I am with AT&T. For the last three years I have used an Sony Xperia V on the AT&T network without problems. I have gotten great signal strength anywhere I go with the Xperia V. The GPS antenna gave out on it and I went looking for a new Xperia. I landed on the Z3 and order the international model (D6603). I got it and got a new AT&T Nano sims for it down at my local AT&T store and the phone worked right away. I downloaded the AT&T APN settings and got the data to work. The Z3 works and can make calls, text and it gets data service (only H+ though). I absolutely love my new Xperia Z3 (functionality wise). The only problem is that I have almost no signal.
Now, I know that there is good signal strength where I am at because I have used my Xperia V in this area for 3 years and I have always had full bars of signal in my area. My Z3 only gets 1 to 2 bars, and sometimes none. My wife has a Galaxy S4 (with AT&T) and gets full signal in out home. We were on the road yesterday and I was on the phone with my mother and the call dropped because of no signal. My phone had the little red X on the signal bar. I looked my wife's S4 phone to see if she had signal and she had full signal strength. For about 20 miles (in an area I know there is good signal) the Z3 could not pick up any signal at all, but my wife's S4 had full signal strength and was doing facebook the whole time.
I have done many searches about this and have found many other people that have the same problem on many different models of unlocked phones when it comes to at&t. I am just wondering if anyone has found a fix?
Okay. So I think I found the problem. The problem is with the 3G and 4G bands. I downloaded the LTE Discovery app and ran it on my Z3. Here is a screen shot.
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Then I took the sims card out of my wife's S4 and put it in my old Xperia V phone. Sure enough, just like always, it got full signal. So I ran the LTE discovery app on it. Here is the screen shot from the V.
So we can see that the reason the V is getting full signal is that it is operating on HSPA+ and the Z3 is operatiing on 4G LTE. Now I don't now why this is happening. Perhaps there is a 3G tower that is closer to me, or the 3G band travels farther then the 4G. I don't know anything about tower strength and technology. Anyone else have some ideas?
Related
I decided to compare all 4 coverage maps of AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint at my house. AT&T gets very good service, which is why I'm stuck with their high prices, but all 3 of the others are awful in my area. I have friends with Verizon, they can barely hold a call (if they can even make one) even out in my yard... Friends with Sprint have better luck, but not by much, and I've never had anyone with T-Mobile at my house that I can recall. Here's what the coverage shows:
AT&T:
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Their best coverage, and although my 3G data speed isn't great (around 475 kbps) I get service everywhere in my house and can even get 3G in my basement. I definitely believe I'm in a good coverage zone.
T-Mobile:
Very honest, the girl at the T-Mobile store said I most likely wouldn't be able to make a call from inside my house, the light green is a 1 bar zone and the white is a no service zone.
Sprint:
The light green is their "fair" zone, and I'm not even sure I'd give it that... But it's the worst of their 3 zones, so I'd agree that this is definitely not optimal performance.
Then the real shocker...
Verizon:
This is the best coverage rating out of anything they have, "digital service" it describes it as. ****, if I'm in the best Verizon zone I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be in business, so what's the deal? Has anyone else seen a coverage map that's just blatantly wrong compared to what they're getting? How do they figure these things out, anyhow... Maybe this is why Verizon is "the most reliable network" HAHA
I'm confused on the VZW bit, the red area should be their coverage area. I have VZW, and to date, I have not lost signal yet, I'm virtually always with five bars. I actually just took a trip up some mountains, where I thought I'd lose my service, but I still had all bars !
TheChampJT said:
I'm confused on the VZW bit, the red area should be their coverage area. I have VZW, and to date, I have not lost signal yet, I'm virtually always with five bars. I actually just took a trip up some mountains, where I thought I'd lose my service, but I still had all bars !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha I know that should be their coverage area, that's my point. Where are you from, if you don't mind me asking?
I'm in Maryland.
TheChampJT said:
I'm in Maryland.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, okay... Well I don't know what to say, all I know is that my coverage map is completely inaccurate. I guarantee they do that just so they can say they have more coverage than anyone else, when the truth is there's no coverage at all.
Black93300ZX said:
Ah, okay... Well I don't know what to say, all I know is that my coverage map is completely inaccurate. I guarantee they do that just so they can say they have more coverage than anyone else, when the truth is there's no coverage at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DUH! it's VZW! they've been lying and screwing people out of their money like credit card companies! I have a friend who used to work in their call center. it is the most ****ed up way to do business and to treat their employees.
