Nexus 5: Poor cell reception?

[mrsmumbles]

In my experience, I find the Nexus 5 definitely has weaker cell reception (voice & data, and GPS lock). I used to have an HTC One M7 and it got amazing reception in my office. When I switched to the Nexus 5, same office, it wouldn't hold the bars as much. It'd often get very weak signals and/or would drop signal altogether every now and then.

Also, once in a while, I get these very annoying issues:

"Restricted Access Change: All Voice Services Are Blocked"
"Restricted Access Change: Dat Service is Blocked"

My phone is useless for a few minutes before everything comes back to normal. Never ever saw that on my HTC One M7. I'm on Tmobile in NYC. All my bills are paid. There's just no reason to get those errors.

Lastly, GPS lock can be weak/sketchy, too. And it can sometimes take a long time to lock on.

When I upgrade to my next device, better signal/reception/GPS lock are actually a few of the most important things I'm looking forward to. It's one of the weakest points of the Nexus 5.

Did you contact T-Mobile? Those error messages were coming from them. It sounds like problems with the Sim card.

 

[onthecouchagain]

Did you contact T-Mobile? Those error messages were coming from them. It sounds like problems with the Sim card.

I did and have switched SIM cards twice and the first time, I still got the error. So far, I haven't gotten it since the last switch (about a few weeks ago), so I'm hoping the problem is gone for good. These sorts of problems are, unfortunately, very hard to diagnose because they may not happen again for what could be long periods of times. Tmobile said everything with my account is/was fine; they didn't know why I was getting those errors either.

 

[mrsmumbles]

Yes, that's strange. Well, I hope it will stay good.

 

[skyrockett]

Mine drops data.. Even though i still get lte icon and 2-1 bar my connection is lost. This is some serious problem...

 

[tonyr6]

I have a issue where it shows LTE I get Internet but when it shows H sometimes I have no Internet even when it shows full bars. I have to turn airplane mode on then off to connect. What is wrong?

 

[grenefroggie]

I don't know what to think of this phone. I didn't know what to think of my Galaxy Nexus a few years ago either. I am an AT&T customer in the US who is typically really happy with AT&T.

I live outside of a relatively small city. In the city I have no issues. I have full bars pretty much everywhere I go. When I get back to my house is where the issue starts. I have about 1 bar of service when I am home. It is enough to get phone calls and SMS/MMS. Luckily I have WiFi that works extremely well.

I haven't taken this phone apart, but I have noticed one trend in the Nexus devices: None of them work as well on domestic (US) carriers in terms of cell phone performance. I don't know why exactly, but I have better service on my AT&T Moto X....when using cellular data.

When I am on WiFi, the N5 knocks the socks off the Moto X. Both of my phones are connected to an 802.11ac AP, in the 5Ghz band. The N5 completely took me by surprise with the speed test:

Nexus 5: 144.99Mbps/98.72Mbps
Moto X: 65.39Mbps/47.80Mbps

NOTE: I have a 500Mbps/250Mbps connection.

So I get better performance on WiFi with the N5 than I do with the Moto X. I get better cell performance with the Moto X than I do the N5.

I love both phones. But for now, when it comes to needing to use my phone, the Moto X has so far worked better.

 

[mrsmumbles]

I don't know what to think of this phone. I didn't know what to think of my Galaxy Nexus a few years ago either. I am an AT&T customer in the US who is typically really happy with AT&T.

I live outside of a relatively small city. In the city I have no issues. I have full bars pretty much everywhere I go. When I get back to my house is where the issue starts. I have about 1 bar of service when I am home. It is enough to get phone calls and SMS/MMS. Luckily I have WiFi that works extremely well.

I haven't taken this phone apart, but I have noticed one trend in the Nexus devices: None of them work as well on domestic (US) carriers in terms of cell phone performance. I don't know why exactly, but I have better service on my AT&T Moto X....when using cellular data.

When I am on WiFi, the N5 knocks the socks off the Moto X. Both of my phones are connected to an 802.11ac AP, in the 5Ghz band. The N5 completely took me by surprise with the speed test:

Nexus 5: 144.99Mbps/98.72Mbps
Moto X: 65.39Mbps/47.80Mbps

NOTE: I have a 500Mbps/250Mbps connection.

So I get better performance on WiFi with the N5 than I do with the Moto X. I get better cell performance with the Moto X than I do the N5.

