Which radio? - Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Could someone tell me which radio I should flash? I have a T-Mobile UK Atrix. I have unlocked the bootloader and rooted it. I'm running Mega Orange 1.1 deBlurred + 2.1 update.
Thanks

Wow this rom has awful battery life. Using cyanogenmod now, its way cooler and doesn't use so much battery and my phone seems to have stopped randomly turning off

I've just bought an Atrix myself and have installed CM7. Battery seems to be draining a little faster than I expected under the stock radio included in CM7 and signal strength seems to be lower than on my old Defy. On the Defy, I had full signal at work but I only seem to get 2 bars on the Atrix.
I'm with giffgaff and have just installed the Bell radio linked in the first post of the CM7 thread. Signal strength seems to be the same but I'll have to see if battery drain is less.
I think I may have been spoilt with my undervolted Defy which easily achieved over 2 days usage with light use. Hopefully, I can set up the Atrix to manage the same in due course!

Maringer said:
I've just bought an Atrix myself and have installed CM7. Battery seems to be draining a little faster than I expected under the stock radio included in CM7 and signal strength seems to be lower than on my old Defy. On the Defy, I had full signal at work but I only seem to get 2 bars on the Atrix.
I'm with giffgaff and have just installed the Bell radio linked in the first post of the CM7 thread. Signal strength seems to be the same but I'll have to see if battery drain is less.
I think I may have been spoilt with my undervolted Defy which easily achieved over 2 days usage with light use. Hopefully, I can set up the Atrix to manage the same in due course!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You really need to look at db for signal. My torch 9810 shows full bars at my house and my atrix shows one but the db is within like 3 of one another. The torch just has really over inflated bars. Just something to be aware of.
Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk

Clienterror said:
You really need to look at db for signal. My torch 9810 shows full bars at my house and my atrix shows one but the db is within like 3 of one another. The torch just has really over inflated bars. Just something to be aware of.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I realise that this could be a possibility. My thinking is that the number of bars on show may relate to similar signal levels as both phones are Motorola devices. That's probably too logical, however!
I think I'll probably check the db levels with my Defy when I find the time - either to set my mind at rest or leave me frustrated with the Atrix reception!
Edit: Nope, reception is definitely worse with the Atrix. I was hoping for better reception due to the larger size of the phone and (I assume) a better aerial.
Testing at my desk, the Atrix has a signal between -103 to -107 dBm with 3 or 4 ASU.
Using the same SIM in my Defy, signal is between -93 and 97 dBm with 8 to 10 ASU.
This isn't too much of a problem here at work or around most of my home town where giffgaff reception is good, but I'm a bit worried I'll be without a signal too often once I'm out of town.
After trying the ATT and Bell radios which both seem to have similar reception, perhaps I need to go looking for others. I wonder if the Orange France Gingerbread will be any better? I'm in the UK but perhaps a radio designed for Europe will be an improvement over one designed for the US.

