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Verizon GS3 signal reception thread
- Thread starter rushmore
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- samsung galaxy s3
cmon Thursday!Skeeter125
Android Enthusiast
well technically it would still be higher say -100 is higher than -80. Unless you are talking about closest to 0
rushmore
Extreme Android User
Need to be in the -120 or above for that. I rarely see a -93 for 4G with my Razr. See it with 3G, but not 4G. Heck, I get -60s to -80s usually for 3G, but 4G is a LOT more fickle with signal. Still, a bad 4G signal is better than the best of 3G signals.
There's a little confusion in this thread that we can clear up easily. I just found this and read the whole thing.
The Qualcomm S4 SoC contains zero radios. It does feature a world modem block capable of dealing directly with any mobile radio transceivers made. (Other phones need additional LTE modem chips at minimum.)
Separate radio transceivers are required for each band, GPS, Bluetooth, wifi, CDMA and LTE. It's not uncommon for a single radio chip to house multiple radio transceivers.
On Verizon, if the LTE radio transceiver is in use, the CDMA radio must be on. No dev is ever going to be able to build something that leaves LTE on and CDMA off and have anything work.
The dBm measure is explained here -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DBm
Its meaning doesn't change between Gingerbread or ICS and neither does the way it's measured through Open Signal Maps.
Mobile phone signals and the ASU reported by Open Signal Maps is covered here -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone_signal
The dBm numbers are negative and that is not getting through here, so let's try this - would you rather owe $10 to someone or would you rather owe them $100, assuming that you had no choice and had to owe?
-70 dBm is a much BIGGER AND BETTER signal than -100 dBm because less is owed.
If in doubt, just use ASUs, they're simple and they're positive.
Does the dBm number equal sound quality? Yes on GSM, no on CDMA (precisely why CDMA is better).
Do the dBm or ASU numbers mean anything? Yes, they indicate your probability of holding a call and getting good service.
Can you compare the numbers between a DX and SGS3 directly? Depends - if both are on CDMA/3G only, then yes, they are measuring the exact same thing. Forget it if LTE/4G enters into it.
Hope this clarifies and best luck to everyone with your new phones. Remember, hardware with that lemony scent can hit anyone, so if your phone has a signal problem, take it in and get it checked - don't let one bad unit sway you from a model if a replacement is all it takes.
Cheers, hope this helps.
The Qualcomm S4 SoC contains zero radios. It does feature a world modem block capable of dealing directly with any mobile radio transceivers made. (Other phones need additional LTE modem chips at minimum.)
Separate radio transceivers are required for each band, GPS, Bluetooth, wifi, CDMA and LTE. It's not uncommon for a single radio chip to house multiple radio transceivers.
On Verizon, if the LTE radio transceiver is in use, the CDMA radio must be on. No dev is ever going to be able to build something that leaves LTE on and CDMA off and have anything work.
The dBm measure is explained here -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DBm
Its meaning doesn't change between Gingerbread or ICS and neither does the way it's measured through Open Signal Maps.
Mobile phone signals and the ASU reported by Open Signal Maps is covered here -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone_signal
The dBm numbers are negative and that is not getting through here, so let's try this - would you rather owe $10 to someone or would you rather owe them $100, assuming that you had no choice and had to owe?
-70 dBm is a much BIGGER AND BETTER signal than -100 dBm because less is owed.
If in doubt, just use ASUs, they're simple and they're positive.
Does the dBm number equal sound quality? Yes on GSM, no on CDMA (precisely why CDMA is better).
Do the dBm or ASU numbers mean anything? Yes, they indicate your probability of holding a call and getting good service.
Can you compare the numbers between a DX and SGS3 directly? Depends - if both are on CDMA/3G only, then yes, they are measuring the exact same thing. Forget it if LTE/4G enters into it.
Hope this clarifies and best luck to everyone with your new phones. Remember, hardware with that lemony scent can hit anyone, so if your phone has a signal problem, take it in and get it checked - don't let one bad unit sway you from a model if a replacement is all it takes.
Cheers, hope this helps.
darkestred
Android Enthusiast
Well, i did the *#*#4636*#*# i'm also rooted. So, not entirely sure, but i can force 3g.
I am glad I stumbled across this thread, I was going to pick one up tomorrow to replace my iPhone 4 (was getting impatient waiting for the 5) but I think I will wait now, Was going to jump over to Droid but this thread scares me, I have low signal as it is in some areas by me so I can't afford to give up more bars just cause the phones radio sucks
Skeeter125
Android Enthusiast
just to put it into a little better perspective, the phone I was using before my sgs3 was an iphone 4s and in the same places that on the iphone got the little o which mean 1x data I was getting a solid 2 bars of 4g. Iphones aren't really the best for reception anyway
My wife and her friend both got GS3s today. We live in town a distance of 0.6 miles from a Verizon tower which we can see over the tree tops. My wife's GS3 would not make or receive calls, at all. We went to the local Verizon store about a mile away and the phone worked fine there (of course). So, we tried both my wife's GS3 and her friend's at different places in our subdivision and neither would reliably place or receive calls. Rarely a call would go through. Almost all the time the phones both gave an error of service or network not available. My wife's previous Droid-X and my Iphone 4S have no problems anywhare in the subdivision and have full bars of signal so this is some very strange GS3 issue. My wife and her friend have used their phones other places in this and a neighboring town with no noticeable problems so far, but it has only been a day.
We previously lived in the country and I have a Verizon extender from back then which I hooked up. The GS3s worked fine with the extender. My Iphone would only connect to the extender if I was within a few feet of it, otherwise going to the cell tower, but the GS3s connected to the extender all over the house. The signal from the extender was -90 to -100 dbm in rooms away from the extender but that worked. The signal from the cell tower would read -60 to -70 dbm prior to trying to place a call but after the call failed the signal level would show -113 to -120 dbm. We repeated this several times with one reading of signal level before placing a call and another much lower level showing after the call failed.
