The GS3 signal reception is a joke. Should have known, its a Samsung

[anon(631531)]

So, I finally cracked and bought a GS3 with hopes that it might have at least acceptable reception. After 5 days with the phone, I can say that the reception is junk, just like my last 2 Samsungs (Charge and Galaxy Nexus).

My house is basically a dead zone for any cell reception and my office for my business is located there as well. So I make and take a lot of calls at home. In the last 5 months, I have dropped MAYBE 2 calls with my Maxx. Never even had any issues with calls breaking up either.

With the GS3, I basically have to walk outside to make or take a call. And the calls I do take inside are usually breaking up to where I'm running for the door to get outside. Its a shame because I really do love the phone. Its just too bad that it lacks in the department which the device was ultimately created for, being a telephone.

So why not just return the phone?

 

[tb801]

I got my s3 when it came out. Had issues from the start. Replaced the sim and it didn't help. Then did the update and it didn't help. Verizon finally sent me a new one and it works so much better.

 

[jam4775]

So many people complain about the signal on the SGS3 but I have know idea what they're talking about. I've never had any problems with mine S3. My wife's Droid X2 usually shows more bars than my S3 but if you actually look at the dbm they're usually close to the same... and the call quality is the same too... if my phone call drops her X2 does too. The one difference I've noticed tho is 3G speed, my S3 usually has better 3G speed than my wife's X2. And just in case you're wondering, every time I've compared these two phones they are right next to each other.

 

[edoublediz]

i have tested the S3 extensively against my maxx and their is absolutely no question whatsoever.... the maxx wins hands down. plain and simple. i wish there was a quantitative way for the guys at AC to test phones radio performance for publishing. i am beyond confident the findings would show the same. when a review is done and they are sitting in the middle of 4 towers in a metropolitan area, it doesnt show the whole truth. i tested them in a hostile mountain area and the winner is clear. the maxx has the best radio of any phone i have ever owned while living here for the past 10 years. i just hope the maxxhd has the same radio performance as the maxx because it excels in every other way over the s3 other than the camera. i could give two ishes about a camera. i have cameras for that!!! i dont use my camera 4-6 hours a day but i do talk 4-6 hours a day. i dont film 2-4 hours a day, but i do use data and tether for 2-4 hours a day. i need a phone to communicate first, last all day second, anything after that is icing on cake. hello moto!

 

[fofjjsr]

My reception has been fantastic. 3 to 5 bars constantly.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Android Central Forums

 

[edoublediz]

bars mean nothing brother!! seriously

 

[pauldroidr2d2]

i have tested the S3 extensively against my maxx and their is absolutely no question whatsoever.... the maxx wins hands down. plain and simple. i wish there was a quantitative way for the guys at AC to test phones radio performance for publishing. i am beyond confident the findings would show the same. when a review is done and they are sitting in the middle of 4 towers in a metropolitan area, it doesnt show the whole truth. i tested them in a hostile mountain area and the winner is clear. the maxx has the best radio of any phone i have ever owned while living here for the past 10 years. i just hope the maxxhd has the same radio performance as the maxx because it excels in every other way over the s3 other than the camera. i could give two ishes about a camera. i have cameras for that!!! i dont use my camera 4-6 hours a day but i do talk 4-6 hours a day. i dont film 2-4 hours a day, but i do use data and tether for 2-4 hours a day. i need a phone to communicate first, last all day second, anything after that is icing on cake. hello moto!

Do you have a significantly higher number of dropped calls on the Samsung that you do not have the Maxx?

 

[smooth4lyfe]

Try this Signal Booster app...it really works!
It connects your phone signal to the strongest cell tower in your area

https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...LDEsImNvbS5mcmVzaG5ldHdvcmsiXQ&token=SLY_4Ccf..

 

[Jerry Hildenbrand]

Try this Signal Booster app...it really works!
It connects your phone signal to the strongest cell tower in your area

https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...LDEsImNvbS5mcmVzaG5ldHdvcmsiXQ&token=j_93dSg9..

That's just an Airplane mode toggle, that tracks you and shows you ads. It also modifies the phone boot up so it can run 24/7 in the background. Please don't use it, or it will encourage more developers to make this sort of garbage

 

[Ricky Babalu]

i have tested the S3 extensively against my maxx and their is absolutely no question whatsoever.... the maxx wins hands down. plain and simple. i wish there was a quantitative way for the guys at AC to test phones radio performance for publishing. i am beyond confident the findings would show the same. when a review is done and they are sitting in the middle of 4 towers in a metropolitan area, it doesnt show the whole truth. i tested them in a hostile mountain area and the winner is clear. the maxx has the best radio of any phone i have ever owned while living here for the past 10 years. i just hope the maxxhd has the same radio performance as the maxx because it excels in every other way over the s3 other than the camera. i could give two ishes about a camera. i have cameras for that!!! i dont use my camera 4-6 hours a day but i do talk 4-6 hours a day. i dont film 2-4 hours a day, but i do use data and tether for 2-4 hours a day. i need a phone to communicate first, last all day second, anything after that is icing on cake. hello moto!

Hmmmmmmmmmm........Thats odd because I did the same thing with my next door neighbor who has a Maxx and my S3 consistently gets a better signal!!! He always tells me he wished he would have purchased the S3 instead. Even when we go to various car shows my phone gets a better signal (dBm not bars), no question in my case, My S3 beats his every single time.