Related

[Q] 3G Reception Thread

How is your 3G reception on the Vibrant? I just purchased a Vibrant as a replacement for my aging and bluetooth handicapped G1 and I am disappointed with the 3G reception.
T-Mobile's coverage in my area is moderate, and the G1 has been able to hold on to a 3G signal in most locations. Typically, at home the G1 will hold on to 2-3 bars of 3G, and at work I am lucky to get 1 -- usually camps out on 2G with 4 or 5 bars.
The Vibrant pretty much always shows 0 bars of 3G while indoors, and may even flop back to 2G. It is fairly consistently on 2G in my home at 2 bars and at work I can only get 1 bar of 2G with this phone and spend the majority of the time with no signal at all.
I sat down and did some comparison between the Vibrant and the G1 and have found the following:
1. *#*#4636#*#* menu shows significantly worse signal levels on the Vibrant than on the G1, often times showing 0db and 0asu in the same location I am seeing -89db to -101db 3G on the G1.
2. The service menu on the Vibrant indicates a signal level which on 3G is fairly consistently 8db better than the one shown on the info menu. Interestingly, 2G signal levels as shown on the service menu seem fairly spot on with those shown from the info menu in Android.
3. The service menu 3G signal levels on the Vibrant seem consistent with those that I see on the G1 with a variation of perhaps only a couple of decibels.
That said, it seems interesting that battery usage on the Vibrant seems to indicate nearly 60% of its time with no service under cell standby when I get 0% in the same location with the G1. I am wondering if the time being recorded here is in fact the time spent with 0 bars being displayed even if the phone does, in fact, have a signal.
It is apparent that there is at least a software issue with the display here, as has been concluded in prior threads. However, ignoring the bar display I am wondering what others feel of the signal coverage with their Vibrant versus their old phone?
Does anyone have any experience with any of Samsung's other phone offerings? Do you think Samsung will post a radio update for this phone or possibly release one along with the GPS Fix/Froyo update in September?
I work in a position which requires me to be on-call a certain times during the year, and I can't really afford to have a phone that camps out at 60% no signal. I am really looking for reasons to keep this phone, as I like it otherwise, but practically, I need a phone that is going to receive phone calls. Any objective indications anyone can give that Samsung will continue to support this device may help sway my decision to keep it. My 14 days will be up on Thursday, so I need to make a final decision about keeping this phone before then.
Also, do any developers think that modifying the handling of the signal display in Android will cause a change in the amount of time the phone spends acquiring signal between 3G and 2G, or is this something that is purely handled within the radio firmware? If this is changeable, is this something that can be included in a future custom rom?
No coverage issues with mine.matches my mt3g in pretty much every location.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
I made a call in the BOONDOCKS of NC, in an old river mill with 22 inch brick walls... NOBODY else was able to place a call other than me (all the big networks and nice phones).
I have pretty crappy 3g service here in new rochelle when at home the phone keeps fluctuating between 0-4 bars for 3G and the data speeds very inconsistent. Sometimes it even falls back to EDGE! This is pretty lame, i called t-mobile about it and they said there nothing they can do! If i am unhappy i should return the phone.
I live in NYC...
That is really all I have to say.
3-5 up speeds
constant 3g connection
The bars on the phone are funky though they look like there are none but you can still make calls. Its just the software is off just like the battery percentage.
Rishikesh said:
I have pretty crappy 3g service here in new rochelle when at home the phone keeps fluctuating between 0-4 bars for 3G and the data speeds very inconsistent. Sometimes it even falls back to EDGE! This is pretty lame, i called t-mobile about it and they said there nothing they can do! If i am unhappy i should return the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're at home why aren't you on WiFi?
Seriously it's the most puzzling thing ever. 3G or not, I wouldn't be using it at home. Are you trying to replace your ISP with your phone or something?
You should do a search. Are you aware of the fact that -0dBm is impossible? The bars are off on this phone and the G1 is mediocre overall. It can hold on to a 3G signal for longer because your hand isn't blocking the antenna but the antenna itself is truly mediocre in fringe areas. Move your hand away from the bottom hump on the Vibrant. A lot of questions you're asking.. you're answering yourself.
I am not all too impressed with 3G coverage here at my home, but I mostly blame the network at my location and not necessarily the phone. TMO has spotty coverage near my house....period, and I live less than a mile from the tower. I have a Blackberry 9700 and it has similar issues with 3G. I've called and complained and they give me the usual "you're green on the map...return the phone....blah blah". I was closer to downtown Dallas yesterday and the phone had full bars and never got higher than -80dbm. Speedtest app showed about 3mbps downloads on average. I wouldn't say it was stellar but it's nothing like at home either. Only thing is my phone never automatically drops from 3G to E unless I am making calls. Once again the Blackberry 9700 does the same thing.
However, I am not completely convinced the phone isn't to blame either. I had a week with the new Motorola XT720, aka AWS Motoroi/Milestone that Magenta is/was rumored (who knows?) to get, and if Moto hadn't skimped on the CPU/RAM/screen/app memory of that phone I would have kept it instead of this Vibrant. That phone seemed to get much better 3G signal and HSPA was excellent compared to the Vibrant. I'm lucky if the Vibrant gets HSPA here at all. Overall network performance just seemed faster. It was quite obvious when I powered up the Vibrant the first time that 3G coverage is going to be an issue at my home with this phone.
FWIW my wife has an iPhone 3G which gets great 3G coverage here at the house on ATT. So I borrowed her SIM to test after I unlocked the Vibrant and it didn't make much difference. It did get 3G which I didn't think was technically possible until I saw that this phone has 1900 3G support as well as AWS. I do think the bars and definitely the battery indicators are not accurate whatsoever. I use Battery Indicator Pro and it's definitely obvious Samsung needs a software re-work.
Just because you live within 1 mile of a tower doesn't mean it's 3G or that there isn't something in the way of it's signal and your house.. I live within 1 mile of a tower and it's not 3G. It's supposed to get 3G soon.
heygrl said:
If you're at home why aren't you on WiFi?
Seriously it's the most puzzling thing ever. 3G or not, I wouldn't be using it at home. Are you trying to replace your ISP with your phone or something?
You should do a search. Are you aware of the fact that -0dBm is impossible? The bars are off on this phone and the G1 is mediocre overall. It can hold on to a 3G signal for longer because your hand isn't blocking the antenna but the antenna itself is truly mediocre in fringe areas. Move your hand away from the bottom hump on the Vibrant. A lot of questions you're asking.. you're answering yourself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe I don't have WiFi in my house?
Maybe I would love to reduce my monthly expenditures by the $60 I throw away to Comcast?
I am well aware of the fact that -0dbm is impossible. This is simply what the phone is displaying. I also agree that the G1's reception is mediocre, but this phone seems worse than the G1. Blocking the antenna with my hand doesn't seem to make much difference on either the Vibrant or the G1.
I asked for objective answers to my questions which basically boil down to the following:
1. Do you think Samsung will provide support for the software on this phone (including the radio) over the long term ie. do you think there will be upgrades in this department?
2. Do you think this is something custom rom developers can address purely via modifying the OS?
Thanks for your snarky comments, but if you haven't got any objective input into the situation maybe this thread is not for you.
equid0x said:
Maybe I don't have WiFi in my house?
Maybe I would love to reduce my monthly expenditures by the $60 I throw away to Comcast?
I am well aware of the fact that -0dbm is impossible. This is simply what the phone is displaying. I also agree that the G1's reception is mediocre, but this phone seems worse than the G1. Blocking the antenna with my hand doesn't seem to make much difference on either the Vibrant or the G1.
I asked for objective answers to my questions which basically boil down to the following:
1. Do you think Samsung will provide support for the software on this phone (including the radio) over the long term ie. do you think there will be upgrades in this department?
2. Do you think this is something custom rom developers can address purely via modifying the OS?
Thanks for your snarky comments, but if you haven't got any objective input into the situation maybe this thread is not for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're asking questions that we can't answer. Do we work at Samsung? No. Would stock Android fix this? Maybe.
It seems worse than the G1 because based on your comments the bars are having an affect on what you deem to be "worse". I've had tons of T-Mobile phones including the G1 and the Vibrant is not considerably worse than any. INFACT it will hold on to a 3G signal for longer than most. My CLIQ displayed 3 bars as -105dBm. Accurate? NO.
has been able to hold on to a 3G signal in most locations. Typically, at home the G1 will hold on to 2-3 bars of 3G, and at work I am lucky to get 1 -- usually camps out on 2G with 4 or 5 bars.
The Vibrant pretty much always shows 0 bars of 3G while indoors,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where is the antenna on the G1? If you're telling me you're putting your hand over it and not having any disconcernable change you're not doing it right
If you don't have WiFi at your house you need to get some.
heygrl said:
You're asking questions that we can't answer. Do we work at Samsung? No.
