[Q] 50% "Time without signal" ? - Galaxy S I9000 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hi,
I've found similar threads for other android phones around this, but none for Galaxy S. None of those were on a GSM network either, so don't think they applied.
My phone's battery is getting sucked dry, and the only thing that jumps out at me is the item under Battery Use, "Cell Standby" the "Time without signal" is now consistently at 50%. I live in an area where I always have signal, so this is not the case.
I'm running stock firmware, JM2.
Anyone with any ideas of how to fix?
UPDATE: I restarted the phone just before I posted this, so now says "21m 20 sec since plugged in" but under cell standby I've got "Time on" as 42m 29s, but time without signal is still at 50%.

On both 3g as 2g? Cos if your battery gets drained too fast it's usually a bad/low signal strength.

Yip, on both 2g and 3g. I've had the phone for about 6 weeks, and only started doing this in the past few days. I've uninstalled all the apps I installed during that time as well. It's still under warranty as I haven't rooted it, perhaps I should return it?

Depends on how long did you kept it under water, if you didn't, send it back! =/

Which base bands does your cell phone provider uses?
which model of SGS did you buy?
900/1900/2100 or 850/1900/2100 or 1700/1900/2100 ?
andrewsmit said:
Yip, on both 2g and 3g. I've had the phone for about 6 weeks, and only started doing this in the past few days. I've uninstalled all the apps I installed during that time as well. It's still under warranty as I haven't rooted it, perhaps I should return it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Using I9000xxjm2
I bought in South Africa, Vodacom, and I believe we use the Vodafone version.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App

compuse said:
Depends on how long did you kept it under water, if you didn't, send it back! =/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha, thankfully there was no water involved.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App

which bands does Vodacom uses for 3G radio?
andrewsmit said:
Using I9000xxjm2
I bought in South Africa, Vodacom, and I believe we use the Vodafone version.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

UMTS 2100?
AllGamer said:
which bands does Vodacom uses for 3G radio?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App

then make sure there are towers broadcasting that signal nearby, if the signal is weak then you wont get 3G
you need at least 2 bars
you can also go into the screen *#0011# to see if your signal is good, and if the band is correct

I have the same problem. It is random and I can not reproduce it. This is what I use for a fix and it works almost a 100%: Dial *#*#4636#*#* select Phone Information, scroll down and turn off the radio from the button, turn it on again. It should get back to normal.

NetCopAD said:
I have the same problem. It is random and I can not reproduce it. This is what I use for a fix and it works almost a 100%: Dial *#*#4636#*#* select Phone Information, scroll down and turn off the radio from the button, turn it on again. It should get back to normal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, I'll try that.

Related

Possible spotty 3g fix?

Was just messing around with my Nexus One, I have used the *#*#4636#*#* trick to turn on GSM Auto (PRL) Which greatly improved battery life but didn't do much for signal so just now I was messing around went back into the phone info section turned on GSM Auto (PRL) then went down to OEM-Specific Info/Settings and turned off ciphering and wow my dbm went from -101 down to -87 and I seem to be able to hold a 3g signal reliably. If I grasp the phone tightly and intentionaly try to make it lose 3g I still can but holding the phone normally it seems to stay on 3g and doesn't fluctuate nearly as much as before.
Can anyone else give this a try and let me know if it's just a fluke? Never seen my DBM's so low before in front of my computer so seems like something is up here.
I don't see any difference, but I am on 2G right now.
Meh, don't read it if you don't like. It is the first ever thing i've tried that actually noticeably improved my 3g reception so thought i'd share it. If enough people notice simliar increases in 3g reception perhaps it will lead to an official fix from Google. If everyone remains quiet on the subject we will never get anywhere.
Cheers
What's the difference between gsm (prl ) and wcdma that it was naturally set to?
-------------------------------------
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Jrbourque said:
What's the difference between gsm (prl ) and wcdma that it was naturally set to?
-------------------------------------
Sent via the XDA Tapatalk App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=682662
Jrbourque said:
What's the difference between gsm (prl ) and wcdma that it was naturally set to?
-------------------------------------
Sent via the XDA Tapatalk App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It doesn't search as much when on wcdma. GSM auto(prl) is basically a file that contains a lists of towers in your area that you have access to. So your phone uses that instead of searching all the time.
Here is some more info
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preferred_Roaming_List
and I'm sure there is others.
thanks for the tip. I tired it and my dbm went from -102 to -87 to -93 range.
does having a lower dbm means better signal? I have a place where my 3gs gets 2-3 bars, and my nexus has 0 bars. Kind of disappointing, the the cell radio in the nexus 1 is not as strrong as the iphone 3gs. I'll test the phone later there, and let you know.
Yea, lower the dbm the better the signal, it definitely helps but doesn't alleviate the problem with holding the phone from the bottom. I have since switched to WCDMA Only to help combat that problem. It seems I am able to stay on 3g pretty reliably this way even though I sometimes lose all bars when holding the phone from the bottom it still stays connected to 3g and I am able to surf the web and make calls with no bars showing, it's rather peculiar but it's working for now so I won't complain. If this doesn't work out I think I will end up switching to Sprint and going with the EVO on June 4.
Definitely that's one thing I noticed is with zero bars my phone still makes clear calls and fast data, so I just figure the signal meter is just more conservative than other phones.
-------------------------------------
Sent via the XDA Tapatalk App
So what exactly does turning off ciphering do? Is it worth it for the signal boost?
Ciphering is to keep other people from hearing your conversations, it's like encryption...not a big deal for me as I've nothing to hide and never give out credit card numbers over the phone or anything like that but it might be an issue for some.
ssj4vegita2002 said:
So what exactly does turning off ciphering do? Is it worth it for the signal boost?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.hackcanada.com/blackcrawl/cell/gsm/gsm-secur/gsm-secur.html
I am assuming that Ciphering is purely the encryption aspect ...

