Possible signal strength bug?

[xliderider]

I believe there is a bug in the signal strength indication on the Fascinate, the one that shows the signal strength in -dBm.

You can see the signal strength of the cell signal on the Menu, Settings, About, Status screen. Or you can place a widget on your Home screen. There are several widgets available, I'm using Mobile Signal Widget.

I have a network extender, which basically creates a cell tower right in your home. With my Motorola Droid, I used to get signal strengths down to about -50 something and 60's in indicated signal strength. I can hold both of our Fascinates right next to the network extender's antenna and they will read no better than -86 dBm. So far I've seen signal strengths from -86 dBm to -106 dBm (terrible).

I believe there is a bug in the software (Baseband) on the Fascinate. Previously, I thought the hardware (antenna/radio) wasn't very good, but now it may be software related.

Has anyone seen a signal strength stronger than -86 dBm on the Fascinate?

 

[Sabban]

Mine has ranged between -86 and -96dBm when I have checked it. Just loaded up that widget so will monitor it more often now. Haven't had any call quality/drop issues though

 

[xliderider]

That's the thing though, it doesn't seem to get any higher/better than -86 dBm.

I appreciate you monitoring for me. Thanks.

 

[Martian]

I'm guessing the signal level is being display after an input protection attenuator thus the reason you never see signal levels higher than -86 dBm. I posted a little more detail to the similar question on XDA.

 

[xliderider]

If that were so, they should at least make it display a > sign or something.

 

[Sabban]

Any idea why the 3g arrow icon sometimes switches from that to 3g with a "D"

 

[xliderider]

Any idea why the 3g arrow icon sometimes switches from that to 3g with a "D"

I don't know, but I get that D under the 3G often as well.

 

[xliderider]

Verizon's response

I'm on my Fascinate now, or I would post in the actual email response I got from Verizon customer service.

Basically the response was that I should contact the developer of the Signal Strength Widget for the problems I am experiencing with the phone.

wtf?

I replied that he didn't understand, and that this needs to get up to higher technical support personnel.

 

[xliderider]

Any idea why the 3g arrow icon sometimes switches from that to 3g with a "D"

From androidforums:

D, according to another thread that linked a Verizon manual, means 3g is available, but not currently in use- like an idle marker. 3g with the arrows means data is actively being sent.