Phone Calls & Texts

[radicchio]

How reliable and efficient is the Note 4 for phone calls and texts---two of the more basic functions of an android phone, but not things we can take for granted will work smoothly. Is the Note 4 pretty dependable? Decent signal strength? What about call clarity (on both ends)? Although its many other functions are exciting, if it doesn't make phone calls or send/receive texts well, it would be very disappointing. In the past, I have read about Samsung phones not having the best reputation for their ability to make simple phone calls. Has that improved?

 

[Android D]

How reliable and efficient is the Note 4 for phone calls and texts---two of the more basic functions of an android phone, but not things we can take for granted will work smoothly. Is the Note 4 pretty dependable? Decent signal strength? What about call clarity (on both ends)? Although its many other functions are exciting, if it doesn't make phone calls or send/receive texts well, it would be very disappointing. In the past, I have read about Samsung phones not having the best reputation for their ability to make simple phone calls. Has that improved?

No issues with the phone!

 

[Rukbat]

Assuming you choose the right carrier (one that has solid coverage where you need coverage), Samsung phones work well. If you choose a carrier that has no signal where you need signal, no phone is going to work well. And those are the reports you're seeing - "My Samsung phone stinks, I only get 1 bar and drop calls." Sure, if the nearest tower is 10 miles away and there are 3 large hills between you and the tower, and your house has aluminum siding. Take the same phone, on the same carrier, to the tower, ans watch the signal go to 5 bars and no problem.

People choose the carrier by many things - price, amount of data, which phones they offer - but very few people choose the carrier by checking that carrier's signal where they need coverage (and since a signal hole can range from inches to miles, the fact that the carrier has a good signal in the street in front of your office building isn't good enough - check it at your desk) - which, since it's primarily a phone - should be the first consideration.

The Note series has pretty decent receivers. I'm about 5 miles from the tower I connect to and I get a strong (-88dbm) signal. It could be better, but anything over about -103 is fine. (And since the scale is logarithmic, that's about a 32 times strength difference - so the signal could be 32 times weaker and I could still make calls.)

 

[radicchio]

Thanks. That's good to hear. I seem to remember reading about issues with the Note 3 and phone calls, so I was concerned.

 

[exdrinker]

All of the radios seem better on the note 4 than on the note 3. The Note 3 was not bad but it seems like Samsung just went the extra mile in the Note 4. Wifi and call service on Verizon were very noticeable to me as was the GPS.