Why do I have no cell service on my LG G3 D850

[Android Central Question]

I got a G3 from a friend. It has Lollipop 5.0.1. Everything seems to work except the cell signal has no "bars" and there is an x over them. I have hard reset it a few times, and poked around a few places but this seems like a bigger problem, possibly hardware. Can anyone step me through diagnosing?

 

[belodion]

Are you using the right SIM for it? Is it network-locked?

 

[nt40lanman]

I just figured out how to log on here. I checked the ESN on a web site and it appears fine. The sim is a micro-sim that works fine in my Lumia 640. The phone is an LG G3 D850 which is designated as AT&T, which is the network I'm on. I've been googling and trying things but some menu options aren't where directions say, and the "secret menu" "doesn't work on this device". I'm a tech guy but can't say I know that much about phone problems.

 

[nt40lanman]

No cell service on my G3

I don't want to cross-thread but I posted this in another part but thought maybe the LG group might know more

https://forums.androidcentral.com/a...-do-i-have-no-cell-service-my-lg-g3-d850.html

 

[B. Diddy]

Go to Settings>Mobile Networks>Network Operators and make sure AT&T is selected there. Also, if you see a Preferred Network Type option, make sure that's set to Global or LTE.

 

[B. Diddy]

I went ahead and merged your two threads and kept it in the G3 forum, so that we don't have duplicate conversations.

 

[nt40lanman]

Thanks, whatever you think the best place is.

In settings I have "Tethering & Networks"
In there is "Mobile Networks"
In there I have:

"Mobile Data" with Standard Data and Enhanced 4G LTE Services, both boxes checked
"International Data Roaming" with the same Standard and Enhanced 4G LTE, both boxes unchecked (Checking them didn't help)
"Access Point Names" with ATT Nextgenphone with the proper settings in it. Selected or not makes no difference
"Search for AT&T MicroCell" which finds nothing

 

[B. Diddy]

In the Mobile Networks menu, is there an additional overflow menu button (i.e., the 3 vertical dots)?

EDIT: Never mind, I saw in a separate website that there is no overflow menu.

I'm not that familiar with AT&T's network, but I wonder if that Nextgenphone APN might not be right for the G3 -- maybe the G3 is too old to take advantage of it. Can you try this APN instead? https://www.androidcentral.com/what-are-apn-settings-att

 

[Rukbat]

One nice thing about AT&T - I've never been an AT&T store where at least one associate working at the time couldn't figure something out - unless it was something I couldn't figure out (I've been in this business since before Cingular bought the AT&T Mobility name) - so I've been sent to my local Device Support Center, where it's almost impossible to stump them. (And there's one in every city of decent size.) So go to your AT&T store and see if someone there can help you. If not, ask them where the DSC is and try there. (And, in the rare case where they can't help you, they have the phone number for AT&T tech support and they'll give it to you. If they can't figure it out, you're on the wrong planet - go back home and the AT&T on that planet will fix it.)

 

[nt40lanman]

I got a chance to try that APN and no change. I suspect it's some kind of hardware issue so I disassembled the phone down to pulling the board and looked over chips, etches and connections with a magnifying glass and didn't see anything. The AT&T geniuses may be the next move.

 

[nt40lanman]

Also, after watching a few videos on cell problems, I'll clarify that when the phone has no sim, I get a "no sim" icon and the cell signal bars are dim with an X above them. When I put in my sim from my regular phone, the "no sim" icon disappears but the cell signal bars are still dim and still have an X above them.