4G, or not?

[pwjone1]

Has anyone run into the phone working fine, except it never indicates 4G?

New this week Droid Razr Maxx, Verizon Wireless, Android 2.3.6, System version 6.12.173.XT912.Verizon.en.US, doesn't seem to be indicating 4G at the top. The Sim seems to be working, it's recognized by the phone, and I called Verizon and had them walk through it, they say everything is activated and they can see the Sim remote, should work, but that I'm in a 4G-Extended area (which they tried to explain for a while, but I came away with might-work-might-not; I do wonder a bit about the Verzion maps, seems like if it says 4G, it should just work, extended might be a stop-gap spin thing while they get it to really work, that little advertizing war with A&T and 6X coverage....or not). Problem is, I've also been at locations on the coverage map that indicate full 4G, and I've never-ever seen 4G indicated on the phone. I did install the "Restore Connectivity Settings" app from Moto, and that made no difference. I've power cycled the phone, no difference (haven't figured out how to do the battery remove thing (virually)). So I'm really wondering if the phone is right.

Thoughts or suggestions? Anyone else run into this?

 

[pwjone1]

Link to the Restore Connectivity Settings app in the Play Store:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.motorola.android.restoreapn.droidrazr

Like I said though, while some of the complaints about lack of 4G seem similar to mine, it did not so far seem to do much of anything for me. No 4G indications, only 3G.

 

[fdnj48]

Not trying to be a smart ass, but did you check to make sure that the phone is in CDMA/LTE and not CDMA only? Settings>Wireless & Networks>Mobile Networks>Network Mode. Figure it can't hurt to double check

 

[biggiesmalls657]

Not trying to be a smart ass, but did you check to make sure that the phone is in CDMA/LTE and not CDMA only? Settings>Wireless & Networks>Mobile Networks>Network Mode. Figure it can't hurt to double check

But there's an app for anything! i cant wait for 4G!

 

[pwjone1]

Not trying to be a smart ass, but did you check to make sure that the phone is in CDMA/LTE and not CDMA only? Settings>Wireless & Networks>Mobile Networks>Network Mode. Figure it can't hurt to double check

No, quite reasonable questions to ask. In fact, the first is one that the Verizon support people took me to, to ask. The CDMA/LTE mode is on, not CDMA only. (I had dialed in on the mobile, so it turns out that you cannot for some reason check that while you're on-call, but I had already looked at it, and so knew the answer). Verizon support appears to work from maps, because one of the earlier questions was if I was in airplane mode, but they did get that I was not when I explained I was talking to them over the phone at the time. And they were able to see my Sim, etc. So the phone appears to be working, just not in 4G mode (at least not where I am).

 

[pwjone1]

A bit of an update, while running an errand, I did see the 4G/LTE light come on blue. It was pretty brief, but it was there for a bit. I looked at where I was at the time on the Verizon coverage maps, and it showed up as a 4G LTE-extended area, but it was much closer to a 4G-real (maybe a half-block, I appear to be a full block away). So it does appear that the phone will work in 4G mode, but just not very often. I was through some other areas that were 4G-extended, nothing, and I think in some 4G-real that similarly got nothing. The coverage maps, at least in 4G, my particular phone, seem to be overly generous.

I did more recently install OpenSignal(Maps) and I'm still trying to sort this out, but I think it is showing my connection type at home as eHRPD CDMA 3.75G at a distance of 1819m, 14asu, -85dBm.

 

[pwjone1]

I see that the next (non ICS) update to the phone's software (6.12.181)

DROID RAZR and RAZR MAXX updates being pushed by Verizon | Android Community

Lists more accurate 4G/LTE indication as among the fixes. Quoting from there: "You’ll see better battery life, device stability, WiFi improvements, a more accurate 4G LTE meter, and new widgets". I'm not sure if there's a beta or soak site that gives a little more concrete info, if someone knows of that please Reply, but it does at least look like they're tweaking in the 4G area.

 

[bsweetness]

I see that the next (non ICS) update to the phone's software (6.12.181)

DROID RAZR and RAZR MAXX updates being pushed by Verizon | Android Community

Lists more accurate 4G/LTE indication as among the fixes. Quoting from there: "You

 

[ikey78]

There's a soak test going on for it right now. Before things start, the soak testers have to acknowledge a confidentiality agreement that states they won't discuss anything related to the update being tested anywhere outside of the private forum Motorola provides for them. Of course, there are several people who ignore what they agreed to and talk about it everywhere. There's more discussion on it in the RAZR forum over at XDA-Developers than there is here.

I received the update a few days ago and I am not part of a soak test. Either they are sending it to general users by mistake or they are starting the general distribution.

 

[bsweetness]

I received the update a few days ago and I am not part of a soak test. Either they are sending it to general users by mistake or they are starting the general distribution.

A few random users who are not a registered part of a soak test always get the update when it's sent out. So, it's not out of the ordinary for that to happen. It happened to me when I had the Droid X. General distribution has not started yet.

 

[ikey78]

A few random users who are not a registered part of a soak test always get the update when it's sent out. So, it's not out of the ordinary for that to happen. It happened to me when I had the Droid X. General distribution has not started yet.

I had no problems doing the update. Have not noticed any major changes. Battery life may be a bit better but it was great before the update.