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Anyone else noticed this? In areas of med to low LTE signal (-109 dBm), there are times when something locks up inside the radio and Signal Strength under Status will never change again no matter where I move the phone. During this funky mode, the battery is dropping rapidly during idle... Maybe 10% per hour. Something is wrong. During this same time android battery history shows yellow medium signal and voice calls work fine. There is also no runaway process cpu ussage or awake time. The only thing wrong and drawing too much juice is radio. If I toggle airplane mode or toggle wifi off/on the problem is solved for a while. I have VRALF2 firmware.
same problems here
Scrappy1 said:
Anyone else noticed this? In areas of med to low LTE signal (-109 dBm), there are times when something locks up inside the radio and Signal Strength under Status will never change again no matter where I move the phone. During this funky mode, the battery is dropping rapidly during idle... Maybe 10% per hour. Something is wrong. During this same time android battery history shows yellow medium signal and voice calls work fine. There is also no runaway process cpu ussage or awake time. The only thing wrong and drawing too much juice is radio. If I toggle airplane mode or toggle wifi off/on the problem is solved for a while. I have VRALF2 firmware.
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I have the same problem. Have went through many sim cards and factory resets. After 5 phone I finally have one that holds the signal a little better and does not go into this "funky mode". With the previous 4 (white 32gig) verizon phone I would burn through a battery in 6 hours at work. It would start with a drop in signal strengh at around -93 or so. Nothing would fix it. I finally got a blue 32gig and it seems to hold the signal to around -99. I don't know if I got a better batch of phones. But it seems to help me get through a day at work.
Scrappy1 said:
Anyone else noticed this? In areas of med to low LTE signal (-109 dBm), there are times when something locks up inside the radio and Signal Strength under Status will never change again no matter where I move the phone. During this funky mode, the battery is dropping rapidly during idle... Maybe 10% per hour. Something is wrong. During this same time android battery history shows yellow medium signal and voice calls work fine. There is also no runaway process cpu ussage or awake time. The only thing wrong and drawing too much juice is radio. If I toggle airplane mode or toggle wifi off/on the problem is solved for a while. I have VRALF2 firmware.
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That's not normal. Where I work I get 3g primarily but also 4g in the front of the building.....in the far back I get 1x. I have had my phone totally drop data for a while (like the radio sleeps or something) but never had the radio stick between 4g and 3g. I also live right on the edge of a 4g/3g line and my dbm right now is 111 on 4g LTE......If this was normal I would have had the situation your having since my signal is basically identical to yours. I would return it or at the very least contact Samsung. I'm sure Samsung will tell you to send it in for repair.
I have very weak signal at my house also. S3 switches from LTE to 3G and 1X and sometimes loosing signal completely downstairs but upstairs usually I get solid LTE with around -99dBm and ~10Mbps transfers. During this network jumping my battery drains very fast also but I never had my radio constantly locked at one frequency or signal strength. And I can directly compare signal reception to my wife's Fascinate and S3 loses this competition badly. Fascinate never completely lost signal at our house and it rarely jumps to 1X.
I did a factory reset yesterday and so far so good... I''ll update as time goes on.
As far as signal strength goes in general,my wife's Droid Charge always pulls in a few more LTE dBm's than my GS3. Based on general public feedback, GS3 is below average on signal and radio issues. It's too bad because the rest of the phone is above average.
It's been 2 days after the factory reset and no problems with battery drain or radio lock up.
The only app that I could maybe try and blame is Elixir 2's create widget feature for signal strength. This always returned bogus values and may have embedded itself at an unholy level. Simply uninstalling elixir 2 didn't fix it.
If anyone still cares... I found my radio lockup and battery drain issues returned only after I reinstalled Better Battery Stats. I again removed it and will see if I stay good.
Hi,
I am trying to get a clear idea on the battery consumption of N5 on Wifi, LTE and E. If the purpose is to be battery friendly, which one (LTE, Wifi, Edge) should I left my phone on most of the time?
Thank you,
Well id say not WiFi! I use Wi-Fi at home and battery life is OK, it actually depends on how much you use it. I'm usually on my tablet at home and on the road my n5. Idk what E is but I'm thinking it's edge so that's probably better than LTE battery wise.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
stagius24 said:
Hi,
I am trying to get a clear idea on the battery consumption of N5 on Wifi, LTE and E. If the purpose is to be battery friendly, which one (LTE, Wifi, Edge) should I left my phone on most of the time?
