Is ANYONE having reception issues?

[Jofaba]

I'm starting to feel like the Gods are against me on this one. Is no one else having these problems? I can't see how and I see others talk about it, but everyone calls it the "death grip" and all it is for me is "using my right hand to hold the phone, rather than my left". I go from 3-4 bars to 0-1. I have actual connection drop; confirmed by SpeedTest and web/marketplace performance experiences.

I'm going to go back to Best Buy when I get a chance and see if another phone does the same, but it's ridiculous how this thing's reception changes so drastically changing hands.

Am I really the only one suffering from this? Will replacing this phone really fix that issue?

 

[PersonOfKnownOrigin]

I'm starting to feel like the Gods are against me on this one. Is no one else having these problems? I can't see how and I see others talk about it, but everyone calls it the "death grip" and all it is for me is "using my right hand to hold the phone, rather than my left". I go from 3-4 bars to 0-1. I have actual connection drop; confirmed by SpeedTest and web/marketplace performance experiences.

I'm going to go back to Best Buy when I get a chance and see if another phone does the same, but it's ridiculous how this thing's reception changes so drastically changing hands.

Am I really the only one suffering from this? Will replacing this phone really fix that issue?

My BB Pearl had better reception but this isn't prohibitive.

 

[Jofaba]

its a real problem for me with data use. Holding the phone naturally seems to be a real problem for connectivity...

 

[Darkeligos]

Yeah I have a serious problem with holding the phone, letting it go, and it dropping my wifi. I have to disable and re-enable it

 

[KappaG9]

@ Darkeligos

The answer to your sig:yes

 

[keplenk]

I'm starting to feel like the Gods are against me on this one. Is no one else having these problems? I can't see how and I see others talk about it, but everyone calls it the "death grip" and all it is for me is "using my right hand to hold the phone, rather than my left". I go from 3-4 bars to 0-1. I have actual connection drop; confirmed by SpeedTest and web/marketplace performance experiences.

I'm going to go back to Best Buy when I get a chance and see if another phone does the same, but it's ridiculous how this thing's reception changes so drastically changing hands.

Am I really the only one suffering from this? Will replacing this phone really fix that issue?

This is interesting. I tried Captivate phones from different AT&T Stores (Right now, tried 5 stores) and as soon as I hold the phone, the signal drops 2 bars - yes, inside an AT&T store which probably have a microcell somewhere hidden. Without holding the phone, the bars are only read as 3, except from 1 store (has 4 bars, not full). All other phones inside the stores have full bars which is I find weird.

Do you have rubber case for this phone? Maybe you could ask for a case and do a re-test. I'm planning to buy it but I want to make sure that it is the right choice. I'm hesitating because of the GPS/Compass and this.

If you do have a case, please let us know if data is still crappy.

Thanks!

 

[circazero]

same thing happens with me. I can hold the phone with two fingers on the side of the phone. I get 4 bars. As soon as I put the phone on the palm of my hand, it loses two bars.
And I tested this in a lot of different places.

Even my wifi shows 1 to 2 bars when all my iphones, and ipod touches have full wifi. This even.happens with other peoples wifi routers.

 

[falcon26]

I have to admit. So far this phones reception has been worse then the Iphone 4 I sold :-( Then their is the GPS. I don't think it has ever locked on to a SAT to give me any directions. I'm still on the fence about this phone...

 

[circazero]

Honestly I think it has to do with the metal back cover. Because I try putting the clear plastic it.came with and it only drops one bar!

 

[Jofaba]

What's odd is the only thing down there UNDER the cover is the battery. We have no way of knowing how the antenna is designed within the back. I agree, metal seems to be the reoccurring theme between this phone and the ip4.

I wanted to see if it was a conductivity issue with the human body (as well all know by know you can grab a radio's antenna and usually FIX the reception; we are very conductive) but one sheet wasn't enough to filter the connectivity. I am interested to see if I put a cover on it whether it cleans up, but I have my doubts.

Thanks so much for all the replies so quickly. I was starting to think I was crazy =P

 

[dsjr2006]

I have a similar issue, but haven't gotten complete signal drops just dropping a couple bars usually

 

[merrion13]

I can make the phone drop a bar (sometimes 2) while cusping it, but doing this on speaker phone has no degradation in voice clarity for myself or the person on the other end of the line.

 

[jbk317]

I find that I often have zero-two bars but it never affects calls or call quality.

 

[Clienterror]

I find that I often have zero-two bars but it never affects calls or call quality.

