CC for the first case. And no CC for the second case.

When I disable 5G SA, it goes to 4G+ and shows 2CC icon (bandwidth shows 20 MHz +20MHz for StarHub Prepaid S 4G LTE-A). Then when it falls back to 4G LTE, 2CC icon will disappear and shows the frequency instead (1800 now, bandwidth shows 20 MHz for StarHub Prepaid S 4G LTE).

 

[xiaofan]

For my SingTel Prepaid 5G SA, it will often show 3CC (N78, 100+20 MHz bandwidth). Not so sure if this is correct. By right I think it should be 2CC only.

If I disable 5G SA, it will fall back to 5G NSA, and it may show up to 4CC (B3 + N78, 20+10+100+20 MHz bandwidth).

 

[xiaofan]

How to check VoNR status?

This is on S26 Ultra

For VoNR, VoNR or Vo5G icon is the real one.

SIM Status "Mobile voice network type" does not seem to tell the right story. My Poco X7 Pro will also show the same 5G_SA, but it is using VoLTE, not VoNR.

 

[xiaofan]

I was expecting some performance drop for my SingTel line after 5G NSA network shutdown.

After the shutdown of 5G NSA networks, some users indeed report degradation of SingTel network performance with both SingTel MNO plans and MVNO plans.

This could be due to congestions with SingTel 5G Core network.

5G SA: 5G Radio Access Network + 5G Core network
5G NSA: 5G Radio Access Network + 4G Core network
4G LTE: 4G Radio Access Network + 4G Core network

 

[xiaofan]

4G versus 5G


Why 5G sucks sometimes? Over marketing hype may play a part.

 

[xiaofan]

How do cell towers work?

 

[xiaofan]

Another hype which does not really take off in most places of the world is mmWave.

 

[xiaofan]

1. NTN

Non-terrestrial networks (NTN) are networks or segments of networks that use either Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) operating typically between 8 and 50km altitudes, including High Altitude Platforms (HAPs) or satellites in different constellations to carry a transmission equipment relay node or a base station:

https://www.3gpp.org/technologies/ntn-overview


2. 5G NTN (and future 6G NTN)

 

[keenklee]

I was expecting some performance drop for my SingTel line after 5G NSA network shutdown.

After the shutdown of 5G NSA networks, some users indeed report degradation of SingTel network performance with both SingTel MNO plans and MVNO plans.

This could be due to congestions with SingTel 5G Core network.

5G SA: 5G Radio Access Network + 5G Core network
5G NSA: 5G Radio Access Network + 4G Core network
4G LTE: 4G Radio Access Network + 4G Core network

IMHO.
Performance cannot be helped.
Got anymore airplane mode for 5G since no more 5G NSA ?

 

[froztheart]

I was expecting some performance drop for my SingTel line after 5G NSA network shutdown.

After the shutdown of 5G NSA networks, some users indeed report degradation of SingTel network performance with both SingTel MNO plans and MVNO plans.

This could be due to congestions with SingTel 5G Core network.

5G SA: 5G Radio Access Network + 5G Core network
5G NSA: 5G Radio Access Network + 4G Core network
4G LTE: 4G Radio Access Network + 4G Core network

All MVNOs + ST suffering degraded services.

 

[uncle_josh]

Indeed, nowadays 5G speed very lousy
maybe due to rain today.

 

[Kiwi8]

Indeed, nowadays 5G speed very lousy
maybe due to rain today.

Wah this speed is very bad, only less than 20mbps.

 

[uncle_josh]

Wah this speed is very bad, only less than 20mbps.

Marina Bay area
Circles.Life was much better than this.

 

[xiaofan]

Marina Bay area
Circles.Life was much better than this.

Singtel line or SingTel MVNO?

It is pretty normal to have low speed in certain locations, no matter which network.

For my SingTel MNO S$15.28 line, I can have very low speed at certain locations like NSL underground MRT Stations, even during off-peak time, and my StarHub Prepaid S plan is better.

On the other hand, in more cases, my SingTel S$15.28 line is better than the StarHub Prepaid S line.

Last time I also compared Singtel S$15.28 line versus Maxx 5G and CL 5G line, in some locations Maxx 5G and CL 5G were better, but overall I still feel Singtel S$15.28 line is better, for example, EWL line.

With the combination of Singtel S$15.28 line and StarHub Prepaid S line, I am mostly okay.

I will recommend users to have two lines if possible.
1) One 5G line on Singtel network
2) Another 5G line on M1 or StarHub network.

If the user wants to use single line, then it is better to carry out tests to see which plan is the best for the individual use cases.

 

[uncle_josh]

Singtel line or SingTel MVNO?

It is pretty normal to have low speed in certain locations, no matter which network.

For my SingTel MNO S$15.28 line, I can have very low speed at certain locations like NSL underground MRT Stations, even during off-peak time, and my StarHub Prepaid S plan is better.

