I want to know why this happens. I already have a solution but I am more interested in the specifics of what is causing this. Keep in mind that this does not happen everywhere, but only at my home/vicinity (general square area/radius of about 1 mile)
This is the problem:
When my phone is set to AUTO in terms of band settings for data/voice, I experience a massive amount of dropped calls. I can barely hold a conversation because my call will drop every 2-7 minutes and it is very embarrassing when trying to conduct business.
Solution:
The solution I have found is to manually set the phone to force either GSM/EDGE or 3G, but not both. When I do this, my problem is solved 100%
SPECS:
Network: AT&T
Phones Tested: AT&T Tilt and AT&T Treo 750
I have this problem in areas where they haven't completed the upgrade to 3G yet. I suspect it drops because the compatability between 3G and Edge is none, the phone has to switch to different bandwidths that cause a quick but temporary loss of service, effectively dropping your calls.
I have seen an app that forces data connections to stay off, using this app in areas where it swtches between services might improve your issue.
Thinking about importing Xperia Z5 to use on T-Mobile, however I'm not sure which model to use. Also does the Z5 support Band 12?
http://www.xperiablog.net/2015/10/07/usa-buyers-guide-sony-xperia-z5/
The Z5 supports Band 12 LTE. E6653 is the recommended model for US use.
Don't too sure. T-Mobile is asking OEMs to disable Band 12 on unbranded devices in the US because of the lack of VoLTE on non T-Mobile certified devices, because in some areas where band 12 is the only band available and you don't have VoLTE there is no fallback to 3G so you would have full signal but no calls and in emergencies in these rare cases/places it would be bad. Unless TMO certifies the device you will have issues.
I'm sure you can work around it but you won't have VoLTE, which is not too bad I guess.
abhinav.tella said:
Don't too sure. T-Mobile is asking OEMs to disable Band 12 on unbranded devices in the US because of the lack of VoLTE on non T-Mobile certified devices, because in some areas where band 12 is the only band available and you don't have VoLTE there is no fallback to 3G so you would have full signal but no calls and in emergencies in these rare cases/places it would be bad. Unless TMO certifies the device you will have issues.
I'm sure you can work around it but you won't have VoLTE, which is not too bad I guess.
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Click to collapse
Not likely to happen because the device isn't sold in the US (and Sony hasn't announced any plans to do so).
Sony is not going to disable bands on international devices because a US carrier asks them to.
I was only speaking of local sales in the future as I did say in the US. Having Band 12 but not being able to make calls when on that band is an issue regardless, for international models on TMO.
I'm kinda confused on this issue as well. Xperia Z5 is supposed to support VoLTE (which is the main reason certain lte band 12 phones wouldn't work on T-mobile) but as the Z5 is unlikely to come to T-mobile US, it's not likely to have undergone T-Mobile's specific certification. We'd have to check with someone who has the phone and lives in an area serviced by T-mobile US band 12 (ideally with no 2g/3g backup) and see if they can A) access data and/or B) make voice calls. The technology is there for it to be able to work, I just don't know if the real world case would match the theoretical.
shizenyasuya said:
I'm kinda confused on this issue as well. Xperia Z5 is supposed to support VoLTE (which is the main reason certain lte band 12 phones wouldn't work on T-mobile) but as the Z5 is unlikely to come to T-mobile US, it's not likely to have undergone T-Mobile's specific certification. We'd have to check with someone who has the phone and lives in an area serviced by T-mobile US band 12 (ideally with no 2g/3g backup) and see if they can A) access data and/or B) make voice calls. The technology is there for it to be able to work, I just don't know if the real world case would match the theoretical.
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what areas are going to have no 2g AND no 3g...that seems a bit extreme. are 2g and 3g networks on the same tower?
crazeazn said:
what areas are going to have no 2g AND no 3g...that seems a bit extreme. are 2g and 3g networks on the same tower?
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Doesn't band 12 LTE take over for previous EDGE on band 12? There are many areas (well mostly rural) where this could occur
sovanyio said:
Doesn't band 12 LTE take over for previous EDGE on band 12? There are many areas (well mostly rural) where this could occur
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Click to collapse
There are but there are still many many rural areas where a 2G/3G tower will have larger coverage than its LTE equivalent (I think). While I understand that the 2G is morphing over to Band 12 LTE, I don't think this includes all the 3G/HSPA/HSPA+. I'm still under the impression that you will have LTE/3G coverage somewhere....
http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/t-mobile-upgrade-2g-edge-network-lte-coverage-push/2014-03-13
I have had the Xperia Z5 (E6653) for a week and I'd like to say a little about my experience in case it may help out anyone here.
1. The phone has all the T-Mobile bands except for one in the 3G/HSPA range.
2. It DOES connect to band 12 LTE. However, when a call is coming in, it will move down to a different band to allow you to pick up the call.
3. I've noticed that when I'm playing some games (PVZ2), if a call comes in, I press 'Answer' on the pop up notification but it does nothing. This also seems to freeze the phone app for a little while.
4. There is actually a mobile network setting for "Enable VoLTE" and you can enable/disable it. However, I guess this doesn't really do anything on the T-Mobile network and it will never pick up a call while on LTE.
