Cell phone transmitter and battery drain.

[ChristmasLights]

A cell phone is a transmitter just like a radio tower, and higher power is required to send the signal farther. Every modern cell phone automatically adjusts its transmitter power based on reception. Fewer bars means faster battery drain when you are using your phone. Switching to 2G will not necessarily save battery. If you have a 3G tower nearby, then your battery will last longer. And if you have a spotty 4G connection, you'd best plug in, or don't use it. However, given equal signal strength, a 4G signal is MORE efficient per byte than 3G.

 

[Waflsk8s]

4G is used for data while 3G and 2G are used for calls, so with 4G on you're using about double the power (as you have both radios on)...right?

 

[neodorian]

4G is used for data while 3G and 2G are used for calls, so with 4G on you're using about double the power (as you have both radios on)...right?

I don't know how much power one radio uses relative to the other but the more you have on, the more you use.

Use Wimax (4G) as you would use Wifi--when you have to download or stream something big and you are in a hotspot, toggle it on while you are using it and then turn it off. Otherwise you are wasting power. You don't need an active Wimax connection while your phone is sitting idle in your pocket or on your desk just waiting to receive calls or emails.

 

[reallynotnick]

Shouldn't 2G and 3G reception by about the same? I was wondering if turning off 3G when I wasn't using it would save power, and maybe using WiFi instead.