It seems worse than the G1 because based on your comments the bars are having an affect on what you deem to be "worse". I've had tons of T-Mobile phones including the G1 and the Vibrant is not considerably worse than any. INFACT it will hold on to a 3G signal for longer than most. My CLIQ displayed 3 bars as -105dBm. Accurate? NO.
Where is the antenna on the G1? If you're telling me you're putting your hand over it and not having much of a change at all you're lying or not doing it right.
If you don't have WiFi at your house you need to get some.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know that nobody here is working for Samsung but there are plenty of people here who have developed for Android, and the question I am posing is if this is something that can be addressed in a custom rom.
I think my original post makes it clear that there is obviously a software issue with bar display, but I am wondering if this software issue is also causing the Android OS to force a switch to 2G in an instance where the G1 with a properly functioning display would keep 3G. ie, the phone is switching to 2G early because it thinks it only has -111dbm when it in fact still has -103dbm. I am not clear on whether this functionality is performed within the OS itself or purely within the radio firmware.
My hands are rather large, so holding the G1 basically covers the entire rear of the phone. The antenna is near the top of the phone whereas the antenna on the Vibrant seems to be on the bottom. Though holding both phones in various positions seems to have little effect on the received signal strength so far as I can tell.
The time spent without signal in cell standby I believe to be erroneous. I think it is tallying up that time any time there are zero bars, even if the phone still has a signal. This makes it very difficult to objectively compare the 2 phones. If the OS is in fact driving the switch from 3G to 2G this may explain my poor access in fringe areas as the phone will be constantly flapping between the two. If the functions that drive this behavior are within the AOSP source this could easily be something we can fix in a custom rom even without Samsung's help, even if a radio update would be ideal.
heygrl said:
Where is the antenna on the G1? If you're telling me you're putting your hand over it and not having any disconcernable change you're not doing it right
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can wrap my hand around the phone (Vibrant), either top, center or bottom and I do not see any change in either reception, call quality, network throughput or number of bars.
heygrl said:
If you don't have WiFi at your house you need to get some.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is perfectly understandable that if he has good reception with a G1, an older phone, he expects at least a similar level or reception with a newer, higher end phone. WiFi would be considered a workaround.
I just received my Vibrant on Monday and it's sadly replacing my amazing Nexus One. I've noticed that the Vibrant antenna is AWFUL. Where I received 4-5 bars on the N1, I'm getting 1-3 bars now and it even goes down to Edge once every few hours.
Like the OP, I've been monitoring the db levels and they're frequently around -95 through -107. While my calls don't actually drop, the quality does get worse. I'm also getting many 3G connection errors when trying to browser or download apps from the Market. It's quite disappointing. The phone is made of plastic as well, so I'd imagine that the antenna reception should be better.
Being that there are only 2 pages on this particular thread, does this mean it's a fluke and others' phones are ok?
allen099 said:
I just received my Vibrant on Monday and it's sadly replacing my amazing Nexus One. I've noticed that the Vibrant antenna is AWFUL. Where I received 4-5 bars on the N1, I'm getting 1-3 bars now and it even goes down to Edge once every few hours.
Like the OP, I've been monitoring the db levels and they're frequently around -95 through -107. While my calls don't actually drop, the quality does get worse. I'm also getting many 3G connection errors when trying to browser or download apps from the Market. It's quite disappointing. The phone is made of plastic as well, so I'd imagine that the antenna reception should be better.
Being that there are only 2 pages on this particular thread, does this mean it's a fluke and others' phones are ok?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
4-5 bars on a phone with a 4 bar scale?
Stop looking at -dBm on the Vibrant, it's not accurate.
If you don't want the phone to switch to EDGE lock it on 3G.
heygrl said:
4-5 bars on a phone with a 4 bar scale?
Stop looking at -dBm on the Vibrant, it's not accurate.
If you don't want the phone to switch to EDGE lock it on 3G.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do you lock it on 3G?
javacody said:
How do you lock it on 3G?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This worked for me (copy/paste and remove spaces in http):
h t t p://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=7438987&postcount=7
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=7438987&postcount=7
Thanks. 3G is spotty at best in the Des Moines Area, so I'll leave well enough alone.
So, in follow up to this, I had downloaded and installed RF signal tracker from the market and went driving around until I found a tower. It seems that via Android OS the best signal strength received was -81dbm and that was sitting right next to the tower. The phone stayed locked at -81dbm for a few miles down the road so I suspect this is peak signal on this phone which should really be something like -65dbm. I think this pretty much confirms that there is indeed a software issue with the signal display.
I also took some time looking at Android code and found that the bars are driven on GSM/UMTS by asu as follows:
if (asu <= 2 || asu == 99) iconLevel = 0;
else if (asu >= 12) iconLevel = 4;
else if (asu >= 8) iconLevel = 3;
else if (asu >= 5) iconLevel = 2;
else iconLevel = 1;
So figuring up the dbm values from these, I went ahead and created a new asu scale which is adjusted -8dbm from "normal" since this seems to be the worst case of the mismatch between the phone firmware and what Android is reporting and applied that within the market app Real Signal to try and get an apples to apples comparison of signal bars between this phone and the old G1. Unfortunately, the degree if miscalibration means we can't set a negative ASU so we don't get any meaningful display on Real Signal until we hit the 3rd bar. In doing this if I go to a moderate overage area I am seeing the bars I would expect.
After my little drive with RF Signal Tracker its actually pretty clear that discrepancy is really more like -15dbm, which adjusting the figures should mean that this phone in reality gets slightly better reception than the old G1.
It seems we should be able to workaround this in a custom ROM by doing one of the following:
1. Modify getGsmSignalStrength() to add the -15dbm to the returned signal strength value(hackish).
2. Modify the vendor RIL to compensate for the -15dbm offset when on UMTS. (Probably the proper solution).
I'm not clear on whether the vendor RIL code gets posted to AOSP...
equid0x said:
How is your 3G reception on the Vibrant? I just purchased a Vibrant as a replacement for my aging and bluetooth handicapped G1 and I am disappointed with the 3G reception.
T-Mobile's coverage in my area is moderate, and the G1 has been able to hold on to a 3G signal in most locations. Typically, at home the G1 will hold on to 2-3 bars of 3G, and at work I am lucky to get 1 -- usually camps out on 2G with 4 or 5 bars.
The Vibrant pretty much always shows 0 bars of 3G while indoors, and may even flop back to 2G. It is fairly consistently on 2G in my home at 2 bars and at work I can only get 1 bar of 2G with this phone and spend the majority of the time with no signal at all.
I sat down and did some comparison between the Vibrant and the G1 and have found the following:
1. *#*#4636#*#* menu shows significantly worse signal levels on the Vibrant than on the G1, often times showing 0db and 0asu in the same location I am seeing -89db to -101db 3G on the G1.
2. The service menu on the Vibrant indicates a signal level which on 3G is fairly consistently 8db better than the one shown on the info menu. Interestingly, 2G signal levels as shown on the service menu seem fairly spot on with those shown from the info menu in Android.
3. The service menu 3G signal levels on the Vibrant seem consistent with those that I see on the G1 with a variation of perhaps only a couple of decibels.
That said, it seems interesting that battery usage on the Vibrant seems to indicate nearly 60% of its time with no service under cell standby when I get 0% in the same location with the G1. I am wondering if the time being recorded here is in fact the time spent with 0 bars being displayed even if the phone does, in fact, have a signal.
It is apparent that there is at least a software issue with the display here, as has been concluded in prior threads. However, ignoring the bar display I am wondering what others feel of the signal coverage with their Vibrant versus their old phone?
Does anyone have any experience with any of Samsung's other phone offerings? Do you think Samsung will post a radio update for this phone or possibly release one along with the GPS Fix/Froyo update in September?
I work in a position which requires me to be on-call a certain times during the year, and I can't really afford to have a phone that camps out at 60% no signal. I am really looking for reasons to keep this phone, as I like it otherwise, but practically, I need a phone that is going to receive phone calls. Any objective indications anyone can give that Samsung will continue to support this device may help sway my decision to keep it. My 14 days will be up on Thursday, so I need to make a final decision about keeping this phone before then.
Also, do any developers think that modifying the handling of the signal display in Android will cause a change in the amount of time the phone spends acquiring signal between 3G and 2G, or is this something that is purely handled within the radio firmware? If this is changeable, is this something that can be included in a future custom rom?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't done any detailed tests but I can state that in real world use, I am not happy with my Vibrant's reception. My G1 was very noticeably better at getting and holding 3G and Edge connections in the same locations where my new Vibrant won't.
Next to a tower on GSM(GSM/GPRS/EDGE) you should see -51dBm at the most with Android. W-CDMA is different because they really don't use -dBm to determine signal quality. They use power/noise.

