this isn't z5 specific but since I just picked this phone up I figured I'd start my search here.
I was on verizon before getting my z5c so this wasn't a problem until I switched to at&t.
Part of my weekly commute consists of driving down a highway that follows the St. Lawrence river and thus I constantly pick up the Canadian towers and can't stream my music. I'm not stranger to rooting, unlocking, etc so any ideas I am open to. Basically I'm looking for a way for my phone to ignore the Canadian towers, regardless of signal strength. And I don't mean just turning off the data roaming as this isn't a proper solution. Any ideas anyone?
Related
I just got off the phone with a Verizon rep and they confirmed that there are no network outages in LA. So I guess there's something wrong with my phone. I'm currently running the debloated OTA rom with the radio that comes with it. I can intermittently connect to 4G, but only the upstream seems to work. It randomly cuts out, bumping my internet off or dropping me to 3G and 1X. Does anyone have any insight into this?
lolipear said:
I just got off the phone with a Verizon rep and they confirmed that there are no network outages in LA. So I guess there's something wrong with my phone. I'm currently running the debloated OTA rom with the radio that comes with it. I can intermittently connect to 4G, but only the upstream seems to work. It randomly cuts out, bumping my internet off or dropping me to 3G and 1X. Does anyone have any insight into this?
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Well I think you were lied to,they have been messing with the network in several market over the last few days,if flashing different radios doesnt fix your problem it has to be the network, in sioux city iowa the same thing had been going on ask day, they are getting ready to switch the 4g on, it happened in three twin cities yesterday when they expanded the coverage, can't always believe what the reps tell you
Sent to you via my handheld cellular communications device
The rep seemed like an honest dude, but I guess there could be sneaky network changes and upgrades. It might also be hardware damage. Does anyone about the 4G antennas on the back cover of the Thunderbolt? Does anyone know where I can get a replacement? A ticket has been opened for some techs to check out the network in my area. I'll keep you all updated.
You're sure your network mode is on CMDA / EvDo + LTE?
Positive. I can't think of anything else except network issues or hardware damage. :\
I am still in sioux city and the network is flippin out,give it a day befor you go buying hardware
Sent to you via my handheld cellular communications device
Good call on that one. 4G is up and running when I leave the apartment. The strange thing is I have basically full 4G reception outside of the apartment, but inside: no 4G, but full 3G. Such is life, I guess.
I've recently been experiencing some problems with my phone (Motorola Photon 4G) in which I get full bars but no service. After troubleshooting the problem with a tool called Network Signal Info, I've found that it only appears on a specific tower (I've been keeping track of the CID it provides). Unfortunately, that is the tower closest to where I live and my phone defaults to that one. On any other towers, I get service (I can text, call, etc).
I'm looking for an app that can prevent my phone from registering on these towers (and thus blocking my service).
Any suggestions?
I've been reading into PRLs. Can I do this by creating a custom PRL? I have no idea how to do this for my phone, though.
Looking to leave Verizon for a GSM carrier (ATT or T-Mobile) because I like the freedom to jump to many different phones. With ATT I would have to bring my wife with me since keeping up with a Verizon plan and ATT plan would be too expensive. With T-Mobile I can keep her on Verizon and the cost would be about the same. But I am not sure about T-Mobile. I hear about dead spots and not having service. What I want to know is it really zero service in the dead spots? Not even voice? I want to make sure if I am traveling that I can reach someone if the car breaks down or whatever. While I am a big data user, I don't mind it to much if I can't get data everywhere. Ironicall while voice is important, I hardly use minutes, but with Verizon I like that I have at least voice coverage almost everywhere.
Just do a coverage check.
Signal/etc. is all relevant to location.
For example, I get service and 4G everywhere in my area except my house which is EDGE, but I have full bars of voice, but since I have wifi, no big deal.
I Am Marino said:
Just do a coverage check.
Signal/etc. is all relevant to location.
For example, I get service and 4G everywhere in my area except my house which is EDGE, but I have full bars of voice, but since I have wifi, no big deal.
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Thanks, I keep hearing about dead spots and not having service. If that is just about data, that is fine with me. Even on Verizon I have places where I don't have data, but being completely cut off without even voice is what would worry me.
