Help 50% Signal bug on the X!

[androidb]

So is this a problem with every Android phone? I suffered with the 50% time without signal bug on my Eris for a while. Didn't notice it on my X that past few days until now. Doing the airplane mode trick now to see if that cures it. I thought this crap would be over with on this phone.

**For those who want to know how to check for this and try the airplane mode trick to see if it helps do the following:

1. Go to settings > Battery Manager > Battery Use > Cell Standby. If it says time without signal is 50% instead of something lower it could possibly be draining your battery.

2. To try and remedy this, put the phone into airplane mode. Hold in the power/lock button at the top and choose "airplane mode". Wait until you see the airplane icon on the top right, then power off your phone. Power the phone back on and let it sit in airplane mode for a minute. Then go back and turn airplane mode off.

You should be able to go to step 1 and notice the time without signal should be less than 50%. Keep checking after a while. 0% would be the best.

 

[scary alien]

So is this a problem with every Android phone? I suffered with the 50% time without signal bug on my Eris for a while. Didn't notice it on my X that past few days until now. Doing the airplane mode trick now to see if that cures it. I thought this crap would be over with on this phone.

I wouldn't worry about it... I've never seen any issues / side-effects like reduced battery life or anything on my Eris. I've been reading about the 50% "bug" for a long time now (on the Eris threads) and haven't really seen anyone post anything definitively malevolent that it causes. Much ado about nothing IMO.

 

[androidb]

I don't know, this could be why some people have a battery that is draining very fast. I see a lot of threads about the battery life being poor, and some say it's great. Doing a search I now see the 50% bug may be linked to Android 2.1 and not a specific phone.

Doing the airplane mode trick fixed it on my X. Back to to 0% time without signal.

 

[scary alien]

I don't know, this could be why some people have a battery that is draining very fast. I see a lot of threads about the battery life being poor, and some say it's great. Doing a search I now see the 50% bug may be linked to Android 2.1 and not a specific phone.

Doing the airplane mode trick fixed it on my X. Back to to 0% time without signal.

Yeah, I guess I forgot to say that there are definitely times when the phone is in 50% mode because its having a hard time acquiring a signal which is totally legitimate and would cause the battery to drain faster because its working harder in trying to get a signal.

I just know that I pretty-much have a good (not great) signal (between -83 and -90 dBm) almost all of the time and I get the 50% "bug" too, but without adverse effects.

 

[Greavous]

I have a consistant -101dbm at home and it kicks my battery in the ass! I stick to wifi just to play with the thing.

 

[androidb]

I'm at a steady -86 dBm almost everywhere.

 

[mikeyfl]

time without signal: 0%.

i guess im alright?

 

[androidb]

Yes, you want 0%. That means your phone has spent 0% of it's time without a cell signal. It's when the phone keeps losing signal and trying to find it your battery starts draining quickly.

P.S. I'm not expert on this, I'm just taking the knowledge I learned from over in the Eris forum throughout the months.

 

[Gareee]

How do you tell signal strength, and how long the phione has been searching for signal? A system option, or another application?

EDIT: I just looked, and beautiful widgets ate up 22% of my battery last cycle! Thats a LOT just for a clock and weather widgets!

 

[androidb]

Well, signal strength can be found by going to settings > about phone > status

How long it has been searching would be the time without signal I guess. Checked by going to settings > Battery Manager > Battery Use > Cell Standby

 

[Gareee]

thanks!

 

[androidb]

FYI, still happening to me once in a while when I reboot the phone..... drains my battery fast.

 

[gateway]

My X has been on 1day(24hrs) since a charge, sitting at 40% battery life and has the 50% signal bug, go figure.

 

[gateway]

i tried to upload pic and it did not take, opps

 

[tsanuri]

This is not a signal bug but a reporting error. I just checked and this is the first time I have seen this on my phone yet it is incorrectly reporting my phone has been off the charger for 18 hours when it has only been 9 hours. So there is no time without signal just that it is reporting it has been off the charger twice as long as it really has.

 

[Travisimo]

**For those who want to know how to check for this and try the airplane mode trick to see if it helps do the following:

1. Go to settings > Battery Manager > Battery Use > Cell Standby. If it says time without signal is 50% instead of something lower it could possibly be draining your battery.

I went to Settings / Battery Manager / Battery Use / Cell Standby and I don't see anything about a "time without signal"? Am I missing something? In Battery Use, I see percentages of each process using the battery but I don't see anything about "time without signal" when I click on "Cell Standby".

 

[tsanuri]

I went to Settings / Battery Manager / Battery Use / Cell Standby and I don't see anything about a "time without signal"? Am I missing something? In Battery Use, I see percentages of each process using the battery but I don't see anything about "time without signal" when I click on "Cell Standby".

I had not seen it until today. But like I said mine is a reporting issue. It is claiming my phone has been unplugged for twice as long as it really has been.

 

[androidb]

I went to Settings / Battery Manager / Battery Use / Cell Standby and I don't see anything about a "time without signal"? Am I missing something? In Battery Use, I see percentages of each process using the battery but I don't see anything about "time without signal" when I click on "Cell Standby".

If you don't see it that is good. Seems to only show up when there is an actual time without signal. You are looking in the right place.

 

[cryptosporidia]

I'm seeing the same thing with mine. It is showing that it has been on for 20 hours when its only been powered up for 9. Does anyone know if this is something to be concerned with?

 

[Deleted User]

I have this problem too...I will randomly lose signal in areas where I know have good service (home, work, etc.). The worse part about it is when it happens, my phone gets very warm (battery temps of 115+). Turning airplane mode on/off fixes it, but it is quite frustrating because of how it drains the battery. I would consider trying to get a replacement, but it seems as though this problem is pretty widespread, which makes me believe a new phone may not necessarily be any better.

 

[TheXFactor]

After a few hours unplugged and I have not used the phone at all, I went from 100% to 80%. Checked usage and under cell standby, I had the dreaded 50% without signal. I put it in airplane mode, waited a few minutes and then rebooted. I then removed airplane mode.

Is this really the fix for this? I mean come, wtf?
My Incredible has no such issues with time without a signal.

 

[androidb]

After a few hours unplugged and I have not used the phone at all, I went from 100% to 80%. Checked usage and under cell standby, I had the dreaded 50% without signal. I put it in airplane mode, waited a few minutes and then rebooted. I then removed airplane mode.

Is this really the fix for this? I mean come, wtf?
My Incredible has no such issues with time without a signal.

I hear ya. I am hoping that maybe Android 2.2 fixes this issue. It is a shame to have to do these little tricks to a $600 phone to make it work correctly.