Do you use LTE?

If you do, does it KILL your battery life?
I am currently using HSPA+ (not sure if that's 4G or 3.5G, but whatever)
On a full charge, I eeked out 13-14 hours with heavy usage during the day, with brightness on just under half (40-45%).
I am sick of loading times on facebook and even when browsing so I'm pondering enabling LTE.
I disabled LTE on the premise that it isn't good for battery life.
Thoughts?
It definitely won't help battery, but if you have strong LTE signal in your area it's not that bad. The drain is HORRIBLE however when you are getting less than two bars (roughly -98 dB or higher).
You should still be able to manager 11-12 hours HEAVY usage, with around 3-4 hours onscreen time with LTE.
It should be noted however that if you want to maximize battery life and use LTE, stick with gb and custom kernels that can undervolt. LTE and ics is a b**ch, it KILLS my battery
just my 2c
portable charger, extra battery...
why buy a super phone, and not use all its premium features??
If There's No LTE Yet..
So in my area of Long Island LTE is not running yet (probably not until late 2012) so will I get extra battery life by switching to using only GSM/HSPA?
That's on GB
Here in Bakersfield CA we are on hspa and i get about 7.5 down no lte though but i get about 15+ hours but i cant really use my ohone at work so thats why i get good battery life lol. I havent gone to L.A. To try out lte but im pretty happy with hspa. (i was a sprint user.... Sad)
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717
docfreed said:
So in my area of Long Island LTE is not running yet (probably not until late 2012) so will I get extra battery life by switching to using only GSM/HSPA?
That's on GB
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Absolutely, battery life will greatly increase
wase4711 said:
portable charger, extra battery...
why buy a super phone, and not use all its premium features??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
...i agree. Plus, if someone is able to use LTE then that means he or shred is already paying for it. It's kind of stupid to pay for something you dont to use.
I simply wish I could turn off LTE when not needed and just use hspa+. It def drains the battery hardcore. I use wifi when at all possible.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using XDA
erick161 said:
I simply wish I could turn off LTE when not needed and just use hspa+. It def drains the battery hardcore. I use wifi when at all possible.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah if only it were possible...
-Once you go NOTE, you'd say 4 inches a Joke
SKyRocKeting727 said:
Yeah if only it were possible...
-Once you go NOTE, you'd say 4 inches a Joke
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well apparently if you flash certain roms they have that capability (the switch). IMO it should be integrated into the stock build
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using XDA
I get it at work. After 12 hours my phone is down to 60-70% depending on how much I screw around at lunch. LTE isn't as bad a drain as people would have you believe. The screen will always be the selling point and the battery drain on this thing
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using XDA
If you are stock, there isn't an option on whether or not to use LTE if it's available in your area. I live in the Washington, DC suburbs, and we have a very strong LTE network. I don't have the option to not use LTE ... it's in fact my only option. I am not used to this. With Sprint, I was able to turn off my 4G WiMax and use 3G. I wish I could do so with AT&T. It doesn't matter all that much. I don't notice significant battery drain and I use WiFi whenever I'm at home or whenever it's available on the go.
fbauto1 said:
...i agree. Plus, if someone is able to use LTE then that means he or shred is already paying for it. It's kind of stupid to pay for something you dont to use.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I live in Houston and have great LTE service, except in my house of course but I use my wifi instead. I never turn off my LTE nor do I want to, I went from an iphone with 3g to this and don't want to go back! When I purchased the phone I bought a spare battery/charger set before I left the store. Just looking at the screen, plus the LTE radio screemed battery eater. I was using Saurom with Juice Defender with a custom setup and set cpu to over/underclock and my battery life greatly increased. Now i'm back on DAGr8's alpha 2 ICS with the tablet mod and have not had enough "regular" use to see how the battery life is.
erick161 said:
Well apparently if you flash certain roms they have that capability (the switch). IMO it should be integrated into the stock build
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed
Send from the Noteorious BIG 5.3" Bell Canada
Two things, LTE isnt a battery drain on AT&T because it isnt the same technology as used on CDMA (Verizon or Sprints' 4g network).
Cellular data however IS a battery drain when you dont have a strong signal.
If your scratching your head, here is the distinction. Lets say you dont have LTE in your area and your 3g signal is weak, THIS will drain the battery. If you DO have LTE but again the signal is weak, this will ALSO hurt your battery life.
The reason is, your phone will push more power to the antenna in order to get you enough signal to get a reasonably decent connection on the best available connection available.
LTE uses the SAME ANTENNA as the 3g antenna on GSM networks that use HSPA, THIS is 'the'e distinction between Sprint & Verizon CDMA networks which use a different antenna for their 3g and another antenna for their '4g', power has to be provided for BOTH antennas whereas GSM networks have ONE antenna.
If you are suspecting LTE is killing the battery, its either going to be a weak signal OR a rogue app (possibly using your cellular data connection). My suggestion is to start with looking at your signal strength, if it is relatively strong, you need to start looking at other potential battery drains. It isnt LTE.
Hope this helps.
Want to know more?
http://www.extremetech.com/mobile/110711-what-is-lte/1
Its a massive 7 page article explaining exactly what LTE is and how it works. If you want to jump ahead to the section dealing specifically with battery life, go to page 5 (change the '1' in the link I provided above to a '5').
littlewierdo said:
Two things, LTE isnt a battery drain on AT&T because it isnt the same technology as used on CDMA (Verizon or Sprints' 4g network).
Cellular data however IS a battery drain when you dont have a strong signal.
If your scratching your head, here is the distinction. Lets say you dont have LTE in your area and your 3g signal is weak, THIS will drain the battery. If you DO have LTE but again the signal is weak, this will ALSO hurt your battery life.
The reason is, your phone will push more power to the antenna in order to get you enough signal to get a reasonably decent connection on the best available connection available.
LTE uses the SAME ANTENNA as the 3g antenna on GSM networks (currently, LTE is only available on GSM), THIS is 'the'e distinction between Sprint & Verizon CDMA networks which use a different antenna for their 3g and another antenna for their '4g', power has to be provided for BOTH antennas whereas GSM networks have ONE antenna.
If you are suspecting LTE is killing the battery, its either going to be a weak signal OR a rogue app (possibly using your cellular data connection). My suggestion is to start with looking at your signal strength, if it is relatively strong, you need to start looking at other potential battery drains. It isnt LTE.
Hope this helps.
Want to know more?
http://www.extremetech.com/mobile/110711-what-is-lte/1
Its a massive 7 page article explaining exactly what LTE is and how it works. If you want to jump ahead to the section dealing specifically with battery life, go to page 5 (change the '1' in the link I provided above to a '5').
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's interesting, I've never read that before. However, if ATT uses the same antenna for 3g/4g/LTE, why does it matter what processor it uses?
ATTs HTC OneXL with the S4 supports LTE because the tegra3 does not, but if the same antenna is being used...why is this the case?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using XDA
erick161 said:
That's interesting, I've never read that before. However, if ATT uses the same antenna for 3g/4g/LTE, why does it matter what processor it uses?
ATTs HTC OneXL with the S4 supports LTE because the tegra3 does not, but if the same antenna is being used...why is this the case?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your statement (second paragraph) is not accurate. The S4 AND the Tegra 3 'can' use LTE (if the hardware - ie. antenna, exists). However, the Tegra 3 is not optimized for use with LTE. Right now, you will run into many issues with trying to use the Tegra 3 (primarily battery life issues and slow/sluggish performance over cellular data). It also costs more to build the Tegra 3 with this compatibility. OS updates are also a problem.
This person said it better than I could so I quote Draiko's entire post which answers your exact question (if you look at the very first post in the thread - link at the bottom, the same exact question you asked is there, this is a users response).
"The Tegras are not incompatible with LTE radios. They don't integrate the radios like the S4 does (yet) which makes a device with the Tegra 3 SoC and the separate 2G/3G/4G radios more expensive to build and maintenance (OS updates) trickier. The battery life also suffers a bit compared to an integrated solution and the main board is bigger.
nVidia bought Icera last year and they'll be integrating the Icera softmodem into future Tegras in order to better compete at the phone level (which will actually make the Tegra very versatile). They couldn't get Icera tech integrated fast enough for Tegra 3 (since the Tegra 3 was already sampling before they bought Icera).
The S4 has fewer faster CPU cores and integrated radios but a slower GPU. The Tegra 3 is a better non-phone solution which is more power efficient in a wifi-only loadout. Hardcore mobile gamers aside, most users won't notice a difference.
Bottom line: It's business, not a hardware limitation."
Source: (Post #3)
http://androidforums.com/motorola-photon-4g/531481-food-thought-quad-cores-lte.html

