Signal Strength Improvement?

[jbsmart44]

Hey guys,

I know that this may not be the proper place for this thread but o well.
I am switching from the DX to the GSIII. Currently with my DX i get horrible signal where I live even though there is a tower about 3 miles from my house. Verizon says that my house sits in a dead zone and that they cannot do anything about it. What I want to know is, when switching from a 3g to a LTE phone will that improve my signal strength? Or am I just suffering from wishful thinking?

 

[carracerz14]

Hey guys,

I know that this may not be the proper place for this thread but o well.
I am switching from the DX to the GSIII. Currently with my DX i get horrible signal where I live even though there is a tower about 3 miles from my house. Verizon says that my house sits in a dead zone and that they cannot do anything about it. What I want to know is, when switching from a 3g to a LTE phone will that improve my signal strength? Or am I just suffering from wishful thinking?

more than likely if you got bad signal with your x, then you're gonna get the same if not worse signal with a Samsung phone. The x was known for being one of the phones that got the best signal, and Motorola is known for having the best radios. Samsung is notorious for the exact opposite.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[ansextra]

If you're in a dead spot you're in a dead spot. I don't see how 4g will change that...

 

[rage151]

It is said in almost all Samsung radio threads here that the radio in the GS3 is different than any radio/chipset combination VZW has ever used.

According to what's posted, it "should" get a better signal and consume less battery as the radio is not separate, but connected to the Qualcomm board. It being on the board prevents I/O bottlenecks and preserves power efficiency. Don't know if this will equate to signal strength, but it is a change that's hopefully for the better.

 

[jroc]

Yes...if your house is in a dead zone.....thats the end of that....lol.

Wont get too much into the different manufactures...but if your Droid X1 had problems....expect just about any phone you use to.

Yes....you are suffering from wishful thinking...

 

[jbsmart44]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thanks guys for making me think of switching to AT&T. I will sorely miss my Unlimited Data.

 

[iceman64]

Before you switch to at&t and lose your unlimited. Ask vzw would their extender work at your house. The extender is a device that vzw sells to help boost cell phone signal in your house.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

 

[rage151]

You might want to try an AT&T handset there first. I.e., Invite a friend w/AT&T over. If it's a dead-zone for VZW, it might very well be a deadzone for AT&T.

I would at least test it before sacrificing unlimited data...

 

[firetruck41]

I thought LTE was on a different frequency than the 3g signals, if that is the case, there may be a difference in the coverage of each signal, even though they may be located on the same tower. Different frequencies travel differently, ie. distance, around objects, etc. So, I wouldn't make any declaritive statements that it will be the same/worse/better. I am curious about the practical, real life differences from my DX as well, as one of my work locations is in a very poor 3g coverage area.

 

[rage151]

I thought LTE was on a different frequency than the 3g signals, if that is the case, there may be a difference in the coverage of each signal, even though they may be located on the same tower. Different frequencies travel differently, ie. distance, around objects, etc. So, I wouldn't make any declaritive statements that it will be the same/worse/better. I am curious about the practical, real life differences from my DX as well, as one of my work locations is in a very poor 3g coverage area.

LTE is different than 3g. At the same time, each carrier?s 3g is different too (CDMA/GSM) and their ?4g LTE? is different too (HSPA, WIMAX, LTE). LTE is data only?until VoLTE (Voice Over LTE) protocol is standardized in the coming years. In reference to 4g, carrier?s technology doesn?t actually live up to IMT-Advanced 4g standards. They all belong in the 3GPP family. This stuff confuses me a little, but I think I got it right.

I am not sure I understand the context of your post, but hopefully you?ll test two carriers and observe/note the difference in usable signal strength. The signals are different?

 

[tmax1964]

Yes...if your house is in a dead zone.....thats the end of that....lol.

Wont get too much into the different manufactures...but if your Droid X1 had problems....expect just about any phone you use to.

Yes....you are suffering from wishful thinking...

Actually thats not true. my husband had a phone through verizon was never able to use in the house, always had to go outside, dropped calls etc. (dont remember the phone but I know it wasnt a smartphone), once he upgraded his phone the new phone worked perfectly fine in the house. so I believe the phone itself plays a big part.

 

[carlosrey23]

I thought LTE was on a different frequency than the 3g signals, ...

That is correct....LTE uses a different radio than CDMA/3g connectivity, and it is the reason that you can talk and surf at the same time (you are using both radios). But you still need the CDMA signal to make calls. If it is data signal you want, why don't you just connect to WiFi?

