Please advise: Just got Note 4 last night with AT&T. Many issues. Lemon or ??

[MTHall720]

I would greatly love some advice. I am going to take the phone back today, but before I do, please let me know what you think.

1] Internet speed insanely slow, and frequently will lose internet connection. When trying to open a web page, or download something sometimes it simply freezes. All other phones and computers work great.
Using Comcast highest speed (5Ghz) WiFi at home. Just got the router a few weeks ago so that is not it.
Test results:
Ping 24 ms
Download 121.06 Mbps
Upload 11.8 Mbps

2) Apps frequently either freeze OR will not respond at all when tapping the screen.


What I have done:
Turned the phone off and on multiple times
Got the latest updates on all the apps I use
Turned power saving mode off
Confirmed Nothing wrong with the router

Any thoughts?

 

[Kelly Kearns]

I would greatly love some advice. I am going to take the phone back today, but before I do, please let me know what you think.

1] Internet speed insanely slow, and frequently will lose internet connection. When trying to open a web page, or download something sometimes it simply freezes. All other phones and computers work great.
Using Comcast highest speed (5Ghz) WiFi at home. Just got the router a few weeks ago so that is not it.
Test results:
Ping 24 ms
Download 121.06 Mbps
Upload 11.8 Mbps

2) Apps frequently either freeze OR will not respond at all when tapping the screen.


What I have done:
Turned the phone off and on multiple times
Got the latest updates on all the apps I use
Turned power saving mode off
Confirmed Nothing wrong with the router

Any thoughts?

From what I have read, Comcast doesn't play well with Lollipop.

A couple of questions..

Have you upgraded to Lollipop?

If so, have you done a cache wipe?

 

[tsells]

See this:
https://plus.google.com/+DerekRoss/posts/iTMnRL4ZPhB

 

[mty msi]

Test results:
Ping 24 ms
Download 121.06 Mbps
Upload 11.8 Mbps

Did you post the right numbers?

121.06 Mbps download is blazingly fast. OOKLA's Speedtest app meter only goes up to 50 Mbps (it records higher download speeds than 50 Mbps for the results but the meter stops at 50 Mbps). You must have Comcast Xffinity's 100 Mbps service if 121.06 Mbps is correct.

I have Comcast Xffinity's 50 Mbps service & my download speed is 56-58 Mbps, upload is in the 12 Mbps range & ping is 10-20 ms. I have no problems with apps freezing (except latest Flipboard update) or losing an internet connection.

I have an Arris modem that is the same one Comcast would have installed a little over a year ago (cost on Amazon was $170 IIRC & Comcast charges $10/mo to rent theirs so after 17 months the Arris is paid for) & an Asus RT-AC68U router on 2.4 Ghz.

Keep in mind that using 5 Ghz the further you are from the router the weaker the signal streak will be although if your posted #'s are correct you have zero problems w/ signal strength/speed. I would switch to 2.4 Ghz and see what happens.

Out of all the issues I've had w/ the Lollipoop update yours isn't among them.

I read an article on Forbes today (through Flipboard) that Google themselves say the upcoming M OS is designed to increase battery life because contrary to their own claims about Lollipoop it is worse. That is Google themselves making that statement.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

Did you post the right numbers?

121.06 Mbps download is blazingly fast. OOKLA's Speedtest app meter only goes up to 50 Mbps (it records higher download speeds than 50 Mbps for the results but the meter stops at 50 Mbps). You must have Comcast Xffinity's 100 Mbps service if 121.06 Mbps is correct.

I have Comcast Xffinity's 50 Mbps service & my download speed is 56-58 Mbps, upload is in the 12 Mbps range & ping is 10-20 ms. I have no problems with apps freezing (except latest Flipboard update) or losing an internet connection.

I have an Arris modem that is the same one Comcast would have installed a little over a year ago (cost on Amazon was $170 IIRC & Comcast charges $10/mo to rent theirs so after 17 months the Arris is paid for) & an Asus RT-AC68U router on 2.4 Ghz.

Keep in mind that using 5 Ghz the further you are from the router the weaker the signal streak will be although if your posted #'s are correct you have zero problems w/ signal strength/speed. I would switch to 2.4 Ghz and see what happens.

Out of all the issues I've had w/ the Lollipoop update yours isn't among them.

I read an article on Forbes today (through Flipboard) that Google themselves say the upcoming M OS is designed to increase battery life because contrary to their own claims about Lollipoop it is worse. That is Google themselves making that statement.

Holy Crap!! I just noticed those numbers!

Yeah most people would love that wifi speed.

 

[beh]

I would greatly love some advice. I am going to take the phone back today, but before I do, please let me know what you think.