I agree, I've had it at 1 bar and the call quality is still in IMO WAY better than my 3GS and I've yet to dropped call. It's to bad there isn't a mod yet to make your bars turn to DB so it can give you a more accurate idea of how bad/good it really is.

 

[Boramis]

I'm seeing the same thing. I checked in the "About Phone" portion of the Settings and I got it to drop to the point where it just gave up and said 0 dBm when I was holding it (0 bars). I was still able to call my voice mail with it like that, but it did have a pretty drastic affect on download speeds.

 

[HyperM3]

What's odd is the only thing down there UNDER the cover is the battery. We have no way of knowing how the antenna is designed within the back.

Actually...I also was intrigued about this and if you look at the underside of the battery cover youll see two bare metal spots. Upon closer inspection of the back of the phone there are two metal parts that stick up and connect with the back of the cover;

The first one is right next to the SIM card. The second is at the top left of the battery next to the screw. Both of these are springy and metalic. I would believe that one or both of these are connected with the antenna. I am going to try putting some paper in between these and the battery cover tomorrow(too lazy and in bed right now) and test it out.

 

[Jofaba]

Actually...I also was intrigued about this and if you look at the underside of the battery cover youll see two bare metal spots. Upon closer inspection of the back of the phone there are two metal parts that stick up and connect with the back of the cover;

The first one is right next to the SIM card. The second is at the top left of the battery next to the screw. Both of these are springy and metalic. I would believe that one or both of these are connected with the antenna. I am going to try putting some paper in between these and the battery cover tomorrow(too lazy and in bed right now) and test it out.

it's already known that the battery cover is part of the antenna. You shouldn't block that connection for any reason. It will only make your reception worse.

 

[Intervenient]

I've had overall good reception, just the phone seems to be pretty finicky with it. One second I'll have 3 bars, the next 5, than 3, than 4, all within maybe a minute. Then it will settle down sort of. I never go under 3 though.

 

[Chromag]

My BB Pearl had better reception but this isn't prohibitive.

Really? I replaced my Pearl with the Captivate on Sunday. I had to leave my office and go outside to not drop calls on the Pearl. I talked to my wife for 20 minutes in my office today without a single drop. But I have noticed a wide range of signal quality.

 

[dsjr2006]

No dropped calls yet, but in Cell standby I see that I've had no signal for 2% of the last 2 hours. Not a long period of time, but my previous phones including the iPhone 4 had no less than 2 bars anywhere in the house other than the basement.

 

[mjgunn]

Yes, the signal is definitely weaker on this phone than others I've used recently (BB 8310 and a 2g iphone, neither exactly cutting edge obviously) around my house where I use the phone more than anywhere else.

I've never lost a signal completely, but I have been getting complaints about call quality that are worrying me. I talk to my GF every day at least an hour or 2 so she's a good person to judge against, and she says I cut out a lot or have my voice distort. Love the phone but if it stays like this I'm going to have to return it.

 

[dsjr2006]

Yes, the signal is definitely weaker on this phone than others I've used recently (BB 8310 and a 2g iphone, neither exactly cutting edge obviously) around my house where I use the phone more than anywhere else.

I've never lost a signal completely, but I have been getting complaints about call quality that are worrying me. I talk to my GF every day at least an hour or 2 so she's a good person to judge against, and she says I cut out a lot or have my voice distort. Love the phone but if it stays like this I'm going to have to return it.

See if turning off Noise suppression in Settings>Call Settings>Voice Call helps with the cutting out and distortion.

 

[mjgunn]

See if turning off Noise suppression in Settings>Call Settings>Voice Call helps with the cutting out and distortion.

I'll try that, but I'm on a bluetooth headset 95% of the time (the same one I've used with my old phones so it's not the issue), think that'll matter?

 

[Jofaba]

How many of you can confirm that you can absolutely kill your signal holding your phone with one hand? Go to settings/about phone/status and hold the phone while looking at the signal strength. See if it drops down to zero at any point. I can recreate a zero reception drop every time.

 

[Space Cowboy]

This is interesting. I tried Captivate phones from different AT&T Stores (Right now, tried 5 stores) and as soon as I hold the phone, the signal drops 2 bars - yes, inside an AT&T store which probably have a microcell somewhere hidden. Without holding the phone, the bars are only read as 3, except from 1 store (has 4 bars, not full). All other phones inside the stores have full bars which is I find weird.

Do you have rubber case for this phone? Maybe you could ask for a case and do a re-test. I'm planning to buy it but I want to make sure that it is the right choice. I'm hesitating because of the GPS/Compass and this.

If you do have a case, please let us know if data is still crappy.

Thanks!

I have a rubber case... the signal is still crappy.