I live in a really good LTE area, I almost always have 4 or 5 bars no matter where I go.
I've encountered a strange issue, however, in that sometimes I will have a very strong LTE signal-- but the phone will drop to 3G anyway. Restarting the phone will usually make 4G appear for a couple minutes, and I can speedtest at the usual LTE speeds, but then it will randomly drop back to 3G & speedtest at 3G speeds.
I should note that this doesn't happen in all areas, only a few around town where I'm at quite often. One is right by a Verizon store, and I know that there is strong 4G coverage in that area because all of the 4G phones in there have 5 bars.
Has this been happening to anyone else? Is there a way to switch to 4G-only like on the Thunderbolt? I've done some searching but have so far come up empty handed.
Edit: I should note that I'm using a rooted kernel, but this problem happened before I rooted in the exact same fashion.
I'm sorry to say that you probably have no idea what your 4G signal strength really is. You sure can't use the bars at the top of the screen - Those only show your phone call signal strength ... Not your 4G data signal strength.
There is an app out there that will show the different signal strengths available to your phone, but I can't remember the name right now (it's in the Market). If I think of it, I'll repost.
Cheers,
Oh I see... I had just assumed there was a correlation since my speed test results-- around 20mbps down and 6-10 up before switching back to 3G-- seemed to suggest I was getting fairly good reception.
¿GotJazz? said:
I'm sorry to say that you probably have no idea what your 4G signal strength really is. You sure can't use the bars at the top of the screen - Those only show your phone call signal strength ... Not your 4G data signal strength.
There is an app out there that will show the different signal strengths available to your phone, but I can't remember the name right now (it's in the Market). If I think of it, I'll repost.
Cheers,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mobile Signal Widget.
Sent from my Droid Charge running Humble 1.4
kvswim said:
Mobile Signal Widget.
Sent from my Droid Charge running Humble 1.4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, I was thinking of: Network Signal Info
vash1053 said:
Oh I see... I had just assumed there was a correlation since my speed test results-- around 20mbps down and 6-10 up before switching back to 3G-- seemed to suggest I was getting fairly good reception.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hard to say about your 4G reception drop-outs.
As far as the signal strength indication in the status bar, I found out the hard way. There was a posting a few months ago, where somebody was asking if there was a way to force your Charge to use the LTE network all the time. I actually found a way to do it, but there was a hefty price to pay: You couldn't make phone calls or send text messages. When configured to force LTE only, you could get lots of that 4G love for internet browsing, and you could see the 4G icon in the status bar. However, you also saw a red slash for the signal strength icon, indicating there was no signal.
So, weak or no correlation between the signal strength display and actual 4G signal strength. Someone else confirmed this in that thread.
¿GotJazz? said:
Actually, I was thinking of: Network Signal Info
Hard to say about your 4G reception drop-outs.
As far as the signal strength indication in the status bar, I found out the hard way. There was a posting a few months ago, where somebody was asking if there was a way to force your Charge to use the LTE network all the time. I actually found a way to do it, but there was a hefty price to pay: You couldn't make phone calls or send text messages. When configured to force LTE only, you could get lots of that 4G love for internet browsing, and you could see the 4G icon in the status bar. However, you also saw a red slash for the signal strength icon, indicating there was no signal.
So, weak or no correlation between the signal strength display and actual 4G signal strength. Someone else confirmed this in that thread.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The signal strength in the notifications bar correlates to the quality of the calling/texting signal (evdo I think). Has nothing to do with the data signal strength.
Sent from my Droid Charge running Humble 1.42
So I've been monitoring things using the suggested apps for a couple weeks, and I'm getting -65dbm on LTE before it switches to 3G in these select areas... I'll post a screenie when I get home.
Sent from my SCH-I510 using XDA App
This is happening here in Tampa a lot lately. Friends with tbolt are seeing same thing. Started three days ago or so.
