[PowrDroid]

Just got back from the Verizon store. I went there to play with the camera, a big concern of mine, and was somewhat encouraged.

One of the things I did when I bought my Razr Maxx HD two years ago was to compare the network signal strength with the other phones in the store. Back then the RMHD had the strongest signal of any phone I tested.

Tonight I was curious about the Droid Turbo's radio. I compared the signal strength with my RMHD. Here's what I saw:

RMHD
1X -58 dB
4G -69 dB

Droid Turbo
1X -71 dB
4G -79 dB

So the Maxx HD had a better radio. (smaller numbers are better.)

I also tested the Sony Experia Z3v
1X -69 dB
4G -78 dB

Galaxy S4
1X -72 dB
4G -81 dB

If you go to the store and can remember, please test the signal strength of the radio and post it in this thread along with your current phone and/or other phones inside the store. You could also do this at home if you have another phone to compare it with.

To access the signal strength meter:
Settings > More... > Mobile Networks > Network Type and Strength

[steve0617]

I did this exact same thing today. The Turbo was 1db better than my Razr Maxx HD when checking LTE.

[PowrDroid]

I did this exact same thing today. The Turbo was 1db better than my Razr Maxx HD when checking LTE.

Strange. I had the phones side-by-side when I did my test.

[steve0617]

Strange. I had the phones side-by-side when I did my test.

As did I. Turbo in its little stand/security thing. Razr Maxx HD on the display sitting right next to it. Wanted to run a speed test on the Turbo but they did not have a Play store account on any of the three display phones so no way to install anything.

I did try it with a 2014 Moto X that did have an account. Wanted to see if XLTE, which Denver is supposed to have, and the two speed tests of the same server started concurrently only had the X about a meg faster. Both were solid teens on download speed. Surprised that the XLTE wasn't faster.

[PowrDroid]

As did I. Turbo in its little stand/security thing. Razr Maxx HD on the display sitting right next to it. Wanted to run a speed test on the Turbo but they did not have a Play store account on any of the three display phones so no way to install anything.

Hmmm..I was holding them in my hands side-by-side. I wonder if that makes a difference. I remember there was an issue with reception with the Moto M when it first came out with hands interfering with signal.

[MA2GA28]

I'll be very interested in seeing where this thread goes. I have the Razr Maxx, and have noticed signal drops (4G and Wifi) over the last year, after having not great reception before that. Always knew Moto's weakness was weak/problematic radios. I want to get the 64gb BN BAD, but if the Turbo has issues like that, I may have to wait to see if the issue is remedied.

[Randino77]

I'll be very interested in seeing where this thread goes. I have the Razr Maxx, and have noticed signal drops (4G and Wifi) over the last year, after having not great reception before that. Always knew Moto's weakness was weak/problematic radios. I want to get the 64gb BN BAD, but if the Turbo has issues like that, I may have to wait to see if the issue is remedied.

Moto has been long
considered to have some of the best radios in the business.

Posted via the Android Central App

[ryanr509]

Do u think testing in the Verizon store with a billion phones in such a close area leeching off the same network would sway the test?

[zobog]

This is the first time I have ever heard anyone say Motorola has weak radios. Model after model over the years have been said to have the best radios of any manufacturer.

[Siendorf]

I went from moto x to turbo and the radios seem really bad compared to moto x. At work now hard to test. Will do more test as I got the phone right before heading into work. Just right off that bat I could tell the radio in the turbo is worst than moto x.

Posted via the Android Central App

[ohnoitsryan]

My turbo has noticeably worse signal than my Moto x 2013.
Turbo: -81dBm
MotoX: -72dBm
(same difference overall in lte/cdma test)

I go to places where my Moto X barely gets reception but can make calls and I'm worried that this Turbo won't be able handle it.

Normally I'd say meh, oh well. But I bought this at full price so I'm nitpicking it a little more. Bought it yesterday and thinking about returning already.

I don't think the signal strength is software side, pretty sure it's hardware so I doubt an update will fix anything.

[Jordan Miera]

Ugh. I really wanted to get and like this phone. This could be a deal breaker for me. I'll have to go to the store this afternoon and check it out.

[Firedogee]

My turbo has noticeably worse signal than my Moto x 2013.
Turbo: -81dBm
MotoX: -72dBm
(same difference overall in lte/cdma test)

I go to places where my Moto X barely gets reception but can make calls and I'm worried that this Turbo won't be able handle it.

Normally I'd say meh, oh well. But I bought this at full price so I'm nitpicking it a little more. Bought it yesterday and thinking about returning already.

I don't think the signal strength is software side, pretty sure it's hardware so I doubt an update will fix anything.

