Google Pixel 3 To Get LTE Band 48 Support, Via Software Update

When Google announced the Google Pixel 3 and Google Pixel 3 XL we learned all of the carrier bands they would support. Nowhere in the launch documents of FCC specs did it mention support for LTE Band 48, an FCC addendum made public today shows that the Google Pixel 3 and Google Pixel 3 XL will support LTE Band 48 via a software update.

The model listed in the FCC addendum specifically stated this update will be pushed to the G013A variant, which is the international version of the Google Pixel 3. This is the version that is sold everywhere outside of Japan, so this includes the majority of the devices sold around the world. LTE Band 48 isn’t well known but it was also known as the CBRS Band.

Current Pixel 3 bands:

FDD-LTE: Bands⁷ 1*/2*/3*/4*/5/7*/8/12/13/17/18/19/20/25*/26/28/29/32/66*/71
TD-LTE: Bands 38*/39/40/41*/42/46
Overall support of up to CAT 16 (1Gbps DL / 75Mbps UL), 5x DL CA, 4×4 MIMO, LAA, 256-QAM DL, and 64-QAM UL

LTE Band 48 is 150 MHz of 3.5 GHz shared spectrum which has historically been used by the U.S. government for radar systems. Their announcement back in 2017 was big news as it was the first use of CBRS band 48 spectrum in an LTE Advanced carrier aggregation demonstration. Federated Wireless has said they are providing its Spectrum Access System “to dynamically prioritize traffic” within the FCC’s spectrum sharing framework. Carriers in the United States have gone on record saying they consider the 3.5 GHz spectrum as a core band for 5G deployment around the world.

It’s unclear when this software update will be pushed to the Google Pixel 3 and Google Pixel 3 XL, we will update you once additional information has been made available.


Source: FCC

Essential Phone 'Sold Out'... New Device In the Works

Essential Products confirmed that its first mobile device the Essential Phone, is no longer available. "We are sold out of Essential Phone on essential.com and won’t be adding any new inventory," said Essential in a statement provided to Droid-Life. 

"We are now hard at work on our next mobile product and will continue to sell accessories and provide speedy software updates and customer support to our existing community." The Essential Phone went on sale in the summer months of 2017. The high end Android device failed to resonate with consumers. 

In recent months the phone has been offered at a deep discount across the web and various sellers. Essential had a tough year... Executive Andy Rubin was forced to step aside for a short time after he was said to have received a $90 million severance package from Google despite claims of sexual harassment made against him. Rubin later rejoined Essential, but the company shifted gears and laid off staff amid the changes. Essential has not elaborated on what its "next mobile product" will be.


Source: Essential