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Galaxy S4 Data Connection Flashes Every 5 Seconds

My Galaxy S4 gets into this state where it loses its data connection. Signal strength is fine; I get 2-5 bars. Calls and texts are fine.

The 3G or 4G icon is displayed, but it is grayed out. Every 5 seconds, the icon flashes white, then goes back to gray.

The only way to get a data connection back is to reboot the phone. Then it is fine for another random interval. It could be 15 minutes. It could be 3 days.

Location does not matter. It happens at home. It happens at work. It happens hundreds of miles away.

It has been doing this since before the upgrade to Lollipop, but seems to be getting worse.

I have taken it to the Verizon store twice now. They replaced the SIM card, which did not fix the problem. Their only suggestion now is to buy a new phone at full price. I'm only 5 weeks from my upgrade date.

Comments

Verizon_Support

Hi DennisGauge,

Sorry to hear about trouble with your phone's data connection. We certainly don't want you having that type of an experience. Have you been able to try wiping the cache partition or doing a Factory Data reset? Those will fix most issues unless related to an app that's being placed back on the device afterwards. I'd try wiping the cache partition first, as that won't cause you to lose any data. If you want to make a full copy of your phone before attempting a Factory Data Reset, you can do that with Samsung's Kies 3 software. I'll put links for all of these things below. Keep me posted. Thanks.

Wipe Cache Partition: http://vz.to/1P252bo

Factory Data Reset: http://vz.to/1JJfUIc

Samsung Kies 3: http://bit.ly/1zLG0Gm

EricW_VZW

Follow us on TWITTER @VZWSupport If my response answered your question please click the _Correct Answer_ button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

DennisGauge

I have done both a cache wipe, and a factory data reset, on the instruction of a Verizon support representative. Neither have resolved the issue. As of now their only suggestion is to buy a new phone at full price.

Verizon_Support

I very much appreciate all that you've done. How long has been occurring? I know that you mentioned it was occurring prior to Lollipop. Was an auto restore completed after the reset?

YosefT_VZW

If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

DennisGauge

I am not sure about the auto restore... I didn't do anything specific regarding a restore, but my contacts were restored.

After the reset I only installed a subset of the apps that I had before.

DennisGauge

No physical or water damage that I am aware of.

Since the phone is nearly 2 years old, no warranty either. Also, no insurance. Not eligible for the EDGE trade-in because the phone is "damaged." Only 6 weeks from upgrade, but they would not work with me on a new phone.

The problem grew steadily worse. I was rebooting the phone 3-4 times per day.

HOWEVER, on July 15th, I went to use the "My Verizon Mobile" app, and was forced to upgrade it.

After the upgrade to "My Verizon Mobile" the phone has been ROCK SOLID. Over 48 hours now without a single loss of data connection, and zero reboots.

I am cautiously optimistic.

Verizon_Support

Thank you so much for the update DennisGauge! I know having a phone that doesn't work the way it should is frustrating but I am happy to hear that it seems to be working for you now. Please keep us posted if this changes again for you but we hope the problems that you have been experiencing are now over.

CandiceH_VZW Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

DennisGauge

BAD NEWS!

After 96 hours of no problems, the phone is falling off the data network again! It's happened twice now in the past 24 hours: Yesterday morning, and sometime during the night.

This is simply for the record. Short of buying a new phone, I am completely out of ideas on this.

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