Problem with my Nexus One

3G and H are both different types of 3G. Some ROM will distinguish between them, other ROMs show them both as 3G. H is faster than standard 3G, so you don't have a problem...
Edit: OK, that's weird. My response appears before your question, and the time is wrong...?
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
Hi,
I recently brought my Nexus One for repairs because my phone would restart automatically after my phone gets to hot. After I got my phone back from repairs, they must have fixed the problem. But then another problem started! I have problems with my Nexus One to connect to the 3G network in my area.
My Nexus One sees the network. But when I try to use 3G it looks like it tries to connect to it but the network doesn't seem to respond. Then sometimes my phone switches from a "3G" to an "H" and that works always.
Does anybody know what the problem might be? I can't barely send text messages, place calls or use the Internet! I hardly think that its a problem with my network provider considering that my brothers G1 phone works wihtout any problem!
danger-rat said:
3G and H are both different types of 3G. Some ROM will distinguish between them, other ROMs show them both as 3G. H is faster than standard 3G, so you don't have a problem...
Edit: OK, that's weird. My response appears before your question, and the time is wrong...?
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you read minds through the internet!
lawl seriously the forum is having weird bugs....
85882 said:
Hi,
My Nexus One sees the network. But when I try to use 3G it looks like it tries to connect to it but the network doesn't seem to respond. Then sometimes my phone switches from a "3G" to an "H" and that works always.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe the idiots at Telamon sent you the wrong model? (T-Mobile vs. AT&T?)
md74 said:
Maybe the idiots at Telamon sent you the wrong model? (T-Mobile vs. AT&T?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If that was the case, he wouldn't be seeing H. If he's connecting on H, then he's all good...
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
Check that you're using correct APN for your carrier.
My phone doesn't always switch to the H. Sometimes it sits at 3G and it seems that the network doesn't respond. Sometimes when I use WIFI it takes a few minutes until the WIFI starts working, even though the phone indicated that it connected to WIFI correctly. I was using the standard Android 2.2 ROM from Google but I decided to put on CyanogenMOD a few weeks ago but its still the same problem. I guess I'll just have to deal with it...

