After update, Signal Strength and 4G Bars dont match

[Davidoo]

I just today noticed something else strange on my phone since the update. In the past, there was a direct correlation between the number of bars of 4G being displayed and the signal strength in the settings. Generally anything lower than -85db on signal strength got me 5 bars of 4G on my screen at the top, over -85 to -95 4 bars, over -95 3 bars, over -105 2 bars, and over -115, forget it. I'm not sure these are exact, but around those numbers I got about that many bars.

Now, there doesn't seem to be any correspondence at all, like the signal strength is measuring something else. Once today I had 5 4G bars and a signal strength of -93db. At my office I'm on the 3rd floor and look straight out to a Verizon tower no more than 1/4 mile away. I stepped over to my window and the signal strength was way up to -76db and my 4G bars were fluctuating between 3 and 4 bars. Before the update -76 always got me 5 4G bars.

I was sure before that the signal strength and 4G display on top of the screen worked together on the S3. I wonder if this could be at the heart of the issue with the reception problems somehow?

 

[friedtators]

Its hard to tell. They are upgrading again and the radios are different .

 

[anon(749368)]

This latest update messed up my phone so much that it made it as bad any old HTC Evo Design. Now I'm only on 3G, battery drains twice as fast as it did when I first got it a month ago. Of course Verizon didn't know anything when I told them it's because of the update. Now they'll do me a replacement which us a refurbished one - I wonder if I should use it or keep my phone hoping they will offer a fix soon.

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[Davidoo]

The reason I think this mismatch is critical is because your phone may still be getting the strong 4G signal it always has as indicated by the signal strength meter, but if the phone is showing less bars than it should, that could be triggering the software to drop 4G and go to 3G or 1X when it doesn't need to.

 

[cdmjlt369]

The reason I think this mismatch is critical is because your phone may still be getting the strong 4G signal it always has as indicated by the signal strength meter, but if the phone is showing less bars than it should, that could be triggering the software to drop 4G and go to 3G or 1X when it doesn't need to.

This is a good point and have often wondered if a phone can"trick" itself into thinking it has no 4g when it does.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Android Central Forums

 

[HalizDad]

I was showing I had a 4G signal...The problem was I was downloading at sub 1X speeds after that update. Then, if there was a handoff from 4G to 3G, or any other direction it took about 5 minutes to reconnect. Ridiculous. I'm an impatient individual (character flaw, I know) so I wasn't waiting for a patch.

 

[bontjes]

Anyone having trouble sending and receiving picture messages or just regular SMS? I've been getting lots of failed message alerts.
I'm also noticing that my 4G and (now since the update - 3G) my data speeds are ridiculously slow.
Oh tired of seeing the 3G/4G on all the time even though I'm on wifi.

I called Verizon tonight after doing a Hard Reset and getting a new sim card without resolution and they are putting a network ticket in now for it. I'm not confident. :-(

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