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verizon/nexus/puerto rico story

I am in Puerto rico now and typing this over hotel wifi. I have galexy nexus and varizon 4gb data plan. I can only text (though I did not try) and receive/make call. I do not have data coverage in Puerto Rico . I thought there was some setting change required which I am missing so tried all combination of network and roaming settings. I searched on internet in the hope of finding some solution and found this thread. Now i understand why data is not working and I believe goldrush28's story.
Luckily I am here only for 4 days and my wife has iPhone with ATnT connection. So I do not want to waste time on talking to customer reprentative. I read this thread so I thought that my inputs could be useful for discussion so wrote that long reply on my vacation.

But I still love my google galexy nexus. It rocks.
 
, OK. So I am here in Puerto Rico, June 26th, 2012. This is my report.

BEFORE leaving the US, I udated my roaming table (PRL) on my Galaxy Nexus, by dialing *22899. By the way, my RAZR MAXX phone refused that command.

I arrived in PR yesterday. I switched my phones to CDMA ONLY.

Galaxy Nexus: Settings, Wireless & Networks, Mobile Networks, Network Mode: select CDMA

RAZR MAXX: Settings, Wireless & Networks, Mobile Networks, Network Mode: CDMA only

RESULTS: Galaxy Nexus. All works, 3G is displayed.
MAXX: Only calls and text. No data.

The local company Claro just sucks.
 
Good to hear there's a workable solution. I just want to mention that goldrush also had a problem with his wifi not working, which he attributed to being in PR. That was the part I, and some others, were curious about and trying to make sense of. But mkrathi, you said that you were on wifi right now. So not that I didn't "believe" him, I was just trying to help, but you just proved that it's not a phone issue for wifi there.
 
Wi-Fi works perfectly. At starbucks, at the hotel, at my relative's home, etc.

Additional report: there are lots of "4G" signs from the company (Claro) that verizon users piggy back on while in here. It appears that this service is GSM, so no use for us Verizon Galaxy Nexus CDMA/LTE users.
 
So
Im in PR now and have 3 phones
a dumb phone
a galaxy nexus
and an iphone 4s
all verizon
the dumb phone gets voice coverage and says extended network
the iphone 4s says roaming and cant hold a signal
the gnex is getting a 3g data signal - data roaming is turned off.
Having come here year after year ive never seen a verizon phone get anything above 1xrtt and the vzw.com coverage map stil says no 3g.
 
I was in PR a year ago and took my Verizon iPad 2 and had 0 Verizon data. Wifi worked fine, but no cell data and actually no signal.

Now I'm headed to PR in the very near future and was curious about the following:

1. Based on the feedback on this thread, I should expect to have voice service.

2. I might have data service, but chances are slim.

But here's the $0.69 per minute question, how much did Verizon charge you to use the service in PR? I called them and they scared me! Two reps told me that it would cost $0.69 per minute, yet tonight via chat, I was told it's now part of the US and wouldn't incur any additional charges. What has been your experience? Did it cost you to use cell data when you had a signal?

Thanks,

GP
 
I'm in Puerto Rico now, September 6, 2012. Here's my experience:

Verizon Galaxy Nexus - I have cell, texts, MMS, wifi, and mostly 3G. 3G speeds are slow, but acceptable. Service available in almost all areas.

Verizon Motorola Razr running ICS - same as above except for MMS. Unable to download MMSs. Will check again, but that part has been finicky.

Both phones don't indicate roaming, but the pull down notification shows "extended network.". I have data roaming off on both phones. I never got the data roaming message for this trip either.

Hopefully my bill won't be affected by using my phones over here. I'll update this post after I get my bill.

Hope this helps.

GP
 
It is VERY likely that there is No more Verizon data service in Puerto Rico. I have a Droid Bionic which up until 8 months ago did get the "1x" speed across most of the island, which was fine for email (did not work for maps). I have house there and visit every 2 months or so. up until 8 months ago I got data with my Bionic and was not charged extra. ~8months ago I got data for 1/2 my trip then mid trip nothing. 6 months ago I arrived and seconds after landing booted my phone and for about 15 seconds got 1x data coverage a few emails synced then nothing for the rest of the trip. 4 and 2 months ago same thing. 2 weeks ago landed got 3g speed for ~15 seconds (14-15 emails worth) then nothing. Stopped by Claro and was told that as of a "few months ago" they no longer had a data deal with Verizon (voice works).

Finally heard back from Verizon today and was told "there is a known issue with 4g phones", what they could not tell me is if there were issues with any other phones (wifes Verizon Iphone 3g also did not work)and could not tell me when the issue started or when it would be fixed only that there is a known issue. I asked which phone would work, they didnt have an answer. Apparently they will only give answers related directly to your phone, unbelievable. Told them I would switch to ANY phone that they say will work, they cant give me an answer.

Bottom line is that Verizon data while SLOW used to work in Puerto Rico however I cant find anyone in the last several months that it works for now. Voice works and no roaming charges.

In my opinion Claro's statment that there is no longer an agreement with Verizon is likely accurate and the fact that my phone gets data for a few moments then stops backs up that statment as is just the right amount of time for the Claro routers/database to realize its a Verizon and not a Claro phone and filter out my data coverage.

Verizon is still "working" my issue however clearly they need to either fix the issue, come clean with Verizon or stop advertising data coverage in Puerto Rico.

