[CDMA/LTE] Who DOESN'T have signal drop issues?

[cmcfalls]

Ok, so I am on my 4th replacement Galaxy Nexus (CDMA/LTE) All of them are dropping 4G signal every 3 to 5 minutes, but sometimes will go as long as 30 minutes or an hour. Either way, there's WAY too many signal drops. And, for clarification, I don't mean low bars...I mean going from 3 or 4 bars to no connection with the "x".

My original one was I515.09. All of the replacements have been I515.10's. I know the .09 / .10 are the hardware versions (.09 make in Korea and .10 made in China I believe). My wife's does not have the problem (.09 version), my brother in law does not have the problem (.09 version) and the one in my local Verizon store does not have the problem (oddly, a .10 version).

Regardless of what Verizon and Samsung say, this is NOT a coverage issue; it is either a hardware issue or something in the software causing interference with the 4G radios (it doesn't affect 3G signals, only 4G).

The problem seems so prevalent that I decided to do a poll...who among you DO NOT suffer from the signal drop issue? And, if you don't mind, provide a little information if you don't care. I am doing this in hopes of figuring out if this affects all .10 versions (obviously it does not). And if you have a .10 and do not have the issue, I am trying to figure out what combination of roms, kernels, and radios are working for you. I know that none of the variables should affect the signal drop issue, but for some reason some kernels and radio combinations seem to do better than others..

Do you have the issue?
What is your baseband version (.09 / .10)
What rom are you using?
What kernel are you using?
What radios are you using?

 

[HeroShot]

Fellow GNex users,

I have been having this same exact problem, too. My original phone was a I515.09, purchased back in early May 2012. Unfortunately, that phone had separate issues with it and I had to send for a replacement. Here I am, two replacements later, and I am experiencing the same issues the OP has. However, with the second phone, I decided to try and isolate the problem, and in an effort to save people some time, I thought I would post what steps I have already taken to try and resolve this issue. The bottom line: I believe it is in fact a hardware-related issue with the newer phones released and/or some firmware issue that is impossible for a user to manipulate.

:::None of these solutions resolved the problem:::

• Replaced both the battery and the sim card
• Rooted the phone, replacing the bootloader with CWM and installing AOPK milestone-5 on 4.0.4 (full wipe)
• Manually installed the latest 4.0.4 Radios (FC04/05)
• Installed older Radios (EK04/06)

As for some .10 versions working, it seems there are a few .10's floating out there that have existed at the launch of the product. It must be an older version .10 that does not suffer the same hardware issues that all the new ones have. I have even heard, first-hand, of people purchasing brand new GNex's and experiencing this problem, too. Therefore, I think it extends beyond just a "replacement product" problem.

:::My Solution:::

After talking with a "level two" technician at Verizon who handles dispatching replacement phones, I have requested a notation on my account to send out a baseband version I515.09 (the technician had all .09's at his disposal at the facility, so he was certain there are some in stock, as well.)

I will update this thread after I receive my new replacement, most likely this Friday.

:::UPDATE:::

Just got off the phone with Verizon/Samsung and received some troubling news. According to Verizon, it is basically impossible to know what version they are sending you. As for Samsung, the representative said she is unaware of any problems of this magnitude with the Galaxy Nexus and does not see any updates to correct it in the foreseeable future.

Looks like we are up a creek on this one. It's a sad day, but getting a different phone as a replacement may be the only option we have.

:::FINAL UPDATE:::

Just got off the phone with Samsung. I wanted to call them directly to make sure this issue was reported. After some digging, the representative saw a ticket for a known issue with some versions of the Nexus where an error in the firmware keeps causing the modem to reset, thereby creating the constant dropped signals with 4g. There was no date scheduled for fixing this problem, but he mentioned the ticket saying it would ultimately be resolved by a firmware update over the network.

In the meantime, I did discover that the phone should function properly if you run it in CDMA mode only. I recommend moving to 3g for the time being until a patch can be pushed out to us.