Sudden signal problem

i thought this would be the best place for a problem i started having about2 weeks ago. i am on vodafone uk.
i used to get 3-4 of the 4 bars reception while sitting at home(as an example). suddenly i was getting 1-2 and sometimes none (all blank).
i thought i would try and eliminate things one by one so here is what i did...
checked with my sim in another phone and another sim in mine. from memory the other phone having my sim was slightly down but not much and my phone with the other sim didnt really change much.
i checked with vodafone by calling them, they said they couldnt see any problems on the network, birmingham uk, but would send a new sim, after getting the sim activated when it arrived, no better. their onling forum is still waiting for a response back from their technical whether there is any problems. i dont see how the phone department can instantly tell me when the technical need many days to find an answer.
i thought it could be the rom so i first updated lite'ning rom to resurrection remix and then to a later version of RR and no change. the newest version of RR has a different kernel, flux i think, than the siyah in the 2 previous roms but again that different kernel didnt improve it. lastly i even changed the modem/radio trying to different ones to the default, xxlpx and kh3 and again no difference.
the only thing that improves it is turning 2G on instead of 3G. the bars go back up to 3-4. even with 3G on previously as i never changed it before it was always fine.
i know this is a long post but i wanted to be thorough as i really appreciate any help as i am now lost as what could improve this.
Mispost
anyone?
I have been having a similar problem on Three for about five weeks now. Despite numerous reloads of Android and modems etc I was getting no results, 5mb dl speeds have dropped to around 150kb despite having a good signal.
After many many calls to so called customer service I have discovered that a new cell tower near to me has been activated as part of the network expansion program and because this cell is closer to me than the one I used to connect to I now get a stronger signal from this so my phone always chooses this. Problem is this cell has only got a 2mb feed INTO it, its a TMobile/Orange cell now being shared with Three....so I am basically fooked.
Check with Vodafone if they have done anything similar recently near you. Three are adamant there are no problems my end, technically they are correct I suppose, its all working, I just cant access the net without it timing out constantly now.
Atb
SST
I am having the same issue with my phone. I get only one bar (sometimes none!) whenever I'm home & I'm on WiFi; however, I get full signal strength when I'm out & on 3G.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA
i thought it could be the cell tower thing as there is only 1 vodafone one in quite a large radious, about 2 miles, and many of all the other networks. i dont know why vodafone are happy to have 1 compared to at least 3-4 each for all other providers.
this morning i drove that 1 mile to the vodafone mast and ran fresh network and surely that would have connected to that as i was 5 meters from it. still no better. ??
Just try NELP3 modem once... I had done similar issue once.. Now my network is better..
is nelp3 okay for uk though?
Try flashing another Modem. Im from Germany but i had similar problems. A new Rom would do too i think
All
Sent from my MB525 using Xparent Cyan Tapatalk 2
Christiancs1969 said:
All
Sent from my MB525 using Xparent Cyan Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not sure what you mean with 'all'
Number of options, tower may be having problems, maybe some form of interference, try a different modem, try different sum card if you have one spare?
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda app-developers app
i do have the same problem as above, no signal in the building and 50% signal outside building. I swithch my SIM with fren's (he use another telco), and his SIM not work on my S2 and my SIM work on his phone (not SIM issues).
I tested many modem as recommented , LP2/LP3, LP9, LPX, KI3, KI4, KF2, no luck.
I flash different ROM, (some old version that work before), from CM9, AOKP, Sammy. no luck.
I restore old back up ROM. no luck
Fix permission, no luck.
any advice ?
OK next step is to flash a different modem
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda app-developers app
i've tried a few modems including the ones people believe better, all have this problem so far.
it may be the network mast in my case. i discussed with vodafone what 3G mast i was connected to and then which 3G mast is next closest. i then went right next to that other 3G mast and the signal was full bars, no fluctuation at all. this surely means it is either, 1-the network mast i keep locking to having problems or 2-all the modems i have used favouring battery over strength and not getting enough power to get a good signal.
is there a way of finding out which modems are better for battery and which are better for signal strength?
Umm not that I know of, best thing to do for that is either research the modems for better strength or battery etc, or just test some yourself, however that is time consuming,
Personally I think it is just the mast having problems, however I may be wrong
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda app-developers app
i thought i would add a little research to this thread, not too much but just my experience with 3 specific modems.
the background is that recently i have started getting very poor network signal as i believe the closest 3g mast to me is having problems. if i turn to 2g its better as the phone then connects to the closest 2g tower which gives better network signal.
i know that a modem should be left for 2-3 days before judging but i thought that if a modem is currently better than another then that is only likely to stay the same with time as long as they were given the same short period of time.
i used the app network signal info and did 3 5 minute tests for each modem and then averaged the percentage of the signal and also averaged the -dbm also.
i first used the modem i currently had on there, BUKI1
- average percentage was 19%
- average -dbm was -103
both very poor scores
the signal was very jumpy up and down also
i then flashed the custom modem, i think by krs007, M250S
- average percentage was 44.6%
- average -dbm was -90.66
obviously a huge increase
the signal was very steady, hardly changing from that average
lastly i flashed NELP3
- average percentage was 30.66%
- average -dbm was -97.33
better than at first but not as good as M250S
i am now going to let M250S bed in for a few days while keeping my eye on here for how NELP4 performs but so far i have a huge increase in signal in a previously very poor area. as this is also due i believe to the tower having problems, hopefully it will only get better.
Try downloading OpenSignalMaps from Google Play Store. For starters, you can determine the approximate location of the offending cell tower (if the cell tower was indeed the culprit). Sometimes, i realise that the phone tends to stick to certain cell towers when others are in closer range and could purportedly provide a better radio link. For this, the app provides a refresh feature that allows you to manually trigger a cell tower refresh. I am aware that most apps requiring connectivity have this feature but i don't suppose you can call the refresh on trigger.
Hi Marc
Tracked down a copy of M250S(dont know if its the same as you have installed though), and very briefly, as in 30 secondsish, I had 4 bars and dl`s around 5mb again!.But midway through it dropped out and that seems to be the pattern. Seems to be having problems locking onto a cell, signal bars frequently grey out, maybe its a compatibility issue with CM9, I dont know.
Anyway, let us know how you get on,
Cheers
Chris
it probably is the same as i dont think any others have that name.
it probably just needs to bed in for a few days. i have noticed mine go between 3g and H quite regular but it always does that, i havent had any dropped calls or similar so far.

