Verizon Pixel switching bands at home frequently

[pixel083]

I'm having trouble posting this, so I've split this post in half as a test.

I've had a pixel for just over a month now, and I've noticed some things with it. About 3 or 4 times, it has lost a signal completely, and I've had to turn on airplane mode, or switch network modes for it to search again, and pick something up. This most recently happened after I rebooted the phone, no network connectivity after 2-3 minutes of the phone being booted up, so I switched network modes, and bam, service. It doesn't seem to matter which network mode I choose, they all seem flakey for me.

 

[pixel083]

So my reason for writing this post is because when I went into sim status, I could see my signal level fluctuating often. When I would first boot up the phone, sometimes I'd see -105dBmV, and then after 30 seconds it'd be up to -118dBmV, or even -120.

So I downloaded signalcheck pro to check things out.

Long story short, when my pixel is connected to band 13 using 700mhz, my signal levels are anywhere between -105dBmV - 112dBmV. When my pixel is connected to band 4 using AWS, my signal fluctuates between -111dBmV - 120dBmV, average probably being in the middle.

With signalcheck pro I also noticed that my phone likes to switch between band 13 and band 4 a lot, sometimes it'll be using band 13 one minute, band 4 the next... What's going on? Is this the tower automatically telling my phone which band to use due to network traffic? It seems to be changing far too often for that. I wish I could force my phone to use band 13 since that's where I have a stronger signal, I don't care if AWS is faster, I'd rather have better reception.

Verizon is sending me a new sim, which is still on the way. How does the phone decide which tower and bands to use, is there information on the sim for that, on the phone, or is it all decided by the tower/verizon?

 

[matty032]

Band 4 is higher in frequency and is a weaker signal, but higher frequencies provide faster internet speed. Unfortunately, starting around the time the Pixels were released, Verizon decided to change up things and make data speed a priority over signal strength. So peoples phones are choosing what in most cases are the weaker signal. To make matters even worse for us rural folk, they are concentrating their signal in the cities for 3 band carrier aggregation. So I am thinking they are pulling some antennas out in the country and moving them to the cities. Weakening an already poor signal. Can't prove it, but I am noticing a lot of empty hangers on their towers.

 

[Green_Laser]

I too, about a couple hours ago, my pixel xl.. It's not that signal was low, it was just out completely with an x on signal. I too hit airplane mode to help it reset to the towers, didn't help so I tapped the mobile data icon in quick settings and it helped. Now I just hope the October update fixes the random reboot issue!

 

[pixel083]

Thank you for the replies. I actually downloaded and installed the October security patch late last night before going to bed. I also got my new sim card from verizon in the mail today.

That makes it a little difficult for me to know which helped my problem, but things have gotten a little better for me. My phone now seems to consistently stay on band 13 more, where I get the stronger signal. I have seen it flash over to band 4 a few times, but it seems to prefer 13 now, which is what I want.

I hope I don't sound picky. I wouldn't care so much if I lived somewhere with a stronger signal. However, with how far I live from the towers, I really want my phone to hold onto the band with the stronger signal.

*I also forgot to mention that I noticed an updated PRL on my phone after installing the October security patch.

 

[matty032]

Thank you for the replies. I actually downloaded and installed the October security patch late last night before going to bed. I also got my new sim card from verizon in the mail today.

That makes it a little difficult for me to know which helped my problem, but things have gotten a little better for me. My phone now seems to consistently stay on band 13 more, where I get the stronger signal. I have seen it flash over to band 4 a few times, but it seems to prefer 13 now, which is what I want.

I hope I don't sound picky. I wouldn't care so much if I lived somewhere with a stronger signal. However, with how far I live from the towers, I really want my phone to hold onto the band with the stronger signal.

*I also forgot to mention that I noticed an updated PRL on my phone after installing the October security patch.

My signal remains poor after the October update.

 

[DJM626]

Matty what do you keep your radio band on? I find that if I keep mine on United States contrary to what some people say or think, I get the best signal. Automatic is not nearly as good and sometimes Cellular 800 does ok for me but most of the time it stays on US

 

[matty032]

Matty what do you keep your radio band on? I find that if I keep mine on United States contrary to what some people say or think, I get the best signal. Automatic is not nearly as good and sometimes Cellular 800 does ok for me but most of the time it stays on US

If you are on Verizon, you are supposed to use Cellular 800. The other ones will cause hollow bar. I am not sure what the other carriers have to use.

My issue is Verizon has ruined their network in my area at least. All the other carriers work at my house. Verizon is terrible everywhere I travel. My wife's TMo works good every where. The work hotspot on ATT works good at the house. I can put my wife's TMo sim in my Pixel and it works good at the house. ATT pickups the best at the house. But the Pixels on ATT are gimped by ATT. No VoLTE, no HAD Voice, and no WiFi calling. So I can't switch. My Pixel is a work phone, so I can only use it on VZW or ATT. So I'm stuck on the air inferior VZW network.