 

[Ryjabo]

I did but only at my house, where coverage blows. I got a free Airave, problem solved.

Never happens when I'm out and about or at work.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus
Sprint, the Maybe Later Network

 

[Zeinzu]

No signal issues here. CDMA/LTE.

Sent from my AOSP Android 4.1.1 Galaxy Nexus

 

[Xerodark]

I was having this problem a lot when I first got the device and was running the stock 4.0.4 and I'm on the .10 baseband. I tried a couple of the cm10 ROMs and the problem seemed to persist, but then I tried paranoid android and haven't really had an issue since. I found it to be rather odd, but so far so good since this flash.. keeping my fingers crossed that I didn't jinx something.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

 

[Philosophre]

flashed paranoid android and I am still getting drops in 4g. lemon!

 

[adrynalyne]

I wish I could vote twice. No I do not. .09 and .10 devices here.

 

[icebear8]

Have not had any drop data yet, I just got my nexus about 4 weeks ago. I'm using the jelly belly rom.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app

 

[3devious]

I wish I could vote twice. No I do not. .09 and .10 devices here.

Where do you live? I'm coming over to steal one of them. I'll get away with it too because I'm going to bribe Mrs. Adrynalyne! :beer:

Sent from my Xoom using xda premium

 

[glennj99]

I am on my second Verizon Galaxy Nexus. So far, 4G has been miserably bad here in Raleigh, NC - including right inside the Crossroads Mall Verizon company store where they swapped me a new one out for my current new one. They did that because I was going on a trip that afternoon and customer service could not get me a replacement phone in time. They checked the old phone's reception in the store and 4G came up, stayed connected for a minute or two, then dropped to an x without even going back to 3G. The salesguy told me he had never seen anything like that before and got me the replacement from stock. He said that 4G reception was perfect at this store, and smiled...

The new phone seemed better at first, but I had to go before I could really check it out. Then I was in a non-4G area during most of the next week and while only 3G was available the data connectivity seemed alright. Things did not look so good though when I got home to Raleigh after that. 4G never stays connected for more than a few minutes here now on this phone either. Locking it down to 3g seems to make it so at least 3g connectivity stays up reliable, but if it is set to Network Mode LTE/CDMA then it will stay briefly in 4G, maybe, and then drop to x and then maybe come back after a while to 3g, which is iffy. Meanwhile my wife's droid3 has a solid 3G connection and my tenant's S3 is solid 4G.

I tried the *#*#4636#*#* menu this afternoon and set the preferred network type to GSM auto (PRL) which is odd because my understanding it that this phone doesn't even have GSM hardware. That sets it into a 4G that seems to maybe stay connected better, maybe because it avoids switching to 3G as easily ?

I guess I will have to get another replacement and hope the new one has a .09 radio instead of the .10 radio like both have had before ?

I am wondering if this is a network type hand-off problem between 3G and 4G or something like that.

Glenn

 

[blackjer]

I am on .10 and havent had an issue. I got my gnex last month with 4.0.4 installed and it was fine. I then flashed the AOSP JB rom from muzzy and its been working great too. Stock kernels and radios.

 

[lrs421]

In NYC. Rev. 9. No signal dropping issues at all. Completely stock, locked boot loader.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[cmcfalls]

Thanks for all the replies. Looks like there are some good .10 versions out there after all.

Quick update on mine...I'm on replacement #6...or is it #7?...I've lost count. But, I know I still have the issue.

A couple of weird things though...this most recent phone was made in Korea, not China. When I opened it up and saw that I just KNEW I had a .09 version. But, alas, when I turned it on it is indeed .10. I thought all ones made in Korea were .09 and ones made in China were .10, but that doesn't appear to be the case.

