Weak Signal Strength

[Roller]

Is anyone else having problems with their 3G signal strength? I usually only have 1-2 bars and I was standing next to my co-worker who has an EnV and he had full service. I have even tried *228.

 

[cdd543]

Is anyone else having problems with their 3G signal strength? I usually only have 1-2 bars and I was standing next to my co-worker who has an EnV and he had full service. I have even tried *228.

There are a few threads on this topic so I would recommend a quick search.
Bars are calibrated lower than most phones, but signal seems fine.(dbm's)

 

[NKT]

I would try and compare actual signal levels. Bars are just a representation and may be off due to a software bug.

Dial ##33284 (##DEBUG) and select 1x Engineering. Your RX level will give you a more accurate reading.

 

[Roller]

I would try and compare actual signal levels. Bars are just a representation and may be off due to a software bug.

Dial ##33284 (##DEBUG) and select 1x Engineering. Your RX level will give you a more accurate reading.

When I performed this test my signal strength was going from 0 bars to 1 bar.

My Rx Power was between -93 to -97 dbm, Rx Ec/Io is -5.0 to -6.0b, RX FER is 0.00. Any thoughts NKT?

 

[malice]

When I performed this test my signal strength was going from 0 bars to 1 bar.

My Rx Power was between -93 to -97 dbm, Rx Ec/Io is -5.0 to -6.0b, RX FER is 0.00. Any thoughts NKT?

The signal strength is a bit on the low side, but the signal to noise ratio is not terrible. Are you a long way from the tower? Thats what those numbers tell me. I have not gotten any less than -70db singal strength and any more noise than -6db. That is pretty excellent, but I am in New Orleans where the topography is absolutely flat, so signals reach out far. I would't sweat it unless your call quality is really bad.

 

[NKT]

When I performed this test my signal strength was going from 0 bars to 1 bar.

My Rx Power was between -93 to -97 dbm, Rx Ec/Io is -5.0 to -6.0b, RX FER is 0.00. Any thoughts NKT?

That's probably borderline. Once you start popping over -100dbm and any higher than -8 on EC/IO you may start to experience issues.

Your FER is good so at that level you should be ok. If your signal is VASTLY different than other devices in the same location try *228 again or call CS to have it replaced.

 

[Roller]

The signal strength is a bit on the low side, but the signal to noise ratio is not terrible. Are you a long way from the tower? Thats what those numbers tell me. I have not gotten any less than -70db singal strength and any more noise than -6db. That is pretty excellent, but I am in New Orleans where the topography is absolutely flat, so signals reach out far. I would't sweat it unless your call quality is really bad.

Not sure how far I am away from a tower but I live in Northern VA and shouldn't be to far especially if a co-worker has full strength on his phone. Thanks

 

[mister_tu]

Feed your phone some protein, bro.

 

[Roller]

That's probably borderline. Once you start popping over -100dbm and any higher than -8 on EC/IO you may start to experience issues.

Your FER is good so at that level you should be ok. If your signal is VASTLY different than other devices in the same location try *228 again or call CS to have it replaced.

Option 1 or Option 2? I tired option 2 before. Thanks NKT!

 

[NKT]

Option 1 or Option 2? I tired option 2 before. Thanks NKT!

I believe it's option 2.

 

[paimon.soror]

I will have to give *228 a shot. I am getting 1 bar 3g in a location that I was getting full bars 3g with my storm2. Im sure I am comparing apples to oranges because of hardware differences.

 

[NKT]

I will have to give *228 a shot. I am getting 1 bar 3g in a location that I was getting full bars 3g with my storm2. Im sure I am comparing apples to oranges because of hardware differences.

Please use debug to compare signal. There have been known software issue that cause Android phones to display fewer bars than actual signal.

 

[TzuDohNihm]

My LG EnV2 would receive calls while sitting in my living room. My Incredible is not. Whatthedealieyo?

 

[tranceFusion]

Sitting in my office chair, not moving, the signal moves anywhere between 1 and 4 bars.. pretty much continuously.