Sent from my SCH-I510 using XDA App
First ~1 - 10 minutes of being at one of these strange areas:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/vash1053/SC20110816-145555.png
After ~1 - 10 minutes:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/vash1053/SC20110816-150708.png
Is there, perhaps, a 3G tower nearby that's erroneously "weighted" heavier than the nearby 4G tower? I have no idea if it even works like that, heh.
Had an odd incident yesterday when my phone switched to 3G and wouldn't switch back to 4G until I rebooted the phone.
Rebooting cures a number of ills, apparently.
This happens to me occasionally, all I do is switch to airplane mode and then switch back.
Sent from my SCH-I510 using XDA App
I use that method (restarting and the airplane mode trick) and sometimes it works, but never in the areas described in my OP. It might work for a minute or two but it always reverts...
Sent from my SCH-I510 using XDA App
Your phone is set to find and capture the strongest signal regardless of download speed... If 3g and 4g are both coming in at -65 dbm then its really a coin flip but your 3g is winning the consistency battle at holding at or below -65
Sent from my SCH-I510 using XDA Premium App
-55dbm is about the best you can do signal wise... 3g will always get closer than 4g so on fringe areas your 4g won't work
Sent from my SCH-I510 using XDA Premium App
I wish there was a way to lock the phone in 4G only, especially in a good LTE area.
Related
I got the phone on day one. The first thing I noticed as I looked at the phone as I walked out the door to my car was the 4g icon. Yay, I am on 4g! Wait, where did the icon go? It's pretty much been that way since I have had it. I keep it on Wifi at home. To put it on 4g, pretty much kills having a MOBILE smartphone. Data is the lifeblood of a smartphone and if it is not there, what's the point.
I have tried every single fix read here (and other forums). Including:
Rev A fix
Hard Reset
Pulling Battery and Sim card and placing back in
I have tried everything but take the phone back and complaining (rooted it).
Per the Verizon coverage map, I am (my house) in a 4g area. On the map, they ask for your address and it say's "I am covered" for 4g. I will note there are a few pockets on the map near my home that is 4g extended. I had been thinking it's just my area. As I would drive around, it would seem to lock onto 4g. But lately, no matter where I go, 4g goes in and out.
When the 4g goes in and out, it is killing all data. It's not like it quickly finds the 3g and resumes data transfer, it just stops. Goes to 1x after a while mostley.
So where I am at right now is that I have forced 3g (using Phone Info app) and now can get reliable mobile data.
Should I be patience with the network and wait it out or should I take this back and ***** (possibly being the device itself)? When does one suppose a possible software fix will be put out for the Thunderbolt?
Hey Man,
I read your post and I am a little confused. In summary is your issue that you dont have great 4G coverage by your house and 3G isnt picking up when 4g drops off?
If thats the case I know you said you tried the Rev A fix but just to double check did you:
Use the ##778# menu (hit call after ##778#)-->password is 000000-->modem settings-->Rev A-->choose enable-->hit the menu button on the tbolt and commit changes
Also have you had verizon try to swap out your sim card and/or called them up and made sure your current sim card is provisioned correctly? If both of these are the case and you tried all the other standard stuff I would go get the phone swapped out for another new device before your time runs out. I had the same problem and the Rev A fix did it for me.
jvward
What city are you in?
psufan5 said:
What city are you in?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cincinnati area. Northern suburb. Close to towers and major highways.
Maybe return it and get a new TB?
I didn't have 4G in my home although Verizon's little "insert address" said I would. When I called, however, they said that I was on the border and it's a tough call for now.
When I started driving around to different areas, however, it picked up 4G signal just fine. When driving back into a 3G area it switched with no issue.
psufan5 said:
What city are you in?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And thats the right question to ask.