The whole company is just wrong. (in their eyes, the customer is ALWAYS WRONG)
In fact, if you tell them that the earth is round they will fry you like Galileo!
I have been EXTREMELY disappointed in the data speed and connectivity of my new HTC One M8 on Verizon. The phone was having difficulty where my previous phone (HTC Thunderbolt... yes I used it for 3 years) was working fine.
This evening I conducted a test holding the phone differently:
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test time
1 1:33 Phone sitting on desk
2 1:35 Phone held in left hand in palm with finger touching both sides
3 1:35 Phone placed back on desk to repeat desk test... test did not complete.
4 1:37 Phone held with 2 thumbs and fingers at bottom and held up (new server after restarting the app after the previous test failure)
5 1:40 Phone sitting on desk
My phone is NOT in a case and does NOT have a bumper. I will repeat the test when I get a case.
This is only a single set of data and should be tried by others and at other times of day etc.
For those of you experiencing data issues -- do you use a cover or bumper?
For those NOT experiencing data issues -- do you use a cover or bumper?
If you're having problems then you probably have a defective phone. Just replace it at Verizon.
Sent from my HTC One M8 using Tapatalk
eikast said:
If you're having problems then you probably have a defective phone. Just replace it at Verizon.
Sent from my HTC One M8 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I appreciate your reply.
I did another test with a phone case around my HTC.
with case on Desk 12.25M up 5.56M down 57 ping
with case in hand 10.05M up 3.57M down 51 ping
with case in hand 10.07M up 3.45M down 81 ping
with case on desk 12.61M up 3.55M down 69 ping
without case in hand connection failure
The case helped a lot. There are admittedly many variables out of my control.
Would you still recommend replacement for a unit that worked fine with a case but poorly without one?
I've been getting poor speeds with my M8 when my Thunderbolt was fine, but I've figured out it's only on certain towers. An example: .6-5.5 down at home, 55-65 down at my brother's. Try testing distant locations as well.
Those speeds are average for semi weak signal areas. Depending on your city, the tower layout may not be very dense and more spread out. My city is decent size but spread out and has a few large traffic areas which have aws working. My house pulls 2-5mbps, I get 15-20 at work, while at my friends house I'll get 80-100+ down ( aws obviously). It just really depends on the signal strength and traffic on the tower. You could have a bad phone but I doubt it
Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk
I know the phone is still not in the hands of everyday usage. But im worried about the antenna signal, particularly with LTE, I have the m7 now and in my house i get lte as long as im not holding my phone. This is partly due to metal framing of the phone and im worried if i chose the s6 im going to have similar issues.
Im really hoping that the metal design on the new phone does not impact lte signal significantly. I need fast lte at home since i dont have internet at the house. Does anyone know any specfics on methods or design that should hopefully let this phone have great signal
The phone doesn't have a metal back like the htc phones, it has a metal frame with a colored glass back.
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I was referring to the rumor that samsung is ultrasonically welding the antenna to the chassis. Obviously its not a metal back i know the difference between metal and glass fortunately!
Do we know for sure if the lte modem will be ultrasonically welded to the chassis or is it just going to sit under the glass?
So I just found this which is concerning, looks like m9 shows better rf signals for lte bands . I hope this phone doesn't have modem and signal issues
s4gru.com/index.php?/blog/1/entry-3...rock-out-with-their-flagships-for-the-season/
So the M9 has way better signal... Wonder how this plays out in the real world. This does worry me though I frequent places with low (almost non-existant) signal coverage...
@Class said:
So the M9 has way better signal... Wonder how this plays out in the real world. This does worry me though I frequent places with low (almost non-existant) signal coverage...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea which is making me nervous, one of the main reasons i was ecstatic to get rid of my m7 was signal issues and figured the m9 wouldnt have fixed much but now it seems i may have similar issues with the s6 compared to the m7.
I was dead set on getting an m9 simply for boomsound and the fact ive been with HTC for quite some time now. Never thought i would consider a samsung phone, but then they changed my mind by ditching the plastic and adding fingerprint scanner which ive been wanting since the atrix.
We know how much you like to stream, ahem, "videos", and so cellular data is mega-important. Rate this thread to express how you think the Google Pixel 2 XL's LTE performs. A higher rating indicates that it's fantastic: throughput is excellent and signal strength is top-notch.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add.
Once device starts shipping and users can test, I'm curious to know if the cellular connectivity issue experienced on pixel xl has been solved on pixel 2 xl or not.