Tomorrow we will go to a larger Verizon store a few miles away and discuss the issue. Probably the phones are being returned.
Good to know, thanks. Comparisons between the 2 would be nice
I know I have barely any 4G on Long Island, NY, so it would still fall back to 1x in my case instead of 4g, if not worse I guess
rmcf
Member
My phone has been all over the place today. From -114 in my house this morning to -89 in my house at night. Either way my calls have been clear and connected with no issue. So that doesn't concern me. What concerns me is that my phone would also vary wildly with data. From 4g to 3g to 1x. Can't really keep a consistent speed.
This is just day 1 so i'm not jumping to conclusions yet. Amazing phone albeit i'm a bit overwhelmed by the jump in quality haha (came from droid x).
This is just day 1 so i'm not jumping to conclusions yet. Amazing phone albeit i'm a bit overwhelmed by the jump in quality haha (came from droid x).
ajdroidx
Android Expert
The bottom line is that it's doing better than your Max, and that says something for sure. But why some others report the opposite and still others pretty much say what you do, is beyond me.
I like your theory about the S4 and qualcomm reading dbm differently. I guess it's possible and would explain some of the crazy differences we're seeing.
Compared to my galaxy nexus the s3 has marginally better signal. Data speed is great as it is on gnex as well. I'm in NYC.
Switching between 3g and 4g is fast. Holds both signals well.
Glad I switched from gnex. But if I stayed with gnex I would of been just as happy. They are really comparable.
Switching between 3g and 4g is fast. Holds both signals well.
Glad I switched from gnex. But if I stayed with gnex I would of been just as happy. They are really comparable.
I will do some more "scientific" testing later, but I just got my GS3 today.
previous phone - OG Incredible
wife's phone - Razr w/ICS
I live approximately 30 miles from the metro area, so a smaller suburb. we have decent service in town.
my incredible in the house would range from 1-3 bars on average, and never had an issue with voice calls, or data.
in my basement, my incredible would struggle to get a decent 3G signal. phone would still work though.
Wifes Razr gets considerably better signal in the house than my incredible does.
New GS3: I consistently get 2 bars of 4G service upstairs, downstairs, it sometimes will revert to 3 -4 bars of 3G, and then back to a low 4G signal.
No call issues at all (even though i've only made a few), data is blazing fast, getting 10+ mb down and 2+ mb up.
granted i've had the phone out of the box and activated for all of only 2 hours, i have not noticed anything bad yet. but I will be monitoring the service within the 14 days, and if i notice anything out of the ordinary, it may go back.
but as of now - all systems go!
I will do some dbm numbers at a later time for you guys.
previous phone - OG Incredible
wife's phone - Razr w/ICS
I live approximately 30 miles from the metro area, so a smaller suburb. we have decent service in town.
my incredible in the house would range from 1-3 bars on average, and never had an issue with voice calls, or data.
in my basement, my incredible would struggle to get a decent 3G signal. phone would still work though.
Wifes Razr gets considerably better signal in the house than my incredible does.
New GS3: I consistently get 2 bars of 4G service upstairs, downstairs, it sometimes will revert to 3 -4 bars of 3G, and then back to a low 4G signal.
No call issues at all (even though i've only made a few), data is blazing fast, getting 10+ mb down and 2+ mb up.
granted i've had the phone out of the box and activated for all of only 2 hours, i have not noticed anything bad yet. but I will be monitoring the service within the 14 days, and if i notice anything out of the ordinary, it may go back.
but as of now - all systems go!
I will do some dbm numbers at a later time for you guys.
It also makes you wonder if there are significant differences in the way towers handle signals differently in different areas. When you see some say their Mot blows away the S3 and others say almost the opposite, it just makes you search for some logical explanation other than defective phones.
Is it possible that some equipment on towers are newer or different and certain phones handle the signals better? I just don't know.
gqchynaboy
Newbie
bleh my phone came damaged~!!!
laptopquestion
Android Enthusiast
gqchynaboy
Newbie
Yeah, I just received my phone form Verizon - White 32gb and there is a deep gauge to the right side of the phone. =[ Trying to get a hold of a Verizon Rep, been on hold for long time.
You may be in a bad signal area - or you may be hopping between towers, something Open Signal Maps will tell you with the maps function. If it's that, best to call Verizon.
Skeeter125
Android Enthusiast
It also makes you wonder if there are significant differences in the way towers handle signals differently in different areas. When you see some say their Mot blows away the S3 and others say almost the opposite, it just makes you search for some logical explanation other than defective phones.
Is it possible that some equipment on towers are newer or different and certain phones handle the signals better? I just don't know.
I remember verizon was updating a lot of their towers for lte and wonder if some that are having issues are still around the old towers and not the upgraded towers? That would make sense that strictly 3g towers would make a phone designed for lte have some issues. At least IMO anyway.
EarlyMon, your biggest revelation to me was the dispelling of 'facts' in several posts I've seen that claimed that Motorola and Samsung were using the same radios because they both had the S4 chip with integrated radios. Now that we know the S4 chip contains no radio, we know that's not the case and both companies may well be using their own radios, just as they've always done.
So we're back to square one, but it still doesn't explain why some S3 owners are saying the S3 is besting the Razr and others saying exactly the opposite. Weird stuff!
This
So we're back to square one, but it still doesn't explain why some S3 owners are saying the S3 is besting the Razr and others saying exactly the opposite. Weird stuff!
This
Except my wife's IPhone 4S would best my GNex in marginal areas about 90% of the time. I guess that could be a commentary on the GNex as much as anything.