 

[dpham00]

That is correct....LTE uses a different radio than CDMA/3g connectivity, and it is the reason that you can talk and surf at the same time (you are using both radios). But you still need the CDMA signal to make calls. If it is data signal you want, why don't you just connect to WiFi?

Fyi, in case you did not know, the S3 can do simultaneous voice and data on 3g and 4g.

 

[firetruck41]

That is correct....LTE uses a different radio than CDMA/3g connectivity, and it is the reason that you can talk and surf at the same time (you are using both radios). But you still need the CDMA signal to make calls. If it is data signal you want, why don't you just connect to WiFi?

Personally I don't connect to WIFI at that work location because there is no public wifi in the area, just government wifi that does not allow private use.

 

[firetruck41]

I am not sure I understand the context of your post, but hopefully you?ll test two carriers and observe/note the difference in usable signal strength. The signals are different?

Sorry the context was not clear, I was basically responding to many of the replies to the OP which were saying, signal would be the same, or worse because Moto DX (VZW device) has "better radios".
Those are just speculations, since no one has a VZW SGS3 to say how signal is in real life, and since DX is 3g, the LTE in the SGS3 will be a "new" parameter. Since it is a different frequency, any speculation on how signal will be in a area known to be poor for a DX, is just that, speculation.
Personally, I am getting SGS3 regardless of signal, it can't be worse in the dead areas I already experience, and it is by far the best overall device offered now on VZW (while I can still upgrade w/unlimited data).

 

[carlosrey23]

Fyi, in case you did not know, the S3 can do simultaneous voice and data on 3g and 4g.

Yup! Very much aware...All VZW that have separate radios LTE and CDMA can do both.

Personally I don't connect to WIFI at that work location because there is no public wifi in the area, just government wifi that does not allow private use.

Yeah I hear ya....Signal at work for me is very limited....it has more dead spots that my OTA phone signal. At work they boost AT&T signal so i am always connected, granted data is somewhat limited. I may be going back to AT&T because of this....My office is a DEAD zone for every carrier...but all the people one office removed from have signal regardless of carrier, go figure!

 

[jbsmart44]

Thanks alot guys for your answers. The reason that I say i would switch to AT&T is because every one else in my house has them and they get great signal. Where as I can barely send a text message. I hope switching to an LTE phone would do the trick for me.

 

[jroc]

Actually thats not true. my husband had a phone through verizon was never able to use in the house, always had to go outside, dropped calls etc. (dont remember the phone but I know it wasnt a smartphone), once he upgraded his phone the new phone worked perfectly fine in the house. so I believe the phone itself plays a big part.

That I agree with 100%....which is part of the reason why I said I "wont get too much into the different manufactures"

Even different model phones from the same manufacture play a part. I agree. There is also the chance of bad phones... and in this case sim cards...

All things being equal....if he isnt getting a good signal with his DX1....not too many other phones will be better. I also thought with LTE I would magically have a better signal...building penetration and all that jazz....not the case. In my apt I cant get 4G at all unless by the window and barely get 3G. My signal didnt all of a sudden get better going from 3G to 4G. In better reception areas...of course its a big difference. Out side ...I can get faster speeds connected to 4G vs 3G...but it isnt necessarily a stronger signal.

Firetruck I agree that with the GS3 having different hardware it could be better than the DX for reception. Just trying to go by the all things being equal aspect.. With his house being in a known dead zone....there isnt much more another phone can help with. Newer hardware or not. Best thing would be a network extender if one is in a known dead zone. For all we know...he might have a bad DX1...lol.

 

[PJnc284]

Thanks alot guys for your answers. The reason that I say i would switch to AT&T is because every one else in my house has them and they get great signal. Where as I can barely send a text message. I hope switching to an LTE phone would do the trick for me.

LTE won't matter for texting or voice calls as those are over their CDMA network. Data service may improve assuming there's LTE as the lower frequency should improve building penetration but even then poor coverage will still be poor coverage.

 

[smbrooks32]

Does anyone know if the S3 on Verizon's network will carry the same radio as the nexus on Verizon. Im only asking because I'm having a terrible time with my nexus, and come to find out Verizon's problem is with the switch from cdma over to wcdma LTE and the way my nexus is authenticating to the network I read it in a article and a verizon tech guy confirmed there was some issues.

Any help?