note 3 low signal issue

Search This thread

djscissorhands

Senior Member
Feb 9, 2012
437
54
Los Angeles
Hello,

I'm new to this thread as I've been a HTC user forever.

I just got my first of many N3's last week and it seems that I have very low signal in a lot of places where I typically get strong signal.

For example on my HTC Evo 4G LTE I always get 5 bars and there was rarely any dropped calls at my home and office.

On the N3 I now typically only have 1-3 bars.

I'm sure its NOT a SPRINT network issue but a phone issue. Does any one else experience this issue? Is there a fix to get better signal?

Here is what I did with the sprint and verizon N3.

Sprint:

Purchased at Best Buy and had low signal issue and returned it.
Purchased at Sprint Store had low signal issue and I still have this phone.

Verizon:

Purchased at Verizon store and had low signal issue . They suggested exchanging the SIM card which I did but didnt change the signal strength.
Exchanged it for a different N3 and still had the same issue so I've returned it.
 

dirtrider501

Member
Jun 7, 2012
17
8
grand rapids
Hello,

I'm new to this thread as I've been a HTC user forever.

I just got my first of many N3's last week and it seems that I have very low signal in a lot of places where I typically get strong signal.

For example on my HTC Evo 4G LTE I always get 5 bars and there was rarely any dropped calls at my home and office.

On the N3 I now typically only have 1-3 bars.

I'm sure its NOT a SPRINT network issue but a phone issue. Does any one else experience this issue? Is there a fix to get better signal?

Here is what I did with the sprint and verizon N3.

Sprint:

Purchased at Best Buy and had low signal issue and returned it.
Purchased at Sprint Store had low signal issue and I still have this phone.

Verizon:

Purchased at Verizon store and had low signal issue . They suggested exchanging the SIM card which I did but didnt change the signal strength.
Exchanged it for a different N3 and still had the same issue so I've returned it.

Is it actual signal strength your concerned about or is it bar strength in the notification area? Also you can't compare verizon to sprint signal as a fair comparison as they will be different in different areas. Go into your settings and look at the actual signal strength of both phones. They will be measured in dbm.
 

djscissorhands

Senior Member
Feb 9, 2012
437
54
Los Angeles
i'm concerned with the amount of bars in the notification area which has a direct correlation to the amount of dbm in the settings. the sprint phone fluctuates between -91 dbm and -100 dbm.

I was testing a theory that the lte radio had something to do with it so I just went into settings/mobile network/perferred network mode and switched from "LTE/CDMA" to "CDMA" and the phone rebooted and wham , now i have 5 bars and -69 dbm. Something with the lte is messing with the phone. WTH!!!

That means to get a good signal i have to be in CDMA and only get 3g service. Why is this?
 

dirtrider501

Member
Jun 7, 2012
17
8
grand rapids
I'm out have no explanation. I have/had that problem too, people at the sprint store tells me its a issue of where the software in the phone isn't recognizing the lte the way it should and that a software fix is coming but no one know when. I was dropping so many calls (89% of them per sprint) on the stock rom I was ready to go back to my note 2, but after flashing a different rom I have only dropped one call since rooting and switching roms .
 

oscarthegrouch

Senior Member
Jun 19, 2011
1,723
332
I don't know if LTE functions on the same frequency as 3g. As a rule from amateur radio, the higher the frequency the transmitter operates on, the shorter distance it travels. 800mhz usually has better penetration of buildings than 3g or 4g if they are on the 1.2ghz+ range. You will need more towers closer together to get better signal overall in the GHz range. Because of cost, I don't think anyone is going to put up more towers in the beginning. Years ago, the guesstimate of putting up a single tower was a million dollars. This is accounting for all costs to go from nothing to a fully functional self standing tower. Costs might be different now but I would say that it's safe to assume that they are putting LTE on existing towers. This is why LTE signal doesn't seem as far reaching as lower frequency technologies. This is as simple of an explanation as I can think of. Until they start widespread rolling out LTE on nextel's 800-900mhz range, and they release phones that take advantage of those bands, you're just going to have to deal with it with what you have as a phone. Spark and ex-nextel LTE transmitters "should" help throughput tremendously once they have the bugs ironed out.