Official Signal Strength and Reception Thread

[qnet]

Re: low signal strength?

3G and 4G will utilize the different signals. So, the signal strength and 'bars' will also be different between 3G and 4G, at the same location, at the same time.

I understand that, both 3G and 4G are low all the time in my home.

 

[mitra88]

Re: low signal strength?

Also, the very first 4G LTE phone, HTC Thunderbolt had the exactly same swarming of users complaining about the 4G signal strength and its reliability when the phone was launched. I myself almost stepped out to go to VZW store to return my Thunderbolt one day because of the signal issue. However, after several updates of the baseband, I now have three very reliable Thunderbolts, in addition to my GN. These baseband updates actually also improved the battery life, too.

 

[qnet]

Re: low signal strength?

Also, the very first 4G LTE phone, HTC Thunderbolt had the exactly same swarming of users complaining about the 4G signal strength and its reliability when the phone was launched. I myself almost stepped out to go to VZW store to return my Thunderbolt one day because of the signal issue. However, after several updates of the baseband, I now have three very reliable Thunderbolts, in addition to my GN. These baseband updates actually also improved the battery life, too.

That's some good information. I don't know anything about basebands and didn't realize they could be updated that way, through software.

 

[Premium1]

Re: low signal strength?

Also, the very first 4G LTE phone, HTC Thunderbolt had the exactly same swarming of users complaining about the 4G signal strength and its reliability when the phone was launched. I myself almost stepped out to go to VZW store to return my Thunderbolt one day because of the signal issue. However, after several updates of the baseband, I now have three very reliable Thunderbolts, in addition to my GN. These baseband updates actually also improved the battery life, too.

I had the thunderbolt on day 1 also and it was almost unusable for awhile, but looking at it now compared to where it started is night and day difference.

 

[BiNGE]

Re: low signal strength?

Saw talk on basebands and wanted to share my experience.

The HTC Incredible had terrible call quality and signal issues around launch with the AMOLED models. Around the introduction of the LCD models the baseband was updated along with the software to 2.2. The baseband improved battery life as well as signal quality. Since that time my own Inc as well as friends' were getting a much better experience. This all happened around last August-Nov, right around the release of the fascinate, if I remember correctly. HTC Inc was released before June 2010 and it took HTC a while to include that baseband in an OTA.

 

[edgefever]

I had the thunderbolt on day 1 also o and it was almost unusable for awhile, but looking at it now compared to where it started is night and day difference.

Tbolt was the first LTE phone., why should the GN have to be
compared to that.?
It's crazy.

 

[BiNGE]

Re: low signal strength?

Tbolt was the first LTE phone., why should the GN have to be
compared to that.?
It's crazy.

This is the first google phone on Verizon. Google has never programmed hardware for VZW CDMA/LTE until now.

 

[Premium1]

Re: low signal strength?

Tbolt was the first LTE phone., why should the GN have to be
compared to that.?
It's crazy.

Because this is the first lte phone google has had?

 

[mitra88]

Re: low signal strength?

Tbolt was the first LTE phone., why should the GN have to be
compared to that.?
It's crazy.

I believe that Premium1 was trying to say that, every smartphone in which software controls the radio hardware can improve its function over several updates. I also have to say that, in terms of 4G signal strength and its reliability, Thunderbolt is slightly better than GN, as of today.

 

[edgefever]

Re: low signal strength?

my bolt works great it's been an interesting 9 months, got another ota yesterday. Just saying Google should know more by now.

 

[qnet]

Re: low signal strength?

Another thing that I hadn't thought about is, when the GN shows no signal but I still can make and receive calls, it may be on 1X which is still a signal albeit a slower one data wise. Maybe it doesn't display 1X but just 3 & 4G.

I don't really care about this as long as the phone works as a phone in my home. I can have fun with the data out in the city.

 

[edgefever]

Re: low signal strength?

1x is what's giving a lot of people bad battery life.

 

[Tom in Bristol]

Re: low signal strength?

I'm thinking that many of the new Gnex owners weren't hanging in here during the long run-up to launch day and hadn't seen any of the many reports of the improvements of the leaked OTAs that testers posted here. Or the comments from BMX that suggested we hold the faith.

'Chillaxen' was his advice, I b'leeve.

 

[sc4fpse]

Re: low signal strength?

I posted this image in the battery life thread, but I figure it would be of some importance here too...

I traveled quite a ways today on major interstates in Michigan and through a few large cities. Is the Nexus seriously telling me that in all my travels, I had a poor signal 99% of the time? How is that I only have a few small bits of green in there? I passed more Verizon cell towers than I could count, both 3G and LTE. Let's be honest -- Verizon signal strength isn't the best all the time, but I know it is not that bad 99% of the time.

There is something seriously wrong with the Nexus' radio.

 

[Super Turtleman]

Re: low signal strength?

This has been an interesting read. This was my main concern on getting the Nexus and it seems to be legit. I'm in Northern Michigan and signal is not the greatest here, so a phone with good reception is a must. Looks like I better wait a while and see how things progress before making a choice. It might be worth my while to just wait a few months and see what else is coming...as long as my DX hangs in there.

 

[Davidoo]

Re: low signal strength?

Except the charge did get better, as did the thunderbolt and many other phones through updates.

Yes, the Charge did improve some, I'd say about 50% after we got the GB update. Still though, I'm in a solidly "red" 4G zone at my house and only get 4G on the Charge about half the time (only got it about 1/4 of the time before the update).

I see people bringing up that after release updates come out that improve the radio. Well, I can see that for the first 4G phone, but now that we all know about this, why wouldn't Verizon already have the updates installed to make the phone work better now? Do they have to act like every phone is the first 4G phone?

 

[byrds8]

Re: low signal strength?

Ive had my TB and my Nexus side by side and they pretty much get the same signal strength. I dont seem to have an issue.

 

[Premium1]

Re: low signal strength?

Yes, the Charge did improve some, I'd say about 50% after we got the GB update. Still though, I'm in a solidly "red" 4G zone at my house and only get 4G on the Charge about half the time (only got it about 1/4 of the time before the update).

I see people bringing up that after release updates come out that improve the radio. Well, I can see that for the first 4G phone, but now that we all know about this, why wouldn't Verizon already have the updates installed to make the phone work better now? Do they have to act like every phone is the first 4G phone?

Because maybe the testers did not have bad results at first and it was later on that they started working on a new radio? Who knows why verizon does what they do.

 

[Raptor007]

Re: low signal strength?

From a visual standpoint the signal indicator is 1-2 bars, the iP4S I got rid of was in the 3-4 bars in the same places. However I will say I was constantly told my calls sounded like I was calling from a tin can on the iP4S, and with the G-Nexus my calls sound much, much better. So that must count for something.

 

[Ken7]

Re: low signal strength?

Then go get a rezound and quit crying, that is all you do on A/C and phandroid. If the phone sucks so much get something else. That is why you have choice and a return period.....

Thanks, very helpful.