On the other hand, in more cases, my SingTel S$15.28 line is better than the StarHub Prepaid S line.

Last time I also compared Singtel S$15.28 line versus Maxx 5G and CL 5G line, in some locations Maxx 5G and CL 5G were better, but overall I still feel Singtel S$15.28 line is better, for example, EWL line.

With the combination of Singtel S$15.28 line and StarHub Prepaid S line, I am mostly okay.

I will recommend users to have two lines if possible.
1) One 5G line on Singtel network
2) Another 5G line on M1 or StarHub network.

If the user wants to use single line, then it is better to carry out tests to see which plan is the best for the individual use cases.

Singtel Sim only plus

 

[xiaofan]

Another hype which does not really take off in most places of the world is mmWave.

It is interesting that Singtel did try 5G mmWave 28GHz band quite some time ago, in Dec 2020.
https://www.singtel.com/about-us/me...fastest-5g-speds-with-28-ghz-mwave-deployment

04 Dec 2020, News Release​

Singtel delivers its fastest 5G speeds with 28 GHz mmWave deployment​

Singapore, 4 December 2020 – Singtel today announced that it is tapping on 28 Ghz mmWave in addition to 3.5Ghz and 2100Mhz frequencies to boost its rollout of ultra-fast 5G speeds in Singapore. mmWave offers massive bandwidth, higher capacity and lower latency, and is an ideal frequency to deliver mobile coverage in manufacturing and industrial plants, maritime ports and airports, as well as dense environments such as concert venues and live sporting events. For a start, Singtel has switched on mmWave in several locations across the island, including Orchard Road, the Padang area and Marina Bay Sands Expo.
...
Singtel’s 5G network harnesses mmWave through a combination of the latest cellular technologies including Massive MIMO (Multiple input multiple output), carrier aggregation and beam-forming solutions. Singtel customers with 5G plans can expect to enjoy mobile speeds of up to 3 Gbps speeds when mmWave-enabled handsets arrive in Singapore next year.

To let everyone in Singapore have a taste of true 5G speeds, Singtel will be launching Singtel 5G Experience Zones progressively across the island. These Experience Zones will feature exclusive content that consumers can stream for free over a WiFi connection powered by mmWave 5G.
...

I went in to SingTel today asking about their 5G mmWave service. The guy says they don't have. I showed him this...
https://www.singtel.com/about-us/me...fastest-5g-speds-with-28-ghz-mwave-deployment
He shrugged his shoulders and walked away.

 

[xiaofan]

Looks like Singtel does have some commercial deployment with mmWave 5G.

https://www.singtel.com/about-us/me...cron-to-deploy-commercial-5g-millimetre-wave-

Singapore, 30 May 2022 – Singtel today announced that it has been appointed by Micron Technology to deploy its 5G millimetre wave (mmWave) solutions with localised edge core at the semiconductor manufacturer’s 3D NAND flash memory fabrication plant in Singapore. Micron is the first company in Singapore piloting 5G by deploying an mmWave campus solution with edge core on-premises for industry 4.0 manufacturing applications.

 

[XeonHacker]

It is interesting that Singtel did try 5G mmWave 28GHz band quite some time ago, in Dec 2020.
https://www.singtel.com/about-us/me...fastest-5g-speds-with-28-ghz-mwave-deployment

04 Dec 2020, News Release​

Singtel delivers its fastest 5G speeds with 28 GHz mmWave deployment​

Singapore, 4 December 2020 – Singtel today announced that it is tapping on 28 Ghz mmWave in addition to 3.5Ghz and 2100Mhz frequencies to boost its rollout of ultra-fast 5G speeds in Singapore. mmWave offers massive bandwidth, higher capacity and lower latency, and is an ideal frequency to deliver mobile coverage in manufacturing and industrial plants, maritime ports and airports, as well as dense environments such as concert venues and live sporting events. For a start, Singtel has switched on mmWave in several locations across the island, including Orchard Road, the Padang area and Marina Bay Sands Expo.
...
Singtel’s 5G network harnesses mmWave through a combination of the latest cellular technologies including Massive MIMO (Multiple input multiple output), carrier aggregation and beam-forming solutions. Singtel customers with 5G plans can expect to enjoy mobile speeds of up to 3 Gbps speeds when mmWave-enabled handsets arrive in Singapore next year.

To let everyone in Singapore have a taste of true 5G speeds, Singtel will be launching Singtel 5G Experience Zones progressively across the island. These Experience Zones will feature exclusive content that consumers can stream for free over a WiFi connection powered by mmWave 5G.
...

mmWave Antenna for angmoh
Sub 6 Antenna for stinkie

Deploy in angmoh coy
Deploy in high SES place like Orchard
Chao stinkie have to pay for priority

Peekture boost from angmoh hwz