Huawei E173 Support 4g Jun 2026

In the world of mobile internet, the transition from 3G to 4G was a pivotal moment. For many users, older USB modems became seemingly obsolete overnight. Among the most popular USB dongles of its era was the Huawei E173. Compact, reliable, and widely unlocked by network operators, the E173 served as the gateway to the internet for millions. However, as telecommunications infrastructure evolves, a common question arises among users holding onto this legacy device:

| Feature | Specification | |---------|----------------| | | 3G (HSPA+) | | Max Downlink Speed | 21.6 Mbps (HSPA+) | | Max Uplink Speed | 5.76 Mbps | | 4G (LTE) Support | No | | Backward Compatibility | 2G (GSM/GPRS/EDGE) | | Frequency Bands | 900/2100 MHz (3G), 850/900/1800/1900 MHz (2G) | | SIM Type | Standard SIM (2G/3G only) |

The Huawei E173 4G Support Myth: Specs, Compatibility, and Alternatives huawei e173 support 4g

The Huawei E173 relies entirely on a 3G-era transceiver chipset. It is impossible to upgrade this hardware to 4G via firmware updates, dashboards, or software modifications.

| Model | Technology | Max Speed | Best For | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | 4G/LTE Cat4 | 150 Mbps down / 50 Mbps up | The direct successor to the E173. Works globally. | | Huawei E8372 | 4G/LTE Cat4 | 150 Mbps down / 50 Mbps up | A "dongle" that also acts as a portable hotspot (no software required). | | Alcatel L100 | 4G/LTE Cat4 | 150 Mbps down / 50 Mbps up | Low-cost, reliable USB modem. | | ZTE MF79U | 4G/LTE Cat4 | 150 Mbps down / 50 Mbps up | Includes a MicroSD slot and external antenna ports. | In the world of mobile internet, the transition

This is one of the most common searches in the mobile broadband world, and the answer is short, but the explanation is long. Let’s cut through the confusion.

Let’s address the keyword directly.

Some mobile operators marketed 3G HSPA+ technology (which the E173 supports in some variants) as "4G" before LTE became the global standard.