Character Zero said:
Thanks, I keep hearing about dead spots and not having service. If that is just about data, that is fine with me. Even on Verizon I have places where I don't have data, but being completely cut off without even voice is what would worry me.
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In general those reports are about 4G. I took a long trip to the southwest last year, and we had 2G data on all the freeways. But the voice worked.
ATT will have more coverage in more areas, but in general along major freeways and in the major cities T-Mobile has good presence. As noted before, check out the coverage charts at t-mobile.com.
in my office building, in which I have a window office, I get it a strong voice signal and LTE signal with Verizon, a decent voice signal and HSPA signal with AT&T, but anywhere more than one foot from the window I get your zero voice and zero data with T Mobile.
This is in a suburban area just north of Los Angeles called Santa Clarita. In the San Fernando Valley, there are fewer dead spots, but inside any large building like a mall or a Costco, it's a dead zone.
I would never recommend t-mobile as a sole carrier for any individual, I only put up with it because I have accounts on all three major networks. I just switch phones when I need to.
If you're going to be a one service person, I would go with AT&T. Their service is much stronger and covers more than t-mobile. The only advantage T Mobile have is that the HSPA plus dual channel is faster then LTE on the other networks, and when you can get a signal with T Mobile it's a pretty good one.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 2
distortedloop said:
in my office building, in which I have a window office, I get it a strong voice signal and LTE signal with Verizon, a decent voice signal and HSPA signal with AT&T, but anywhere more than one foot from the window I get your zero voice and zero data with T Mobile.
This is in a suburban area just north of Los Angeles called Santa Clarita. In the San Fernando Valley, there are fewer dead spots, but inside any large building like a mall or a Costco, it's a dead zone.
I would never recommend t-mobile as a sole carrier for any individual, I only put up with it because I have accounts on all three major networks. I just switch phones when I need to.
If you're going to be a one service person, I would go with AT&T. Their service is much stronger and covers more than t-mobile. The only advantage T Mobile have is that the HSPA plus dual channel is faster then LTE on the other networks, and when you can get a signal with T Mobile it's a pretty good one.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 2
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Were you checking these characteristics on your Note II, or some other phone?
stevedebi said:
Were you checking these characteristics on your Note II, or some other phone?
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Note 2, HTC One, both unlocked T-Mobile phones (as of this morning) which are sitting here on my desk in front of me. The Note 2 with an ATT sim has voice and good data. The HTC One has my TMo sim in it and is reporting no service. I have to tether it to my VZW S3 to use it unless I stand against the window.
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I've somewhat recently obtained the LG G2 Mini (D620R) due to my stupid self bricking my Samsung S3. In every single way it utterly destroys the S3, despite the S3's specs being slightly better. I've recently switched to T-Mobile, since I was under the impression that T-Mobile is a GSM carrier, and my phone is GSM as far as I know and Straighttalk was no longer a viable option.
I was told I would get spotty data coverage where I live, and that is completely understandable and I knew that going in. However, I have been getting little to no voice and text service where I live, and fair service in town. Even a free cell booster did not seem to help despite getting fair signal at the window unit. I did a bit of troubleshooting and for some reason, the phone is connected to T-Mobile (WCDMA). This makes no sense as A)It's a GSM phone (afaik). B) T-Mobile is a GSM carrier. The only other options when scanning the networks in the area are AT&T (WCDMA) and AT&T (GSM). In town, there is a T-Mobile (GSM) network, but selecting it results in EDGE instead of 3G/H. The cell booster did work some at first, but it seems to have stopped helping at all. Since it is not a T-Mobile phone I can't use Wi-Fi calling/texting. Is there something I'm missing? Did I find wrong information/get lied to about T-Mobile? Did I get scammed on the phone? I'm hoping I can get some help or figure this out, I can't really afford another phone and getting a phone through T-Mobile would push my bill up way too high (and honestly, I'm considering dropping to the non-unlimited plan because of how insanely expensive it is).
A less important question, how do I bypass the tethering restrictions? Do I need to root the phone or is there a simpler method? Last time I rooted a phone...it resulted in me having to buy this one in the first place...
Also, is the S3 really that badly crippled by Touchwiz a weaker phone can utterly humiliate it?
