Help Anyone noticing intermittent 1X/3G???

[CADman_KS]

Got my Razr over lunch today, and immediately got it online. Sweet phone! I took it to my IS guys to get email approved, and all they could say was, "Man, that's thin." followed by "Man that's big."

I'm coming from an OG Droid, and I live a distance from towers, BUT with my OG Droid, I can pretty reliably get a 3G connection.

But, with the RAZR, I've noticed that my internet connection is often not there, or it's 1X at best, and then occasionally, I get a 3G connection.

The calls are great, and it doesn't have any problems with that.

I had the same issue with my daughters Thunderbolt when she first got it a couple of days ago, but after a while, it finally seemed to "lock" on, and now it's better.

Is this something to do with going to a SIM carded phone, vs the OG Droid which was not?

Has anyone else noticed that they are not getting 3G / 4G coverage like they think should?

CADman_ks

PS: Since I don't get 4G in my area yet, I have put the phone in CDMA mode only, but I should at least be able to get 3G consistently...

 

[SmokeNMirrors]

I wonder if VZW isn't doing some tower tweaking. I've seen a lot of this the last few days on my OG Droid at work but not at home. I got home an my RAZR has been solid on 3G (no LTE here yet). I expect to see it bounce around a bit when I get it back to work tomorrow. We'll see. Oh and DAMN, this think is fricken sweet!

 

[mtulbert]

Having a similar issue with mine.

Am in the DFW area which reportedly has great service. I switched from ATT to get this phone. It showed up yesterday and the 4G service was weak and only lasted a couple of minutes before switching to 3G which is coming through like gangbusters.

I went to the Verizon store and started getting 4G signal as I got out of the car and it was gangbusters inside the store. I was assured that nothing was wrong with the phone and I left. Once I got a half mile away from the store, the 4G was gone again.

The only way I can get it is if I sit outside and point the phone towards the NE. I may get it for 5 minutes if I am lucky. Have been reading and I am hoping that the a SIM card change will do the trick.. If not I will replace it. My feeling is that the 4G radio is weak and can only function where there is a majorly strong signal.

I am new to this so I am curious to hear what the rest of you think. Other than that I really like the phone and am hoping to have a long relationship with it.

M

 

[taxiron1]

Same here. My office is solid 3G on my Thunderbolt, now it drifts in and out of 1X on my Razr ?

 

[rushmore]

Watch it, the Razrboys (fanboys) will insist this thread be locked and perhaps purged from records!

Have heard a few local folks mention so far that the reception seems weakish for 3G (hence the 1G/3G bounce), but no comments on 4G issues so far. Everybody is blinded by the build and thin design. Once pixie dust is gone people will get their objective reasoning back.

 

[elcameano]

Lots of issues with the Bionic droping data....

 

[rushmore]

Razr appears to have the same radio issues as the Bionic, so may be a firmware issue for the radio itself (same radio chips).

 

[CADman_KS]

Same here. My office is solid 3G on my Thunderbolt, now it drifts in and out of 1X on my Razr ?

Hummm...

Comments like this are definitely make it appear like something is going on with either the phone or the network. Let's hope that it's not the phone.

I actually saw the phone in a Verizon store on the 5th, and played with it a little bit there, and all the time that I was there, it was pegged on 3G. Where that store is though, is a pretty strong signal area.

CADman_ks

 

[CADman_KS]

Razr appears to have the same radio issues as the Bionic, so may be a firmware issue for the radio itself (same radio chips).

Is this something that is still lingering with the Bionic, or do they have it fixed with a firmware upgrade on the Bionic?

CADman_ks

 

[jroc]

I live n work in a bad reception area. First thing I noticed is my RAZR is holding reception better than my DX1 in my apt. 3G reception seems a lil better too. Inside my apt is almost like a dead zone so to do better than my DX1 is very nice.

