Losing Orange Network

[Android20120]

Hi, I am new to Android, having previously had iPhone (now had to return to firm as changing jobs).
Have bought SIM Free, dual-SIM Android phone from China (Star/Bird v1277) Very pleased with it generally, running Orange PAYG SIM.

However, overnight it lost the Orange 2g network and again on the way to work, and I have to go into settings

Wireless & Network
Mobile Networks
Network Operators
and search networks and pick Orange 2g

Can anyone advise :

1. Why is it losing network - is it a problem with the phone or just poor signal?
2. Why does it not automatically reconnect - can't seem to find a way to set it to always connect to Orange 2g
3. Really annoying to have to manually reset possibly daily. Do I need to return the phone?

Any advice much appreciated, sorry if it's a stupid question.

Thanks

 

[El Presidente]

I suspect it could be the phone (could be wrong), if there's an issue with the connection, it should pick it up straight away when a signal comes into range again.

To test signal strength, download an app called Network Signal Info, what sort of results are you getting?

Anything below 90 dBM would be classed as strong.

 

[Android20120]

Downloaded app and it's showing
Net.strength: -51dBM (ASU:31) - is this the right stat ? Is this low?
This is where I can connect, so I need to check at home where it dropped. Even so, are you saying it should auto reconnect when it comes back into range?

As it's SIM free, I just wonder if I need to somehow hard code the mobile network to search for and reconnect to (or it that not possible)?

Thanks

 

[El Presidente]

That is one of the strongest signals I've seen! Even right next to a mast at work, I don't get that!

Yeah, it should automatically reconnect when you come back in to the signal range again.

It is totally possible it's only looking for a specific signal, is there an option for "Search Automatically in your network preferences?

 

[Android20120]

Yes. Maybe that's the issue : if I selected 'Search Networks' and selected 'Orange 2G' - maybe when I move out of range of one mast, it can't reconnect, whereas 'select automatically' will adjust to whatever it can find?
Preusmably 'search automatically' still searches for the Orange network as it's an Orange SIM? Sorry, I am new to this stuff!

 

[El Presidente]

No need to apologise!

Mine pops up with EE, don't you get that option (that's the Orange/TMobile signal share)?

 

[Android20120]

No, just Orange 2G

 

[El Presidente]

I wonder if the phone itself is limited to what networks/frequencies it will actually run on (not uncommon in Chinese phones). Let me do some digging and get back to you.

 

[Android20120]

Something else : it has happened 3 times today, but now I have downloaded the app, it (on the last two times) shows T-Mobile : I wonder if the problem is that the phone loses Orange, and then finds T-Mobile and tries to connect to that because I believe they are now sharing a network (and I should be able to use T-Mobile without any extra charges - I think).

If so, how do I tell the phone to allow T-MObile also : it thinks I am roaming, but not sure if allowing roaming will fix it, and don't want to incur roaming charges.

Any thoughts (and again, many thanks!)

 

[El Presidente]

You won't incur any additional charges if you use T-Mobile. They and Orange are technically one and the same now so you're good there. I was paranoid about it at first too, the Orange signal is rubbish in my flat, so I was constantly on TMo and they didn't charge me a penny.

If you select Automatic on your network options, it should pick up the T-Mob signal if it can't pick up an Orange one.

Have you managed to check your strength at home yet?

 

[Android20120]

and switched to Vodafone. Phone wasn't smart enough to auto register to T-Mobile when that signal was strongest, so always thought I was roaming, and stopped to confirm. Tried app Roaming Control, but didn't seem to work.

Hope Vodafone takes problem away....

Thanks for all your help.

 

[El Presidente]

Fair enough, hope that sorts it.