My 4G, in Los Angeles, is amazing. But Verizon is just starting to get 4G up and running in many cities right now, cant expect to have great coverage for many more months.
jvward said:
Hey Man,
I read your post and I am a little confused. In summary is your issue that you dont have great 4G coverage by your house and 3G isnt picking up when 4g drops off?
jvward
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When the 4g drops, data stops. No icon. Sometimes 3g shows up. Mostly 1x. Lately, nothing. No icon, no data.
jawa5636 said:
Cincinnati area. Northern suburb. Close to towers and major highways.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm in northern Cincinnati too. Contact me before you do anything.
Hey, I have had problems too. I work in the Tri-county area and have GREAT 4G coverage. If you look at the 4G map I am right on the cusp (Maineville) of coverage. In my house, it will rotate between 4g/3g/1x constantly. I downloaded the "LTE OnOFF" app from TeamAndIRC and will toggle 3G only when I'm at home. For some reason I STILL HAVE TO DO THIS even though I'm using wi-fi 100%. When I get to work I toggle to 4G. Doing this, my battery life is exceptional. Before I figured it out I was draining my battery overnight every night. I don't know why the wi-fi requires that 3G only be on but it works.
Almost, but hanging on by a thread....
I am new to Verizon and I picked this up the day after launch. My two weeks are up. I am not in the 4G area (home), but spend most of my waking moment in a 4G area (work). While the phone itself doesn't have a hard time switching between networks on the handheld (I've watched it go from 3 to 4G while driving, I can almost pinpoint the switching area), it does have a hard time when in WiFi Hotspot Mode.
Here's what I mean. I'll be on wireless tether in a 4G zone and then without notice, the phone reports (via Hotspot App) that there is no mobile network ready and there is no data connection icon on the top menu bar. My Xoom is much more reliable on maintaining a connection (3G of course).
This is my only complaint about the 4G network, but it's a small one. The handheld itself is wonderful. I'm keeping both for now.
Check out my speed test on WiFi tether.
Verizon confirmed on the phone with me that there is in fact a bug in HTCs software switching from 4G to 3G when coverage drops. It should be fixed... In the mean time make sure you are using an app from the market to switch to 3G only unless you need 4G.
Other than that, just return it and wait for something else.
ridobe said:
I'm in northern Cincinnati too. Contact me before you do anything.
Hey, I have had problems too. I work in the Tri-county area and have GREAT 4G coverage. If you look at the 4G map I am right on the cusp (Maineville) of coverage. In my house, it will rotate between 4g/3g/1x constantly. I downloaded the "LTE OnOFF" app from TeamAndIRC and will toggle 3G only when I'm at home. For some reason I STILL HAVE TO DO THIS even though I'm using wi-fi 100%. When I get to work I toggle to 4G. Doing this, my battery life is exceptional. Before I figured it out I was draining my battery overnight every night. I don't know why the wi-fi requires that 3G only be on but it works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL. I live straight down 747 in Liberty Twp. (few miles up from Beckett Ridge). Driving around would get me a better connection (4g) at first but lately, as I drive around, it's all over the board. Most the time there is no data icon. I have another app (Phone Info) that has a toggle.
It gets frustrating in that I don't know if the issue is the phone, network or both. Hard to troubleshoot. I suppose I should mosey on down to the mall for anything and see what kind of 4g I get.
I am in almost the same situation as the OP, I have 4G everywhere but my home which I have confirmed with VZW is in a 4G coverage area, not an extended coverage area either. I have narrowed it down to my street exactly. Right after I turn down imy street I lose 4G.
I then once I am home and no I don't mean indoors just at my house I frequently go between nothing, 1x, and 3G(Very Weak) with sporadic data. Will not get 4G back unless I drive around. This is my second device, and second trouble ticket with VZW this time giving more detailed information.
I have also tried every possible solution but unfortunately switching to Rev. A is not a "solution" for me as I am in a 4G area and if I wanted 3G I probably would have just kept my Droid X.
I sure hope this bug if it is one in the software will be fixed with an update or VZW can sort it out if it is my network.
ridobe said:
I'm in northern Cincinnati too. Contact me before you do anything.
