Signal Strength Status Icon

[Sasazuka]

I'm using T-Mobile and normally I see the signal strength bars say LTE but twice I've seen it with just a 'H' (once during a call). Does anyone have any idea what that means?

On another non-smartphone (also with T-Mobile), I always get full bars but on the S4, I typically only get 2 out of 4 bars, why is that? The phones are right next to each other. I've tested download/upload (~20 / 13 Mbps) speed and they are fine so I'm curious as to why there's a signal strength difference? Any app recommendation for better signal strength representation?

 

[kgbkny]

In an area where you may get two bars of LTE signal, you may also get four bars of HSPA+ signal (or EDGE, GPRS, etc.). The non-smartphone is not compatible with LTE or HSPA+, hence the difference in signal bars.

 

[spridell]

Have you tried this?

A possible LTE option missing, solution - xda-developers

My S4 GE was set to "WCDMA Preffered" and would not pick up an LTE signal.

Had to use the above method and go into the settings for it to pick up LTE

 

[Sasazuka]

@spridell: I have LTE as far as I know. I don't think there's any problems there.

@kgbkny: I see so the H likely represents HSPA+

 

[soma4society]

I'm using T-Mobile and normally I see the signal strength bars say LTE but twice I've seen it with just a 'H' (once during a call). Does anyone have any idea what that means?

On another non-smartphone (also with T-Mobile), I always get full bars but on the S4, I typically only get 2 out of 4 bars, why is that? The phones are right next to each other. I've tested download/upload (~20 / 13 Mbps) speed and they are fine so I'm curious as to why there's a signal strength difference? Any app recommendation for better signal strength representation?

If you begin to notice a lack of LTE consistently, use spridell's fix. (It works. I can vouch for it.) Also, as to your signal strength question, I recall hearing a few years back about a controversy (can't recall the phone, possibly iPhone?) that involved the manufacturer tweaking the phone so that it displayed full signal strength bars when, in fact, the signal wasn't really at 100%. Not saying this is necessarily the case with your other phone, but the only way to tell is to do a field test and look at the actual dBm scores for reception, which will show the true strength of the signal to the nearest tower. On an iPhone you have to dial a special number for this, but Android makes it easy...just go to settings-->about phone-->status, and scroll down til you see "signal strength." Bear in mind, the *lower* your number, the stronger your signal?but don't include the minus sign when evaluating (so, if the signal says -60, that's *better* than -90)

Cheers
Clayton

 

[kgbkny]

I see so the H likely represents HSPA+

Correct.

 

[Sasazuka]

I looked at the settings and mine is currently set to "LTE/GSM auto (PRL)" so it should be fine to leave it there instead of changing to "LTE/GSM/CDMA auto (PRL)" right?

Phone is showing -102 dBm 38asu which shows up as 2 bars.