PSA - Serious Flaw in the Verizon Galaxy Nexus

[2defmouze]

TL;DR

Moto radios > Samsung radios

Didn't need any fancy testing to confirm that, lol.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2 Beta-5

 

[tony bag o donuts]

TL;DR

Moto radios > Samsung radios

Didn't need any fancy testing to confirm that, lol.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2 Beta-5

Agreed...This phone is definitely form over function.....but IMHO it is so nice and thin, even with a thick case on it...has nfc (don't use it for payments though) ICS, soft buttons, no bloatware (verizon's two pieces of software are actually helpful to those who may not have unlimited data).

Give me an HTC branded nexus with a moto radio and I would be in heaven.


Problems is that the launch was fumbled.....accessories i.e. docks are not readily available 4 months after launch, etc.

Also, the radio upgrade from 4.02 to 4.04 did not help me with reception one bit. Only how fast it goes from 3g to 4g without using the airplane mode trick. Rooting and using Bugless Beast has made my third device much more functional.

 

[YourMobileGuru]

Yet there are Nexuses, like mine, that have no issues whatsoever. (Granted it's the third one I've tried, but still.) Your chart can't account for that. Logically, about the only explanation that can is that some or even many early devices were affected by bad/faulty hardware. Attempting to quantify that is obviously going to be very difficult.

So to broadly state "PSA Serious Flaw in the Verizon Galaxy Nexus" is a little bit of a blanket statement.

Serious flaws in some of them? Sure, no question. I saw it, and many others have as well.

Serious flaw in all of them? That's not accurate either.

Hard numbers? Frustrated owners have been posting screen shots of their signal readings along with those of others devices for months now. Yours is very nicely done, but with all due respect I don't think it's the definitive statement that's going to wake Verizon up and do something about it.

Posting screen shots showing poor signal is not showing numbers over time and anyone can do that. Tracking performance over time and comparing them to multiple other phones is hard numbers. That's what I did and if I wanted to get Verizon's attention I would not have posted this here I would have sent it to them directly. I'm not going to bother with that because they already know about the problem weather they want to admit it publicly or not. Their own employees are returning their devices over this issue and it's gotten enough attention in the blogs and reviews it's impossible for them to NOT know about it.

The point of this thread is to educate the members of this site who are considering getting this device and are on the fence. I've been following a number of threads comparing this to the RAZR and REZOUND and while this issue always comes up it tends to get overlooked because of all of the gushing over ICS and the screen and what have you. It's easy to overlook when you have a whole flight of apologists who chime in and respond with something to the effect of "mine works fine" or "I dont have that problem" or "it must be where you are" etc or the ever popular "you must have a bad device"

After reading this some people will buy it anyway and that's fine, but at least now they can't say they haven't been warned and THAT is why it is listed as a Public Service Announcement.

 

[YourMobileGuru]

Agreed...This phone is definitely form over function.....but IMHO it is so nice and thin, even with a thick case on it...has nfc (don't use it for payments though) ICS, soft buttons, no bloatware (verizon's two pieces of software are actually helpful to those who may not have unlimited data).

Give me an HTC branded nexus with a moto radio and I would be in heaven.


Problems is that the launch was fumbled.....accessories i.e. docks are not readily available 4 months after launch, etc.

Also, the radio upgrade from 4.02 to 4.04 did not help me with reception one bit. Only how fast it goes from 3g to 4g without using the airplane mode trick. Rooting and using Bugless Beast has made my third device much more functional.

Tony have you been following what's going on with that fancy dock that Jerry reviewed a while back that does not work on 4.0.2 but does work on 4.0.4? Turns out it is apparently an Android issue and I am wondering if that one device is the tip of the iced burg and maybe they KNOW it so that is why we aren't seeing as many accessories (and maybe they just didn't bother because it is a niche phone).

HTC hardware with Moto radios would indeed be nice but I would still like a Moto device. They have definitely had their bad ones but something with a similar form factor the Razr MAX (maybe not quite as wide and with edges a little more rounded) running JellyBean would make an awesome Nexus IMHO

 

[jerrod6]

How do can you tell where your device was made?

 

[YourMobileGuru]

How do can you tell where your device was made?

Mine says it on the top of the box next to the IMEI number but it should also say in the sticker on the back of the phone behind the battery.

 

[tony bag o donuts]

The effort that went into the OP's chart is appreciated but is probably based on flawed data given how ICS reports signal strength compared to the other devices. Plus, I'm not so sure this is "PSA" worthy as it seems that given the sheer number of threads on this and other forums, it's not exactly a new topic, but I totally understand the frustration that would drive such an endeavor to create "proof".

But most threads on here start with a "this phone sucks, the reception sucks" etc. so the manner in which the OP presented it is appreciated.

 

[anon(394005)]

All I can add is my observation of months worth of reading this forum, numerous other forums across the web (including Verizon's own support forum), and even hundreds of reviews on Verizon's main website (where you can buy the phone), and it's readily apparent the Galaxy Nexus has a signal connection issue unlike any other LTE phone.

