How to speed up the Internet on Xiaomi smartphone with a TV2 SIM card: the full guide

Slow internet on Xiaomi with Tele2 SIM card is a common problem that can arise both from the phone settings and from the operator’s characteristics. Unlike MTS or MegaFon, Tele2 often uses less loaded frequencies, which should theoretically give high speed, but in practice users face brakes when loading pages, watching 1080p video or online games. In this article, we will discuss specific methods of Internet acceleration that work specifically for the combination of Xiaomi + Tele2, including hidden settings, selecting priority frequencies and software optimization.

It is important to understand that speed depends on three key factors: phone setup (including firmware and modem modem), Tele2 network coverage in your region and base station load. For example, in Moscow Tele2 is actively deploying 5G at n78 (3.5 GHz), and in small cities can only run 4G (LTE Band 3/20) with limited bandwidth. We tested all methods on Redmi Note 11 Pro+, POCO X5 Pro and Xiaomi 12T models – the results are shown in the table below.

1. Checking the current speed and diagnosing the problem

Before you optimize your settings, you need to understand where the bottleneck is.

1. Run the speed test on the Speedtest website or in OKKO Mobile app (it shows additional metrics, such as ping and connection stability).
2. Compare the results with the benchmark values for your Tele2 tariff (see table below). For example, if you have a My Online tariff, the minimum speed should be at least 10 Mbps.
3. Check the network indicator in the status bar: if H+ is displayed instead of 4G or 5G, the problem is the priority of the connection.

Critical error: If the speed is below 1 Mbps with a full network signal, the problem may be the hardware modem restriction of your Xiaomi (for example, Redmi 9A uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 chip that does not support carrier aggregation).

⚠️ Note: If the test shows high ping (over 100 ms) at low download speeds, the problem is most likely in an overloaded Tele2 base station).

2. Optimization of mobile network settings on Xiaomi

By default, Xiaomi smartphones use “universal” network settings that are not always optimal for Tele2.

• 📶 Include priority 4G/5G: Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Mobile network settings → Preferred type of network and select 4G (preferably)/5G. If you have a Redmi Note 8 Pro or older, also activate the Volte option (VoLTE) – this improves connection stability.
• 🔄 Turn off automatic network selection: In the same menu, find Network Selection and manually select Tele2 (even if the phone is already connected to it.
• 📡 Activate carrier aggregation: In the engineering menu (code ##4636##) go to Phone Information and check if your Xiaomi supports LTE-CA (If yes, but the speed is low, try manually setting the combination of ranges (see next section).

Tele2 in Russia uses the following frequency ranges:

• LTE Band 3 (1800 MHz) is the main 4G, good coverage in cities.
• LTE Band 20 (800 MHz) – better penetrates buildings, but lower speed.
• LTE Band 7 (2600 MHz) – high speed, but weak coverage.
• 5G n78 (3.5 GHz) – only in large cities (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg).

Manual setting of frequencies for maximum speed

If your Xiaomi supports manual frequency selection (this works on Qualcomm Snapdragon 6xx/7xx/8xx chips), you can manually set priority ranges for Tele2.

1. Install Network Signal Guru (root rights required for full access)
2. In the LTE Bands section, tick: Band 3 (1800) Band 20 (800) Band 7 (2600) For 5G (if supported): n78 (3500)
3. Save the settings and restart the phone. Then check the speed — if the network indicator shows 4G+ or 5G, then the aggregation works.

For models on MediaTek (Redmi 9, POCO M3, etc.), manual frequency adjustment is impossible without root, but you can use an alternative method:

• 🔧 Install the app MTK Engineering Mode (available on the 4PDA).
• 📊 Go to BandMode and select LTE Only.
• 🔄 In the section LTE Just leave the band. B3+B20+B7.

⚠️ Attention: Incorrect frequency settings can lead to complete loss of network! If after changes the phone stopped catching Tele2, reset network settings in Settings → System system → Reset → Resetting mobile network settings.

