Awful Signal Strength - Tilt, TyTN II, MDA Vario III General

Greets,
I have an AT&T Tilt and 1-1/3 years left on my AT&T contract. Unfortunately, my Tilt is not getting a very good signal (and most of the time, any signal) in my home area. The AT&T signal map shows the coverage as 'moderate' despite having a huge AT&T building 2 blocks away and an AT&T store which, I guess, was positioned just outside the bad signal area.
Someone was recently over with AT&T and a regular phone and he seemed to have a good signal. A friend a few blocks away with a HTC 8925 is in the same boat I am, so it may very well be (i) HTC phones or (ii) PPC's.
If anyone has any idea how I might be able to go about modifying the Tilt to possibly get a better signal, I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks!

try a different radio and see if that improves reception.

Radio Fixes That?
I was under the impression that the radio effected the camera, screen, and sound; not reception signal strength.
Is this incorrect?

jdmba said:
I was under the impression that the radio effected the camera, screen, and sound; not reception signal strength.
Is this incorrect?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The radio is what controls the phone aspect, much like a Nextel two way setup is better than a dime store walkie talkie setup. Read this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=393182

I also found that limiting the connection to non-3G signals (under settings -> phone) helped as the 3G signal in my home town is a little dodgy and the handset will try to use a crappy 3G signal (and drop calls every minute or two) rather than a half decent 2G signal.