[Q] Finally! E4GT to Photon-and signal icon question.

Switched to Sprint from T-Mo about 3 months ago. We switched when Amazon was having a 1 cent sale on all phones for new customers.
My first choice what the Photon, but I was swayed by the Super Amoled screen of the GSII Epic. I swore off Samsung phones after having the horrid Vibrant (with the never working GPS). I figured they must have learned from their mistakes...but nope.
Anyway, after 3 Epics (GPS, bad USB port and signal issues) I got tired of it and went and bought the phone I should have gotten in the first place, the Photon! :good: Wow!! I'm kicking myself for not getting this phone from the beginning. It just works.
Anyway, the only thing that bugs me is I still can't figure out how the signal strength bars work (with the dual colors). I've searched this forum as well as others and I'm still I think I understand the color coding, but not the bars themselves. The manual is no help as it doesn't explain the colors or bars.
I have six bars showing at all times. I assume that, unlike my previous phones, that the six signal bars will always show? At home one of the bars is always blue. In this example what does it mean?? I haven't had any calling issues and my data is plenty fast (4g) average 4.5 down.
Thanks!
The bars light up blue when you are connected to your Google account and are grey when you're not.
Sent from my MB855 using xda app-developers app
That I pretty much understand from reading other forum posts. Still wondering if I will I always see all the signal bars and how that corelates to my cell signal strength.
Sent from my MB855 using xda app-developers app
tweak89 said:
Switched to Sprint from T-Mo about 3 months ago. We switched when Amazon was having a 1 cent sale on all phones for new customers.
My first choice what the Photon, but I was swayed by the Super Amoled screen of the GSII Epic. I swore off Samsung phones after having the horrid Vibrant (with the never working GPS). I figured they must have learned from their mistakes...but nope.
Anyway, after 3 Epics (GPS, bad USB port and signal issues) I got tired of it and went and bought the phone I should have gotten in the first place, the Photon! :good: Wow!! I'm kicking myself for not getting this phone from the beginning. It just works.
Anyway, the only thing that bugs me is I still can't figure out how the signal strength bars work (with the dual colors). I've searched this forum as well as others and I'm still I think I understand the color coding, but not the bars themselves. The manual is no help as it doesn't explain the colors or bars.
I have six bars showing at all times. I assume that, unlike my previous phones, that the six signal bars will always show? At home one of the bars is always blue. In this example what does it mean?? I haven't had any calling issues and my data is plenty fast (4g) average 4.5 down.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats weird cause I have an Epic, Epic Touch and a GSIII and have no issues with any of them. In fact my Epic 4g has better GPS lock than my photon, both running CM9
tweak89 said:
Switched to Sprint from T-Mo about 3 months ago. We switched when Amazon was having a 1 cent sale on all phones for new customers.
My first choice what the Photon, but I was swayed by the Super Amoled screen of the GSII Epic. I swore off Samsung phones after having the horrid Vibrant (with the never working GPS). I figured they must have learned from their mistakes...but nope.
Anyway, after 3 Epics (GPS, bad USB port and signal issues) I got tired of it and went and bought the phone I should have gotten in the first place, the Photon! :good: Wow!! I'm kicking myself for not getting this phone from the beginning. It just works.
Anyway, the only thing that bugs me is I still can't figure out how the signal strength bars work (with the dual colors). I've searched this forum as well as others and I'm still I think I understand the color coding, but not the bars themselves. The manual is no help as it doesn't explain the colors or bars.
I have six bars showing at all times. I assume that, unlike my previous phones, that the six signal bars will always show? At home one of the bars is always blue. In this example what does it mean?? I haven't had any calling issues and my data is plenty fast (4g) average 4.5 down.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I could be wrong but from what I can tell you have 6 bars and will vary depending on your signal strength. Only time you won't see any bars is if cell signal is turned off (such as airplane mode). Even if there is no signal you should still get a no signal indication (at least I do).
Also, I was under the impression they turn a different color when using data, such as syncing with services.
tweak89 said:
That I pretty much understand from reading other forum posts. Still wondering if I will I always see all the signal bars and how that corelates to my cell signal strength.
Sent from my MB855 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Settings > about phone > status > signal strength...
There are a few apps and widgets on the market that will put this information on a workspace for easier viewing.
Sent from my MB855 using xda premium
Scottie,
I'm really just wondering if the bars reflect the cell signal strength at all. I know where to find it in the settings.
Sure would have been nice if they spelled it out in the manual! I mean, here at work I have 6 blue bars and get slower download speeds compared to my one blue bar at home. I guess it shouldn't bug me as long as it's working.
MikeyLee,
I had nothing but problems from the get go. Weak GPS on all three phones, the 2nd one also had the USB port fail (didn't know when it was unplugged). I went through 5 Vibrants when I was with T-Mo when they finally offered me a different phone. Sprint flat out said they would just keep replacing my phone with the same model so I just bought my Photon outright.
My wife had issues with her GSII. She kept dropping into roaming. Hers was replaced once and no problems since then. Her GPS works great, so go figure.
Blue bars is background data. Turn it off, and the bars are gray.
Sent from my MB855 using xda app-developers app
My bars fluctuate depending on the signal as do all three Photons in my house. If yours are always 6 bars you must be living near a tower
Know that the stock base kind of 'lies' to you, Sprint always shows more bars than you may actually have, most carriers seem to do this.
Download a signal app or flash CM7 or CM9 and you'll see the true strength of your signal.

