Coverage Issue Blamed on Phone?

[delrey1900]

I live in NW Indiana which shows a rather good coverage for T-Mobile. I recently switch from VZW to TM last month mainly to reduce my bill in half, which I did. For the most part, coverage is real good with a couple of exceptions. One of them is being my office. Now, just like VZW, my phone gets no signal. However, all I had to do is step downstairs or outside and everything was fine with VZW. I expected about the same with TM. However, when I'm outside the phone has a hard time grabbing signal and sticking with it. It switches between LTE, 3G, H, and E all of time. So, per TM's instruction, I tried forcing the phone to go 3G or E only but the phone still won't hold signal. Now they are blaming the phone (unlocked Moto G 3rd Gen). Since it's not a 'T-Mobile' phone they cannot guarantee connection. My question being, does the phone really matter? I know my G (I have the XT1540) doesn't have this Band 12 everyone is gungho about but does it make that much of a difference? If I do get a phone from TM will I get better connection throughout? It may not fix my issues completely but will it make it better? Anyone have similar experience that can give some insight? Sorry for the long rant but needed to provide the explanation. Thanks for help!

 

[boogas8]

It depends where you are. I live in Minnesota and it makes a HUGE difference where I live and go to college. I now get coverage everywhere on campus including basements, while people next to me without band 12 phones get no coverage. Same for my home. I went from no coverage unless I went 4 blocks to full coverage. At home data is only 4-5 mbps down but it works and I have WiFi.

So, for me it was a great improvement but it all depends on the area. Minnesota was a huge beneficiary of band 12 and one of the first states (if not the first), to have band 12 turned on and it cover the majority of the state.

sent using my Galaxy Note 5 via The Uncarrier

 

[IAmSixNine]

Also keep in mind that 3G and H are pretty much the same thing.
If you see it going back and forth its because the phone will park its self on 3G when no data is being used, then if data is needed it goes to H while the data session is active. Or visa versa. Dont confuse that with not being able to hold a signal as it is holding the signal just fine. Its just changing protocols to save battery when no data is being used.
Now going to E and or LTE is a change.

 

[delrey1900]

Also keep in mind that 3G and H are pretty much the same thing.
If you see it going back and forth its because the phone will park its self on 3G when no data is being used, then if data is needed it goes to H while the data session is active. Or visa versa. Dont confuse that with not being able to hold a signal as it is holding the signal just fine. Its just changing protocols to save battery when no data is being used.
Now going to E and or LTE is a change.

Thanks for the info. It's actually switching between all modes within a few seconds of each other. Not just 3G and H. And it even jumps from 0 to full bar as well, on all signal types. I have no idea why. Everywhere else I use my phone that shows coverage, I get great signal and do not have this issue. My biggest question is if it's worth getting a phone from 'T-Mobile', with or without band 12, will make that much of a difference. Cause, right now, TM won't do anything about my issue since I didn't buy the phone from them.

 

[IAmSixNine]

With that phone, if you get great service / coverage everywhere else then my guess is your phone is just fine, but the one spot your having issues might have some sort of major interference.
Signal going from 0 to 5 bars, and going thru all the services would support that theory, in conjunction with it working well most other places.

 

[bulabula]

In my personal testing of Tmo service using a Nexus 5 without band 12 and then using the same sim in a Nexus 6 that has band 12 I saw an improvement in connections. I think band 12 is the 700MHz signal that works better in urban type areas. Hth

Sent from either my Nexus 5/6/7