Download speeds increased by 20% or more

Network indicator shows 4G+ or 5G

Ping in Speedtest below 50ms

No accidental connection breaks-->

4. Update of firmware and modems

Manufacturers regularly release updates for modems that improve compatibility with carrier networks. This is especially important for Xiaomi, since Chinese firmware (China ROM) is often optimized for local operators (China Mobile, China Unicom) and can conflict with Tele2.

How to update the modem:

1. Check the current firmware version in Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version. If the version is older than MIUI 13, update via Settings → System Update.
2. For manual modem updates, download the latest firmware version for your model on Xiaomi Firmware Updater and run through TWRP or Fastboot.
3. After the update, reset the network settings (Settings) → SIM-map → Resetting mobile network settings).

Critical: Some models (such as the POCO X3 NFC) lose support for the Band 20 after upgrading to MIUI 14, which leads to poor indoor signal, in which case a pullback on MIUI 12.5 Enhanced will help.

💡

If the mobile Internet is missing after the update, check the phone's IMEI using the command *#06#. Sometimes the firmware resets the IMEI, and it must be restored through the engineering menu or service center.

5. Software optimization

Even with the perfect network settings, speed can be slowed down due to background processes or system limitations.

• 🚀 Turn off auto-update apps: Go to Google Play → Settings → Auto-update apps and select Only via Wi-Fi. Background updates eat up traffic and reduce priority to basic tasks.
• 🔒 Block background activity: In Settings → Annexes → Permits → Autorun disable autorun for unnecessary applications (especially social networks and instant messengers).
• 📉 Limit sync: In your Google and Mi Account, turn off syncing of unnecessary data (e.g. Google Photos or Mi Cloud).
• 🛡️ Use it. DNS from Google or Cloudflare: In Settings → Wi-Fi → Additionally. → Settings DNS Specify 8.8.8.8 and 1.1.1.1, which will speed up the opening of sites by 10–30%.

For advanced users:

• 🔧 Install AdGuard or NetGuard to block ads and trackers that slow down page loading.
• 📊 Use the Internet Speed Master app to prioritize traffic (root required).

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi firmware (especially Global) ROM) There's a built-in speed limit for individual applications, and to remove it, you need to turn off Data Saver in Settings. → Connections and sharing → Saving traffic.

6 Hardware Methods of Internet Acceleration

If the software methods did not help, the problem may be in the hardware:

• 📶 Check the SIM card: Tele2 gives out nano-SIM SIM cards, but if you use an adapter or an old SIM, it can degrade the signal.
• 🔋 Change SIM Slot: If you have Xiaomi with two slots, try moving the SIM to another slot (sometimes one of the modems works more stable).
• 📡 Use an external antenna: For models with support MIMO (For example, Xiaomi 12 Pro can connect an external antenna via an adapter TS-9 (It's sold on AliExpress. This is true for low signal areas.

If you suspect that the problem is in the modem of the phone, check it on another operator (for example, insert the MTS or MegaFon SIM). If the speed remains low, malfunction in the phone. Frequent hardware problems:

• Oxidation of SIM card contacts (purified with alcohol).
• Damage to the antenna track (for example, after falling).
• Overheating of the processor (brakes the modem due to trottling).

💡

If you haven't gotten any faster after all the manipulation, try using your phone in PC or laptop modem mode. If you're faster on a PC, the problem is exactly with the settings or the firmware of Xiaomi.

7. Alternative methods: VPN and proxy

Sometimes Tele2 artificially restricts the speed of certain services (e.g. YouTube or Twitch), in which case:

• 🌍 VPN: Install Warp from Cloudflare or ProtonVPN (free versions).They mask traffic and can bypass operator restrictions.
• 🔗 Proxy: In your Wi-Fi or mobile network settings, specify a proxy server (e.g., a proxy server, proxy.tele2.ru:8080, But it may not work).
• 🎮 For gamers: Use Mudfish or ExitLag to reduce ping in online games.

Important: some VPNs can slow down, so test multiple servers. For example, Warp is better to choose servers in Finland or the Netherlands, which usually give minimal speed losses.

⚠️ Tele2 can block traffic from some VPN (Especially if you use them to bypass tariff restrictions, in which case, try configuring WireGuard manually with your own keys.

FAQ: Frequent questions about speeding up the Internet on Xiaomi with Tele2