tpu case drops the signal 2-4 dB more than naked, and S7 Active is 3-5dB lower than S7 and S7 Active in exact same spots on same SIM card/plan as tested on 2 friends' S7/S7 Edge, so with a case about 5-9dB lower than normal S7/S7 Edge. Most the time its 5dB lower or less. Oddly, both S7 Active, Edge, and S7 all lose signal off and on in the same place, S7 Active just has a bit less signal in wonky places. GPS and Wifi lock on and stay locked on just as good as S7/S7 Edge.
tested this at a location about 20 feet underground, then in a walk-in cooler from the 60's that is solid steel plate and foam insulation, in a steel reinforced cinderblock building. Could still make calls and get data signal, just really slow, data did disconnect a few times, poor call quality (same with S7/S7 Edge) but none of them dropped a call, just wonky data signal. Even outside in that town, most i get is 3 bars; -96 dBm 44 asu (pretty bad) best i noted. Inside -125 dBm 34 asu (off and on connectivity for data also takes longer, voice and sms/mms is fine no disconnects but takes longer). S4 is similar readings but loses all connectivity; maybe its the lack of bands or poor radio strength?
My S4 is totally dead to the world in that walk-in cooler, and has dead spots inside that building. Active has poor connectivity but stays connected for voice/mms/sms, data kicks out and then back on again within half a minute or so. same with S7 Edge and S7. S7/Edge/Active also keep a wifi lock and gps lock where the S4 is totally lost.
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