Other than talking about bands and calling, the phone is basically a Z3 with a fingerprint scanner and a much better camera. However, the battery doesn't last as long as the one of the Z3 and if you are gaming, it will last MUCH less than the Z3 while getting much hotter. I love not having to take a flap out to access the USB port. One interesting thing I've noticed is that with the Z3 I used to get a lot of static when I connected an AUX cable to the headphone jack and was charging at the same time, and would hear a humming noise on every touch of the screen, probably because the two ports are next to each other on the Z3. I haven't experienced that on the Z5 and suspect it's because they are on opposite ends of the phone.
GersonT1000 said:
I have had the Xperia Z5 (E6653) for a week and I'd like to say a little about my experience in case it may help out anyone here.
1. The phone has all the T-Mobile bands except for one in the 3G/HSPA range.
2. It DOES connect to band 12 LTE. However, when a call is coming in, it will move down to a different band to allow you to pick up the call.
3. I've noticed that when I'm playing some games (PVZ2), if a call comes in, I press 'Answer' on the pop up notification but it does nothing. This also seems to freeze the phone app for a little while.
4. There is actually a mobile network setting for "Enable VoLTE" and you can enable/disable it. However, I guess this doesn't really do anything on the T-Mobile network and it will never pick up a call while on LTE.
Other than talking about bands and calling, the phone is basically a Z3 with a fingerprint scanner and a much better camera. However, the battery doesn't last as long as the one of the Z3 and if you are gaming, it will last MUCH less than the Z3 while getting much hotter. I love not having to take a flap out to access the USB port. One interesting thing I've noticed is that with the Z3 I used to get a lot of static when I connected an AUX cable to the headphone jack and was charging at the same time, and would hear a humming noise on every touch of the screen, probably because the two ports are next to each other on the Z3. I haven't experienced that on the Z5 and suspect it's because they are on opposite ends of the phone.
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Click to collapse
Thanks for your feedback! If you don't mind sharing, what part of the US are you in covered by T-Mobile and Band 12 LTE? I'm in Chicago (no B12 for them here), but there's swaths of Michigan that T-Mo has B12 spectrum to provide coverage. If you're saying the Z5 somehow auto drops back down to non-LTE for calls, that's very interesting and encouraging since it didn't sound like other phones like Moto's were capable of that.
doclloyd said:
Thanks for your feedback! If you don't mind sharing, what part of the US are you in covered by T-Mobile and Band 12 LTE? I'm in Chicago (no B12 for them here), but there's swaths of Michigan that T-Mo has B12 spectrum to provide coverage. If you're saying the Z5 somehow auto drops back down to non-LTE for calls, that's very interesting and encouraging since it didn't sound like other phones like Moto's were capable of that.
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Click to collapse
I live in NYC and there's band 12 in most places now. My Z5 is usually connected to band 4 LTE and band 12 LTE now. I've noticed all kinds of bands connecting though (Edge, 3G, H, LTE). I don't know if the H is HSPA or HSPA+.
doclloyd said:
If you're saying the Z5 somehow auto drops back down to non-LTE for calls, that's very interesting and encouraging since it didn't sound like other phones like Moto's were capable of that.
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Click to collapse
All phones do this, unless they have VoLTE enabled. The issue was with CDMA phones, they would only have 1 LTE/3G antenna path, so it would drop down to 1X instead for casks, making no Internet while on a call.
Only time they won't is if LTE signal is availible but 3G/2G isn't obviously. This is why T-Mobile was/is limiting band 12 in phones. Their band 12 network in some places extends outside the range of their 2G network, giving no phone service even though you had 'signal' unless you have VoLTE, and the phone has to be a T-Mobile phone to be approved for VoLTE (with a few exceptions like the nexus).
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk
This was very helpful, thank you.
Sent from my SM-N920C using Tapatalk
I've got the Z5 Premium and I live in the US. Band 12 works just fine. I did some testing and I've seen 2g/3g/hspa/4g/4g lte. I have also traveled a bit for the holidays and the phone has been perfect.
GersonT1000 said:
I have had the Xperia Z5 (E6653) for a week and I'd like to say a little about my experience in case it may help out anyone here.
1. The phone has all the T-Mobile bands except for one in the 3G/HSPA range.
2. It DOES connect to band 12 LTE. However, when a call is coming in, it will move down to a different band to allow you to pick up the call.
3. I've noticed that when I'm playing some games (PVZ2), if a call comes in, I press 'Answer' on the pop up notification but it does nothing. This also seems to freeze the phone app for a little while.
4. There is actually a mobile network setting for "Enable VoLTE" and you can enable/disable it. However, I guess this doesn't really do anything on the T-Mobile network and it will never pick up a call while on LTE.
Other than talking about bands and calling, the phone is basically a Z3 with a fingerprint scanner and a much better camera. However, the battery doesn't last as long as the one of the Z3 and if you are gaming, it will last MUCH less than the Z3 while getting much hotter. I love not having to take a flap out to access the USB port. One interesting thing I've noticed is that with the Z3 I used to get a lot of static when I connected an AUX cable to the headphone jack and was charging at the same time, and would hear a humming noise on every touch of the screen, probably because the two ports are next to each other on the Z3. I haven't experienced that on the Z5 and suspect it's because they are on opposite ends of the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, your post is very informative. Thank you for sharing.