1] Internet speed insanely slow, and frequently will lose internet connection. When trying to open a web page, or download something sometimes it simply freezes. All other phones and computers work great.
Using Comcast highest speed (5Ghz) WiFi at home. Just got the router a few weeks ago so that is not it.
Test results:
Ping 24 ms
Download 121.06 Mbps
Upload 11.8 Mbps

2) Apps frequently either freeze OR will not respond at all when tapping the screen.


What I have done:
Turned the phone off and on multiple times
Got the latest updates on all the apps I use
Turned power saving mode off
Confirmed Nothing wrong with the router

Any thoughts?

If you got those connection speed numbers using an App on your new phone then the phone WiFi is obviously working fine. You have a few days to return and therefore I would highly suggest you work with learning the phone and its setup before deciding to return it. Like the others have said I have not had any of your issues with my Note 4. But I have had issues with Comcast with 4 different routers and 8 different Android devices.

 

[sparksd]

Interesting comments regarding Comcast as I've had no issues with it over many years with multiple Android (stock & custom ROMs) & Apple devices and different modems and routers. My Note 4 and other devices get ~60Mbps on Speedtest and no issues with apps.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

Interesting comments regarding Comcast as I've had no issues with it over many years with multiple Android (stock & custom ROMs) & Apple devices and different modems and routers. My Note 4 and other devices get ~60Mbps on Speedtest and no issues with apps.

The issue seems to have popped up really with the Lollipop update. I've seen it posted about here and other places a lot.

 

[sparksd]

The issue seems to have popped up really with the Lollipop update. I've seen it posted about here and other places a lot.

I'm running it on my Note 4 and 5.1.1 on my Nexus 7. Guess I've been lucky.

 

[goin_nil]

Re: Please advise: Just got Note 4 last night with AT&T. Many issues. Lemon or ??

If this is your first day, is your phone downloading all of your apps and data? Do you have auto update turned on in Google Play? That could be contributing to the wifi issues and other apps acting up.

 

[mty msi]

Re: Please advise: Just got Note 4 last night with AT&T. Many issues. Lemon or ??

Other question that comes to mind is which browser/app & what type of content. I don't use YouTube on my phone but I've read reviews in the Play Store that it locks up & Chrome has reviews of users having different issues. Not sure about other browsers.

If the issue persists I'd call AT&T tech support & have them remote into the phone before I took it back.

AT&T's 4G/LTE download speed is only around 5 Mbps a far cry from the 121.06 the OP is stating for his Wi-Fi.

I think a solution to the Comcast issue would be to buy a standalone router. I believe the Comcast supplied unit is only a modem. I know my Comcast TV uses a separate box from the Arris modem they would have supplied (I can unplug the Arris modem & it has no effect on the TV), the Arris modem runs only the IP & Comcast phone line for me. When I had Comcast installed about 15 mos ago they did not have IPv6, not sure it that's still the case but it sounds like it is.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

Re: Please advise: Just got Note 4 last night with AT&T. Many issues. Lemon or ??

Other question that comes to mind is which browser/app & what type of content. I don't use YouTube on my phone but I've read reviews in the Play Store that it locks up & Chrome has reviews of users having different issues. Not sure about other browsers.

If the issue persists I'd call AT&T tech support & have them remote into the phone before I took it back.

AT&T's 4G/LTE download speed is only around 5 Mbps a far cry from the 121.06 the OP is stating for his Wi-Fi.

I think a solution to the Comcast issue would be to buy a standalone router. I believe the Comcast supplied unit is only a modem. I know my Comcast TV uses a separate box from the Arris modem they would have supplied (I can unplug the Arris modem & it has no effect on the TV), the Arris modem runs only the IP & Comcast phone line for me. When I had Comcast installed about 15 mos ago they did not have IPv6, not sure it that's still the case but it sounds like it is.

Well my AT&T download LTE speed is not 5 Mbps, unless I'm in a very bad LTE area. In my city, it is 40-60 Mbps and even higher in other cities.

 

[mty msi]

Re: Please advise: Just got Note 4 last night with AT&T. Many issues. Lemon or ??

Well my AT&T download LTE speed is not 5 Mbps, unless I'm in a very bad LTE area. In my city, it is 40-60 Mbps and even higher in other cities.

When I spoke to AT&T tech support about it I was told 5 Mbps was their download speed, mine was in the upper 4 range. I'm in a large metropolitan area. My phone does what I need it to do incl. USB tethering through Foxfi/PDA.net and runs my Lenovo Helix hybrid laptop fine so I'm not concerned but when you see others incl. yourself post speeds considerably higher it just must be AT&T needs to seriously upgrade their 4G/LTE network is my locale. I know they just upgraded to HD voice which caused all kinds of phone call problems for a couple of months & I don't notice any difference in the phone call quality but the download speed is a non-issue for me.