[Q] S III mini network issue

Hi guys,
I own an i8190, baseband : I8190XXALJL and I encounter frequent network outage.
Although the signal strenght indicator shows 3-4 bars, I cannot be called, cannot call and data is not being fetched.
On battery usage app, the network is most of the time "green".
On any other phone around me (blackberries, iphones, SGS II and III), and on the same network the problem does not reproduce.
If I turn the phone to airplane mode, and then back on, I am able to call, send mails so on and so forth.
Does any of you have the same problem ?
If any of you updated to I8190XXALL2, is this problem still persisting ?
Should I send it to the service ?
I'm currently running the ALL2 baseband, but previously had both the ALJL and the ALK6 ones and didn't encounter any such issue...
Before sending it back you could try with a different SIM card, maybe yours is acting up (it sometimes happens, especially with old SIMs).
Seeing how nobody complained of a similar issue though, I don't think that changing your baseband will have an impact, but if you'd like to give it a try you can download original firmwares (that contain the baseband) from here: http://www.sammobile.com/firmware/. In order to install them, just follow the steps in the root thread.
Will do so. I'm going to pit-stop my SIM card @ Vodafone and let you know about it.
It's strange that this happens only deep inside buildings (eg. offices, malls, etc..).
When this happens, usually the data activity indicator disappears OR the S3 mini is using 3G frequencies (not H, not G, but 3G)
Just changed my sim card and the issue still persists...
It's driving me nuts. My feeling is that the S3 mini doesn't lock on a network cell when 2 are available with similar coverage.
Will upgrade to the latest build and let you know about it :banghead:
Sent from my GT-I8190 using Tapatalk 2
And now the handset runs XXALL2 from vodafone uk.
I'm curious if the phone will have that network issue furthermore.
Happy Holidays!!
Sent from my GT-I8190 using Tapatalk 2
bogdangr said:
Hi guys,
I own an i8190, baseband : I8190XXALJL and I encounter frequent network outage.
Although the signal strenght indicator shows 3-4 bars, I cannot be called, cannot call and data is not being fetched.
On battery usage app, the network is most of the time "green".
On any other phone around me (blackberries, iphones, SGS II and III), and on the same network the problem does not reproduce.
If I turn the phone to airplane mode, and then back on, I am able to call, send mails so on and so forth.
Does any of you have the same problem ?
If any of you updated to I8190XXALL2, is this problem still persisting ?
Should I send it to the service ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm exactly in the same situation . Please let me know if your new firmware solves the problem.
Tks,
ci6i said:
I'm exactly in the same situation . Please let me know if your new firmware solves the problem.
Tks,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So far there's no difference. Where I live the network coverage is pretty bad, but it doesn't "disconnect in the background".
Only at the office I can test it out for sure or inside massive buildings.
ci6i, go ahead and update; install kies (for drivers only ), get odin3 1.87 and flash it with XALL2 from samfirmware.
Lately I see there is XALL3 available for some asian countries.
I still think that my BlackBerry 9810 is a tank. unfortunately vodafone romania doesn't sync emails two ways via BIS so... :crying: I had to get back to samsungs...
Well, i understand to lose signal if network coverage is bad, but my phone gets "network stuck" in the middle of town. I noticed this few times: at job, the phone stands on the table near me, and i receive sms about missed calls (i have voice calls diverted to voice mail when unreachable). If i try to call or browse the net at this moment, it's impossible until i set airplane mode on then off. All this time, the phone shows full network signal and HSPA data connection.
I'll try to change the firmware after hollidays.
As mentioned above, try to change firmwares (to XXALL2), I've also noticed some network drops when I'm at home (however this is expected in my case), but when I installed this firmware, I noticed some signal gain (full on 2G and +1-2bars on 3G signal).
Hi again.
The same issue even on xall2
Just happened again today in a crowded place.
It goes to "3G" from "H" and then it's gone off the network.
Will try with XALL3 although there is a small improvement concerning "sticking to the network carrier". It seems it'a hard job to get a call when in coverage area...
If still no success, I'll loose my patience with this Sammy...
See ya!
Sent from my GT-I8190 using Tapatalk 2
You get SMS because they use a dedicated network bandwidth for this technology and apparently the S3 mini does not loose connection on this communixation channel.
It appears that S3 mini is dropping voice and data, but not sms and CB (cell broadcast).
Sent from my GT-I8190 using Tapatalk 2
LJL version. No drops. Sometimes when i am on edge of 3G coverage area
Sent from my GT-I8190 using xda app-developers app
Hi, i also have the problem with vodafone Romania. I can't place calls or use data connection. After reboot everything is ok. I tried to switch to Airplane mode and back, but no results.
Same problem over here
bogdangr said:
Does any of you have the same problem ?
If any of you updated to I8190XXALL2, is this problem still persisting ?
Should I send it to the service ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi bogdangr,
I have the same problem with my SIII mini. From time to time, after working normally, it loses the H or 3G symbol and shows about two or three signal bars, but if I try to make a call or receive one the operation fails miserably. The airplane mode trick doesn't work for me, and I have to reboot the phone to get it working again.
I've updated to the latest official firmware, but the problem is still there. Have you found a solution for this or anybody has more ideas of things to try?
Thanks you all,
MFC
I'm on VF RO, too.
Crappy phone, what can I say.
If it can't follow a network where there is sufficient coverage...
miguelfc said:
Hi bogdangr,
I have the same problem with my SIII mini. From time to time, after working normally, it loses the H or 3G symbol and shows about two or three signal bars, but if I try to make a call or receive one the operation fails miserably. The airplane mode trick doesn't work for me, and I have to reboot the phone to get it working again.
I've updated to the latest official firmware, but the problem is still there. Have you found a solution for this or anybody has more ideas of things to try?
Thanks you all,
MFC
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Miguel,
The only workaround for this issue (at least for me) is to keep it in GSM mode (no "AUTO mode", no "WCDMA only").
So the crappy phone won't have to switch frequencies and I can get phone calls (I start considering a luck when the phone rings...)
I'm on 4.1.2 now baseband I8190DXALL3 (latest on samfirmware) and still the same.
You just don't want to know how's everything downloading limted to GPRS
BR,
Bogdan
Does anyone know what's that *# code that enables service / engineering mode ?
I want to select on which network frequencies is the phone allowed to work.
I want to disable 3G mode and leave GPRS, EDGE, and HS(D)PA only.
The reason is that when the issue appears, S3 mini switches from "H to 3G" and "G to 3G" and then it's gone;
Although there are moments when it can fetch data with network on 3G coverage without problems...
The code is *#*#info#*#* but it doesn't work .
I don't think it's a good ideea to disable those settings. Maybe it's a temporarily problem and i know Vodafone is testing/launching 4G coverage.
For me, this network issue is happening once in a week. How often do you lose phone signal ?
ci6i said:
The code is *#*#info#*#* but it doesn't work .
I don't think it's a good ideea to disable those settings. Maybe it's a temporarily problem and i know Vodafone is testing/launching 4G coverage.
For me, this network issue is happening once in a week. How often do you lose phone signal ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I found out the service code but the RF setup is not "sufforted".
Vodafone has implemeted already 4G in selected areas but it's not about that. On blackberry, iphone and nokia this is not happening.
As a frequency... 3-5 times a day while I'm at the office.
Sent from my GT-I8190 using Tapatalk 2
I'm using it with Orange Spain. I will try using the phone this weekend with another operator to find out if the problem is operator related.