I have a question though.
I live in US (Seattle) and have just received the exact same phone (E6653).
My T-mobile connection keep dropping on my phone.
Watching youtube over mobile data has become so choppy even my crappy old LG Optimus F3Q wouldn't do that.
Is there any settings I need to deal with to get this phone to work well with T-Mobile?
Thanks.
misbehave said:
Hi, your post is very informative. Thank you for sharing.
I have a question though.
I live in US (Seattle) and have just received the exact same phone (E6653).
My T-mobile connection keep dropping on my phone.
Watching youtube over mobile data has become so choppy even my crappy old LG Optimus F3Q wouldn't do that.
Is there any settings I need to deal with to get this phone to work well with T-Mobile?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure if there are any settings that will help you. Maybe if you go to network settings and set it to LTE preferred, or play around with the other options if you're in areas with spotty or no LTE. Besides that, maybe you could just turn on the BingeOn option on your T-Mobile account so that it streams faster (at 480 resolution).
Just had my Pixel exchanged with Carphone Warehouse in the UK because of GSM interference when the phone drops to 2G mode for calls.
Similarly, when streaming music from Spotify to my car's stereo via Bluetooth, if I drive through a bad signal area and the signal drops to 2G mode, interference is heard in my car's stereo speakers from the GSM device in the phone.
Forced my iPhone 6 to 2G mode and made a few calls, no interference.
Tested my Nexus 5 in a bad signal area (as I couldn't force it into 2G mode - only 3G or 4G...) and no interference.
Force Pixel to 2G and again, interference.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1mlponX_jw - take a look here to see what I mean by GSM interference.
Now, this is my 2nd Pixel and it still happens!
Do other people notice this? If you do, how does it not annoy you? It's a £700 phone (128gb 5" here!). I expect better...
I just checked on my Pixel to force 2G and made a phone call and even at max volume I couldn't hear the GSM buzz. I'm on TMobile USA which uses 1900Mhz for 2G and didn't have full bars, so was pumping out more than min power... Just FYI
bartolo5 said:
I just checked on my Pixel to force 2G and made a phone call and even at max volume I couldn't hear the GSM buzz. I'm on TMobile USA which uses 1900Mhz for 2G and didn't have full bars, so was pumping out more than min power... Just FYI
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Click to collapse
Cheers, good to hear from someone else.
I'll find out what Vodafone uses in the UK and how it may be different.
Hi fellow Honor8 owners,
I have UK Honor 8 32GB model purchased from Vmall.eu/uk. I came from an iPhone 5S and must say I'm loving the device!
Only issue I have been having is constantly, the Data signal keeps dropping out and I am unable to recieve/send calls and texts. It completely drops out for a bit then comes back. This happens very often.
Is anyone else experiencing any similar issues? I have the nano SIM installed into SIM slot 1 .
I will maybe give the SIM a clean and reseat it into tray to see if there is any difference.
otherwise aside from that issue it's been amazing! One thing I'm really impressed is with battery, I am getting like 6 Hours Screen On Time on each cycle! and I'm not such a light user. Great for £260 unlocked!!
:good:
I also have giffgaff. This also happens to me mostly at home. I disabled Carrier Aggregation which seems to help, but it still happens sometimes.
I have the same and set the signal to be 2g only while at home, as I am using home wifi. I get many more bars when I do that and its good for calls and text only of course.
Its a pity we are not able to activity switch mobile data modes depending on our location without rooting.
scoobydu said:
I have the same and set the signal to be 2g only while at home, as I am using home wifi. I get many more bars when I do that and its good for calls and text only of course.
Its a pity we are not able to activity switch mobile data modes depending on our location without rooting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So I tried cleaning and blowing in sim slot maybe debri but no still had the same issue. But then changed to carrier aggregation off, that helped a bit but still had issue often.
Finally resorted to switching to 2G for Calls and SMS only and I am mainly getting full signal strength all the time!
strange.. wonder if it is hardware issue or can be fixed via update?
Recently I've started to experience exponential increase in dropped signal/phone rebooting/radio cycling on/off. It looks like my home is at the edge of verizon's band 4 coverage. They must have switched on or changed tower config over the past couple months, as that's when it started.
Essentially, my pixel is trying to connect to band 4, which is around -105 to -115 dBm. As a result, signal drops frequently. It'll connect to band 13 sometimes, which is great at -85 to -95 dBm. The thing is, seems like band 4 has priority, as the phone constantly drops the more stable band 13 connection in search of band 4.
Speedtest shows no benefit to me the enduser, as I am getting around 100/18 connection on both band 4 and 13. It's gotten to the point where this would happen every couple minutes, making the phone unusable.
Staying on wifi solves the data issue, but that's not ideal. And I still see the radio cycling on/off trying to search for signal even on wifi, which means I could potentially lose calls and texts.
Any suggestions on how to temp disable band 4, or at least prioritize band 13 over it? Thanks!