Just like Kit Kat, on my phone if it's not broken don't fix it.

 

[way2broke]

If you just updated to lollipop, clear you system cache.... BIG DIFFERENCE!

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[mty msi]

If you just updated to lollipop, clear you system cache.... BIG DIFFERENCE!

Posted via the Android Central App

I've cleared my system cache. I haven't done a factory reset because it takes me at least 2 hours to set the phone up again. My decreased battery life has been acknowledged as a Lollipoop problem by Google themselves who stated the upcoming M OS is designed to correct the decreased battery life in Lollipoop. Of course Google also claimed increased battery life was a feature of Lollipoop & many forum members have posted they do have increased battery life.

Two other problems I have is no fast charge in my car anymore & can't answer incoming calls w/ speakerphone anymore. My other issues w/ Lollipoop are the design of the OS itself. No lockscreen taskbar area notifications which is coming back in 5.1 (another mistake Google acknowledges) & the size of the pull down screen notifications which force you to clear some to be able to read them all.

Another thing I discovered yesterday I don't like in Lollipoop is if you have a vm notification you can't clear it. If you press it it dials vm. What about if you just want to clear the notification & not listen to the vm (you want to listen to it at a later time)?? In Kit Kat you could just swipe the notification & clear it, the taskbar icon remained to remind you there was a vm(s).

To me between the updates in 5.1 & M coming so quickly & Google acknowledging issues Lollipoop is a complete fail. I've said it before & I'll say it again, it's the worst Android OS I've used going back to Eclair & Froyo.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

Re: Please advise: Just got Note 4 last night with AT&T. Many issues. Lemon or ??

When I spoke to AT&T tech support about it I was told 5 Mbps was their download speed, mine was in the upper 4 range. I'm in a large metropolitan area. My phone does what I need it to do incl. USB tethering through Foxfi/PDA.net and runs my Lenovo Helix hybrid laptop fine so I'm not concerned but when you see others incl. yourself post speeds considerably higher it just must be AT&T needs to seriously upgrade their 4G/LTE network is my locale. I know they just upgraded to HD voice which caused all kinds of phone call problems for a couple of months & I don't notice any difference in the phone call quality but the download speed is a non-issue for me.

Just like Kit Kat, on my phone if it's not broken don't fix it.

HSPA is not the same as AT&T 4G LTE aka LTE.

The fast speeds are the norm.

http://www.cnet.com/news/4g-lte-showdown-how-fast-is-your-carrier/

With AT&T, HSPA is their 4G network and 4G LTE is it's own network. We all had 4G on our phones, before LTE came out.

Here is their coverage map:

https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...ork%2Fen%2Fmobile%2Findex.html&token=tvDxpFDO

A basic difference is:

"When talking about 4G, things can get a little confusing. Basically, there is 4G and 4G LTE. Many people consider LTE to be true 4G technology. Generally, if a cellular provider describes a 4G network without mentioning LTE, they are probably talking about a High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) network. The HSPA network is a faster version of the 3G GSM network. While not as fast as an LTE network, it is still faster than a 3G network. Since LTE is still relatively new, the cellular providers haven’t fully built out their LTE networks yet. Be careful when looking at the network coverage maps on the providers’ websites. Some companies claim to have broad nationwide 4G coverage. They may really be taking about HSPA coverage and not LTE coverage.

In theory, LTE can be up to ten times faster than 3G. In practice, the actual network speed will vary based on network load and signal strength. Even if LTE does not meet its theoretical speed, it is still much faster than 3G. Activities that require large amounts of data, such as streaming movies, work very well on an LTE network. If you plan to perform a lot of data-hungry activities or simply want the best performance when surfing the Internet, you should really plan on buying a smartphone that supports LTE."

http://www.ianswerguy.com/what-is-3g-4g-lte/

LTE might not be in your area yet. 5 Mbps is slow LTE coverage and is an indication of not eligible towers or out of the LTE coverage area. Your phone will say, 4G LTE and not just 4G. My house is in low coverage LTE as the signal bar shows.

The 4G Coverage is much better, but if you have an LTE radio and it doesn't say "LTE" you aren't on an LTE connection.

LTE aka 4G LTE coverage is the new network, that doesn't mean 4G is broken, just slower.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

Re: Please advise: Just got Note 4 last night with AT&T. Many issues. Lemon or ??

As far as Android M being announced, this is when they announce the next version. That isn't abnormal at all. They announce it at I/O.

