^ 
How bizarre.
How bizarre.
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Help Sloooow 3G speeds
- Thread starter JSchu22
- Start date
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- Tags
- motorola photon 4g
Godfather13
Android Enthusiast
I changed mine to automatic and then opened an app. Then went back to wireless network and its still on automatic. So looks like it saved it.
Whats the difference/benefit to using Sprint Only, Any CDMA, or Automatic?
Whats the difference/benefit to using Sprint Only, Any CDMA, or Automatic?
Those look like the roaming choices to me.
On an HTC, the choices are Sprint Only or Automatic (Automatic being preferred).
Perhaps the And CDMA is your equivalent of my Automatic and your Automatic has been widened for the world-phone capabilities??
Do they detail this in your user's guide?
Godfather13
Android Enthusiast
Hmm, dont have my user guide at work with me but here's the play by play:
Menu>Settings>Wireless & networks>Mobile networks
The Mobile Network Settings Screen shows like this:
Network Mode (when you click the drop down arrow here a pop up window appears and you can choose "Preffered NetworK Mode". Choices are Sprint Only, Any CDMA, Any GSM/UMTS, and Automatic.
Then below Network Mode is Roaming Settings:
CDMA Roaming Settings and Roaming Guards.
Then below that is GSM/UMTS Settings.
Ill read up on this tonight.
SporkLover
Android Enthusiast
I wonder if automatic turns on the gsm radio like it did with the tp2
I still believe the fix to apply even with 4G working "fine". I didn't test 4G too much because it's not available in my area, only in the store did I test it. However the top section of the phone allows you to set up the carrier specific mobile connection and then if you choose Sprint only then you must clarify what you want the phone to do when roaming. In automatic the phone will connect to whatever compatible roaming signal is around. So this has more to do with how the radio works. Again I think that once you've initially set this (except in rare occasions) that you can then have it selected to whatever you want. I think that it's some configuration error in the initial deployment and once switched, the configuration error is cleared. However I could be wrong (this is just assumptions based on tech support history).
This clearly works:
BEFORE:
http://www.speedtest.net/android/72389069.png
AFTER:
http://www.speedtest.net/android/72388193.png
Does anyone know what this setting does? Does it affect battery life? Really amazing.
Godfather13
Android Enthusiast
Just ran another 3G test but this time at my house.
Ping: 178ms
Download: 568kbps
Upload: 341kbps
Ping: 178ms
Download: 568kbps
Upload: 341kbps
This is working unbelievably. It increased the signal strength on my photon from 1 to 4(oscillating between 3 to 5) in my office. Where there is only 3g available. 4g works fine though.
Hmm whatever the problem is on mine, it didn't fix it on mine.
Speed Test Before:
433 down/65 up
Speed Test After:
155 down/393 up
These are some atrocious numbers, however, you slice it. I'm inclined to blame Sprint rather than my phone, though. I'll have to find someone else with Sprint in my area and have them run Speedtest.
Yes, in addition to the explanation above, if the Photon behaves like other phones with this issue, it will increase your battery life. An uninitialized process is an evil, bad, nasty battery wasting process.
Your mileage may vary.
mkvoran
Member
OK. I am also getting very bad 3G speeds, I have a really tough time connecting to 4G, and it seems like my WIFI is not holding connection very well either (although when connected well I get great speeds.)
So when I try to update the PRL I get COMMS_FATAL error sometimes. Does that just mean it can't connect to do the update? or is it something more ominous......
So when I try to update the PRL I get COMMS_FATAL error sometimes. Does that just mean it can't connect to do the update? or is it something more ominous......
Your best bet is to call Sprint and make an appointment at your nearest service center for an RF test on your phone.
I could be wrong but it sure sounds like you have a hardware fault that no amount of tinkering will fix.
The test is free and painless and if I'm right about the problem, you're in for a hassle free replacement.
I could be wrong but it sure sounds like you have a hardware fault that no amount of tinkering will fix.
The test is free and painless and if I'm right about the problem, you're in for a hassle free replacement.
I am having this same issue. 4G works great and I was getting roughly 10MBPS down. On 3G, I am averaging about 0.16 KBPS down, which is Awful. I have tried setting it to "Automatic" but that does not help. It seems when you update your profile, it switches it back to CDMA only anyway. I really want to use the phone on 3G and not have to worry about it. Anyone else figure out how to resolve this??
Fyahstarter
Newbie
I've just gotta send a huge shout out to all of you that submit these posts of support that enhance our devices. I tried the suggested fix and my speeds jumped right away from around 300 down/ 150 up to about 1.4 down and 800 up!! FANTASTIC!! Thank you!!!
Fyahstarter
Newbie
So one additional question. Is this fix supposed to last indefinitely? What I'm noticing is that it lasts for a few minutes and then reverts back to the slow speed. Is there a way to lock the fix in?
Update: Went into a Sprint store and they did not help me at all. They stated that all 3G is slow and that it is normal. I know that is not the case. I called Sprint and they stated it was a network issue causing the slow 3G speeds. Anybody else experiencing slow 3G data speeds in NYC? 4G seems to be fine but 3G is barely usable. Would any of you in NYC try the speedtest.net app and let me know your results? I am trying to find out if it is truly the 3G network in NYC that is the problem. Thanks all
slikrider20
Newbie
Yep just got this phone today and already noticed the slow 3g speeds. The fastest test i've gotten is 288kbps and i've tried pretty much all the servers. Rebooted phone, set network to automatic, pulled battery. Updated PRL and profile.
reddragon72
Well-Known Member
turn your wifi and 4G radios off. The speeds you posted are clearly not 3G.
Yeah, that's real 3G.
What people here are seeing is known as "1x camping."
This phone supports CDMA data at 2 different speeds: EVDO and 1xRTT
1x will give you about 100kbps (kilobits per second) download speeds, and EVDO will give you anywhere from 500kbps to over 1.2Mbps (megabits per second) depending on where you are. Only the EVDO mode is considered 3G. 1x is pre-3G technology.
There's a simple test to see whether you're getting 1x or 3G data. Unfortunately, the Photon doesn't actually give you the "1x" icon, like my Droids did, when I was on 1x service, so you have to cheat a little.
Start the dialer app and enter *#*#4636#*#*
when you enter the last *, the phone should go to the "Testing" menu.
From there, tap the Phone Information button and look for the "Network Type" item. If it says "CDMA - EvDo", you're getting full 3G speed. If it says "CDMA - 1xRTT", well you're not actually getting 3G.
I have called Sprint Customer Care about this issue 3 times now, and so far, I've:
1. Been told the network was having trouble near my house
2. Taken the battery out
3. Done a factory data reset
And the phone is still switching down to 1x.
I know it's not a signal problem; I can actually SEE the cell tower from my office (I am using OpenSignalMap to see where the towers are), and my tablet, sitting right next to the phone, doesn't have these issues.
I'm hoping this is just a software issue and that Motorola can fix it. The OG Droid and the Droid X both had "1x camping" issues, and Moto was able to resolve them with OTA patches.