Hey, I have had problems too. I work in the Tri-county area and have GREAT 4G coverage. If you look at the 4G map I am right on the cusp (Maineville) of coverage. In my house, it will rotate between 4g/3g/1x constantly. I downloaded the "LTE OnOFF" app from TeamAndIRC and will toggle 3G only when I'm at home. For some reason I STILL HAVE TO DO THIS even though I'm using wi-fi 100%. When I get to work I toggle to 4G. Doing this, my battery life is exceptional. Before I figured it out I was draining my battery overnight every night. I don't know why the wi-fi requires that 3G only be on but it works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Update:
Per my experience yesterday, if you are within the 275 loop, you are golden. Once I hit West Chester/Beckett Ridge, LTE started dropping. At my house, it is almost non-existent.
when it shows 4G on the top bar... wth
I'm new to T-Mobile. I've seen nothing past 2mb down... and that's at the high end. I'm usually at 1.2 down consistently.
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App
700 KBPS Download and upload..... showing 4g icon...
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App
I think it just depends on your area.
I'm pulling 5-7Mbps down and .6-1.4Mbps up from my house.
look At my Screen Shot
Jesuscat said:
I think it just depends on your area.
I'm pulling 5-7Mbps down and .6-1.4Mbps up from my house.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I figured that... so I've been running speed tests in all kinds of areas. Especially anywhere new it in major areas in different cities. I'm just trying out the service so I'm really interested in how fast the network is. I have yet to go above 2mb down even with a 4g signal.
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App
Just because it says 4G it does nto mean you have a solid 4G backbone or infrastructure to support faster. It's the same with the others to. My friends on Sprint & Verizon who live away from the major city centers get 4G signal but speeds like this.
Also most regions for T-Mobile cap the upload at below 100 kbps.
DeezNotes said:
I figured that... so I've been running speed tests in all kinds of areas. Especially anywhere new it in major areas in different cities. I'm just trying out the service so I'm really interested in how fast the network is. I have yet to go above 2mb down even with a 4g signal.
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you will check in settings/about phone/status/ I find that the display is showing 4G but it is on UMTS not HSPDA or HSPDA+ I have yet to see my device show either HSPDA or HSPDA+ even when in VERY strong signal area. My vibrant at least shows HSPDA in those areas even though it is probably not taking full advantage of it. I really like this phone but my Vibrant is getting as fast or faster dl speeds than it is. I am not sure what is up with it, but it looks as if 3G is as good as it might get with my phone at the present time regardless of type and strength of signal in area., I do not know if this is the case with all the devices but it is with mine. I can only hope a software fix is issued. I hope it is software issue and not HW. I really want to keep this phone but will not if issues are not addressed.
It has a LOT to do where you are and saturation of the cell site. There are 2 main factors with cellular data. Your signal to the tower and the tower to the network (or the backhaul).
You can have the strongest reception in the world to the tower but if the connection from the tower to the network is saturated (too many people using it, etc.) your speeds will be capped.
This is exactly why if you use your phone late at night or at odd hours when less people are on the tower, you get faster speeds. No real way around this.
Happens on every carrier I've used including AT&T, Sprint and Verizon. I'm in the NYC area so sucks big time for me.
Jesuscat said:
I think it just depends on your area.
I'm pulling 5-7Mbps down and .6-1.4Mbps up from my house.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I get the same speeds as this. Pretty fast imo.
My signal frequently goes from HSPA+ to 3G to no signal...sits for a minute or two then jumps back on to HSPA+. Is there any way to disable 4G access and only utilize 3G? I know its not my area cause prior to purchasing this phone I always had full bars and my wife doesnt have these issues on her iPhone 4. Could it be a defective unit?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using XDA App
how do you know you have 4G then 3G? im wondering because last tiem i spoke with a At&t rep that had said that newer phones don't come equipped with a 3G icon on the H+ icon which is 3G/4G
The icon changes from H+ to G in the status bar. Then no signal...then back to H+. I just exchanged my atrix for the infuse and never had the problem with atrix.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using XDA App
OH... it goes form H+ (3G) to edge. yeah that must be a problem call att so they can check to see if towers are being worked on in your area.
