New Spectrum keeps falling back to 3G

[rockinright]

I got my new LG Spectrum (Verizon) on Saturday. Although my home, and the area I spend my day in between my work - home commute is entirely in the dark red 4G zone on Verizon's maps, I keep seeing my device fall back to 3G any time I lose signal for a second (inside a building), or sometimes randomly, and, it doesn't generally go back to 4G no matter what unless I either shut down/restart, or go to Airplane Mode and back on the network.

There have even been times where the 3G signal was one or two bars, then, when I go in and back out of Airplane mode, lo and behold, a nice 5-bar 4G signal pops up.

What gives?

I'm in Columbia, Maryland FWIW and work nearby, but again, the 4G coverage map shows dark red everywhere I have traveled, and not even the "extended" 4G, but the "full" dark-red 4G areas.

 

[rockinright]

Really? 67 views, NO responses?

 

[MunkinDrunky]

Maybe I can help spur some responses.

I am going to first say that I am just giving some ideas to help you solve the problem, since I am not knowledgeable enough, or full know what is going on to say what might actually be wrong.

It immediately sounds like the phone could be faulty, bad radio, faulty software, something somewhere. What to do? First make sure that all the settings that switch between 4g and 3g aren't changed. I believe this is true for all 4g phones that you can choose between 3g only or 4g/3g. If these are unaltered and this still happens then if really might be a faulty device. Try to get it exchanged if the device is faulty- it should not be dropping the way you describe.

Maybe download an app called Coverage maps. Use it to see not only data coverage in your area on a map, but to test your signal strength and data speeds. If/when the data drops see what your signal and speeds are and the coverage for that area. Then reset, like you said by going to airplane and test again right after. If your phone consistently under performs and there is an unexplained jump in signal strength and speed in the same place you have a kind of stats that you can refer to. Proof perhaps to get it exchanged.

 

[rockinright]

How do I interperet the "db" rating?

On 4G, I tested at -97dB in my office just now. So far I've stayed on 4G since yesterday AM.

 

[rockinright]

It appears both the 3G and 4G signals are about identical strength here.

 

[MunkinDrunky]

Ok first about the db, -97db is a pretty weak signal- but even so you said you still have 4g. BTW a lower db number like -70db is a stronger signal. I was wondering if your signal strengh might cause your phone to switch between 4g and 3g even though 3g and 4g coverage is a little different than just signal strength since they use separate frequencies ( i think) and different towers. Sorry thats it for my ideas, i was trying just to rule out signal strength issues and if they at all correlated to your 4g data drops.

 

[rockinright]

At both my office and at home, I get similar readings.

When I was standing outside in my employer's parking lot, I was getting around -68db on 4G. 3G was around the same.

 

[rockinright]

OK, since my last post, it seems to be working fine. Maybe the issue was the 4G signal itself in my area.