Now...I was using the GPS and it interfered with 3G, 4G. Turned it off, and I still couldnt get 4G back. I had to toggle LTE, CDMA to fix it. As far as switching from 1X to 3G, I get a decent 3G lock inside my apt. Hard to say whats going on with specific phones. Just know that for any reception issues, me living and working in a bad reception area....I should see them easy.

EDIT: I said 3G seemed better than my DX1 in my apt, well know I see it is better. I would get alot of time out issues using my DX1 in my apt. Not alot with the RAZR so far.

 

[cereal killer]

Been having that problem on my OG Droid for weeks now. I would lose data for long periods so I was forced to do the airplane mode trick to get it back

As far as the RAZR. I'm in a good coverage area as far as 4G goes so I'm not seeing 3G a lot right now. I've only had it a full day though. May need some more time

 

[sean76]

Is this something that is still lingering with the Bionic, or do they have it fixed with a firmware upgrade on the Bionic?

CADman_ks

Bionic still has it! Its gotta be either a firmware or radio issue.

I must say its horrid with the Bionic, one min u have data, full bars! The next you have 3G and full bars, but the phone says check your internet connection.


Beggining to look like a Moto problem. I'll be able to comment later after I grab the phone.

If its the same issue, like Rush said... The pixie dust will wear off extremely fast.

 

[Chi-TownTx]

No problems at all here so far. Constant 4g connection even in places where my droid charge would not get one. That being said I do live in a very strong 4G area though (chicago burbs).

When it comes to phones and connection issues overall I think in some cases that part of it is the phone but in a lot of cases I believe it's the network itself. 4G is still growing up and until it matures I think no matter what phone people use your going to notice a drop out at times. But so far I guess I am lucky because I have yet to have one happen with this phone.

 

[jntdroid]

man I hope this doesn't have the same issues as the Bionic on the data connection...

 

[rafier]

I had problems with my OG Droid at first. The solution one day in was to dial *228 and update roaming capabilities. Worked great and still going strong two years later. It is worth a try.

 

[TxGoat]

If you're not in a heavy 4G area, you will see the phone probably try to connect to 4G, then bounce down to 3G, then 1X...and if you are like me, it'll bounce around to nothing, at least that's how it was on the Thunderbolt.

I suggest turning off 4G, going to CDMA auto if there's such a setting on the Razr. Try *#*#4636#*#* and see if that gets you into settings, go into "Phone information" and then toggle off CDMA + LTE. Switch to CDMA auto. See if that keeps you from bouncing around.

 

[sean76]

I had problems with my OG Droid at first. The solution one day in was to dial *228 and update roaming capabilities. Worked great and still going strong two years later. It is worth a try.

No can do.....Star *228 does not work on 4G phones..

 

[jroc]

If you're not in a heavy 4G area, you will see the phone probably try to connect to 4G, then bounce down to 3G, then 1X...and if you are like me, it'll bounce around to nothing, at least that's how it was on the Thunderbolt.

I suggest turning off 4G, going to CDMA auto if there's such a setting on the Razr. Try *#*#4636#*#* and see if that gets you into settings, go into "Phone information" and then toggle off CDMA + LTE. Switch to CDMA auto. See if that keeps you from bouncing around.

Theres a similar setting in the RAZR settings, probably was on the Bionic too. Thats how I fixed my issue so fast.

Settings/Wireless & Network settings/Mobile Networks/Network Mode

From there you can select either CDMA/LTE or CDMA Only. Will try your suggestion to see what happens. Is that the same as what I did? I just tried your suggection and see some other options.

I'm not having any issue anymore, just digging around inside my phone...seeing whats what...lol

 

[TxGoat]

Theres a similar setting in the RAZR settings, probably was on the Bionic too. Thats how I fixed my issue so fast.

Settings/Wireless & Network settings/Mobile Networks/Network Mode

From there you can select either CDMA/LTE or CDMA Only.

I didn't know if Motorola had a feature for that. I know that the Thunderbolt didn't have a way to shut off 4G through their standard GUI.


Oh and yeah stay away from *228 that was a killer for the Thunderbolt. Lets hope Verizon thought ahead and disabled the Razr from using the *228. That bricked many phones when 4G started rolling out.