I love both phones. But for now, when it comes to needing to use my phone, the Moto X has so far worked better.

I have no idea if this is true/possible, but I wonder if carrier branded phones may have software made for their networks which improves how their phones handle radio signals. Just a passing thought.

 

[grenefroggie]

I have no idea if this is true/possible, but I wonder if carrier branded phones may have software made for their networks which improves how their phones handle radio signals. Just a passing thought.

I have no doubt in my mind that the carrier branded phones get help from the carriers to tweak/adjust/improve service to their networks. It is really in the carrier's best interest. The Nexus devices aren't super popular with the masses and are not sold in high volume like other devices, but does the LG G2 suffer from this same issue? Are they not almost identical phones?

 

[mrsmumbles]

I have no doubt in my mind that the carrier branded phones get help from the carriers to tweak/adjust/improve service to their networks. It is really in the carrier's best interest. The Nexus devices aren't super popular with the masses and are not sold in high volume like other devices, but does the LG G2 suffer from this same issue? Are they not almost identical phones?

The G2 would be carrier branded, so I'd think it would be different from the Nexus.

 

[grenefroggie]

The G2 would be carrier branded, so I'd think it would be different from the Nexus.

True. But I am assuming very little hardware wise, mostly software is going to be a big difference, no?

 

[mrsmumbles]

True. But I am assuming very little hardware wise, mostly software is going to be a big difference, no?

Right, that's what I was thinking. They can do a lot with the software/firmware though. Plus there are probably a lot of differences even though the radios in the Nexus are able to use the same AT&T frequencies. The G2 was the premium flagship of 2013 for the major US (and world) carriers, and it's to be expected LG would want to distinguish it as much as possible from the Nexus which is more of a niche product. Not at all saying they cut corners on the Nexus radios but the G2 was where they expected to see more profit, so there are probably differences (besides the battery) in the amount of time and effort (and materials?) devoted to the G2 over the Nexus.

 

[pdiddy777]

I just bought a Nexus 5 from T-Mobile a few days ago. I noticed as soon as I got home that I had no bars with LTE. I then started to notice my signal jumping from LTE to 3g to 4g. It does this for about a 5 block ratio around my house. I factory reset my phone, switched sims and nothing helped the issue. My roommate has the G2 on T-Mobile and always has at least 2 bars of steady LTE service. I called T-Mobile and the technician told me I shouldn't be having this issue because my house is right in the middle of an area that is supposed to have excellent LTE coverage. They sent me to the T-Mobile store for a replacement phone. They gave me a replacement phone and the same thing started happening inside the T-Mobile store where they have an antenna! It was actually worse with the new phone. The new phone would not even get LTE in the store. The sales rep swapped out the Sim and it started to get full bars inside the store. I walked not even 50 feet from the store and the new phone started doing the exact same thing. I'm back home and again no bars on LTE, signal jumping from signal to signal. I have a phone call scheduled with a technician at 9am tomorrow. She is going to go over some more diagnostics. I hope they can either fix the issue or wave the stupid $50 restocking fee so I can get a G2 that I know for a fact doesn't have these same issues.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[gidgiddonihah]

I have no doubt in my mind that the carrier branded phones get help from the carriers to tweak/adjust/improve service to their networks. It is really in the carrier's best interest. The Nexus devices aren't super popular with the masses and are not sold in high volume like other devices, but does the LG G2 suffer from this same issue? Are they not almost identical phones?

I have no idea if this is true/possible, but I wonder if carrier branded phones may have software made for their networks which improves how their phones handle radio signals. Just a passing thought.

Carrier branded software does nothing to optimize with the network - there is really nothing to optimize (other than the radio firmware which is separate from carrier branding). What it does do is show more bars per dBm to make the customer think they are getting better service than they are. This has been proven through multiple tests from lots of people and I think even Andantech has an article on it. The biggest indicators of this phenomenon are those that flash custom ROMs and then post questions asking why they have worse service. There is a thread in the HTC One M8 thread where several members flashed the GPE ROM and noticed noticeably fewer bars in the same area. They then compared dBm values when going back to stock and found the value to be the same. The only difference was the number of bars the phone displayed.