And, another weird thing, this new replacement has IMM76Q on it, not 76K. I find that interesting because 76Q hasn't been pushed OTA yet that I am aware of. I actually called Verizon again yesterday and had to go through the same old song and dance with the tech guy and one of the questions he asked me was the build number. When I told him 76Q he informed me that 76Q was not the most recent update and it should be on 76K ( ). I just LOVE knowing more about their devices than they do. I had to inform him that no, 76K is the most recent OTA, but 76Q is actually more recent, just not pushed out yet. He went on to accuse me of rooting my phone (which I haven't yet since it's going back...again) and installing 76Q on it.

I freaking HATE getting "specialists" who do not know what they are talking about. I know more about this phone than they do it seems.

 

[saltyteabag]

FML

Glad someone brought this back up. I'm about at my wit's end, and am seriously considering their offer to send me a RAZR. Sure I can't hack it, but at least I will have a usable phone.

Just to reduce the repetetiveness I will say I ran whatever kernel came with the ROM I was using at the time. Also, I've not experiemented with the so-called "hybrid" radio sets. All 4 phones always experienced fairly weak signal when compared to my previous phone, an OG Droid. But then again my Droid could send a text message through 3 inches of steel when I was on a ship. My work is a fringe area, so I'm going to focus on the issues I have at home, where I usually get 3-4 bars. Located in Virginia, near Virginia Beach and Norfolk.

Original Phone (bought on release day):
Reception: No major reception issues.
HW Ver: i515.09
ROM: Stock unrooted, stock rooted, GummyROM, CM9 nightlies
Radios: EK02/EK05, EK04/EK06, FA02/FA02

Replacement Phone #1:
Reception: Can hold signal for an hour or so on average. 20-40 drops per day.
HW Ver: i515.09
ROM: Stock rooted, CM9 nightlies
Radios: EK02/EK05, EK04/EK06, FA02/FA02, FC04/FC05

Replacement Phone #2:
Reception: Could not hold signal for more than 5-10 minutes. ~150 drops per day.
HW Ver: i515.10
ROM: Stock rooted, CM9 nightlies
Radios: FC04/FC05

Had the SIM card replaced at this point, while I had replacement phone #2, but it didn't make any difference.

Replacement Phone #3:
Reception: Could not hold signal for more than 5 minutes. 200+ drops per day.
HW Ver: i515.10
ROM: Stock unrooted
Radios: FC04/FC05

Most recent phone (received it yesterday) also came with IMM76Q. Couldn't tell you what the other's came with. I did try turning off 4G about an hour ago, and haven't had a single signal drop since then. <sigh> I totally don't consider this an acceptable solution. Time to call VZW again!

 

[I Am Marino]

I do not have signal drops.
Except some random 3G drops in the past day or so but I do think it's a result from a dirty flash catching up with me.
Other than that, no issues.

i515.09

 

[tailsthecat3]

I don't have signal drop issues.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA Premium via Verizon Wireless

 

[DirgeExtinction]

I'm on my second Gnex, with no reception issues. My first kept dropping signal at least twice a day. I exchanged it after about a week of having it.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

 

[d11dog11]

My first one had that issue brand new out of the box. Got it replaced with my current one that works flawlessly. Its a baseband .10

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[Nirodha]

Worst phone yet

I was having similar LTE drops with my Bionic (after I allowed the .905 OTA update). I ended up getting another Bionic and then another SIM. Didn't fix anything. It was obviously the latest build and god knows when the next Motorola update would be, so I got a GNex replacement. That was a mistake. I'm having worse issues with this phone than the Bionic. Can't hold a 4G signal to save my life. Heaven forbid I need to make a phone call, because that's unreliable also. VZW tier 2 tech said it's a known issue and an update is needed to fix it, but the ETA is unknown. She said some of them work and others don't, based on her own personal experience (her sister has a GNex). So I'm getting another Nexus to replace my replacement. We'll see if the next one is any better.

Current Specs:
i515.10 v.FC04/FC05
Stock Kernel 3.0.8-gda6252b
build IMM76Q​

 

[tgyberg]

On .09 / LTE and been solid all around for 7 mo's. No matter the rom, version etc.