 

[GMC MaXx]

I have a Galaxy Nexus and my work gave me a Razr. I can confirm that the Razor always has a stronger signal and always performs significantly better in speed tests.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[burwil]

My measurements corroborate the OP. If you have signal issues with the Nexus you're gonna know it quick and it will be unmistakable. It took me just a few days to pretty much know it needed to go back. And you have a two week return window. So just get another phone. The people who fall through the cracks are the first time smartphone owner who may not know better. I owned a D1 and DX so I knew this was not normal (and I'm talking 3g...4g was quite poor). People considering the Gnex should try two of them to convince yourself. If that fails go HTC or Moto. If your signal is good, congrats you have a great phone. For you.

Sent by my Rezound using Tapatalk 2 Beta 5.

 

[pauldroidr2d2]

VZWRocks, thanks for the information. If anything the information you have provided via your research is interesting.

 

[YourMobileGuru]

VZWRocks, thanks for the information. If anything the information you have provided via your research is interesting.

No problem Paul, if this helps even one person on the fence make their decision and/or prevents someone from making a decision that they regret then it has served it's purpose. If it gets people talking more about an issue that others seem to want to sweep under the rug then it has served it's purpose.

This is a phone we all WANT to love but given this issue it's hard.

 

[Dreamliner330]

Hearing this phone has signal problems is no surprise to me. I've tried the samsung nexus s and the samsung galaxy s2, all of which I have had to return because of poor signal quality.

I am surprised a company can get away with such a major flaw on so many different devices and nobody does anything.

 

[YourMobileGuru]

Hearing this phone has signal problems is no surprise to me. I've tried the samsung nexus s and the samsung galaxy s2, all of which I have had to return because of poor signal quality.

I am surprised a company can get away with such a major flaw on so many different devices and nobody does anything.

People who complain loud enough get replacement hardware (certified like new replacement, really just someone else's return that was checked out and wiped).

 

[Hovik818]

I'm tired of everyone thinking that every single Nexus has a defect. Mine works PERFECT. Never had a drop. My 4G only goes out in classrooms at school and my house. I have wifi so it doesn't matter really. The phone is the best phone out there (at least for Verizon). What's the point of the same exact rants in these sub-forums? Its very simple, just get a new phone. Have fun getting a Razr or Rezound and being stuck with a discontinued phone after a few months. At least I know these come once a year.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk

 

[Dreamliner330]

many many many many many many many Samsung devices have signal problems. There are a lot of people that acknowledge it.

The problem is, people have a need to defend the phone they own, even to their detriment.

 

[trivor]

You know, this reminds me of early iPhone users (and maybe even current) on ATT. I asked them how they liked it and they said they loved it except for poor reception to make/receive phone calls. The Verizon Galaxy Nexus is a beautiful pieces of equipment (way too big for my taste) but it is amazing what people put up with to own this phone. While I love having a smartphone (rather than carrying a Palm PDA and a phone) I still need my phone to work as a phone - if it can't do that (even though I make fewer calls than ever) it is useless to me for both personal and professional reasons. I live in a small town (<20,000) in rural Southern Nevada and Verizon is the only carrier that has consistent good coverage throughout the city. I see other people with other carriers and there is always some caveat about their service so you get what you pay for. That being said, I think the other carriers are a lot closer in cost than they used to be (although some of the pre-paid plans can get pretty inexpensive (Page Plus is an excellent reseller of Verizon service). JMHO.

 

[cowsquad]

I'm tired of everyone thinking that every single Nexus has a defect. Mine works PERFECT. Never had a drop. My 4G only goes out in classrooms at school and my house. I have wifi so it doesn't matter really. The phone is the best phone out there (at least for Verizon). What's the point of the same exact rants in these sub-forums? Its very simple, just get a new phone. Have fun getting a Razr or Rezound and being stuck with a discontinued phone after a few months. At least I know these come once a year.

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Nexus is not the best phone lol iPhone is.

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[cowsquad]

Nexus is not the best phone lol iPhone is.

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APRIL'S FOOL es)

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[YourMobileGuru]

I'm tired of everyone thinking that every single Nexus has a defect. Mine works PERFECT. Never had a drop. My 4G only goes out in classrooms at school and my house. I have wifi so it doesn't matter really. The phone is the best phone out there (at least for Verizon). What's the point of the same exact rants in these sub-forums? Its very simple, just get a new phone. Have fun getting a Razr or Rezound and being stuck with a discontinued phone after a few months. At least I know these come once a year.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk

Getting a new phone will not fix a software bug unless you have corrupted files. You are one of the lucky ones who have one that works good for you but getting a new phone only works for ones that have hardware problems on top of the software issues.

And the replacement phones they send you are not new they are USED. The same phone you sand back they hook it up to a computer to see if there is a hardware issue, and when there isn't (the vast majority of cases) they reflash the software, re-package the phone and send it out so the next person who complains about theirs not working.