Poor reception in India

I am using an AT&T Atrix 4G (rooted and has NottachTrix ROM with 37p radio) in India on BSNL AP circle and I have been getting really poor reception. It is so bad that I can only receive or make calls about 25% of the time. Many times, the phone shows no signal, but often it can't receive or make calls even when there are full bars on it at that moment. I tried using the other popular radio posted here, which is 36p and that showed no difference. Is there another radio that is better suited for this region and mobile operator?
I also have a severe battery life problem. With a brand new battery, it lasts about 24hs on standby, but even with a bit of usage it will not last full day. Sometimes it goes from around 60% to under 10% overnight (in 8hrs or so). I am using JuiceDefender for maximum battery life, and also verified with CPU Spy that the CPU is going into deep sleep as expected. Battery usage always shows "Phone Idle" and "Cell Standby" as the biggest battery consumers. Perhaps, the same problem that is causing bad reception is also causing the battery to go down quickly? I bought it as a used phone and used it on T-Mobile for a few days before leaving US. The battery life was terrible then too, but I thought it was because the battery was getting old, so purchased a new one before leaving.
Even though the reception on T-Mobile was also bad, it was nothing compared to what I am seeing here. Besides, T-Mobile didn't have a good coverage in that area anyway, so the reception was just like most of the other phones I tried there. My guess is that there is nothing wrong with the hardware itself, and the right modem firmware will fix both issues. Could someone who is already using this model in India, preferably with this mobile network comment?
irha said:
I am using an AT&T Atrix 4G (rooted and has NottachTrix ROM with 37p radio) in India on BSNL AP circle and I have been getting really poor reception. It is so bad that I can only receive or make calls about 25% of the time. Many times, the phone shows no signal, but often it can't receive or make calls even when there are full bars on it at that moment. I tried using the other popular radio posted here, which is 36p and that showed no difference. Is there another radio that is better suited for this region and mobile operator?
I also have a severe battery life problem. With a brand new battery, it lasts about 24hs on standby, but even with a bit of usage it will not last full day. Sometimes it goes from around 60% to under 10% overnight (in 8hrs or so). I am using JuiceDefender for maximum battery life, and also verified with CPU Spy that the CPU is going into deep sleep as expected. Battery usage always shows "Phone Idle" and "Cell Standby" as the biggest battery consumers. Perhaps, the same problem that is causing bad reception is also causing the battery to go down quickly? I bought it as a used phone and used it on T-Mobile for a few days before leaving US. The battery life was terrible then too, but I thought it was because the battery was getting old, so purchased a new one before leaving.
Even though the reception on T-Mobile was also bad, it was nothing compared to what I am seeing here. Besides, T-Mobile didn't have a good coverage in that area anyway, so the reception was just like most of the other phones I tried there. My guess is that there is nothing wrong with the hardware itself, and the right modem firmware will fix both issues. Could someone who is already using this model in India, preferably with this mobile network comment?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Been using the Atrix for the past 6 months. Have used in AP Docomo, AP Vodafone and Chennai Aircel networks, Reception is top notch.
Everyone knows about the quality of BSNL signal and your problem lies there, IMHO.
Battery life is also awesome.
I used CM nightly and I do not overclock. I found faux kernel to be draining my battery so not using that too.
gkarthik16 said:
Been using the Atrix for the past 6 months. Have used in AP Docomo, AP Vodafone and Chennai Aircel networks, Reception is top notch.
Everyone knows about the quality of BSNL signal and your problem lies there, IMHO.
Battery life is also awesome.
I used CM nightly and I do not overclock. I found faux kernel to be draining my battery so not using that too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting... I have heard people say bad things about BSNL signal, but I didn't think it would be this bad, so I was still under the impression that the issue is with the phone. May be I should borrow some dumb nokia phone from someone and confirm/rule out the issue with signal quality
I have't tried CM yet on this because I wanted the blur functionality for the dock, but I am not finding much use for the dock, so may be I will switch to CM one day, if only the support for biometric scanner is added. Thanks for the helpful reply!
Well, since the signal is always alternating, it increases the battery usage, i think
Well, my first concern is the reception. With full bars showing up, i am some times unable to make or receive calls. If his can still be BSNL issue, then I might just have to switch. When the phone is in this state, I have occasionally tried to see if restart would fix it, and though I can't confirm it 100%, I was almost always able to make a call immediately after the reboot. The reason I can't confirm that a reboot fixes he issue is because, there is obviously a few minutes of gap between that might have had external change as well.
irha said:
I have't tried CM yet on this because I wanted the blur functionality for the dock, but I am not finding much use for the dock, so may be I will switch to CM one day, if only the support for biometric scanner is added. Thanks for the helpful reply!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Support for the fingerprint sensor is already present in Cyanogenmod 7. Give CM7 a try. The phone is smooth and rock solid.
And as ticiano_arraes suggested, poor reception or network quality has a direct impact on the battery, as the phone keeps trying to get hold of a stronger network.
gkarthik16 said:
Support for the fingerprint sensor is already present in Cyanogenmod 7. Give CM7 a try. The phone is smooth and rock solid.
And as ticiano_arraes suggested, poor reception or network quality has a direct impact on the battery, as the phone keeps trying to get hold of a stronger network.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice, I would love to give CM7 a try. Is I said earlier, I am less concerned about the battery life than the reception, as 3 out of the 4 times when I want to make a call, I don't get the signal immediately. Also, callers complain about not able to reach me. This is not my primarily line, so I am able to somehow manage so far, but if the problem is definitely on the network side, I will consider switching to a different service. In any case, I will try CM7 and report back.
What band are you using?2g or 3g?never set it to auto.Set it to GSM ONLY
I use atrix with bsnl 3g sim, cm9 Turk,radio is 100R don't have any signal issues or battery drain if I am using only calls I switch to 2g only otherwise 3g only mode use lot of data if I switch to auto or other radios I had lots of issues but with 100R no issues good signal as well as good data speed so pls try that using for nearly 9 months without issue