 

[mrsmumbles]

Carrier branded software does nothing to optimize with the network - there is really nothing to optimize (other than the radio firmware which is separate from carrier branding). What it does do is show more bars per dBm to make the customer think they are getting better service than they are. This has been proven through multiple tests from lots of people and I think even Andantech has an article on it. The biggest indicators of this phenomenon are those that flash custom ROMs and then post questions asking why they have worse service. There is a thread in the HTC One M8 thread where several members flashed the GPE ROM and noticed noticeably fewer bars in the same area. They then compared dBm values when going back to stock and found the value to be the same. The only difference was the number of bars the phone displayed.

Hah, that explains a lot. Thanks!

 

[grenefroggie]

Carrier branded software does nothing to optimize with the network - there is really nothing to optimize (other than the radio firmware which is separate from carrier branding). What it does do is show more bars per dBm to make the customer think they are getting better service than they are. This has been proven through multiple tests from lots of people and I think even Andantech has an article on it. The biggest indicators of this phenomenon are those that flash custom ROMs and then post questions asking why they have worse service. There is a thread in the HTC One M8 thread where several members flashed the GPE ROM and noticed noticeably fewer bars in the same area. They then compared dBm values when going back to stock and found the value to be the same. The only difference was the number of bars the phone displayed.

I have read the same. But I have never had a G2. The screen for the N5 and the G2 are slightly different, which made me think there could be other differences.

The difference in carrier branded phones came up as I made a comparison between the N5 and the Moto X. My Moto X rocks, but every Nexus device I have had has poor reception in comparison to the AT&T phones I have had.

 

[mrsmumbles]

I have read the same. But I have never had a G2. The screen for the N5 and the G2 are slightly different, which made me think there could be other differences.

The difference in carrier branded phones came up as I made a comparison between the N5 and the Moto X. My Moto X rocks, but every Nexus device I have had has poor reception in comparison to the AT&T phones I have had.

The reception on my Nexus 5 is better than any of my previous phones on Sprint (I'm using it on AT&T Aio/Cricket). It's one of the things I was worried about but it turned out really well.

 

[gidgiddonihah]

You also have to consider when comparing different devices is that they do have different hardware. And it is worse than useless to attempt to compare two different phones across two different carriers.

That being said, I am shipping my Nexus 5 back to Google for a full refund, courtesy of a wonderful rep who understood that 2 replacements and 7 months worth of issues (didn't know how bad it was for awhile) was a bit too much. Five minutes into the phone call he had the refund paperwork almost filled out and had brought in a supervisor to approve it before I even mentioned the word refund. Totally astounded at the customer service from Google. A word for anyone from Google (or any other company) - this kind of service buys customers, something many companies nowadays don't quite understand. Too bad, due to some financial crunches lately, I am going to pick up a GS5 on contract instead of the M8 GPE. I just don't have a lot of dough right now. Got to love college...

Didn't mean to steal/derail the thread. Sorry guys!

 

[Patrick Mantle]

I always have to switch hands when I'm talking. It's usually on one side where they can't hear me. I have no problems with the speaker phone. This has been an ongoing problem with each of my Nexus 5s. I have own about 5 of these devices, and each time this has happened.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[mrsmumbles]

I always have to switch hands when I'm talking. It's usually on one side where they can't hear me. I have no problems with the speaker phone. This has been an ongoing problem with each of my Nexus 5s. I have own about 5 of these devices, and each time this has happened.

Posted via Android Central App

That's interesting. I always hold it in my left hand when I'm on calls and everyone can hear me fine.

 

[ArthurKC]

Has anyone experienced the nexus 5 to have poor cell reception? Is it hardware or can we expect a fix?

I love the phone. I am on att but just recently ported from Verizon. My wife and I have unlocked iPhone that receive noticeably better signal.

This phone makes my old 5s seem like a toy... But the cell reception has been discouraging.

Same with wifi.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

I have had the same issues on my Nexus 5 now as well... It's 2016 and I still use a Nexus 5.. I'm on Walmart Family Mobile... It uses full access tonTmobile towers, and you can even take any T-Mobile phone, put a family Mobile sim card in it and it will work immediately... Now... On to the issue which may be in both T-Mobile and at&t.. I was considering the OnePlus X... But it doesn't use bands 12, and 17.... Which is pretty crucial now in most areas in the US for T-Mobile, and at&t LTE. After research I noticed the Nexus 5 lacks these bands as well. This might be the issue but idk.