Thank you,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wi-Fi is by far, the most battery friendly connection because the device only has to transmit and receive from a very short distance. Mobile data signals have to travel to the cell tower so more power is used the farther away you are from it. Less bars, more power used to communicate with the tower. LTE is best because you get that transmission completed very, very fast. HSDPA is good as well. Edge connection is very slow and makes the device hang waiting on the package to be sent and received, thus using more power in the long run. I usually set my phone to edge when I'm not going to be really using it.
Hope that helps.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
You certainly want to be using WiFi at home. I tried going data only for a couple days because it's unlimited and the battery drain especially while idle was much higher than using WiFi. This is with full signal 90% of the time.
WiFi is your friend for extended battery life. Mobile data - whether it's LTE, 3G/HSPA+ or good old Edge/2G will vary in power but it's pinging the towers for signal & cycling, so it will use more data - that is, all other things equal in terms of settings including the newer/est KitKat features.
Wifi whenever you can use it.
As far as cellular, as long as you have a decent signal, faster is always better (so the modem can download what it needs and turn back off). So use LTE if you're going to be using any data. Knock it down to edge (or off entirely) if you don't want to use data at all, or just for the occassional notification.
So Wifi is clearly the best. So when my phone is idle for a long time, let say at night, should I leave it under Edge or Wifi?
I am writing a tasker profile, so I just try to see which one is better in term of battery.
stagius24 said:
So Wifi is clearly the best. So when my phone is idle for a long time, let say at night, should I leave it under Edge or Wifi?
I am writing a tasker profile, so I just try to see which one is better in term of battery.
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Well you can always put it on airplane mode/turn off the mobile radio and switch on Wi-Fi after to just have Wi-Fi data. The catch is, you will not be receiving any calls or SMS/MMS while you have the mobile radio shut off... unless you're using a VOIP service.
Hi
I tried searching Google, but get a lot of different answers.
I live in an area with a very bad cellular coverage. I always have 1 out of 5 bars and when I turn mobile data on, it is mainly LTE, but jumps a bit between LTE and Edge and rarely H and H+.
Can that cause a lot of battery drain? As I just factory reset my phone to get rid of every change I did. I enabled Stamina Mode, surfed the web for 15 minutes and my phone was at 95%. Is that normal? Because if my math is right, that shouldn't give me more than 5 hours of screen time, while I heard people getting 8+ without Stamina Mode.
Am I missing something or is their some very needed settings to be changed? Sync off, GPS off, bluetooth, Brightness is as low as possible, NFC off, black background (less power consumption), Wifi off and Wifi constant searching off.
U can easly check urself how cell signal draining battery ,first Check how it is with normal H+/LTE then charg it again for 100% and use ur smartphone with plane mode acivated ,now subtract result from 2 "experiment"
Also of note is that black backgrounds mean diddly on our displays. We aren't on OLEDs.
Also, if you ARE in wifi area it's better to be connected to wifi. Wifi is closer than the cell tower and data disconnects when wifi is connected.
On AMOLED/OLED black background helps because each pixel is individually lit (Black means those pixels are off). In LCDs there is a backlight providing illumination for the entire LCD so as long as your screen is on it won't make a differrence what colors are on your screen.
I'm having a similar issue. I have very low cell reception at work, and I can get maybe 4-5 hours SoT throughout the day and am at 10% when I get home. I've tried uninstalling/disabling apps that use a lot of battery, so hopefully it helps. I'll update if by the end of today I'm able to get 7+ hours SoT (which it seems it's on track to doing).
Edit: For clarification, the apps I've uninstalled that I believed to be using a lot of processing power/ram/battery were Facebook, [Facebook] Messenger, and Words with Friends.
festizzio said:
I'm having a similar issue. I have very low cell reception at work, and I can get maybe 4-5 hours SoT throughout the day and am at 10% when I get home. I've tried uninstalling/disabling apps that use a lot of battery, so hopefully it helps. I'll update if by the end of today I'm able to get 7+ hours SoT (which it seems it's on track to doing).
Edit: For clarification, the apps I've uninstalled that I believed to be using a lot of processing power/ram/battery were Facebook, [Facebook] Messenger, and Words with Friends.
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Just use an app like Greenify to block apps running in the background when not in use so you dont havr to uninstall them.
Brightness can have a lot to play on this one. I tend to go with manual brightness so there's no ambient sensors working all the while the display is on, and if you are doing anything where you can cope with lower brightness then drop it.