This is what I have right now:
- Select network - 2G Only
- Operator selection - Select automatically
I don't have a GSM Only option anywhere.
First try 100R radio I too call& battery issues then switched to this radio now don't have network issue when using 36& 37 radios most of the time my mobile was not reachable even when signal was showing do u use data? If not select 2g only using power Widgets u can easily switch 2g or 3g mode easily try 100R with nottachtrix it was good & if u r interested try Turk cm9 & 100R it gives better battery life than others comparatively
---------- Post added at 09:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:31 PM ----------
Regarding bsnl signal I have six phones in my home using bsnl I m in a poor signal area using 100R I have better signal than e71,n900 I'm using so try it with ur current from so u can check difference
saintmonte said:
First try 100R radio I too call& battery issues then switched to this radio now don't have network issue when using 36& 37 radios most of the time my mobile was not reachable even when signal was showing do u use data? If not select 2g only using power Widgets u can easily switch 2g or 3g mode easily try 100R with nottachtrix it was good & if u r interested try Turk cm9 & 100R it gives better battery life than others comparatively
---------- Post added at 09:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:31 PM ----------
Regarding bsnl signal I have six phones in my home using bsnl I m in a poor signal area using 100R I have better signal than e71,n900 I'm using so try it with ur current from so u can check difference
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you, will give that a shot now. I found the 100R download link from here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=21525149&postcount=8
That post also mentions 30p, did you try that?
I got my mobile with .30 then switched to 36 got severe battery issues & switched to 37 it will show signal but mobile all be not reachable then switched to 100R never looked back try with ur current rom check difference.
I'm on .30P and JB epinter's CM10 rom and signal is top notch, no reception problems, battery life great, from INDIA on tata docomo
irha said:
I am using an AT&T Atrix 4G (rooted and has NottachTrix ROM with 37p radio) in India on BSNL AP circle and I have been getting really poor reception. It is so bad that I can only receive or make calls about 25% of the time. Many times, the phone shows no signal, but often it can't receive or make calls even when there are full bars on it at that moment. I tried using the other popular radio posted here, which is 36p and that showed no difference. Is there another radio that is better suited for this region and mobile operator?
I also have a severe battery life problem. With a brand new battery, it lasts about 24hs on standby, but even with a bit of usage it will not last full day. Sometimes it goes from around 60% to under 10% overnight (in 8hrs or so). I am using JuiceDefender for maximum battery life, and also verified with CPU Spy that the CPU is going into deep sleep as expected. Battery usage always shows "Phone Idle" and "Cell Standby" as the biggest battery consumers. Perhaps, the same problem that is causing bad reception is also causing the battery to go down quickly? I bought it as a used phone and used it on T-Mobile for a few days before leaving US. The battery life was terrible then too, but I thought it was because the battery was getting old, so purchased a new one before leaving.
Even though the reception on T-Mobile was also bad, it was nothing compared to what I am seeing here. Besides, T-Mobile didn't have a good coverage in that area anyway, so the reception was just like most of the other phones I tried there. My guess is that there is nothing wrong with the hardware itself, and the right modem firmware will fix both issues. Could someone who is already using this model in India, preferably with this mobile network comment?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have the stock ROM it's probably that the main problem is the radio that you are using right now. The radios control the way the antenna communicates and all that stuff. So if you are having bad reception, the antena is searching constantly and making more effort to keep you alive on the mobile network.
Try flashing a new radio, it's too easy. Just find in the forum a radio for your region( but it could be from anywhere, for example i'm in Finland right now but i use the normal att{usa}).
I read that you are using just 2G, that's great for improving battery life, but don't expect a huge amount. I always run in 2G and in HSPA+ when i really need the gps, fast info, etc, I'm always syncing with FB, Twitter, Instagram, listening to music and barely it last a day withe the extended battery(bh6x).
Hope this works for you
btw, ,flashing a new radio doesn't delete the data of your rom, it's so easy
I have now observed the signal quality over 24hrs with the 100R firmware and I think there is marked improvement in quality. There were times when I had no signal and I couldn't make calls, but at least I didn't have a situation when there were bars showing and yet the call didn't go through. Obviously, I need more time to see if what I am seeing is genuine.
On the other hand, I don't think the battery life increased significantly. With very light usage, it went down from 100% to 22% in about 23hrs and 70% of that is in Phone idle. I have attached 3 snapshots taken at different times of the battery usage to show what I mean. May be it is just the stock kernel not fully optimized, so I will give CM7 a try.
I installed cwm touch recovery 5.8.1.8 and wondering if the backup created by this recovery is complete enough for the stock rom so that I can switch back to it if CM7 doesn't work out.
paarkhi said:
I'm on .30P and JB epinter's CM10 rom and signal is top notch, no reception problems, battery life great, from INDIA on tata docomo
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does this ROM also support biometric scanner? What would be the biggest reason not to use it and go with CM7 instead? Stability?
irha said:
Does this ROM also support biometric scanner? What would be the biggest reason not to use it and go with CM7 instead? Stability?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, this ROM doesn't support biometric scanner and the stock Camcoder cannot record videos due to Nvidia Driver Issues (3rd party video recording apps work), apart from that sometimes random reboot, rest everything works like WiFi Hotspot, GPS is great, and instead of staying on GB I'd like to stay on JB with these few quirks...
paarkhi said:
No, this ROM doesn't support biometric scanner and the stock Camcoder cannot record videos due to Nvidia Driver Issues (3rd party video recording apps work), apart from that sometimes random reboot, rest everything works like WiFi Hotspot, GPS is great, and instead of staying on GB I'd like to stay on JB with these few quirks...
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The driver should then be there with CM7 as well as CM9 too right?
irha said:
The driver should then be there with CM7 as well as CM9 too right?
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AFAIK CM7 it will work and with CM9 it will not

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