Poor Note3-"phone" performance - an answer

[Simon_Gardner]

I now have a partial answer to my long-standing beef with my first smartphone - the Note 3. Yes it's that appalling radio performance compared to every dumb phone I've had. This meant the Note 3 only half worked "as a phone" in my home. Just so long as the wind was blowing the right way.

A few days ago I installed a GBP 100 (US$ 170) femtocell offered by my service provider [uniquely in the UK since the only other provider which did them here has stopped since a merger (?)]. Some other providers in other countries offer these.

This gives what is effectively a mini cellular mast in my home which communicates with the rest of the network via my broadband. This is not Skype or any other VoIP but you just use your phone/text incoming/outgoing as normal. Only phones you specify can be used on it so nobody nearby is going to be using it. Range is supposed to be about 30m. Looks to be that too.

For the last few days I've been getting full bars on my Note 3 and it's now useable anywhere in the house.

After the capital outlay, I'm not charged anything more although the phone calls are billed as normal to my account as if they had been made using a regular mast.

Works for me.

 

[evohicks]

I now have a partial answer to my long-standing beef with my first smartphone - the Note 3. Yes it's that appalling radio performance compared to every dumb phone I've had. This meant the Note 3 only half worked "as a phone" in my home. Just so long as the wind was blowing the right way.

A few days ago I installed a GBP 100 (US$ 170) femtocell offered by my service provider [uniquely in the UK since the only other provider which did them here has stopped since a merger (?)]. Some other providers in other countries offer these.

This gives what is effectively a mini cellular mast in my home which communicates with the rest of the network via my broadband. This is not Skype or any other VoIP but you just use your phone/text incoming/outgoing as normal. Only phones you specify can be used on it so nobody nearby is going to be using it. Range is supposed to be about 30m. Looks to be that too.

For the last few days I've been getting full bars on my Note 3 and it's now useable anywhere in the house.

After the capital outlay, I'm not charged anything more although the phone calls are billed as normal to my account as if they had been made using a regular mast.

Works for me.

Yeah my signal isn't that good at home and I live on the top of a hill
But it's not bad enough continuously to warrant purchasing this, but I bet a lot of others could use it.

 

[TrueFangz]

I have the same problem you do Simon.

Here in the US, Verizon recomends this Samsung Network Extender (SCS-2U01):

Samsung Network Extender (SCS-2U01) - Verizon Wireless

But it's $249.99 USD.

My Note 3 signal performs very poorly at home compared to all of the Motorola's I've have in the past, but it's a company phone, so I can't see myself paying that much money for an extender, and I don't think my company would pay for this either since I don't "work" from home.

I'm glad you found a good fix to your scenario!

 

[Digital Controller]

I have the same problem you do Simon.

Here in the US, Verizon recomends this Samsung Network Extender (SCS-2U01):

Samsung Network Extender (SCS-2U01) - Verizon Wireless

But it's $249.99 USD.

My Note 3 signal performs very poorly at home compared to all of the Motorola's I've have in the past, but it's a company phone, so I can't see myself paying that much money for an extender, and I don't think my company would pay for this either since I don't "work" from home.

I'm glad you found a good fix to your scenario!

I've complained enough about Verizon that I was going to leave and they offered to send my family one of those for free. So now my parents have one back at their house, I don't seem to have the same problems anymore though.

I will say though that Samsung devices are known for not having the best radios.

 

[drexappeal]

Sprint's equivalent is the Airrave, which I believe they are discontinuing at some point, since they're offering wifi calling.