Random no Signal

Anybody having an issue where you lose signal where you always have signal randomly in airplane mode will not bring it back want to talk often on then off again?
Sent from my HTCONE using xda app-developers app
leo72793 said:
Anybody having an issue where you lose signal where you always have signal randomly in airplane mode will not bring it back want to talk often on then off again?
Sent from my HTCONE using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have the same issue when I'm on cdma/lte mode, then I switch to cdma auto, the signal becomes fine.
I don't have the lte coverage in my area.
Sent from my M7spr stock with goodies one
j_rivers said:
Have the same issue when I'm on cdma/lte mode, then I switch to cdma auto, the signal becomes fine.
I don't have the lte coverage in my area.
Sent from my M7spr stock with goodies one
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had lte for a while now. I'm not sure why it acts up. I use ltd cdma mode but the other day had gsm icon show up with the lte cdma mode only.
Sent from my HTCONE using xda app-developers app
I have lte in most areas but where I'm at for this week there is no lte. Though as I'm sitting here it will lose all signal randomly for just a few seconds then come back. Happens at least once every few minutes
Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk now Free
Happens to me too, we just got lte where I work, same thing still happens :/
happends to me also
Glad that I am not alone. Use to listen to Tune-In while on the road and now it cuts out for a few seconds every other minute or so. Sometimes I reach a stretch of road that I have no data. Also turn on Scout and it constantly says network connection has been lost, and network connection has been restored.
All the time the signal bars show that I have service.
Took my phone to the Sprint store today and all they did was a data reset, 786 I believe. This is the second one that I have had data signal issues with, the first one they said that it failed a radio test one and they replaced it. Also my girlfriend's phone seems to do the same thing. Never had issues like this with my HTC EVO LTE. Might actually reactivate and see if I can isolate to the phone verse the network.
Now the question is phone (which I would tend to be the case), or the network. If it is the phone, is it every phone issue or a bad batch?

