Help mobile data is eating my battery

[tommy2tone1838494]

I have really crappy service where I live, but this takes the cake.
Ive had to charge my battery 4 times today and have done nothing aside from browsing a few pages. Haven't downloaded anything, haven't streamed music.
My connection is so slow and it intermittently drops out and won't connect to server. Keep having to restart the mobile data and my battery lasts barely 2 hours on a single charge.

I'm using Verizon EVDO/ 3G on a moto g. I live in a rural area but usually the actual cell coverage is not this bad. I have on average 2 or 3 bars of 1x service. Calls and texts work fine but the phone appears to be running itself to death trying to stay connected to 3g.
Wth?

 

[tommy2tone1838494]

 

[Hadron]

It might be that your normal cell is down, and so the phone is trying to connect to the next nearest. Maybe contact your carrier to report a problem.

There is literally nothing worse for a phone's battery than fringe coverage where the phone is constantly losing signal and trying to regain it. You don't have to be using it, if it is dropping in and out of cover that will run the battery down all by itself.

 

[mikedt]

If you're right out in the sticks with very marginal coverage, assuming there isn't a temporary cell-tower problem, the phone can run itself to death trying to keep connected and constantly hunting.

If you want to always have good coverage around your house and you are in a fringe coverage area, see about getting a femtocell. Verizon Wireless does them, they call them "Network extenders".

EDIT:

By coincidence an expat friend just IM'd me, asking would a Verizon "network extender" work in China? NO!