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Poor quality radio on the Note 3

marcjohnson

Well-Known Member
May 5, 2010
171
11
Does anyone else have service issues with their Note 3?

I am on O2, I barely get 1 bar when at home or work yet my partner (who has an S3) gets 3 bars at home and my collegues at work have no service issues, both are also on O2.

I thought I was being stupid but I put my sim in the S3 yesterday and had a really strong 3 bar signal while my GF only had 1 bar when her sim was in my phone.

It's unbearable as no one can get intouch with my while I'm at work, I've called O2 and they are about as much help as a Chocolate teapot but now I'm certain it's the actual radio on the handset due to testing my sim in the other handset.

Anyone had the update and if so is the cell radio updated or will I have this issue for the length of my contract? Anyone got any tips which is not taking a hammer to it?
 
The area I am working atm is not the best for any network but amongst my work mates they have a HTC one, Samsung GS2, 2 x Motorola razor I's and my Note 3 is the only one that can get a signal. The networks are O2, Orange- T mobile(using EE network)
I have noticed that in other places which are hard to get a signal, maybe one of the other phones might get a better signal than the others including mine, so I can't really come to any conclusions that the Note 3 (or my Note 3) is any worse, again, maybe this is down to carrier software.
 
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Does anyone else have service issues with their Note 3?

I am on O2, I barely get 1 bar when at home or work yet my partner (who has an S3) gets 3 bars at home and my collegues at work have no service issues, both are also on O2.

I thought I was being stupid but I put my sim in the S3 yesterday and had a really strong 3 bar signal while my GF only had 1 bar when her sim was in my phone.

It's unbearable as no one can get intouch with my while I'm at work, I've called O2 and they are about as much help as a Chocolate teapot but now I'm certain it's the actual radio on the handset due to testing my sim in the other handset.

Anyone had the update and if so is the cell radio updated or will I have this issue for the length of my contract? Anyone got any tips which is not taking a hammer to it?

If you take your Samsung Galaxy Note 3 outside and the signal gets much stronger then it isn't a faulty radio, and it may be a case of your friend having a clearer path from where they were sitting with their Samsung Galaxy S3 and the mobile operator transmitter outside your house.

Try going to one side of your window and waiting 30 seconds or so to see if your signal gets stronger, and then to the other side to see which side offers the highest signal. If you are in very close proximity with both phones then the phone which starts using data first may get network priority of the signal.

You can also try using an application like LTE Discovery to boost your signal. The web link for that application is below

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.simplyadvanced.ltediscovery
 
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Thanks for the replies everyone.

I use that app and it does help to find a new signal, I did think that it could be an indoor problem at work but I am a postman and also work outside and have the same issues when I am out on delivery in some areas.

I spoke to the CPW and they said if I take it instore they can test it and send it away for repair if need be so I think I will do that.

The other thing is, I do get a signal in other locations so normally I would just say that it is a case of bad luck working and living in poor signal locations BUT I am dubious simply because I put my sim in my girlfriends S3 and got a really strong 3 bars in the same position that I had 1 bar when the sim was in my Note 3.
 
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Thanks for the replies everyone.

I use that app and it does help to find a new signal, I did think that it could be an indoor problem at work but I am a postman and also work outside and have the same issues when I am out on delivery in some areas.

I spoke to the CPW and they said if I take it instore they can test it and send it away for repair if need be so I think I will do that.

The other thing is, I do get a signal in other locations so normally I would just say that it is a case of bad luck working and living in poor signal locations BUT I am dubious simply because I put my sim in my girlfriends S3 and got a really strong 3 bars in the same position that I had 1 bar when the sim was in my Note 3.

If she has set her Samsung Galaxy S3 to automatically connect to any signal it might be that it is connecting to 2G which is a very strong signal in most areas.
 
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I spoke to the CPW and they said if I take it instore they can test it and send it away for repair if need be so I think I will do that.

I would make sure 100% that's its a problem before sending it off via CPW, I had a screen issue with a phone a while back and it took over 6 weeks to return and then there was dust under the screen, they may have changed for the better, hopefully so if you are sending it off with them.
 
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Thanks for the replies everyone.

I use that app and it does help to find a new signal, I did think that it could be an indoor problem at work but I am a postman and also work outside and have the same issues when I am out on delivery in some areas.

I spoke to the CPW and they said if I take it instore they can test it and send it away for repair if need be so I think I will do that.

The other thing is, I do get a signal in other locations so normally I would just say that it is a case of bad luck working and living in poor signal locations BUT I am dubious simply because I put my sim in my girlfriends S3 and got a really strong 3 bars in the same position that I had 1 bar when the sim was in my Note 3.

Was wondering if you had found out anything on this problem? :)
 
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Was wondering if you had found out anything on this problem? :)

My girlfriend stumbled across a thread on a local message board where residents stated that the area we live in is a well known black spot for mobile service, I guess its bad luck as opposed to the phone and just a coincidence that the service is poor at my work.

In that thread we found a comment about an app on O2 called TU go which apparently allows you to send and recieve calls via your wifi which comes off your allowance so I will give that a go as that will solve a big issue.
 
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My girlfriend stumbled across a thread on a local message board where residents stated that the area we live in is a well known black spot for mobile service, I guess its bad luck as opposed to the phone and just a coincidence that the service is poor at my work.

In that thread we found a comment about an app on O2 called TU go which apparently allows you to send and recieve calls via your wifi which comes off your allowance so I will give that a go as that will solve a big issue.

I have used that and works well at home.

For anyone searching in future in UK:

EE do one called signal box (often discounted 50% at
 
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I have had my Note 2 unlocked and you definately get a stronger signal with the Note 2.

Tested it with that LTE app suggested in this thread.

What also happens is the switch between 4g, H+ and 3g on the Note 2 is so much more fluid where on the Note 3 if mine loses 4g it just loses signal or drops down to 2g.

Tempted to used the Note 2 and sell the Note 3.
 
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