 

[jroc]

In that case we all best watch out for all the S4 on system chips like Motorola, hTC and LG are using. Who would of thunk Samsung replacing all hardware and still not on par with the Razr or Rezounds signal. My son works in a VZW store and has customers complaining about signal with the Razr M running the same chip.
Hate to blow up your joke, but No Joke!
Examle Motorola Razr M
http://forums.androidcentral.com/dr...th-issues-post-your-signal-strength-here.html

The RAZR M issues could be antenna placement or type. The HD and Maxx HD antennas are in different places vs the M. On the HD and Maxx HD the sides of the phone might be used for some of the antenna. That super thin bezel on the M might be the cause of the problems.

I agree with someone who said dont go by bars. I would even say dont go by decibels. I use decibel readings like a compass to find good or weak reception areas. Have been doing it since the Droid 1. Real world use is all we can go by. And if you have 5 bars, all things being equal it means you are in a great reception area. No phone should have reception issues in that area. Most ppl wont notice reception issues until in a weak reception area.

All this goes back to a lil debate me n a guy had about all these phones having the same reception since they all use the S4 chip. I tried to explain that a guy with good knowledge of this stuff said not so fast. :

http://forums.androidcentral.com/droid-razr-hd/200049-october.html#post2101134

 

[Valley Steve]

I currently have a Droid 2 and get -90dbm from my house. I really like a lot of the features of the GS3, but am concerned if reception is worse I will have dropped calls and will be unable to benefit from 4G. Does anyone have a Droid 2 that they could compare with a GS3 and give me their db ratings?
Many thanks,
Steve
BTW I have been using cell phones since the Mitsubishi 1000.

 

[Mungus9999]

I get between -111dBm and -117 dBm at home and drop calls, garbled calls all the time. Nearest tower isn't far but lots of big trees are in the way. I'm thinking napalm strike to clear it out a bit

Sent from my GT-P3113 using Android Central Forums

 

[sledge007]

I get as good or better signal with this phone than my old HP Pre 3....throughout the city and in fringe areas where the signal actually does drop to nothing.

 

[rexxman]

Wow. Very fast 4GLTE!

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Android Central Forums

 

[STARGATE]

I wanted an S3 but after all these forum posts about signal issues, I'm holding off. What's the deal with the Samsung radios, they just suck?? It seems people sometimes have good reception but for whatever reason they have an unstable 4G connection. Maybe I'll wait for SIV.

You know, I think I'm going to do the same!!!
I have a Photon that gets awesome signal where other phones loose or have too little!

I been trying to get an early upgrade since my contract with this phone is up until July 2013 and I didn't want to be stuck on GB 2.3.5, but after seen so many concerns and complaints about the signal on the SGS3, I guess I can wait to see what kind of "super" phones are available for me come July/August 2013

Sent from my Photon 4G that Stupid Motorola will not upgrade to ICS or any other newer form of Android because they're a bunch of lying bastards (and deserve to go to hell!) using Android Central Forums

 

[leroybrute]

The RAZR M issues could be antenna placement or type. The HD and Maxx HD antennas are in different places vs the M. On the HD and Maxx HD the sides of the phone might be used for some of the antenna. That super thin bezel on the M might be the cause of the problems.

I agree with someone who said dont go by bars. I would even say dont go by decibels. I use decibel readings like a compass to find good or weak reception areas. Have been doing it since the Droid 1. Real world use is all we can go by. And if you have 5 bars, all things being equal it means you are in a great reception area. No phone should have reception issues in that area. Most ppl wont notice reception issues until in a weak reception area.

All this goes back to a lil debate me n a guy had about all these phones having the same reception since they all use the S4 chip. I tried to explain that a guy with good knowledge of this stuff said not so fast. :

http://forums.androidcentral.com/droid-razr-hd/200049-october.html#post2101134

Agreed. Biggest issues are with antenna placement and or software"radios". As for the GS3 what I notice holding it still next to the HD Maxx both can have exact signal for several minutes and then the GS3 starts to fluctuate. Son's GS3 does the same. I did notice after this last update reception smoothed out and battery life gained some. My son did say that the Razr. M is selling well and alot less complaints.

 

[lololovestech]

Thought I died and went to heaven after buying my Razr M. Came from a SGS2.

Sent from my XT907 using Android Central Forums

 

[pauldroidr2d2]

The amount of "signal" we see on the display is almost irrelevent in my opinion. What does matter is how frequent dropped calls and lost data signal is. As we've seen in recent months with phones like the Galaxy Nexus, the amount of bars displayed can be tweaked and adjusted with the software on the phone.

For me what is important is how often I drop calls. My personal experience with the Maxx is that it drops calls frequently, pretty much whenever it has to change between LTE and any of the other radios. None of my Samsung phones do that to me.

 

[Valley Steve]

Very interesting comment. I understand about the bars, but what about the db signal strength. I would be very interested if you have the time to give us the db reading from the same location for the S3 and the Maxx. My Droid 2 with a signal in the low 90s does not drop calls. So either I get a S3 or a Maxx. Right now I wonder if I should just get a new battery and wait for something else.
Thanks

The amount of "signal" we see on the display is almost irrelevent in my opinion. What does matter is how frequent dropped calls and lost data signal is. As we've seen in recent months with phones like the Galaxy Nexus, the amount of bars displayed can be tweaked and adjusted with the software on the phone.

For me what is important is how often I drop calls. My personal experience with the Maxx is that it drops calls frequently, pretty much whenever it has to change between LTE and any of the other radios. None of my Samsung phones do that to me.