I/O 2014, Android L announced.

http://www.theverge.com/2014/6/25/5842050/the-most-important-things-google-announced-at-i-o

I/O is Google's Developer conference and that is when they make the announcements. In a perfect world, there wouldn't be a x.1 version of any software. KitKat had a ton of updates.

 

[mty msi]

Re: Please advise: Just got Note 4 last night with AT&T. Many issues. Lemon or ??

"Google announced Android 4.4 KitKat on September 3, 2013" (Wikipedia)

My point is Google is acknowledging there are serious flaws in Lollipoop both in the performance & design that they hope to correct in M.

Were that not the case Google would be updating Lollipoop just like they did Kit Kat. With any luck N4 will see M late in the 1st quarter next year a far cry from the amount of time Kit Kat was the latest Android OS. New premium phones will most likely have M around the holidays (or be able to update to it).

Since currently less than 10% of Android phones run Lollipoop worldwide it will never have anywhere near the % of installs Kit Kat did. To me that spells complete fail. Google is never going to publicly state they released a lousy Android OS but through their actions and what they have said basically they're saying it. With the announced release of M Lollipoop 5.1 will be the last update.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

Re: Please advise: Just got Note 4 last night with AT&T. Many issues. Lemon or ??

"Google announced Android 4.4 KitKat on September 3, 2013" (Wikipedia)

My point is Google is acknowledging there are serious flaws in Lollipoop both in the performance & design that they hope to correct in M.

Were that not the case Google would be updating Lollipoop just like they did Kit Kat. With any luck N4 will see M late in the 1st quarter next year a far cry from the amount of time Kit Kat was the latest Android OS. New premium phones will most likely have M around the holidays (or be able to update to it).

Since currently less than 10% of Android phones run Lollipoop worldwide it will never have anywhere near the % of installs Kit Kat did. To me that spells complete fail. Google is never going to publicly state they released a lousy Android OS but through their actions and what they have said basically they're saying it. With the announced release of M Lollipoop 5.1 will be the last update.

Google didn't announce KitKat in September, but at I/O. KK 4.4 was not the first version of KK. In 4 months they went from 4.4 to 5. Basically the phones besides the Nexus, started rolling out Lollipop EOY 2013. KitKat was a huge problem.

KitKat had 5 versions, Jellybean had 8.

Lollipop hasn't had that many updates, because it doesn't need it.

New Android versions are always announced at I/O, it is what they do at I/O and it is Spring, early Summer.

 

[Aquila]

Re: Please advise: Just got Note 4 last night with AT&T. Many issues. Lemon or ??

"Google announced Android 4.4 KitKat on September 3, 2013" (Wikipedia)

My point is Google is acknowledging there are serious flaws in Lollipoop both in the performance & design that they hope to correct in M.

Were that not the case Google would be updating Lollipoop just like they did Kit Kat. With any luck N4 will see M late in the 1st quarter next year a far cry from the amount of time Kit Kat was the latest Android OS. New premium phones will most likely have M around the holidays (or be able to update to it).

Since currently less than 10% of Android phones run Lollipoop worldwide it will never have anywhere near the % of installs Kit Kat did. To me that spells complete fail. Google is never going to publicly state they released a lousy Android OS but through their actions and what they have said basically they're saying it. With the announced release of M Lollipoop 5.1 will be the last update.

Kit Kat was released October 31, 2013. Lollipop was released November 12, 2014. That's approximately 54 weeks, or 1.04 years. We could call it a year. M is on track to release a year (give or take) after Lollipop. The preview did come about 4 weeks earlier than the L preview.

I think you might have been thinking of Jelly Bean, which released in July 2012, and, as it came before K, was around for 15 months, or 1.25 years. However many forget that while Kit Kat was all encompassed within 1 API level, with the exception of Wearables, which got their own API level (20), Lollipop is already two separate API levels (21 and 22), as was ICS and JB was three separate API levels. API level 17, released as Jelly Bean 4.2 came out in November 2012 and it is widely regarded as the beginning of (approximately) annual major version updates. Of course 4.3 came out with the 2013 Nexus 7, introducing Blue Tooth low energy, OpenGL ES 3 and many improvements on a new API level, but the real big 2013 announcement came in October, in the form of KK.

KK got a year, LP got a year, M will probably get... a year.

1. At the time KK came out, Jelly Bean 4.2 and 4.3 were on about 15% of devices. ICS+ was on about 75% of devices.
2. At the time LP came out, KK was on about 30% of devices and JB+ was on about 85% of devices. However, when LP was announced and set forth as a preview, KK was on about 11% of devices.
3. At the time MM comes out, LP will probably be on about 25-30% of devices and KK+ will probably be on 75%+, because the picture of MM to LP to KK today is almost identicla to LP to KK to JB 4.2+ a year ago today.