Try switching Mobile Network from Global to LTE/CDMA or vice versa and see if that helps. This is under Settings, More, Mobile Network. Also, make sure to apply the recent system update from Settings menu.

Sent Turbo-fast from my bulletproof 64GB Droid Turbo

[Siendorf]

My turbo has noticeably worse signal than my Moto x 2013.
Turbo: -81dBm
MotoX: -72dBm
(same difference overall in lte/cdma test)

I go to places where my Moto X barely gets reception but can make calls and I'm worried that this Turbo won't be able handle it.

Normally I'd say meh, oh well. But I bought this at full price so I'm nitpicking it a little more. Bought it yesterday and thinking about returning already.

I don't think the signal strength is software side, pretty sure it's hardware so I doubt an update will fix anything.

I agree I priced that the first hour I had it. My moto x single was strong and lte was fast. Seems turbo as week radio signal right now kinda like the gnex did hope it can b fixed.

Posted via the Android Central App

[KSDroid01]

I did this exact same thing today. The Turbo was 1db better than my Razr Maxx HD when checking LTE.

Exactly the same result when I tested at the store today...the Turbo was at -50, my HTC One was at -51.

Posted via the HTC One

[KSDroid01]

One of the display models was apparently logged into an account, I was able to download Speed test and it blasted a 52mbps download, fastest I've ever seen in Phoenix. I'm sure they had a repeater in the store but still. My M7 sitting right next to it pulled 35, fwiw.

Posted via the HTC One

[Jordan Miera]

I went to a corporate store yesterday. I compared the signal strength on two Turbos (one MGF, one ballistic nylon; I was curious if the difference in material made any difference) with the signal strength on my Droid DNA. The results? They were all pretty similar. My DNA was slightly better most of the time, but only very slightly.

Red MGF Turbo:


Ballistic nylon Turbo:


Droid DNA screenshot:

[Dave de la Fuente]

I really really wanted to get a turbo, but 2 trips to the verizon store confirmed the very poor reception of the turbo. Today when I went in to the store and told them I just wanted to check out the turbos' cellular reception and the customer service guy said the nearest cell tower was down so it might not be the best time to check reception. Actually it was the PERFECT situation to check it out.

They had 3 turbo demo units in the store, one of each color. The black and the ballistic were running the latest software update ...21.15 and the red was running 21.12. My galaxy s3 had a fair signal and the turbos were abysmal. Attempts to perform an online function resulted in a "no connection" error.

4G LTE strength side by side comparison at Verizon store in Northern California

galaxy S3: -84dBm

Black DT: -109dBm
Red DT: -109dBm
Ballistic DT -112dBm

Sony xZ3: -68dBm
Galaxy s5: forgot to check dBm but had a great signal.

My s3 barely functions where I work and the weak signal drains my battery daily. I can't imagine the the turbo will work at all. Back to the drawing board.

[HOTHEAD]

[BlueLions81]

I compared it to my Droid Maxx. My Droid Maxx was about 3dB better than the Droid Turbo. I didn't think to test any of the other phones in the store. Maybe I'll go back and do that sometime.

[wolf_walker]

It isn't easy and I suggest you have your $%&# together if you want them to take you seriously, but enough people notifying Moto support and getting yourself forwarded to an engineer is the only way this will be addressed(either now or in the next big phone). I've observed this same pattern with wifi and have been forwarding info to some Moto engineers off and on for a few weeks now. I don't really expect anything to come of it and I believe it is the physical antenna/placement in the device, but hopefully it'll go in the books for the next time.

[INCREMENTAL]

I have the 64gb turbo and I compared it to my gfs G3 a few different times and the turbo always has a slight better signal but not much. Where I found the Turbo to excel vs the G3 is how much better it can hold that signal when ur in a poor service area.

Also last Friday night in a car ride we went through a dead zone, G3 went into 1X, Turbo had a 3G connection.

Posted via the Android Central App

[markymark]

I compared it to my Droid Maxx. My Droid Maxx was about 3dB better than the Droid Turbo. I didn't think to test any of the other phones in the store. Maybe I'll go back and do that sometime.

I had the same results on 4g and 1x between my RMHD and the Turbo. But on wifi my RMHD was consistently ~10 dB stronger than the Turbo. And my RMHD could see and connect to other networks in the mall that the Turbo couldn't even see.

[Inders99]

To a prospective purchaser, this is concerning. Is this something a software update can take care of or is this a hardware issue?

[Postoid]

To a prospective purchaser, this is concerning. Is this something a software update can take care of or is this a hardware issue?

I don't believe it's a hardware issue. Motorola radios are really good and reliable. They go back a long way. Since the DT is still new, there might just be a software tweak getting put together to iron out these annoyances popping up.