Ok so i cheched with att and no tower problems in my area, infact i am less than a mile from a tower at my home address, even was given a new sim card since my old one was not 4g compatible....still frequently dropping to no service, now service wont resume unless i restart. Coukd it be faulty hardware? Or does anyone else have similar issues
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using XDA Premium App
Like transformer27 said, there's no 4G per se.
Is just 3G and EDGE. 3G will be the H+.
I would travel to another area (far away) to make sure you are in another tower and see if the problem persist.
If it does, then the phone might have a problem, if it goes away well then either the tower is having issues, or there some sort of interfering around you house/work area where you usually use the phone.
Believe or not, sometimes towers will have problems and ATT wont really be able to tell at all unless they get a tech to the tower.
I Live and work in areas that should be 4G according to T-Mobiles coverage map. At work, I'm lucking to even receive a 2g signal and never get a 4g signal at all. At home, I can only get 4g if I select WCDMA Only and don't touch my phone.
I've noticed that my 4g (WCDMA) signal seems to range from -70dBm to -109dBm. As far as GSM I don't know what a good signal is, but I know I loose my signal at about -98 dBm. Interestingly enough, it will go from -85 dBm to -101 dBm in GSM just from me picking it up.
I'm wondering if my phone is getting good reception and if exchanging it might help the problem, but I have no numbers to compare this to. Does anyone get a better WCDMA signal than -69 dBm or have a good signal strength over -109 dBm. Does anyone know what a good signal should be?
I have seen some threads on reception but there are never any numbers to quantify this. To see your signal strength go to phone settings; about phone; status; signal strength.
Any input is appreciated.
There is an app to test for towers and reception . I found I'm not close to one.
Figures.
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA Premium App
Thanks,
I have Open Signal Maps installed. Lots of good info. According to the app, I'm a 217 meters from a tower. It actually shows 3 towers within a quarter of a mile. Maybe it's signal overload....
snake8b said:
Thanks,
I have Open Signal Maps installed. Lots of good info. According to the app, I'm a 217 meters from a tower. It actually shows 3 towers within a quarter of a mile. Maybe it's signal overload....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would have to agree. This thing can get great to little signal. It seems to have trouble with the in between.
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA Premium App
I also have horrible reception with this phone.... my sga4g had a solid full bar 4g signal all the time.. I thought maybe having my g2x rooted and running a custom rom might have something to do with it so I unrooted and went back to stock... but still no good... my phone can sit in one spot and I watch the signal go up and down 4g 2g .... so I locked it to wcdma only .... It stayed on 4g bars still go up and down but now it will just lose network connection... I called Tmo support today and supposedly I'm in an area that has great 4g coverage .... so they say they put in a service order and to stay on 2g for 72 hours and then pull my battery, put it back in and see what happens... love the g2x but starting to regret giving the wife my sgs4g...
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA Premium App
swuln said:
I also have horrible reception with this phone.... my sga4g had a solid full bar 4g signal all the time.. I thought maybe having my g2x rooted and running a custom rom might have something to do with it so I unrooted and went back to stock... but still no good... my phone can sit in one spot and I watch the signal go up and down 4g 2g .... so I locked it to wcdma only .... It stayed on 4g bars still go up and down but now it will just lose network connection... I called Tmo support today and supposedly I'm in an area that has great 4g coverage .... so they say they put in a service order and to stay on 2g for 72 hours and then pull my battery, put it back in and see what happens... love the g2x but starting to regret giving the wife my sgs4g...
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine does pretty much the exact same thing inside the house and I'm also in an area that should have good 4G coverage. I think the radio is just bugged and hopefully the update(s) will fix that. Good thing the phone has wifi calling.
Interesting. I was looking for a phone number today to call T-Mobile, but their site wasn't working (kept getting no connection). I wonder what staying on 2g is supposed to do. Let me know how it turns out.