Keep an eye in battery stats for "google play services" as this can go nuts. When this happens sometimes clearing data can help.
I also found that using google+ to backup my photos caused a lot of battery drain.
I have not found facebook or whatsapp etc to affect my battery much personally. I use stamina mode when i'm out and about to keep the phone at sleep while the screen is off.
ssj_jaypee said:
Just use an app like Greenify to block apps running in the background when not in use so you dont havr to uninstall them.
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No root. WIthout Greenify is just annoying.
Jonathan-H said:
Brightness can have a lot to play on this one. I tend to go with manual brightness so there's no ambient sensors working all the while the display is on, and if you are doing anything where you can cope with lower brightness then drop it.
Keep an eye in battery stats for "google play services" as this can go nuts. When this happens sometimes clearing data can help.
I also found that using google+ to backup my photos caused a lot of battery drain.
I have not found facebook or whatsapp etc to affect my battery much personally. I use stamina mode when i'm out and about to keep the phone at sleep while the screen is off.
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Deleted Messenger and Facebook just for the sake of it. I don't have the need to be online all the time and the people that want to contact me, have my number.
Faspaiso said:
it is mainly LTE, but jumps a bit between LTE and Edge and rarely H and H+.
Can that cause a lot of battery drain?
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At my house I get just enough LTE to cause our S3 to constantly switch to LTE then loose it and switch back to H+. Battery life couldn't make it thru one day. ATT removes the screen that let's you control network mode but I found a backdoor method to lock the phone out of LTE. The phone now stays on H+ and battery life easily jumped 40%. That's the primary reason I held out this time for an unlocked non-ATT-crippled phone--so I can easily turn LTE off.
Well, tried have my phone on over night (for a change to test it).
Everything off (mobile data, gps etc).
Used 7% of my power and every app was closed. When I looked at battery drain, 55% was from cell standby and 40-45% was from Phone Idle.
Tonight I will try charge it to 100% again and then let it be in Flight Mode to see.
I struggled to flatten the battery on my phone the first day 70% of the day with the screen on, no wifi enabled or stamina.
Another test would be to change mobile settings to 3G or 2G to see what difference that makes. Under settings, wireless & networks, select more, mobile networks, then network mode.
I would try the above first before making your phone completely unavailable, especially the 2G.
danw_oz said:
I struggled to flatten the battery on my phone the first day 70% of the day with the screen on, no wifi enabled or stamina.
Another test would be to change mobile settings to 3G or 2G to see what difference that makes. Under settings, wireless & networks, select more, mobile networks, then network mode.
I would try the above first before making your phone completely unavailable, especially the 2G.
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Just did the tests.
Flightmode - 100% after 8 hours (sleep)
Edge - 99% after 8 hours (sleep)
4g - 93% after 8 hours (sleep)
Faspaiso said:
Just did the tests.
Flightmode - 100% after 8 hours (sleep)
Edge - 99% after 8 hours (sleep)
4g - 93% after 8 hours (sleep)
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Nice, thank you! Care to check hspa too?
Fruktsallad said:
Nice, thank you! Care to check hspa too?
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What is that? H/H+?
GSM - Edge
WCDMA - H/H+
LTE - 4g
But I think 4g uses less power than edge, but it is more than in my area there is 1/5 in 4g coverage, 3-4/5 in H/H+ and 5/5 (always) if using edge.
As I see an better connection gives better batterylife, but 4g uses way less than 3g/edge if same cell signal.
But is going to try it next time I get down to my dad. He got 5/5 in LTE signal. So gonna see if it can stay at 100% over night.
Faspaiso said:
What is that? H/H+?
GSM - Edge
WCDMA - H/H+
LTE - 4g
But I think 4g uses less power than edge, but it is more than in my area there is 1/5 in 4g coverage, 3-4/5 in H/H+ and 5/5 (always) if using edge.
As I see an better connection gives better batterylife, but 4g uses way less than 3g/edge if same cell signal.
But is going to try it next time I get down to my dad. He got 5/5 in LTE signal. So gonna see if it can stay at 100% over night.
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Hehe, ok I understand. But HSPA = 3G. [emoji4] I haven't done any rigorous testing, but I think my stand by times are much better using edge (2G) compared to 3G.
Fruktsallad said:
Hehe, ok I understand. But HSPA = 3G. [emoji4] I haven't done any rigorous testing, but I think my stand by times are much better using edge (2G) compared to 3G.
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I see. But if you change between those, you probs have an better cell signal with 2g (in your area), right?
