Battery Life is very poor when in location with weaker signal, why is that?

[AC Question]

Battery Life is very poor when in location with weeker signal

I have an LG-G4 and in one very specific location (my cabin) I only get about 3 hours of battery life (when not in use) when I have anything higher than GSM Only selected as the Network Mode. I have been in contact with Rogers and they have replaced my phone and I am still experiencing the same issue with the new phone. The troubles started when I upgraded to Android Marshmallow. Rogers has checked the cell signal and do acknowledge that the signal is weaker but should not cause this sort of battery drain. I had an LG2 and my wife and daughter both have an LG3 all running KitKat and have not experienced this type of battery drain at the same location.

 

[HaboobZ]

I tend to think it's because it's constantly looking for that signal. I notice in outlying areas that it will cycle through 3G, 4GLTE, and sometimes 1X and it gets very warm doing so and drains the battery a lot more quickly.

 

[duckman48764]

here is a screen shot of the battery life. Note the flat spot, that's when I switch to GSM Only, the rest of the time it's on the other network modes as I cycled through the options

 

[Fousekis]

Re: Battery Life is very poor when in location with weeker signal

I have the same issue exactly! Only on Marshmallow. I think it is a bug probably.

 

[duckman48764]

Yes. Ever since the upgrade on the first phone and the replacement phone came with marshmallows on it. Does anyone know if this is just an LG issue or are other brands experiencing the same issue? LG just wants me to send the phone in agail so they can reset it for the sixth time

 

[milan187]

When your signal is low the phone power has to be increased to keep a stable connection. Lower signal phone radiates higher power.

 

[FastEddy2]

Based on your screen shot, I'd recommend you switch away from LTE mode: settings, more, mobile networks, network mode, select GSM/WCDMA auto. Try that for a day or so. If it's still draining, switch to WCDMA only. Try it for a day. Still draining, switch to GSM only. I was having poor call quality at my home (one, maybe two bars) and switched to GSM/WCDMA. Now I have 4-5 bars and call quality is much better.

If none of these options work, you might try a signal booster like the weboost eqo (new product I'm hoping to try this week).

 

[jeffmd]

Milan is spot on. The weaker the signal, the higher the phone needs to boost the antenna. ALSO, if you are ROAMING (which you would only know if you used an app to look at the connected cell phone tower) the phone will keep looking for a tower by your provider at max signal strength.

 

[duckman48764]

Just to clarify.. This is on an LG4 running Marshmallow. My wife's LG3, sitting right next to it, running Kitkat is getting the exact same single strength and is having absolutely no issue. That and my LG4 was just fine when I first got it when it was running Kitkat, but since the upgrade, it's been total carp.

 

[sswitzer]

Re: Battery Life is very poor when in location with weeker signal

Look at apps like AccuWeather - when I switched to marshmallow I found that AccuWeather was super draining my battery. It probably was not properly doing data and/or location synching. I'm sure there are other apps like that as well.

 

[FastEddy2]

Just to clarify.. This is on an LG4 running Marshmallow. My wife's LG3, sitting right next to it, running Kitkat is getting the exact same single strength and is having absolutely no issue.

The G3 only supports GSM, HSPA/HSPA+ (not LTE) so you are not comparing apples to apples.

I researched the Bell cell towers in my area (Canadian Cellular Towers Map) and found that the closest tower does not support LTE. Even with the Weboost cell booster, my signal strength did not improve. Once I switched my phone to GSM/WCDMA, signal strength improved (as did battery life, about 2 days between charges). I no longer use the booster.

Hope this helps you as well.

 

[shadavis08]

Re: Battery Life is very poor when in location with weeker signal

Location is key. Change your setting away from high accuracy. Google's high accuracy setting kills my battery often! Just changed it and it's not always trying to locate me anymore.

 

[shadavis08]

The G3 only supports GSM, HSPA/HSPA+ (not LTE) so you are not comparing apples to apples.

I researched the Bell cell towers in my area (Canadian Cellular Towers Map) and found that the closest tower does not support LTE. Even with the Weboost cell booster, my signal strength did not improve. Once I switched my phone to GSM/WCDMA, signal strength improved (as did battery life, about 2 days between charges). I no longer use the booster.

Hope this helps you as well.

On Verizon G4 that would be the global setting.

 

[duckman48764]

Re: Battery Life is very poor when in location with weeker signal

tried that, made no difference even turned it off and the battery life was still horrible

 

[duckman48764]

Re: Battery Life is very poor when in location with weeker signal

will take off AccuWeather and replace with Weather network. Accuweather was sort of useless with it's silly comments like "it's cold out side, bundle up", I live in Winnipeg.. IT'S ALWAYS COLD OUTSIDE IN JANUARY!!!!

 

[duckman48764]

Yes, switching to "GSM Only" does extend the battery life back to what I see in the city. it just sucks that I have a fancy cutting edge phone with the latest and greatest software, and I have to cripple it back to 1980's technology

 

[shadavis08]

Re: Battery Life is very poor when in location with weeker signal

I just bought extra batteries and swap out when I need too lol

 

[FastEddy2]

Well it all depends on what you are using the the phone for (I know this sounds like a stupid question)? If you are extensively surfing, downloading files (and the like) LTE is faster. If you are like me and use it primarily "FOR A PHONE", with the occasional text/email, then GSM is just fine.

As for extra batteries, it is a pain to open my Otterbox, so I just purchased an EnerPlex 10400mAH external power bank for $30. It will charge the G4 "four" times on a single charge (a lot simpler that swapping batteries IMHO).

And you indicated you were with Rogers. Are there any other providers with towers (or shared towers) in your area?

 

[duckman48764]

just a quick update regarding Accuweather, I took it off the phone, but alas, no improvement