I have the same issue! Constant switch between 4G, E and x!
I talked to T-Mobile and they worked on the towers or so they say! It's gotten a lil bit better signal, but not much and not sure if it's because a custom rom!
Thinking about doing an exchange!
Would an UPDATE FIX THE RADIO? Or is it faculty hardware?
.....
htc2364 said:
I have the same issue! Constant switch between 4G, E and x!
I talked to T-Mobile and they worked on the towers or so they say! It's gotten a lil bit better signal, but not much and not sure if it's because a custom rom!
Thinking about doing an exchange!
Would an UPDATE FIX THE RADIO? Or is it faculty hardware?
.....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It could be faulty hardware, but it could just be a software glitch in the radio baseband/drivers. If a radio update doesn't come with the initial software fix, I'm pretty sure the Gingerbread update should include one.
I too have TERRIBLE reception with the G2x. I'm coming from the HTC G1 and in spots that I used to get great reception with that phone, my G2x bounces all over the place from 4G to NO signal. It's driving me insane that it doesn't stay constant. I thought maybe it was just the towers in my area so I put my SIM back in the G1 and it never lost signal. I put the SIM back in my G2x and set it in the same spot as the G1 and it lost signal twice and toggled back and forth from 2G to 4G within 5 minutes. Hopefully there will be a radio update to fix this issue and that it won't be faulty hardware.
I absolutely LOVE this phone even with the flaws.. i just hope they fix the flaws soon.
I get pretty good reception, though at work I tend to bounce back from 4g and E, but I'm in a building that kills reception. Personally, I think it's the modem. I bet once we start getting newer modems, it's will stop this, but probably at the cost of battery life. My old vibrant got about the same reception, so I don't think it's hardware.
The Tmo tech told me to stay on 2g because my phone seems to be keeping a good consistent 2g signal... its just in the 4g that it doesn't hold a good signal.... I also kept bringing up if she thought that maybe a software upgrade might fix the problem but she didn't even acknowledge that I said anything about it .... I also told her that I read somewhere that for some reason T-Mobile should have given me the sim card that came with the g2x and she said that wouldnt make a difference because i just switched sims when i bought the sgs4g a few months ago and she then gave me free wifi calling...
Sent from my LG-P999 "2G" using XDA Premium App
Replacement Phone
Just an update. I went ahead and got a replacement phone to see if it fixed the problem. The new phone behaves identically. Also, a Samsung 4G user just moved into my office building and he gets 3 bars, which is what i get till I pick the phone up. The thing that bothers me the most is that it will loose so many dBm (bars) when I pick it up.
Does anyone know if a phone cover will fix this issue.
Even though this is my first post, I read this forum several times weekly, and I have not seen the following discussed.
If you download the "Mobile Signal Widget" from the Market, it will show you when you are getting a 3G or 4G connection. It shows "H" when the 4G signal is active, and shows "3G" otherwise. The on-board signal meter does not. It just shows "H" for both 3G or 4G data.
If things work with your phone like they do with my phone, you will see that when no data is being sent or received, the widget always shows a 3G signal, even when in a strong 4G area, and never shows a 4G signal. If you are in a 4G area, the 4G signal shows in the signal widget only while data is being sent or received.
Please try the following test with the speed test app. Before running the speed test app, and if no other process of the phone is sending or receiving data, the signal widget will, as noted above, show a 3G signal. If you run the speed test app, and immediately after starting the actual speed test, while it is still sending and receiving data, you return to your home screen where the signal widget is placed (NOT by hitting the back key, which closes the speed test widget and stops the downloading process, but by hitting the home key, which allows the speed test widget to run in the background while you view the signal widget on your home screen), you will notice that the widget will show a 4G signal while the speed test app is processing.
