4G signal discussion

[bberryhill0]

I live on the edge of a 4G signal area. Lately 4G has been flaky so I called Verizon. :/ On a 3G phone you just dial *228 but I've been told that fries the SIM card on a 4G phone. Cycling power didn't seem to help but cycling airplane mode seems to have.

 

[hilmar2k]

Fries the SIM? That's a new one to me.

 

[bberryhill0]

Fries the SIM? That's a new one to me.

The wonders of Verizon customer service. It doesn't make sense to me but that's what they said.

 

[hilmar2k]

Pretty sure *228 won't even work on a 4G phone. I don't think it will fry the SIM.

 

[bberryhill0]

I'm not going to test that by dialing *228.

 

[prairiedogn]

That's what I understand from all I've gathered it can fry your sim so.....

 

[bberryhill0]

Is there any way to turn off 4G on this phone? There are times when it keeps switching between 4G and 3G and data is lost for a few seconds.

 

[hilmar2k]

Is there any way to turn off 4G on this phone? There are times when it keeps switching between 4G and 3G and data is lost for a few seconds.

Nope.

 

[SBMom93]

I would like to add my experience on this topic with the Incredible 4G. I installed the LTE OnOff - HTC Thunderbolt app by Cunning Logic on my Inc4G specifically to control the data "stream" with Verizon. Even though it was created for the Thunderbolt originally, it has worked on my Inc4G flawlessly. I think I read somewhere that this app is merely a shortcut for getting to a hidden settings screen that can also be accessed by some sort of #/* entry from the dialpad, but I prefer using this shortcut app because it's a tapable button and I'm lazy that way, haha.

It allows to me to force the Inc4G to specifically only use 4G or only 3G or set it back to the default "always use 4G unless the signal is too weak then use 3G until the 4G signal gets decent again" protocol.

Basically, along with a lot of mumbo-jumbo info about the operational status of the cellphone, there is a drop-down selection module that allows you to select the mobile data protocol that you want to use.

The default seems to set to "CDMA + LTE/EvDo auto" which instructs the cellphone to always go for the 4G data stream unless it is too weak which then forces it to go down to 3G. I assume if both 4G and 3G are too weak in the area then it will shoot down to 1X, but I have good-to-great 3G in my area so I haven't ever seen the 1X kick in on this setting.

If you want to force the cellphone to use only 3G (and not even try to access a very weak 4G) then the setting (as I have used it) is "CDMA auto(PRL)". After selecting this option, the data goes to 3G and stays there although it may take a few seconds before it first acquires the 3G signal (and stays there).

The setting for 4G only is "LTE,CDMA" in the list. Sometimes, after being in a "strong 3G/weak 4G" area, I get back to my house and the 3G is "stuck" on the Inc4G and won't automatically go to 4G even though I know the signal is strong enough there. I normally will set the phone to this "LTE,CDMA" option and usually that will kick it into the 4G data stream. Sometimes it doesn't do that and instead gives me 1X (because I guess it still can't find the 4G signal yet). But then I change it over to the default "CDMA + LTE/EvDo auto" setting and it usually finds the 4G signal quickly. Remember, I only have to do this because my phone was already set on the "CDMA + LTE/EvDo auto" setting and it should have found the 4G signal when I got home but it didn't do that automatically for some reason. So I just need to change the data setting to something/anything else to get the phone's 4G radio to try to "wake up" and the "LTE,CDMA" tends to do that because it will turn off the 3G radio at least temporarily and force the phone's radios to "wake up" but I always set it back to "CDMA + LTE/EvDo auto" for normal usage.

Also, on this app, sometimes when you change the data selection within the app the data stream changes immediately, but at other times I have to do the change and then back out of the app before the change takes effect. Or I have to open the app again to get the mobile data change to take effect.

Anyway, that's my experience with the Inc4G and this app and it may or may not be an app that will be as useful for you. And please use it at your own discretion and risk.

 

[bberryhill0]

"LTE OnOFF - HTC Thunderbolt" https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.andirc.lteonfoff