Lte issue on usa version

Hi guys!
Im having this issue. *#*#4636#*#* when i dial this code it let me access to select what type of network i want. So i want to force to use LTE Only, but the signal get lost, not signal anymore. But when i change it to lte/gsm its works again. I know i have lte in the area but i cant get it in that way. Can anyone ccan try that and reports back if let u chanche the network? Thanks.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Free mobile app
Bestplayer55 said:
Hi guys!
Im having this issue. *#*#4636#*#* when i dial this code it let me access to select what type of network i want. So i want to force to use LTE Only, but the signal get lost, not signal anymore. But when i change it to lte/gsm its works again. I know i have lte in the area but i cant get it in that way. Can anyone ccan try that and reports back if let u chanche the network? Thanks.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i change my networks all the time, without issue. if i put lte only, i get lte only. but cant make phone calls on it, so i use lte/gsm. if you dont have an lte signal, it will not connect to lte only.
simms22 said:
i change my networks all the time, without issue. if i put lte only, i get lte only. but cant make phone calls on it, so i use lte/gsm. if you dont have an lte signal, it will not connect to lte only.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks.. But u get data working on lte only???
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Free mobile app
Bestplayer55 said:
Thanks.. But u get data working on lte only???
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yup, no issues. tmobile here.
simms22 said:
yup, no issues. tmobile here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im on claro puerto rico. Ure version is 5.0.1?
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Free mobile app
Bestplayer55 said:
Im on claro puerto rico. Ure version is 5.0.1?
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no, im on 5.0.2, but that wont make any difference.
I have an issue where my Nexus 6 will boot with LTE, but once it looses from getting/making a call it cannot regain it.
TopHATTwaffle said:
I have an issue where my Nexus 6 will boot with LTE, but once it looses from getting/making a call it cannot regain it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which company ?
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Free mobile app
Bestplayer55 said:
Which company ?
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
T-Mobile. Let the device sit overnight and it got LTE back. So it seems either the LTE radio in this device is terrible compared to my Note 3, or it just won't attempt to get back onto LTE all that often. Or my Devices LTE radio is messed up.
TopHATTwaffle said:
T-Mobile. Let the device sit overnight and it got LTE back. So it seems either the LTE radio in this device is terrible compared to my Note 3, or it just won't attempt to get back onto LTE all that often. Or my Devices LTE radio is messed up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Telus Canada. XT1103.
Mine would stay on H+ after a call for a long time. I sometimes "force" it to connect to LTE by toggling cellular data and off in settings. Or a reboot.
Have tried the *#*#4636#*#* menu to change to "LTE only", but won't even connect to LTE in this case.
This feels like a software issue. Clearly it's not a network or hardware issue, since it can connect to LTE.
aa_chow said:
Telus Canada. XT1103.
Mine would stay on H+ after a call for a long time. I sometimes "force" it to connect to LTE by toggling cellular data and off in settings. Or a reboot.
Have tried the *#*#4636#*#* menu to change to "LTE only", but won't even connect to LTE in this case.
This feels like a software issue. Clearly it's not a network or hardware issue, since it can connect to LTE.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if its not connecting to lte when you set it to lte only, then you either dont have lte around when you set it or its an extremely weak signal.
aa_chow said:
Telus Canada. XT1103.
Mine would stay on H+ after a call for a long time. I sometimes "force" it to connect to LTE by toggling cellular data and off in settings. Or a reboot.
Have tried the *#*#4636#*#* menu to change to "LTE only", but won't even connect to LTE in this case.
This feels like a software issue. Clearly it's not a network or hardware issue, since it can connect to LTE.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately, it depends a lot on where you are. The office building that I am in is very bad for LTE, signal at my desk is -100dbm, if I go outside it switches up to around -60 to -70dbm. If I choose 3G as the preferred network, sitting in exactly the same location the signal goes to -75dbm 19 au. If I am at my apartment, the LTE signal is much stronger there. This of course effects the battery life also. I am not sure if there is a way to default which LTE band is used since I think Telus only uses band 4 for LTE but I am not familiar with how the phone determines which band to use or if it keeps scanning all of them.
simms22 said:
if its not connecting to lte when you set it to lte only, then you either dont have lte around when you set it or its an extremely weak signal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, where I was testing it, LTE was strong. I also had a Nexus 5 right beside it, and it had no problem acquiring a full signal.
With the Nexus 6, after a reboot or the data toggle, it acquired LTE, again almost full signal.
So I decided to just leave it alone and use it as normal without worrying about LTE or H+. I did not toggle data or reboot, just leave it as is. I just observe. After a few days, it seems better in that it will be connect to LTE a short while after a call, and behaves like how I expected it to like on the Nexus 5.
Of course, immediately after a call, it will stay on H+. If I really wanted LTE right then, I just toggle the data on/off from settings (not by setting to "LTE only" in *#*#4636#*#* menu).
aa_chow said:
So I decided to just leave it alone and use it as normal without worrying about LTE or H+. I did not toggle data or reboot, just leave it as is. I just observe. After a few days, it seems better in that it will be connect to LTE a short while after a call, and behaves like how I expected it to like on the Nexus 5.
Of course, immediately after a call, it will stay on H+. If I really wanted LTE right then, I just toggle the data on/off from settings (not by setting to "LTE only" in *#*#4636#*#* menu).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ugghh lte data is hardly showing now went into dialer typed in code...it wont let lte only stick when i reboot is goes back to lte/gsm (auto)? Im on tmobile
Btw whats usa band? Thanks

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