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Annoying data stalls with RMHD in weak cell areas

Marc_G

Well-Known Member
Hi folks,

I'm hoping someone here can suggest some alternatives for dealing with this problem I'm having with my RMHD running Jelly Bean. For the record, it did the same thing on ICS before the update.

While I get good 4G data connectivity in most places, sadly my office where I spend 8+ hours a day is not among them. But the phone doesn't act like I would expect, and I don't know how to improve the situation.

Here's what I see:

Basically, despite the phone showing good signal for 4G LTE (four or five bars), while I'm using the phone for data activities (web, forums, etc.), it will suddenly stall and I get no data. The thing will still show 4G with good signal (blue indicators). But no data. I can try refreshing the web page or whatever, but nothing comes through. I can set the phone aside and it will be a long time before it finds the ability to get data again... maybe on average 10 minutes before it seems to notice the data stall and do something about it.

When it is in one of these stall modes, if I flick Airplane mode on and off (rapidly), the phone will cycle the radio, reacquire signal, and in a minute or so I will have a data connection again.

What bugs me is that when it stalls, there IS A USABLE SIGNAL because I can recover connectivity by cycling the radio. But when stalled, it doesn't quickly automatically recover.

Sometimes it will show on the indicator no data connection when I'm in my office, just the bars with no 1G/3G/4G indicator. AGain, if I cycle the radio, I quickly get data connections.

These stalls can happen frequently. Every couple minutes. With a minute or 90 seconds downtime for powercycling the radio.

Is there some way or app that will automatically be watching out for data stalls and do whatever is necessary to reconnect? Or some way to suspend 4G altogether and try my luck on 3G when I'm in my office? Sometimes it drops to 3G and I've found data to be stable in this situation. Then it goes up to 4G again, then stalls.

I'm not worried about data speed or battery wastage... for me it's loss of time waiting for reconnection of the data stream. I get short breaks now and then and hate wasting them waiting for the connection cycling.

Network Info app shows data connection during the stall, even with a smiley face, though usually with -97 or -96 db signal...

Any thoughts on how to improve data performance in weak / garbled singal areas? And why does it show a strong 4G signal when clearly there's a problem?

Marc
 
This actually just happened to me a few times today. Although I was in a high reception area, 3-4 bars with no problem. Even cycling airplane mode and into 3G wouldn't fix it, unless you did it 3 or 4 times in a row for me. However, it's not done this on ICS before, so maybe its a Verizon issue? I might try a new SIM card when I get a chance, but I'll have to exchange my phone for another if this keeps up. It's seriously annoying.
 
I think it has to do with the Moto / Verizon algorithm for deciding when to reseek the data connection. My older phone (a DroidX) did the same thing though it was less annoying because the X was a 3G phone and the 3G signal in my office wasn't apparently quite as bad as the 4G singla the RMHD wants to lock on.

Is there a way to manually kick the phone down the 3G mode?
 
I've been searching around and noticed some people seem to have a CDMA only mode or the ability to turn off LTE in what seems to be stock RMHD with Jelly Bean. I don't have that, or maybe I don't know how to get there.

I tried 4G Toggle app, and it took me to the network settings screen but no option there to turn off LTE. On the other hand the Switch it 4G LTE Toggle app does let me turn off LTE.

Shouldn't there be an easier wah though that I'm missing?
 
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