Related

Signal Strength issues-Kaiser

Here is an interesting observation. I have noticed the signal strength (HTC Kaiser branded, with the ATT carrier), for the most part has been averaging 2 to 3 bars. While at a local ATT store, I noticed the Tilt, 2 display models, were both displaying 4 bars, while mine, (HTC) branded only gave 2 bars. Now add another customer that also had a branded HTC Kaiser, his displayed the same as mine. Yet both ATT Tilts were (4) bars. The rep. indicted that all the ATT Tilts have been tweaked!. I called HTC and they had no clue. Has anyone been aware of this difference?
more bars in more places...even if it's only imaginary.
is the radio software reporting as the same?
Kaiser signal strength seems OK
Signal strength can also depend on what cell your phone is locked onto at the time. If the nearest cell is busy, your phone could be switched to a less busy nearby cell and thereby show less bars. My own observations are that the Kaiser (I have HTC TyTN II) is every bit as good as my previous Dopod 810 (Trinity) and my friends dedicated LG phone. Signal strength is not an issue for me and I spend every weekend in a very marginal area.
Actually I have noticed the same. On my unbranded HTC Tytn II I also only get 2 bars when the band is set to Auto under phone settings. Selecting network type GSM thus forcing off 3G I can get back to 4 bars so maybe the radio rom for the At&T is better?
On my Tilt I've gone back and forth between the ATT and HTC ROMs and I do get about one bar better on the ATT ROM average.
Well thank you all for the posts. I tried switching the system from auto to GSM, and there you go......full 4 bars. Maybe the Auto 3G limits the signal strength.
Hi
Well thank you all for the posts. I tried switching the system from auto to GSM, and there you go......full 4 bars. Maybe the Auto 3G limits the signal strength.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
3G doesn't have as good as coverage as GSM, and may even be coming from a different mast to your GSM signal. 3G normally uses higher frequencies that will not penetrate so far into buildings and is transmitted at a lower power.
It is quite common that you will have a lower 3G signal than you would on GSM.
Regards
Phil
Signal Strength.
Hi Thanks for all the posts. I went to settings and phone and cannot see where to change the auto to gsm. I have the new ATT tilt. Help I really need a better signal or I will have to take my wonderful new toy back
dot
Whether you have one or five bars is unimportant. What's important:
Are your calls getting to you or going out with acceptable consistency?
Are you getting the data connection and speeds you desire?
Are able to get the messages you want?
Are you getting the battery life you're looking for?
Answer those questions and then decide whether or not to take the phone back. If it's "yes" to all of the above, then you really don't care if it shows 1/2 a bar - it's meeting the needs you've got.
Signal Strength.
Most everything is great except: When I place or receive a call, most of the time we cannot communicate. Everything cuts out. It is frustrating for me and whomever I am speaking with. I would love to change the settings to GSM only, but I don't seem to have that option on my att tilt 8925.
Signal Strength Fixed AT&T Tilt
Signal Strength Fixed AT&T Tilt
http://www.commmgrpro.com/jsp/main_frame.jsf
switch to Bandswitch tab from CommMgrPRO
download bandswitch zip file unzip should give you cab file.
install it in your TILT, run the program, change AUTO TO GSM
i used to have 2 bars NOW I HAVE 4 FULL BARS
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
jimzeeem said:
Signal Strength Fixed AT&T Tilt
http://www.commmgrpro.com/jsp/main_frame.jsf
switch to Bandswitch tab from CommMgrPRO
download bandswitch zip file unzip should give you cab file.
install it in your TILT, run the program, change AUTO TO GSM
i used to have 2 bars NOW I HAVE 4 FULL BARS
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi:
Sorry if this is a dumb question, but does this also disable 3G/hsdpa?
Thanks and MERRY CHRISTMAS to you too
fredm said:
Here is an interesting observation. I have noticed the signal strength (HTC Kaiser branded, with the ATT carrier), for the most part has been averaging 2 to 3 bars. While at a local ATT store, I noticed the Tilt, 2 display models, were both displaying 4 bars, while mine, (HTC) branded only gave 2 bars. Now add another customer that also had a branded HTC Kaiser, his displayed the same as mine. Yet both ATT Tilts were (4) bars. The rep. indicted that all the ATT Tilts have been tweaked!. I called HTC and they had no clue. Has anyone been aware of this difference?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yep i have htc kaiser, same probelm, tried o2 simcard 2 bars same with 3g.Rang htc helpdesk they dont have a clue.many user generally one the net has this probelm.dont know what the fix is.
debu11 said:
yep i have htc kaiser, same probelm, tried o2 simcard 2 bars same with 3g.Rang htc helpdesk they dont have a clue.many user generally one the net has this probelm.dont know what the fix is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I too have tried 2 different SIM cards. I have also tried turning off 3G. Motorola V3xx shows 4 bars of service, while the Tilt (sitting in the same exact spot, at the same time), shows at most 2 bars, and sometimes even 0 bars.
My Treo 750 also always shows at least 2 bars, when the Tilt goes down to zero.
Very frustrating
cincy1020 said:
Hi:
Sorry if this is a dumb question, but does this also disable 3G/hsdpa?
Thanks and MERRY CHRISTMAS to you too
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I installed this, and before i had it i aways got hspda, now w/it intstalled i only get 3g, i still have hspda enabled via kaiser tweak, but it doesn't show up, i'm in a hspda city(st. louis) i've had it for about a month or so now and cant get it w/this program installed, any fix for this? on the upside i do get more signal strength w/it. I"m using att tilt w/the tilt rom.
tag for increasing signal strength program
In the Kaiser Upgrading forum I added my two cents about this in the Radios thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=1783489&postcount=96
It's been my experience that 3G/HSDPA has much better throughput than EDGE at a lower signal strength. "2 bars" of 3G reception still beats even "4 bars" of EVDO/EDGE.
Of course, if you want I could tweak the radio .dll to report 4 bars if it will make you feel better -- It's still 2 bars of 3G though. To use a much less flattering analogy it's the equivalent of me peeing on your back and telling you it's raining.
rob.ocelot said:
In the Kaiser Upgrading forum I added my two cents about this in the Radios thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=1783489&postcount=96
It's been my experience that 3G/HSDPA has much better throughput than EDGE at a lower signal strength. "2 bars" of 3G reception still beats even "4 bars" of EVDO/EDGE.
Of course, if you want I could tweak the radio .dll to report 4 bars if it will make you feel better -- It's still 2 bars of 3G though. To use a much less flattering analogy it's the equivalent of me peeing on your back and telling you it's raining.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the actual problem isn't that not enough bars are shown, I think the problem (at least for me) is terrible reception. At times, my phone goes down to zero bars, and sends all calls to voicemail. During this exact time, I can have a Moto V3xx and a Treo 750 sitting right next to the Tilt, and both will have at least 2 bars, and good call quality.
PS: My reception seems about the same with 3G on or off. Although I have seen many reports of 3G interfering with reception (ie. when it switches over), in my case turning 3G off completely hasn't helped at all.
HTC Kaiser/TytnII/Tilt Reception sucks!
I had an Mpx220 up until October 2007, which is when I purchased the AT&T Tilt. The VOICE reception on this phone is terrible! I get very low reception at home when I used to get full reception on my Mpx220 before! Also, whenever I'm on the speakerphone, the person on the other line has trouble hearing me. I called AT&T and had them exchange my bad phone. Once I got the new phone... THE SAME PROBLEMS!!!! I went back to my Mpx220 and the reception was wonderful on my Mpx! What's up with the Tilt? Also, the camera has a high resolution, but it takes about 5-6 seconds to take the picture once the button is pressed. Oh, and whenever I lose reception/signal completely and go back to an area where there is good signal, the phone will take FOREVER to recognize it's on a new signal area! Sometimes it doesn't even recognize this and I have to restart the phone. It sucks! This phone, so far, has been good in EVERYTHING except as a phone!!! BEWARE!

Signal very low...Kaiser problem?

Hello all,
I've noticed that with my Kaiser signal usually is very low, no more than two stands... otherwise with all my old phone, for example in my home, signal was full, also with htc touch dual of my friend.
Maybe can be usefull a radio update?
Thanks
Stefano
it could be displaying the 3G signal vs the gprs signal of your old phone...
try turning off 3G
itarix said:
it could be displaying the 3G signal vs the gprs signal of your old phone...
try turning off 3G
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Old phone was 3G and my operators supports 3G only...
Ste
My Tilt doesn't get very good reception either. When sitting next to a Motorola Razr V3xx (my Mom's phone), the Razr consistently has at least 2 bars, often 3 or 4 when in my house, but the Tilt has, at most 2 bars, and sometimes even loses signal completely. That never happens on the Motorola, but mine often goes straight to voicemail due to lack of signal.
Now, I realize a Razr and a Tilt are apples and oranges , but they are both 3G, so I would think signal should be comparable. Also, this is not a mattar of one phone simply displaying more bars, but of actual call quality.
I thought it may be a defect in my particular phone, but I have since done a warranty replacement for another issue, and was sent out a new one (it wasn't even a refurb). The new one has the same poor reception.
The Tilt is obviously a superior phone to a Razr in most ways. An ideas why call strength is so poor?
PS: I had a Treo 750 prior to the Tilt, and it too had good reception when in the exact same spot as the Tilt.