Ok, first of all google a bit about mobile network standards, there's everything explained. I'll just introduce you with a few things:
1. WCDMA is not equal to CDMA, it actually represents 3G standard for regular (not CDMA) phones.
2. GSM equals 2G standard, and it gives EDGE data communication, while WCDMA equals 3G/3G+ standard and it gives HSPA/HSPA+ data communication.
As I said just google it, at your location you probably have stronger 2G than 3G signal, and when you go to some bigger town or city you get 3G better.
For start read the information given at this link.
Problem is, I get absolutely no EDGE at all where I live, only 3G/H and I consistently lose all service and cannot make calls. I am well within the coverage area for at least voice. I also have been having more and more troubles with data even in town. It's progressively gotten to the point where I have to constantly toggle data just to get some mobile data for a few minutes or so.
Try to select 2g only network and you should get EDGE.
If I select 2G Only, I get no service at all, it doesn't even attempt to search for a signal where I live (Red 'X' instead of spinny icon). However in town if I do this, I do immediately get switched to EDGE/2G and it's signal is slightly better.
Than it means you don't have network coverage at your place, that's all.
My booster however shows it gets 3 bars, and I was made aware at the time I would get at the very least get voice service. I did some checking and I'm about 5 miles from the nearest cell tower. My only other option at this point is AT&T, but I have a general distaste for them, can't afford a phone if they don't have a BYOP program, and they do shady things to rooted phones from what I've heard.
I do expect poor or no data service where I live, I can make do with that. What I don't expect is no voice service at all, sometimes even to the point of no E911 either.
THE TL;DR
Verizon data in a specific area used to be solid, but now is practically nonexistent. I know it’s not gone entirely though, because I can maintain an LTE signal lock and use it if I exit the affected area, get an LTE signal lock, start the utorrent and begin downloading a [legal] torrent, and then re-enter the affected area. I’ve tested with friends, family and strangers over a series of devices - it’s not just me. Verizon says it’s heavy network usage which seems like BS. Please help.
THE FULL VERSION
THE PROBLEM
About a month ago the Verizon data service in the area that I live/work went from solid to almost nonexistent. The affected area is maybe a 2 to 3 mile circle it seems. I’ve had friends, family, and even strangers verify that it isn’t just me - they’re experiencing the same thing (wide range of devices.) Essentially, I can no longer get LTE in this area, and the 3G and 1x are even spotty (and horribly slow.) Veeery occasionally I will be able to get LTE to lock, but it drops almost immediately. Calling and SMS do not seem to be affected. Outside of this affected area, LTE service in the area seems to be unchanged. I’ve opened multiple tickets with Verizon -- they essentially told me that the network in my particular area is overloaded and this can’t be resolved until they build a new tower that covers the area (obviously that’s not going to happen anytime soon.) Although this might seem plausible, I’ve lived and worked in this exact location for the past 3 years, and only once has something similar happened previously (and I’d know because I’m a power user who doesn’t use a computer, and who uses LTE for internet exclusively.) The previous occurrence was in February this year, and the issue disappeared after about a week.
I do happen to live in a college town, so the network could be under some additional strain with the kids coming back, but I don’t believe admission is up appreciably from previous years, and I don’t know of any new living spaces that were built in the area that’s affected, so it seems that the network shouldn’t any more strained than it has been in previous years.
THE UTORRENT TRICK
If I move outside of the affected area and get an LTE signal lock, open utorrent, start downloading a torrent [legal only,] and then re-enter the affected area, the LTE lock will hold an I’ll be able to get the full LTE speeds almost as if the problem has been resolved. However, if I shut off utorrent, or if I toggle airplane mode while I’m in the affected area, the LTE signal lock is lost, and issue will persist (ie. I’ll only get 3G, 1x, or nothing at all.)
QUESTIONS
Can anyone explain what might be happening and why? Is it really that the network is under heavy load?
Why won’t my phone even find LTE while I’m in the affected area? It’s clearly still available if I can keep an LTE lock using the utorrent trick.
What causes the utorrent trick to work? It almost seems like the trick bypasses the network’s attempts to hide LTE from me in this particular area.
I’m rooted. Is there any way that I can force my phone to find and lock the LTE in the affected area? The 3G and 1x are essential unusable.
If I can’t force my phone to lock the LTE and stay on it, is there some other way to make my phone hold the signal once it has it *besides* using the utorrent trick?
Any insight would be much appreciated.