Faspaiso said:
I see. But if you change between those, you probs have an better cell signal with 2g (in your area), right?
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Nope, coverage is about the same. Generally speaking though, 2G > 3G > 4G when it comes to battery life. That's been the rule for years, but as of late, newer radios have become more efficient with 3G and 4G, thus making the difference less noticeable. YMMV. Would be interesting to see your drainage on 3G as well. ☺
Fruktsallad said:
Nope, coverage is about the same. Generally speaking though, 2G > 3G > 4G when it comes to battery life. That's been the rule for years, but as of late, newer radios have become more efficient with 3G and 4G, thus making the difference less noticeable. YMMV. Would be interesting to see your drainage on 3G as well. ☺
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Well could try it tonight.
Hey guys
I've had this phoen a few weeks, and battery life has been great. Idles well, whether on wifi or 4g....phone idles very well, 2 to 4% per hour.
I recently had my desk moved to an area where cell coverage is BAD. Even on wifi, you can see t he icon go from 3g to 1x, back n forth. signal is weak...but enough to make calls and txt. This is KILLING my battery. I lose 8 to 12% an hour during idling.
Is this normal for phones in dead areas? ANy suggestions?
Thanks
docluv01 said:
Hey guys
I've had this phoen a few weeks, and battery life has been great. Idles well, whether on wifi or 4g....phone idles very well, 2 to 4% per hour.
I recently had my desk moved to an area where cell coverage is BAD. Even on wifi, you can see t he icon go from 3g to 1x, back n forth. signal is weak...but enough to make calls and txt. This is KILLING my battery. I lose 8 to 12% an hour during idling.
Is this normal for phones in dead areas? ANy suggestions?
Thanks
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Click to collapse
Yes, that sounds normal for the conditions you described. Being in an area where the radio is constantly losing signal and having to reconnect is a very large drain on the battery.
Not much you can do unless you get a signal booster installed.
wishfull thinking i geuss, haha
Previous phones, I would just change the network to just 1x. this usually helped...
Thanks!!!
Not to dig up an old thread....but this is gettign worse...
If I get a network extender (provided I can get it to get GPS), will this prevent the phone from constantly looking? or will the phone still search...
Thanks!
I have Wifi set to turn off when the phone sleeps. During the evening, that usually results in the Wifi being active for about 30% of the time. Lately, (probably after a recent Google Play Services update), I noticed my Wifi is active 100% of the time. Anyone else notice this?
Lol, just noticed the same thing. For some reason it displays wifi as always on for me as well. Doesn't affect my battery life tho (not noticing it)
Sammath said:
Lol, just noticed the same thing. For some reason it displays wifi as always on for me as well. Doesn't affect my battery life tho (not noticing it)
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OK good to know its just not me.
It's "on" but only connects when in an area where it has already connected before.
p51d007 said:
It's "on" but only connects when in an area where it has already connected before.
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Yes I believe the behavior has not changed. However in my battery apps it's now showing WiFi active all the time. Previously, on would be 100% but active usually 50%. Now it's 100%
Maybe the app doesn't shut down the wifi connection completely but stops it from sending any data. Maybe the app justs shut down the wifi from ping-ing periodically but keeps the wifi one 100%.
Just my two cents
Wifi is on, but doesn't use that much power. It most likely is pinging at time, to see if a previously connected
wifi access point is available. I leave mine on 24/7, and haven't had any battery issues. In fact, with it on all the
time, my battery life is better because if I'm in an area where I've connected to wifi previously, it disables the
4G connection for data, and uses the wifi. Depending on your 4G connection, wifi could save your battery
life, since the amount of power required for the data part of the 4G signal, is dependent on your signal strength.
Low signal strength, more power required to connect.
p51d007 said:
Wifi is on, but doesn't use that much power. It most likely is pinging at time, to see if a previously connected
wifi access point is available. I leave mine on 24/7, and haven't had any battery issues. In fact, with it on all the
time, my battery life is better because if I'm in an area where I've connected to wifi previously, it disables the
4G connection for data, and uses the wifi. Depending on your 4G connection, wifi could save your battery
life, since the amount of power required for the data part of the 4G signal, is dependent on your signal strength.
Low signal strength, more power required to connect.
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Great post thank you! The question is more out of curiosity since this behavior wasnt happening before. BTW, I think I figured out whats going on. In Location Settings, under the 3 dot menu I had Wifi Scanning option turned off. For whatever reason, the option was turned back on. No idea how this can happen but I disabled it again.