T-mobile signal bar is very weak or nil signal in excellent coverage locations

[Anuj Behl]

Hi,
Using T-Mobile sim with my nexus 5 has very weak or nil signal even in excellent coverage locations.
It's purchased in India and I am using it in Pittsburgh, USA.
Have tried changing all kind of network settings. And T-Mobile has not been able to resolve it, so probably seems like a phone radio issue though it works with other carriers such as AT&T
Any help will be appreciated.

 

[Rukbat]

Let's clear something up first. re you saying that the phone gets excellent coverage, it just doesn't get many bars? Or are you saying that other people are getting excellent coverage, but your phone isn't?

If the first, the bars are relative to that phone only - the indicator isn't calibrated. (It's there more for show than for anything else.) A more accurate indicator is an app like LTE Discovery - that gives you actual numbers, not "bars" or "weak" or "excellent", which are really just opinions (except the bars which, since they aren't calibrated, can't be used to compare to another phone's uncalibrated bars).

If the second, there's something wrong with the phone. What? That can't be determined without having the phone. It could be something as simple as a loose antenna connection, or as expensive as a bad radio (which means a new motherboard).

 

[Crashdamage]

Do you mean that you have poor reception in areas that are supposed to have good coverage according to T-Mobile's coverage map? I've never seen a carrier coverage map that could be trusted.

Also, is this poor signal indoors, outdoors or both? If indoors, what type of building construction? In the basement?

Was an AT&T SIM actually tried in the phone?

And are you sure you have a genuine Nexus 5?

Too many variables still unanswered to say if it's the phone, T-Mobile or...??

Android user since v1.0. Linux user since 2001.