Could someone explain to me the current draw of the "Mobile Radio"?

[Plecto123]

If I understand correctly, smart phones have different modules that can be turned on and off (Cellular, Mobile Radio, GPS, WiFi, CPU, Bluetooth among others), but they don't necessarily draw any current just by being turned on. The GPS and bluetooth modules can both be activated, but as long as no app is asking them to do anything, they draw little to no current. I guess the same can be said about the WiFi module as it doesn't seem to draw much current if it's simply connected to a network, but not transmitting or receiving anything (as it usually is when the phone isn't in use). What I don't understand is how or why the mobile radio module draws so much current. It seems like it will draw a lot of current as long as it's activated and there's no WiFi connection regardless of whether any information is being transmitted or received, so why does it consume so much power? If it draws that much from simply sitting there actively listening to push-notifications then any app relying on push-notifications will cause a high current draw regardless of whether any data is being sent or received? Anyone out there that could help cure my curiosity?

 

[Hadron]

Well mobile radio is your cellular connection. It has to remain active because it has to respond when the network tells it there is an incoming call or message (if it shuts down completely how can the network contact it?).

But the drain depends a lot on coverage: in a weak signal area it will have to work harder. Worst of all is if you are on the fringe of cover, since if it loses contact it will then start broadcasting full strength to try to find a basestation it can connect to. Also if you have weak enough 3G (or 4G) that it keeps falling-back to 2G (or 3G) that switching uses more power than if you are sitting with a steady connection.

And if you have data enabled there may be a lot of processes that do their own little polls for updates, all of which takes power.

You've also not said how much is "a lot". And different battery monitors can differ in what they allocate the power drain to.

 

[AZgl1500]

That is my area of expertise, but Hadron took care of it...

I spent all of my working life making sure folks had two-way radios that worked.... then cellphones came along, and they went away, moldy from disuse.

PTT has a lot that simply cannot be replaced in the work-a-day world.
You are standing beneath a large crane, and the operator is moving a 30 ton piece of equipment over you, and wants to set it down to within 1/8 inch of where it has to be.....

PTT is the only way to quide him..... cellphones are like a year in the past when you yell "STOP!"
it is too late, you are squished to jelly.

 

[bcrichster]

That is my area of expertise, but Hadron took care of it...

I spent all of my working life making sure folks had two-way radios that worked.... then cellphones came along, and they went away, moldy from disuse.

PTT has a lot that simply cannot be replaced in the work-a-day world.
You are standing beneath a large crane, and the operator is moving a 30 ton piece of equipment over you, and wants to set it down to within 1/8 inch of where it has to be.....

PTT is the only way to quide him..... cellphones are like a year in the past when you yell "STOP!"
it is too late, you are squished to jelly.

I'll verify that with personal construction experience. [emoji41]

 

[Phalon4]

Most ( FM) radio transmissions on cellphone's has a stand-alone Network and doesn't need Wifi or a cellular carrier connections. Most(FM) radios just have to have a headset connected to operate with its current battery supply of course. But if an app is installed (Online radio) like podcast ect to the device, It will in fact need and use a Wifi or a carriers Network connection to operate.

 

[chanchan05]

That is my area of expertise, but Hadron took care of it...

I spent all of my working life making sure folks had two-way radios that worked.... then cellphones came along, and they went away, moldy from disuse.

PTT has a lot that simply cannot be replaced in the work-a-day world.
You are standing beneath a large crane, and the operator is moving a 30 ton piece of equipment over you, and wants to set it down to within 1/8 inch of where it has to be.....

PTT is the only way to quide him..... cellphones are like a year in the past when you yell "STOP!"
it is too late, you are squished to jelly.

I remember Nokia having those phones with built in PTT