Suddenly having slow data everywhere on 2 carriers

[unseeingdog]

Until a week ago my data was working fine. It was never the fastest since I live in a dense forest area but it was good enough to watch 720p videos at least.

But last week during a WhatsApp video call I noticed suddenly my signal was very weak and speeds slow, and it has continued like this ever since. Every few minutes the speeds drop down to 0 for a few moments.

I tried a different carrier SIM and the same problem occurs. My neighbors say they aren't having any issues.

So I suspect it must be my phone, but I've no idea what. Can the antenna just start half-working
out of nowhere?

The other thing is I've never really been able to use 3G. Logically it has stronger signal than 4G but I can never actually get a working connection with it.

Any help appreciated!

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Which phone? Are you certain the APN settings are still correct for your carrier? https://www.androidcentral.com/what-apn-and-how-do-i-change-it

Please register on this forum, which will allow you to engage in discussion more easily, as well as post images. https://forums.androidcentral.com/ask-question/409154-join-android-central-community.html

 

[mustang7757]

Hi, what phone and carriers?

Have you tried safe mode or resetting network?

 

[mustang7757]

Welcome to Android Central! Which phone? Are you certain the APN settings are still correct for your carrier? https://www.androidcentral.com/what-apn-and-how-do-i-change-it

Please register on this forum, which will allow you to engage in discussion more easily, as well as post images. https://forums.androidcentral.com/ask-question/409154-join-android-central-community.html

beat me to it

 

[unseeingdog]

Hi, now I am signed in.

The phone is a Samsung Galaxy A7 2017. I did try using recommended APN settings I found online but no luck.

The carriers are Mobitel and Dialog (Sri Lanka).

 

[mustang7757]

Hi, now I am signed in.

The phone is a Samsung Galaxy A7 2017. I did try using recommended APN settings I found online but no luck.

The carriers are Mobitel and Dialog (Sri Lanka).

Hi, welcome to AC!

Your in a different country, ok do have you tried reset network?

 

[unseeingdog]

Hi, welcome to AC!

Your in a different country, ok do have you tried reset network?

Hi, thanks!

Yes, I tried that and a few days ago I factory reset the phone, but neither helped.

 

[mustang7757]

Hi, thanks!

Yes, I tried that and a few days ago I factory reset the phone, but neither helped.

What about safe mode ?
This a dual SIM phone ?

 

[mustang7757]

[I changed you from guest poster to post owner]

 

[unseeingdog]

What about safe mode ?
This a dual SIM phone ?

I haven't tried safe mode yet, and no it's a single sim.

 

[unseeingdog]

By the way I just borrowed a Huawei 4G router from a friend to see what happened. It definitely gets better signal, but the download speed is still stuck at around 150KB/s no matter what. I even tried his SIM card and it's the same.

I guess it must somehow be something external then.

 

[unseeingdog]

By the way I just borrowed a Huawei 4G router from a friend to see what happened. It definitely gets better signal, but the download speed is still stuck at around 150KB/s no matter what. I even tried his SIM card and it's the same.

I guess it must somehow be something external then.

Update: It seems I made a mistake when testing the 4G router. Actually the download speeds are also hugely better, so definitely the problem is something in my phone.

No difference in safe mode either.

Is it possible for a smartphone antenna to become only partially functional?

 

[B. Diddy]

It's certainly possible that there's been some sort of hardware fault. Do you have a case on the phone? That would be one of the other possible causes -- if you just started using a new case that has metal in it, that can interfere with signal.

 

[unseeingdog]

It's certainly possible that there's been some sort of hardware fault. Do you have a case on the phone? That would be one of the other possible causes -- if you just started using a new case that has metal in it, that can interfere with signal.

I've been using the same plastic case for almost a year now. And even removing it doesn't help.

Yes, at this point it seems like a hardware issue. And this phone is not exactly easy to open up and tinker with I think...