 

[cereal killer]

2 test runs on hand off produced great results. No data disruption from 4G to 3G to 4G

 

[CADman_KS]

...

Oh and yeah stay away from *228 that was a killer for the Thunderbolt. Lets hope Verizon thought ahead and disabled the Razr from using the *228. That bricked many phones when 4G started rolling out.

Hitting *228 with a T-Bolt or a RAZR (and I'm assuming other 4G) phones get you an error that says that the SIM card is controlling your locations.

Apparently, they've fixed that...

CADman_ks

 

[TxGoat]

Hitting *228 with a T-Bolt or a RAZR (and I'm assuming other 4G) phones get you an error that says that the SIM card is controlling your locations.

Apparently, they've fixed that...

CADman_ks

I was figuring they did since it was fixed with the Thunderbolt after a few months. I even recall a Verizon tech support guy telling me to try the *228 feature. Good to see that they're being proactive with this release. Who says a big company's learning curve is sometimes a flat line?!?!

 

[tnstra]

I bought a Razr on the 14th and fell in love with it. Since I travel a LOT read that drive truck for a living, I was able to test the 4g to see if the Razr would have the same up clutching/down clutching problem that plagued the Bionic I took back. The problem being that the device hangs at times when shifting between 3g/4g/1x/3g and the Razr does not have this problem.
However, the Razr has a different problem, same area, data radio. On the 16th apparently the Verizon 4g network went down (nationwide according to some) and it caused the Razr's 3g/4g radio to stop working on select Razr devices. I was in NH at the time. Mine was one that completely ceased receiving data.
I pay full retail for my phones and a $700 phone that doesn't work correctly
doesn't push my good time buttons.
The Razr went back on the 16th.
I wish Verizon/Motorola would suspend their greed long enough to properly test a new product before releasing it.
I guess when you corporately make $120B a year customer satisfaction is the last thing on your mind.

 

[rankman]

Mine has been going from 1x to 3g to 4g and back down ans sometimes no data.

 

[mfree]

I am currently having the same issue with my Droid RAZR. I previously had the Bionic, but I sold it on eBay largely due to the constant data drop issues. My RAZR has better data connectivity than my previous Bionic, but I still have some data issues. I live in a 4G area, but I'm receiving 4G data 50% of the time and 3G data 50% of the time. There are a few brief moments every day (usually about 30 seconds each time) that I lose all data on the RAZR. According to Verizon, there will be a software update for the RAZR in December addressing the data connection issue. I emailed Verizon about this issue and the following is the response I received on November 19th.

• Thank you for contacting our Verizon Wireless website. We are sorry to learn that you are having difficulty with your Droid device. We are happy to assist you with your issue.
  
  First, we sincerely apologize for the delayed response. Due to an extremely high volume of customer email inquiries, the response time has been longer than expected.
  
  To assist you, we will provide information about the 4G data service and about the data connection issue. This will help to address your device's issues.
  
  Regarding 4G service, please note that 4G device may drop to 3G service if there are no 4G channels available due to usage from other customers. Also, if you are near a 4G fringe area, then you may pick up a tower, outside the 4G coverage area, that only has 3G service. While we apologize for any inconvenience, please note that our network technicians are constantly working to improve the network.
  
  Regarding the data loss issue, while we also apologize for this issue, please note that this issue will be addressed with a software update, which will be released in December 2011.
  
  We hope you find this information helpful. We have online Equipment Guides for many of our devices. If needed, please refer to the following website:
  
  Verizon Wireless Equipment Guides
  
  Other troubleshooting tips and helpful product information can be found at www.verizonwireless.com/data. It has been a pleasure assisting you today. We make it our personal goal to resolve all of your concerns. We sincerely hope that you feel we have done that today. Should you feel your current concerns are not fully resolved, please reply back to this email or call us at 1-800-922-0204 and we will happily address them for you. We appreciate your business and thank you for choosing Verizon Wireless.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Bernard
  Verizon Wireless