However, when the speed test is finished, the signal widget will go back to showing a 3G signal within a few seconds of the speed test finishing its processing. You can see this by viewing the up and down arrows activated in the on-board signal app shown in the notification area. When data is being sent or received, the arrows show, but when the data is no longer being sent or received, the arrows disappear.
The same applies to other apps sending or receiving data.
I'm on my third phone, and this 3G/4G switching has always happened with all three phones I have had in my possession. Thus you can see that in a 4G area, when data being sent or received starts and stops, the phone switches back and forth between 3G and 4G all day long.
Since this has been the case with all three MyTouch 4G phones I have had, I have to conclude that this is the normal and expected circumstance as designed into the phone and the 3G/4G broadcasting system.
This may have something to do with the somewhat bad battery life, plus this has other possible ramifications. I'd like to hear what some of you think about this 3G/4G switching, and the possible ramifications.
Yes it is 100% normal...that's common knowledge around these parts...No need to be using 4G when not sending or receiving data.
from the way it's been explained around here hspa is a protocol for 3g that doesn't kick in until data is sent or received, there isn't any actual switching going on unless you're moving from edge to 3g. T-Mo was smart in only using an H on the stock ROM, imagine the questions and complaints coming from inexperienced users seeing their phone "dropping" H all the time. The phone has to be able to handle the protocol, so obviously the devs have taken advantage and included the capability of showing when the hspa kicks in, but really it's just an added touch. As long as I'm getting solid consistent speeds you can put a piece of bacon as my data icon for all i care. At least then I have a constant reminder of the most important food group.
steamish said:
If you download the "Mobile Signal Widget" from the Market, it will show you when you are getting a 3G or 4G connection. It shows "H" when the 4G signal is active, and shows "3G" otherwise. The on-board signal meter does not. It just shows "H" for both 3G or 4G data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is that how the stock ROM works? (it's been 6 months, so I can't recall) On the two custom ROMs I've run, if you're in a 4G/HSPA+ area the built-in data icon will show "3G" when no data is being used and switch to "H" when data is actively being sent or received.
Yes, the stock signal widget does not differentiate between 3G and 4G. Both are shown as "H".
I have mobile signal widget and when my phone signal shows H my signal widget does too, when in 3G the widget shows 3G, when in E it shows E on my widget and so on.
So H being for both 4G and 3G is not always true.
I'll try to post screenies when it show other than H.
Are you on the unrooted stock ROM?
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
H means High Speed which is anything beyond the first 3G spec like UMTS/HSDPA/HSPA+. When preferred network type is available in the area its used for default RX/TX. This is done to save battery as if you were to connect on 4G based service you would eat alot of battery compared to 3G. Based on stock or AOSP based rom you also will get more accurate reading as we know how stock always emulate more than there is in the area. so OP its normal behavior.
As you can you see from my screenies, my phones signal reflects on my signal widget the same.
I'm on royal panache with latest radio.
coupetastic-droid said:
As you can you see from my screenies, my phones signal reflects on my signal widget the same.
I'm on royal panache with latest radio.
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Well, that's why your case doesn't count. The OP was clearly talking about the STOCK ROM, which isn't your case. Most or all stock ROMs don't differentiate between UMTS and HSDPA and show a single indication for both, for a good reason - because most people don't know how it works, and showing them will only cause questions/complaints/confusion. This thread might be a good example, why.
Jack_R1 said:
Well, that's why your case doesn't count. The OP was clearly talking about the STOCK ROM, which isn't your case. Most or all stock ROMs don't differentiate between UMTS and HSDPA and show a single indication for both, for a good reason - because most people don't know how it works, and showing them will only cause questions/complaints/confusion. This thread might be a good example, why.
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I read the op when I first saw this thread and now after reading your post and nowhere in the op he states his device is stock.
coupetastic-droid said:
I read the op when I first saw this thread and now after reading your post and nowhere in the op he states his device is stock.
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When you're right, you're right. He indeed doesn't state it. I guess that knowing the difference in behavior between stock and custom ROMs, I automatically assumed he did.
Never knew this thanks