Just anecdotal, but I think non-smart phones tend to have better radio hardware and antennas.
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Weak Signal Strength
- Thread starter Roller
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- htc droid incredible
Just anecdotal, but I think non-smart phones tend to have better radio hardware and antennas.
the potential issue could be they have the radio's on the INC turned down. I sincerly doubt that the problem is hardware related. This would have been caught while Verizon was testing the phone on thier network. A software push to the phone could easily tell the radio to turn up it's output, hence stronger signal (bars, dbs, etc). Though this would put a bit more strain on the battery as well. I had an iphone 3g when they first came out and had a similiar issue and with a software update all of a sudden better reception. Most likely Verizon is well aware of what is going on.
Here's a link with info (disregard the LG stuff)
New England Cellular Sites :: LG Phone Field Test
Generally I would say anything under -100 is ok. But there are other settings (FER and Ec/Io) that affect communication as well.
Could be a defective device. Call CS and see if they'll swap it.
Depends. If you have another phone you can check side by side that will give you an idea if it's the phone or your coverage. If you don't, call CS or go to a store and explain your situation. You may even be able to compare signal level's there.
But with numbers like that, you're going to have issues.
rushmore
Extreme Android User
My Inc bounces as follows:
Rx P = -75 to -82 (seems to settle the longest at -79)
Rx Ec = -5 to -8.5 (seems to settle longest at -6.5)
Droid
Rx P = -62 to -70 (seems to settles at -64)
Rx Ec = -2 to -4 (seems to settle at -3)
The bouncing directly correlates to the bars (IMO)
added:
Droid does bounce a little (3 bars to 4 bars).
Rx P = -75 to -82 (seems to settle the longest at -79)
Rx Ec = -5 to -8.5 (seems to settle longest at -6.5)
Droid
Rx P = -62 to -70 (seems to settles at -64)
Rx Ec = -2 to -4 (seems to settle at -3)
The bouncing directly correlates to the bars (IMO)
added:
Droid does bounce a little (3 bars to 4 bars).
By those numbers, yes, the Moto is better at pulling the signal. The Incredible isn't that far behind and it may just be a software tweak to bring those numbers down.
Are you holding the devices or they laying down on something? I know there was an issue with the N1 where if you held it a certain way it would kill the signal.
rushmore
Extreme Android User
Both laying down (on desk). The signal levels level of volatility appear to mirror the bouncing bars. On a positive, still waaaaaay better than Tmo
I am in a building (third floor, plenty of windows about 20 feet away).
BTW, I revised my numbers a little, based on further looking at the 1X Eng. screens.
Inc is moving up and down a lot more than Droid. Ranges do not reflect the cycles of change.
Spyder_old
Newbie
I too only have one bar on my INC but have full on my BB. However, my voice quality and data speeds are awesome so I put very little faith in the readings. Even at one bar I am getting over 2mb down.
rushmore
Extreme Android User
Yes indeed. Though my speeds are not that fast, Inc data speed is literally ten times faster than Tmo 3G in Lexington. No lag either. Tmo 3G is very laggy, compared to VZW.
In Tmo's defense, 3G is rather new in Lexington. Not sure if that is the issue though.
I'm unable to connect to #33284... also tried *228 but I still have the same problems. I get dropped calls, choppy calls, hardly ever get 3G service, and right now at work I have -107db. If I hold the phone from the sides and I don't block the back cover, the signal increases to -93.
Is there an external antenna that plugs in?
Is there an external antenna that plugs in?
H
Hand76
Guest
I don't know about numbers, but I have two female friends at work who both have Moto Droid's. I was loading different web pages yesterday right next to each other and both of their Droids were bringing up pages much faster. 
I don't know if an update can fix something like this but it was kinda depressing when I am showing them this new phone saying how great and fast it is.
I don't know if an update can fix something like this but it was kinda depressing when I am showing them this new phone saying how great and fast it is.
fortesquieu
Android Expert
I don't know about numbers, but I have two female friends at work who both have Moto Droid's. I was loading different web pages yesterday right next to each other and both of their Droids were bringing up pages much faster.
I don't know if an update can fix something like this but it was kinda depressing when I am showing them this new phone saying how great and fast it is.
Which website did you guys go to? Maybe they have been to the sites and it's cached?
There are a lot of variables.
barrister89
Member
Most logical explanation I've seen. Makes sense, because the radio is on all the time and consumes juice. HTC & VZ have clearly spent a lot of time engineering the Incredible to conserve power in any way possible. Reminds me of the Apollo 13 movie where they only had a certain number of amps to get back to Earth.
I read somewhere that one of the problems with the Iphone is the choice to mount the antenna at the bottom of the handset and the user's hand will block reception somewhat.
H
Hand76
Guest
No they were sites I had already been to. Basic sites like CNET. We are in a big building and sometimes my internet on here just slows to a crawl or hangs for a while before returning to a decent speed. But the Droid users and a few iPhone people up here still continue on.