Signal strength on S4

[brpost]

About 2 days in with my new S4, and it's signal strength is better than my Droid Charge. There's a spot in my house I'd drop calls about a third of the time with the Charge, but I've had no such issue with the S4 so far. I've been pleased with it's clarity and strength. (Verizon)

 

[JenTDOT]

These answers are going to be so varied...I am using Telus in Toronto. With my S4 I only got 2 bars at home. Just switched to the Note 2 and I get 4 bars consistently at home. But the strength didn't affect call quality on the S4 and I didn't have any dropped calls or bad connections.

 

[PaulWog]

I would certainly like to know, thanks.

You also may want to concider a microcell from AT&T for your house. Sprint gives them out for free in poor signal areas, AT&T, which I'm switching to, said they would do the same if I had signal issues.

Seems microcells are unknown or not admitted to exist by Telus in Canada.

The signal strength is identical between the two S4's. Very bad signal strength in my area. Side-by-side an iPhone 4S and a blackberry bold (an old cheap one), the S4 comes out losing every time. I did a few tests. That's at least testing on Telus in White Rock, Surrey, Burnaby, Richmond, and Vancouver in British Columbia. Haven't really gone out of my way to visit somewhere further away to see.

My next order of business is trying to get my area to have a signal. Telus claims we have a maxed bar signal in our neighbourhood and that our house should be covered extremely well. Definitely not...

 

[wjeffries]

I've been using my S4 for about a week now on Verizon. I find the signal strength about the same as my Droid Bionic and close to my wife's Razr Maxx. I've used the phone at home, work and at our cabin in the mountains. 4G LTE signal in all locations, although it is weaker at the cabin due to lack of towers nearby and at work where we have always had a weak 3g and 4g signal. I've very happy with the signal strength.

 

[stephenstud]

I went from a 4S to the S4, and the signal is horrible compared the 4S. I love the bigger screen, but I kinda miss my iphone.

 

[OhAlfie]

I get amble signal strength with my ATT S4. It's equal to or better than the signals I got with all my previous iPhones.

 

[xyrium]

Not entirely. Perhaps he is like me, and with three phones in one location, the S4 is worse than the other two. One is an HTC Incredible, the other is an iphone, I believe v4. So, I support the assertion that the S4 has poor reception. I can't even text message in places where I was previously able to maintain a phone call with my Incredible. I think I have one more week for my trial on this phoen with Verizon in NJ, so I'll probably exchange it. I wish Verizon carried the HTC DNA in my area...

 

[Judy Nelluvelil]

I have had t mobile for years without issues but the day I switched to the s4, I experienced dropped calls. I also barely get signal in places I always could before. Very dissatisfied

 

[PaulWog]

I have had t mobile for years without issues but the day I switched to the s4, I experienced dropped calls. I also barely get signal in places I always could before. Very dissatisfied

Couldn't agree more.

A phone first and foremost needs to function as a phone. Signal strength ties a few other features as a #1 feature that must be excellent in a phone. When a phone fails on these basic things, it ends up being a failure from the ground up...

 

[jroc]

I have had t mobile for years without issues but the day I switched to the s4, I experienced dropped calls. I also barely get signal in places I always could before. Very dissatisfied

Couldn't agree more.

A phone first and foremost needs to function as a phone. Signal strength ties a few other features as a #1 feature that must be excellent in a phone. When a phone fails on these basic things, it ends up being a failure from the ground up...

I agree 100% PaulWog. In defense of the GS4....I would say try 1 or 2 more....if it still has issues....and you didnt before getting the GS4....it is what it is....

Every phone, tablet, OS, ect has pros n cons. Every device manufacture has pros n cons.

 

[howeird]

Please stop guessing. It is easy on most Android phones to see your signal strength:
Open Settings
Scroll to "About Phone" (usually at the bottom of the scroll)
Click on "Status" (some phones may have "signal" instead)
look for signal strength
A decent signal is -40 to -60 dBm
- 70 to -100 is poor
more negative than -100 is pretty much a fail

 

[Jim Boerner]

I have a BRAND spank in new one right off the factory floor and though I love the features in the phoneI couldn't be more disappointed with the signal strength. Previous to this phone I had an iPhone and in low signal areas I always had a couple bars whereas this phone even in a decent signal areas I get maybe one bar sometimes none it's absolutely disappointing I wish I would have stayed with another iPhone like I said features are cool but you definitely definitely give up signal strength

 

[skipatrol]

I have decent coverage with my S4 as I did with my Bionic everywhere outside of the community where I live. However in my house it's basically non-existent (using VOIP). The bionic would at least allow me to send and receive texts in the house. My Girlfriends S3 allows her to send and receive texts in the house. My S4 will not even allow me to send and receive texts so I'm using Google voice for that too in the house. Overall 'd have to say the S4 is worse signal wise unfortunately. Hopefully there is an update to correct this.

 

[tsairox]

I have the Samsung Galaxy S4 and came from the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. My SGN2 never hade reception problems like this! I have At&t. When my SGS4 is in the case and holster, ( I have bought four different brands including Seidio) the callers on the other end say it's muffled. This clearly tells me there is an issue with the antenna. With the SGN2, I have the phone in my Seidio case and the sound is crystal clear for the caller on the other end. This unfortunately means I'm going back to my SGN2. I'll wait for the SGN3! Only reason I switched was to have a smaller phone with faster processor. I also owned the SGS3 with a Seidio case and never had this issue. Hope this helps others. tweet me @tsairox

 

[mandoman28]

I have had the S4 for a few weeks and have had trouble the whole time, the call quality is clear but the reception is terrible! I am with AT&T, in Chicago. I had an S3 and had no issues. Now with the S4 I am constantly missing calls and the signal strength is hardly ever below -101dBm. I called AT&T and they thought it might be the sim card and had me replace it but nothing changed. I love the phone and all the features but I wish I would have stayed with the S3!

 

[ilifecomputer]

Similar issues on mine in SF on Att. My q10 gets full signal but my s4 is constantly between 3-4.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2

 

[redimpala01]

It's horrible. We have a Verizon Network Extender and the best I can get is 3 bars while I'm standing next to it.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Protik Sandell]

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[bberrynewbie84]

Wow this doesn't sound good,I've got an update for Verizon and wanna an S4 but don't wanna deal with the same type of signal issue I have with my galaxy nexus.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[delta7]

I always have at least 3 bars with sprint but I have a iphone 5.

Anyways I wanted a s4 but it seems I'm not gonna follow through with that, a phone needs to be a phone first and it may seem like the s4 can't do that.

Now I have to see if a HTC ONE is worth a straight up trade with my iphone.