Signal strength on S4

[jneusch]

For those of you now using the S4, how would you say the signal strength of the cellular radio is compared to your last device? Also, what device did you come from?

I have a Note2 now and I want to make sure I have at least the same signal strength if switching to the S4.


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[repinphilly247]

I too am curious about the radio strength. Upgrading from sprint S2 in June and radio strength is one deciding factor between S4 and the one. GPS, wifi, and cell radio are weak on the S2 compared to my previous phone.

 

[brianphrack]

I third the radio strength question.

 

[PaulWog]

The signal strength is terrible in low-signal areas. Worse than my old blackberry that was falling to pieces, and worse than my old Samsung Wave S8500 (which really says something, since the S8500 had really bad signal strength).

Overall the signal strength is very extremely disappointing. Phone features should come first with a phone... I don't know why they didn't get that one right.

Even got a speck of dust inside of my screen. Getting a replacement from my provider... bad luck on that one!

 

[felloffthetruck]

The signal strength is terrible in low-signal areas. Worse than my old blackberry that was falling to pieces, and worse than my old Samsung Wave S8500 (which really says something, since the S8500 had really bad signal strength).

Overall the signal strength is very extremely disappointing. Phone features should come first with a phone... I don't know why they didn't get that one right.

Even got a speck of dust inside of my screen. Getting a replacement from my provider... bad luck on that one!

This worries me. Poor signal strength is not something I wanted to hear

 

[PaulWog]

This worries me. Poor signal strength is not something I wanted to hear

I should note that my house only gets a signal in particular rooms. Other rooms get intermittent signals that go in and out. However, comparing it side-by-side with my little brother's $120 cheap blackberry, he gets 2-3 bars in some rooms in which I get 0 bars (no signal at all). This is consistent.

I don't know how the signal strength is in mediocre signalled areas, but at least where I am (with a very very very weak signal), the Galaxy S4 performs very very badly compared to even cheap phones.

 

[Dramer77]

i seem to get slightly better signal on AT&T with the s4 than i did with the iphone 5 or htc one at my work.. signal inside the building i work in is kinda crappy.. but the s4 does better than the other 2

 

[PaulWog]

So I'm getting a replacement S4 due to another issue, but if anyone is interested in being updated, I can give a comparison of signal strength between my current one and the replacement one when it comes in a week or two or so... (to see if the signal strength varies for any reason)... I was told by my service provider that despite my original issue, they want me to replace my phone anyway since my signal is bad (they think my area is covered for a signal and don't believe me when I say everyone in my house doesn't get a signal, not just my phone). Anyway! Whatever. Just if anyone wants to know.

 

[brianphrack]

So I'm getting a replacement S4 due to another issue, but if anyone is interested in being updated, I can give a comparison of signal strength between my current one and the replacement one when it comes in a week or two or so... (to see if the signal strength varies for any reason)... I was told by my service provider that despite my original issue, they want me to replace my phone anyway since my signal is bad (they think my area is covered for a signal and don't believe me when I say everyone in my house doesn't get a signal, not just my phone). Anyway! Whatever. Just if anyone wants to know.

I would certainly like to know, thanks.

You also may want to concider a microcell from AT&T for your house. Sprint gives them out for free in poor signal areas, AT&T, which I'm switching to, said they would do the same if I had signal issues.

 

[PaulWog]

I would certainly like to know, thanks.

You also may want to concider a microcell from AT&T for your house. Sprint gives them out for free in poor signal areas, AT&T, which I'm switching to, said they would do the same if I had signal issues.

I'll keep the info posted. I'll make a thread about it in the coming weeks, and I'll post back here possibly too.

I am on Telus in Canada. I phoned in today, but the guy on the phone didn't know what a femtocell is. Next time I phone in I might clarify. But I'm gathering up a number of Telus mobility customers in my neighborhood (getting their info) so that I can notify my provider. They claim we should have a perfect signal, and think that it's just my phone. So it's a whole process I'm going through with them to get them to realize (basically need to get a number of customers to complain all clustered in my area). I'm glad though, it gives me an extra reason for them to exchange my phone (my current galaxy has dust in the screen, but it's a really picky little spot smaller than a tiny period on the screen... and it's transparent grey).

 

[scoutbb]

Comparing the signal strength with my old HTC One X -- if I were to use Skype on my HTC One X in my office, it constantly dropped the signal (LTE AT&T). Now that I am using a SGS4 the signal no longer drops calls anywhere inside the building I work at.

 

[Newtoandroid99]

It's great for me, I came from a GS3 which had great signal as well. I never had any signal issues with my old phone and I don't expect to have any with this one.

 

[brianphrack]

It's great for me, I came from a GS3 which had great signal as well. I never had any signal issues with my old phone and I don't expect to have any with this one.

Care to relay which carrier you are on and where you are located?

 

[Newtoandroid99]

Care to relay which carrier you are on and where you are located?

Sorry, I'm on AT&T and live near kennesaw, Ga. Its about 20 miles North of Atlanta.

 

[droidcan]

I have had my S4 for a week now and am unhappy with the signal strength. I rarely get more than one bar. My last phone was a BBY Torch, and I also tried out the Z10 - both had better signal strength. I'm not sure at this time what to do.

 

[bembol]

I had the Note 2 with Rogers and never had a problem. I work in a factory and Data felt like Dial-Up with my S4 & One on Rogers. They are both unlocked so I used my Bell SIM and no problems whatsoever.

My boy also has the Note 2 with Rogers and I ask him if he's getting Data. No problems.

Strange.

 

[double923]

I use tasker that can detect near cell tower. I use it on s3 ansd s4. Both detects the same amount of near cells around 3 to 4 and radio strength is about the same on both devices. However on the HTC One that I had for two weeks with the same tool at the same location. It detects around 10 cells and signal strength is a bar higher. Way more cells than S3 and S4. But there is nothing to worry about both samsung and htc works flawlessly from my experience regarless of number of cells detected.

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[roberts68]

I have tmobile and came from an S2.
The S4 has a much better antenna and gets a much better signal!
I was at the point that I was going to leave tmobile the signal wad so bad (my wife had the s2 also so I didn't have anything to compare).
But we upgraded to the s4 and are extremely happy with the service we get now.

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[fantom305]

I had the S3 and always had good signal in general and in places like a Hospital for example where I wouldn't get any I would compensate by tapping into their wifi for data and calls. Since I got my S4 I haven't had the need to do that so what I am saying is that the S4 for me has an excellent signal much better than the S3. Some one mentioned the S2 and let me tell you my son had one and his constant complaint was the he never had any reception any where so I think they were a piece of junk but Samsung has improved a lot. I think in part this signal issue depends also on where you are and who your carrier is. I am down in South Florida and I am with Tmobile. I had an HTC One S with the same carrier and the signal was terrible.

 

[MesonW]

Yeah, I'd like to know how it goes too. I've had my S4 now for a week and 2 days, and what was a decent 7mb HSPA+ signal has now dipped to between 80kb and 400kb. This began yesterday and is continuing today.
I've spoken to Virgin tech support and after he confirmed the signal in the area was fine, and there were no limitations on my account, I removed the battery as requested, re-ran a test... lo and behond 7mb... hung up, re-ran it again and back to 300kb! Since then, in many many runs only once or twice have I had 6mb, the rest sub-500kb.
I've had a friend with a Nokia sit next to me, also on Virgin, and with phones side by side, he's showing 6mb pretty much the whole time on every test, while mine's less than half a mb.
I'm beginning to think my phone is broken :s