Help Any way to force the Atrix to use 2G/EDGE

[mtsarpilot]

Has anyone found a way to force the Atrix to use 2G / EDGE only and ignore 3G (or AT&T's claims of 4G)?

I have weak coverage at my house. When the phone switches to EDGE I tend to get 2 to 3 bars, when it tries to go to 3G/4G I get no reception. The phone keeps going back and forth between the two.

 

[kejlyCZ]

You can check this tickbox to enable 2G only - Settings / Wireless & Networks / Mobile networks / Use only 2G networks

Second option is to dial
*#*#4636#*#*
and in Phone informations select band.

 

[mtsarpilot]

Thanks for the insight. Unfortunately my phone does not offer any selection of Use 2G Only under Settings / Wireless & Networks / Mobile networks.

I've used the dialer sequence and accessed the phone information. The only thing noteable that I can change is the "Set Preferred Network Type". It started at GSM auto (PRL). No matter what I change it to, like CDMA only, the phone goes back to GSM/CDMA auto (PRL). I can't seem to turn off 3G.

 

[ultradroid]

Thanks for the insight. Unfortunately my phone does not offer any selection of Use 2G Only under Settings / Wireless & Networks / Mobile networks.

I've used the dialer sequence and accessed the phone information. The only thing noteable that I can change is the "Set Preferred Network Type". It started at GSM auto (PRL). No matter what I change it to, like CDMA only, the phone goes back to GSM/CDMA auto (PRL). I can't seem to turn off 3G.

You didn't say who your service provider was, so I'll assume for the moment that it's AT&T. Have you tried approaching them (in an AT&T store, or online) and ask their help in making your Atrix run on the 2G band? I'd think that they would be more than willing to help out a customer with a legitimate problem.

-Mike

 

[9phil9]

I tried and they told me that you are stuck on the 3G/4G network because of the SIM card you got with the phone.
I am trying to get my connection problem solved here in 60051 because of the exact same lack of signal on the 3G/4G network, AT&T is providing.
When on a PURE 3G only phone, (Motorola Z9) I get 4-5 bars and have never dropped a call in the last 3 years.
Now I have a "Smart" 4G (yeah, right) phone (Atrix) and all I get are dropped calls.
Usually 2-3 bars and then it just drops the signal to "No Service", then immediately back to 2-3 bars.
This is just unacceptable, especially for the amount of service we are all paying for.

Which brings up an interesting thought...could AT&T be purposely throttling back on the 4G signal, to cut the amount of bandwidth speed that these new phones are eating?

Could it be that AT&T just can't provide enough bandwidth to cope with the demand, so they turn the power way down at the antenna, to cut your speed ?
And in a lot of cases, this causes our phones to drop the connection all together?
I'm beginning to suspect this may be the reason that they can't offer any explanation for our phones to drop completely off the network.

 

[mtsarpilot]

another potential explanation is that AT&T is presenting a false impression of signal strength like Verizon does. Verizon will show 4 or 5 bars, then when you attempt to make a call it drops to 0 or 1 because there really was not strong signal. But 4 or 5 looks good for marketing.