 

[malice]

I am getting between -90db to -100db sitting in my office. This office is in a vivarium in the middle of the building with 2 fire breaks between an outside wall. My signal/noise around -6db. EVDO power -83.5dbm


Bars don't mean pooh.

 

[rushmore]

Weaker radio is probably correct (based on my test) and you can do the same real simply too. Go to an area where the Inc shows 1X and see if it streams Youtube smoothly or Flash vids. Testing Droid and Inc, in the same places, with Droid (2 3g bars) and Inc (1X) clearly shows Droid streaming smoothly and Inc lagging and stuttering. Case closed for me, with all due respect to folks here.

Simple test and based on actual results, rather than respectful conjecture about bars and dB readings.

Both played fine with whatever bars of 3g.

 

[elrabin]

What i can say is that the "bars" for service coverage appear to be reading artificially low on the Droid incredible.

What i mean by this is, if you go into diagnostic mode and actually check the signal strength as a number, the signal strength was within +-1 of my friends Verizon Touch Pro 2 in the same location. However, on the number of bars shown, he'd be showing 3-4 bars while i'd be showing 1-2. BUT, the bars don't mean crap if the SIGNAL is the same quality/strength.

There will probably be an OTA patch to bring the visual representation of bars compared to the signal strength in line with other VZW phones.

 

[NKT]

Weaker radio is probably correct (based on my test) and you can do the same real simply too. Go to an area where the Inc shows 1X and see if it streams Youtube smoothly or Flash vids. Testing Droid and Inc, in the same places, with Droid (2 3g bars) and Inc (1X) clearly shows Droid streaming smoothly and Inc lagging and stuttering. Case closed for me, with all due respect to folks here.

Simple test and based on actual results, rather than respectful conjecture about bars and dB readings.

Both played fine with whatever bars of 3g.

Not really a scientific test so I'd take the results with a grain of salt. There are many factors that affect signal reception. How did you have the devices orientated? What other objects were near the devices?

The physical design of the antenna's and radios have an effect on reception, but the issue that most people are seeing is a discrepancy between the "bars" displayed and the actual signal level.

 

[jamor]

The bars are wrong.. I have less bars then my parents with ATT yet I am the only one that can make a call in the basement and never get a dropped call on the first floor.

It's just a flaw - but I get perfect reception and 0 dropped calls with little to no bars

 

[rushmore]

Left and right hand while in car. As far as losing an actual signal, never happened with either device. Verizon coverage is great in my area

As far as 2.1 being an issue, Droid users also mention odd bar behavior after 2.1 update. Droid from BB still has 2.0. I will root Droid if I keep it, so not updating.

 

[Roller]

OK so I'm pretty sure this a software bug. Best Buy was nice enough to replace my Incredible and the one they gave me has the same bars (2). Another guy was in there getting his activated and he had the same amount of bars. The guy who was working at Best Buy had a Droid with full service.

 

[tranceFusion]

OK so I'm pretty sure this a software bug. Best Buy was nice enough to replace my Incredible and the one they gave me has the same bars (2). Another guy was in there getting his activated and he had the same amount of bars. The guy who was working at Best Buy had a Droid with full service.

Wouldn't that make it more likely to be a hardware bug?

 

[DroidAV8R]

The physical design of the antenna's and radios have an effect on reception, but the issue that most people are seeing is a discrepancy between the "bars" displayed and the actual signal level.

FWIW, same issue here. I only show 1-2 bars of 3G on the DInc, but full bars on the Storm. In debug mode, the signal numbers are exactly the same as the BB, and I have had 0 issues with call quality/dropped calls/data unavailability or usage. I think it's just that Android is displaying signal strength that is lower than it should be.

 

[DroidAV8R]

OK so I'm pretty sure this a software bug. Best Buy was nice enough to replace my Incredible and the one they gave me has the same bars (2). Another guy was in there getting his activated and he had the same amount of bars. The guy who was working at Best Buy had a Droid with full service.

Wouldn't that make it more likely to be a hardware bug?

Do we know whether the Droid was running 2.0 or 2.1?

 

[Roller]

Do we know whether the Droid was running 2.0 or 2.1?

No, I didn't check the version.