After 19 years it looks like I am at the end of the road with Verizon.
 
cjgdiver said:
It is VERY likely that there is No more Verizon data service in Puerto Rico. I have a Droid Bionic which up until 8 months ago did get the "1x" speed across most of the island, which was fine for email (did not work for maps). I have house there and visit every 2 months or so. up until 8 months ago I got data with my Bionic and was not charged extra. ~8months ago I got data for 1/2 my trip then mid trip nothing. 6 months ago I arrived and seconds after landing booted my phone and for about 15 seconds got 1x data coverage a few emails synced then nothing for the rest of the trip. 4 and 2 months ago same thing. 2 weeks ago landed got 3g speed for ~15 seconds (14-15 emails worth) then nothing. Stopped by Claro and was told that as of a "few months ago" they no longer had a data deal with Verizon (voice works).

Finally heard back from Verizon today and was told "there is a known issue with 4g phones", what they could not tell me is if there were issues with any other phones (wifes Verizon Iphone 3g also did not work)and could not tell me when the issue started or when it would be fixed only that there is a known issue. I asked which phone would work, they didnt have an answer. Apparently they will only give answers related directly to your phone, unbelievable. Told them I would switch to ANY phone that they say will work, they cant give me an answer.

Bottom line is that Verizon data while SLOW used to work in Puerto Rico however I cant find anyone in the last several months that it works for now. Voice works and no roaming charges.

In my opinion Claro's statment that there is no longer an agreement with Verizon is likely accurate and the fact that my phone gets data for a few moments then stops backs up that statment as is just the right amount of time for the Claro routers/database to realize its a Verizon and not a Claro phone and filter out my data coverage.

Verizon is still "working" my issue however clearly they need to either fix the issue, come clean with Verizon or stop advertising data coverage in Puerto Rico.

After 19 years it looks like I am at the end of the road with Verizon.
Click to expand...

I was just in PR last week and I had 3G data almost everywhere. In places like Guanica at the beach, service was almost non-existent, but for the most part I had 3G almost everywhere from San Juan to Mayaguez, then to Dorado. I saw 1X just a few times for a few minutes. I was very pleased with the service, but I'm still glad I took my T-Mobile 4G hotspot device. I had much faster data service with the HSPA+ hotspot device.

Hope this helps,

GP
 
What phone were you using? Verizon confirms that LTE phones have an issue, I know the Droid Bionic does not work, last time I was there my wifes Iphone 3gb also had an issue.
 
cjgdiver said:
What phone were you using? Verizon confirms that LTE phones have an issue, I know the Droid Bionic does not work, last time I was there my wifes Iphone 3gb also had an issue.
Click to expand...

Verizon Galaxy nexus and Droid Razr. Both phones worked great with 3G almost everywhere. The RAZR had MMS issues only.
 
interested to see what VZ has in store for PR...
sprint announced that by the end of the year they are going to turn on about 8 LTE cities there, and thats great news... but surprised that VZ didnt beat them to it (yet)
 
Chaco said:
interested to see what VZ has in store for PR...
sprint announced that by the end of the year they are going to turn on about 8 LTE cities there, and thats great news... but surprised that VZ didnt beat them to it (yet)
Click to expand...

Verizon doesn't service Puerto Rico, so don't expect to see Verizon do anything there. I believe they sold all of their coverage to Claro a few years ago.
 
In Puerto Rico right now typing on my galaxy nexus (Verizon) via 3G.

Had 3G since we got off the plane. Coverage seems fine throughout San Juan. Haven't ventured beyond yet.

Wife's droid RAZR is having issues with connecting to 3G but her data settings look screwy and I haven't had a chance to adjust them.

UPDATE: signal seems decent. Usually 3 bars (-83dbm) at least outside. Indoors its hit or miss. Data works but its not always good. I can't even get speed test to complete! I got 2 pings (150 and 400ms) which were slow and oh my god slow. I only got 1 download speed of 442kbps. No upload tests could complete. Sometimes speed test couldn't even connect to the server.

Its no LTE.... but I'm happy to have something.
 
Never was able to get my wife's RAZR to connect to data at all. For her to get email I had to WiFi tether it to my gnex. Phone and SMS worked fine for her though.
 
I know this Verizon phone is getting older, and i know this thread is not new, BUT, we just got back from 2 weeks in PR and had the old bionic probs.

1X was the best i could hope for, and it had a lot of trouble holding that. If i went into system, it would show some 3G avail, at a similar DB as the 1X was getting but was unable to hold that.

As stated in this thread too, the ole droid had a hard time locking into wireless too. I was happy in PR, the bionic was not happy at all.

my traveling companion had her thunderbolt, and it indicated 3G most of the time and held wireless.

i know i know, the answer? get a newer phone.......:smokingsomb:
 
In Old San Juan, PR with my Droid Bionic since yesterday. Had difficulty latching onto the hotel's WiFi, but just blamed that on the hotel - eventually got it to work after fussing for a few hours, and it seems to have stuck (which is great).

However, 1x only on the (Verizon) wireless data, regardless of whether roaming data was activated. I just had a long chat with Verizon's assistance person, and she could not tell me anything except to call their tech support [(800) 922-0204 or *611, option 3) - she couldn't even say if I would be charged extra for such a call.

Oddly, my wife's (Verizon) Galaxy 3s works fine, receiving 3G data. I have been receiving texts from her in the last few minutes (she's out and about while I fuss over this issue), but I'm on the hotel's WiFi so I have no idea how they're coming in.

Looks like I should just punt and enjoy my vacation. Harumph - not what I was hoping for based on the coverage map, Verizon. But . . . if that's the worst thing that happens this week, I guess I'm golden. Thanks to you all for the help.

cheers, erich
 
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