Plus one to this. My only real gripe with the current pixel XL. Hopefully the modem or antenna is stronger in the 2.
Any updates from people that have their device? Specifically looking to see if there is a signal strength improvement from the original xl?
After using this for a day I have some areas that I go through that were very weak with signal and I have Verizon. I just came from my LG G5 that would barely hold up going through these weak areas the pixel XL 2 is much better at holding a signal. I've noticed that where I have one bar with my LG G5 I have two bars with the pixel 2 XL. And in areas where I was losing signal and dropping my call with my G5 it holds onto my call and does not drop my call at all through these weak areas.
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Sounds promising. Hoping the Pixel 2 improves the Google Fi experience.
Looks to be about the same as my 6P and LG G6, getting around 35 down and 10 up at my office. Hardly a scientific answer but it's what I got
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Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Compared to my Nexus 6 which had pretty good RF performance my Pixel 2 XL is ~2-3 dBm lower on LTE, ~6 dBm lower on wifi.
Not bad
Typical for me in downtown Chicago
I'd say cell throughput on lte is pretty good!
Cell speed and Los Angeles is very good, using T-Mobile, but sometimes it will waste time on B12, which you can disable with a non-SE kernel. That will free up B12 off your 3x CA limit.
Averaging about 80-120Mbps around my neighborhood.
Edit: Tested over 140 yesterday.
Not good
This is my second one the Google tec talked me into it got it in the mail today. I gotta say the second one was worse Tha the first I'm in a poor signal area and I got limited text and phone but next to no internet. My Moto phones knock the socks off of it. Even my old Nexus 6. I'm on Verizon.
wooddale said:
This is my second one the Google tec talked me into it got it in the mail today. I gotta say the second one was worse Tha the first I'm in a poor signal area and I got limited text and phone but next to no internet. My Moto phones knock the socks off of it. Even my old Nexus 6. I'm on Verizon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i havent had any issues at all...i use all four carriers...
160mbps! T mo.
Getting 60mbps on my 6p was alot.... Then.
How is it at getting a good cellular signal? My OG Pixel is the worst and I don't want to be fooled again.
I received my Pixel 2 XL in the UK earlier this week and I am finding it is quite often losing it's HSDPA connection and falling back to Edge in areas where my trusty Nexus 5 was happily maintaining connection. They are both using the same SIM card on Virgin 3G (although I am waiting for them to switch me other to 4G in a couple of days) which runs off EE.
Anyone else experienced similar or know how to resolve.
Cheers
Baz
I get horrible signal -111 right under a Verizon tower.....yes I have Verizon lol
When you say right under do you mean right under or close, cause you can be to close.
How fast is it ? Anyone have experience with 5g with z fold 2?
"How's 5G?" is kind of a meaning of life question. It's less dependent on the phone than it is on the carrier. In the U.S. our 5G spectrum is all over the map. Low band is pretty much equal to 4G. Mid band is about ~100MB reliably. High band which is the holy grail with almost 1GB speeds only exists on certain street corners of certain big cities. My carrier, T-Mobile U.S., has mid band deployed where I work and this is what I get regularly. At home the 5G is low band and downloads are about ~35MB.
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windsorking said:
How fast is it ? Anyone have experience with 5g with z fold 2?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha, 5G is great ONLY if you are in a big city and if there's ZERO interference. I'm in NYC. My fastest was avg. 400Mbps. USED up all my data in a day, yikes.
In the UK I have got anything between 90 and over 500 download speeds depending on what time of day i run the test.
Lol seem it's so fast
Can't wait to test it with 5G
Using 5G here in Korea, get about 500MBps + about everywhere I am where there is 5G, and that is by now half of the country at least.
In Riyadh
Sent from my SM-F916B using Tapatalk
Not bad 5g speeds on tmobile for me.
I've gotten good, consistent speeds (80 down, 10 up) during high traffic times in my city. It's pretty nice, however my carrier is still expanding their 5G profile in my city. I wouldn't buy any phone device just for 5G but yeah, when it locks in to 5G it's pretty sweet.
Depends on which 5G you're asking. I've had some really ****ty speeds on T-Mobile on their low band 5G. Even lower than 4G and in some instances 5G is almost locked up and no data goes through but going down to 4G LTE I have no issues.
I have verizon.with the latest software update it shows 5g but I don't think it is,because there's no 5g in my area besides speed test shows 56mbs same as 4g