Weak 3G Signal on T-Mobile?

I have a brand new Nexus One, the T-Mobile version. According to the coverage map, I'm in a Very Good voice coverage area and 4g Very Good data coverage area. I've never used T-Mobile before though, so I don't know typical signal strengths in and around my house.
I'm on a Pay As You Go plan with Web DayPass. I can get the phone to go into 3G mode but it only has 0-1 bars. On Edge it ranges between 2-4. I know there were 3G issues at launch but I thought they were resolved.
Is there some secret to making this work?
Just because a map says that you have good signal, doesn't mean you will actually get one.
Those maps are calculated based on some equations and formulas and so forth, rather than test every square inch for signal strength. Plus, I don't think they guarantee in-building coverage to be the same as outside.
You should probably try being close to a window to see if it improves. Another suggestion is to hold the phone by its sides rather than grasp it at the bottom. The phone's antennas are in the bottom of the phone.
I'm just trying to see if the phone might be the problem. The issues I'm having are the same as all the ones reported at launch. However all I can find are reports on that issue from a year ago, nothing about how/if it was fixed.
I don't know if it really matters but it's not like I'm on the edge of good coverage. There is Good - Excellent voice coverage and Very Fast Mobile Web coverage 20+ miles in all directions.
I can hold the phone perfectly still and Edge coverage will fluctuate between 2-4 bars. If I get 3G, it's typically 0-1 bars though I have been able to get 2 bars once.

Crappy Reception

I've had crappy reception in my home and the area around it - yet ATT's coverage map says I have 3G and best voice signal in my area. What could be causing this? I've been on a bunch of custom roms, everything the same, all the modems, the same, even on stock it's crappy, my data is intermittent, signal always jumps from to two no signal at all... I am able to get decent connection speeds elsewhere, but why is this happening? Did I just get a bad phone or what?
miahsoul said:
I've had crappy reception in my home and the area around it - yet ATT's coverage map says I have 3G and best voice signal in my area. What could be causing this? I've been on a bunch of custom roms, everything the same, all the modems, the same, even on stock it's crappy, my data is intermittent, signal always jumps from to two no signal at all... I am able to get decent connection speeds elsewhere, but why is this happening? Did I just get a bad phone or what?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You really trust AT&T's coverage map? According to it I shouldn't even get a signal where I live.
Coverage map
Unfortunately, cappysw10 is right - at best, AT&T's coverage map is wildly inaccurate, at worst, an outright lie.
Try testing a different phone where you think you should be getting coverage (a friend's, coworker's, your old one, etc.) - if it works fine, it's possible that you did get a bad phone. In that case, you might be able to get AT&T to replace it.
I think the Captivate's reception overall is poor. We live in the country. My wife has a Motorola Bravo and gets phenomenal reception all over our house. I've got a Captivate running Paragon RC6. When my Cappy was stock, there were only about 3 places in the house I could get any reception. With Paragon it's much better, but still not as good as my wife's Bravo. I still have to find sweet spots.
If you haven't tried Paragon, give it a wing. It helped me.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=915698

Weak Signal area Radio Power Meter Questions

I live in a weak signal area, my power meter (found at: setting,wireless, mobile network settings, networks type and strength) rarely if ever goes below -90 dbm. I often monitor the VZ network by using it. I use my phone for Internet (even with a weak signal my phone has provided me better service than my other options).
I have often observed an odd behavior reported by the power meter, the meter will jump from its current reading to -1 dbm. This occurs only on the 3G network tower. There is also a 1X tower at 4 miles away that I have not observed this very unlikely power reading.
Anybody else have this experience?
Could there be a front end amplifier/attenuator on the radio? If so I would think my phone has a defect.
Thanks
Steve
Update: I took the lack of folks having the same problem and another issue this phone's hotspot/tether process to mean this phone had a defect. I was able to replaced it today with a new phone.
I observed that the new phone has the same issue.
Does anyone have schematic for the front end of these radios?
(I wouldn't think this to be possible that LG would give out this information, but I thought I would as)
My understanding is that the radios have not been released, giving us so much trouble getting ICS and other things to work. as far as signal issues... i think it's the phone it self. not yours, but all of ours. I know in a small town out where i live, i have to use a different carriers tower, Verizon doesn't reach well... and my friend still has 4G. he's using thunderbolt, other friend has 3g through at&t... so i think our radios may be underpowered.

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