So an update...for the first week or so after I updated I saw no change in my signal loss/reconnect problem. BUT in the last week or so I have seen my signal stabilize greatly - to normal levels. And when it does drop, it will re-establish itself easily now. So I am quite satisfied with things now. But it makes me wonder whether or not before was actually a bug/conflict of a really common (like Facebook) app rather than the phone software, and an app update fixed things. Or maybe something with T-Mobile's network that has been fixed. Just wondering out loud...