4g connection but no throughput...tech support has written me off
ealtorfer
Newbie

A friend and I both have 4g LTE devices on Verizon - mine is the Mifi and his is the Thunderbolt. We work in Baton Rouge, LA where we've been using LTE since it launched.

 

The problem is, about two months ago, it became incredibly unreliable - now, we're lucky to even connect to 4g. If we do, we still can't access anything most of the time and eventually get bumped to 3g. The funny part is, while we can't access LTE in or around the office, we can in the interior rooms of our hotel.

 

Here's the diagnostic info from my modem:

 

System Log> HTML Version 26.
12/07/11 08:53:42am> Current Time
12/07/11 08:53:02am> LTE Out of Dormant State
12/07/11 08:52:57am> LTE in Dormant State
12/07/11 08:52:44am> LTE Out of Dormant State
12/07/11 08:52:42am> [ARP] Record IP 192.168.1.2  E0:B9:A5:9D:78:3B
12/07/11 08:52:42am> [ARP] Client IP 192.168.1.2  E0:B9:A5:9D:78:3B
12/07/11 08:44:26am> LTE in Dormant State
12/07/11 08:40:35am> LTE Out of Dormant State
12/07/11 08:40:27am> LTE in Dormant State
12/07/11 08:39:45am> LTE Out of Dormant State
12/07/11 08:38:55am> LTE in Dormant State
12/07/11 08:37:23am> LTE Out of Dormant State
12/07/11 08:37:09am> LTE in Dormant State
12/07/11 08:36:14am> LTE Out of Dormant State
12/07/11 08:36:13am> LTE in Dormant State
12/07/11 08:35:12am> LTE Out of Dormant State
12/07/11 08:35:06am> LTE in Dormant State
12/07/11 08:34:40am> LTE Out of Dormant State
12/07/11 08:34:39am> LTE in Dormant State
12/07/11 08:34:06am> WMS IMS registered
12/07/11 08:33:49am> NWPM_EVENT_CALL_CONNECTED
12/07/11 08:33:49am> LTE Connected
12/07/11 08:33:44am> [ARP] Record IP 192.168.1.3  D8:30:62:98:CC:0F
12/07/11 08:33:44am> [ARP] Client IP 192.168.1.3  D8:30:62:98:CC:0F
12/07/11 08:33:43am> [OTA] Work flow completed. No update.
12/07/11 08:33:43am> [OTA] Network error due to no signal
12/07/11 08:33:42am> check_for_now success
12/07/11 08:33:35am> LTE Connection Failed
12/07/11 08:33:35am> First opening Index.html
12/07/11 08:33:26am> LTE Connection Failed
12/07/11 08:33:26am> [ARP] Record IP 192.168.1.2  E0:B9:A5:9D:78:3B
12/07/11 08:33:26am> [ARP] Client IP 192.168.1.2  E0:B9:A5:9D:78:3B
12/07/11 08:33:18am> SIM Ready
12/07/11 08:33:18am> NWPM_EVENT_SIM_READY
12/07/11 08:33:14am> Start AP with battery
12/07/11 08:33:14am> NWPM_EVENT_MODE_ONLINE
12/07/11 08:33:14am> NWPM_EVENT_WALL_CHG_CONNECTED

 

The whole time this is happening, I am trying to connect to web sites; so, strictly speaking, the access point shouldn't be dormant. Also, you'll notice a bunch of connection failed notices. My device shows full bars and my modem info shows:

 

MDN: 4155996443

MEID: A100001E3A559B

Channel: 283

P_REV Indicator: 6

PRL ID: 15058

Band Class Type: LTE BAND13

ERI Version: 4

Dormancy: FALSE

Signal - EVDO: Not Available

Signal - 1X: -82 dBm

Signal - LTE: -61 dBm

SINR - LTE: 21 dB

Battery Level: 4

Battery Charging: 0

Ec/Io : 21 dB

 

However, interestingly enough, the one thing that usually works (3g) is the only thing that isn't showing a signal.

 

How can I get Verizon to actually engage me and resolve this issue? I'm paying $60 a month for a service that they aren't even providing me even though I am right in the middle of their LTE service area here in Baton Rouge. Is there any loophole in the contract that would allow me to cancel based on level of service being provided?

 

I have had tech support come multiple times and check the towers, etc. and they have written us off as a "signal indoors" issue, even though this doesn't only happen indoors. Argh!

 

How should I proceed?

Labels (1)
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Re: 4g connection but no throughput...tech support has written me off
deloswilbur
Enthusiast - Level 3

I am sorry to tell you, your only option is to complain but they won't listen.  They don't care and frankly your complaining while you write the check is not costing them a dime.  There are some amount of people that have this same problem (myself in included) and if you look through this forum nothing has been done to fix it. Period.

 

Sorry

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Re: 4g connection but no throughput...tech support has written me off
John_Getzke
Champion - Level 1

Your signal strength looks to be very good for LTE.  I would not suspect that signal strength is the reason behind your issues.  An antenna or booster kit would not likely improve your performance.  I could be wrong but I dont believe that your device will display both LTE and 3G connections at the same time.  The device will show the the primary network that it is connected to at the time.  I would suspect that if you switched the MiFi back to 3G it would display the properstatistics in the diagnostics screen.

 

Your log posted a network error which is never a good thing.  Those network errors could be contributing to the situations where your device is defaulting back to 3G.  I would suspect that simple resets would be able to correct temporary problems like that.  Keep checking your diagnostic logs when you have problems and look for consistencies.  If you can capture repeated network connection events like you did below you should be able to make some progress with Verizon.  At the very least I would suspect that they would send you a replacement MiFi.

 

As far as loopholes go I don't believe there are any.  The contract that you signed specifically outlines the requirements to cancel your service without fees during the 14 day trial period at the very beginning.  If you are outside that window then you are going to be out of luck.

 

 

My suggestion is to try a level 2 reset which will reset your SIM card.  That way you will renegotiate your connection with the local towers if your MiFi is choosing incorrectly.  You could also try updating your firmware to 2.23 and locking your MiFi into 4G LTE mode.

 

Level 2 Reset:

1. Power down the MiFi

2. Remove the back cover

3. Remove the battery

4. Remove the SIM card

5. Allow the MiFi to sit for 30 seconds

6. Reassemble the MiFi

7. Test the Connection

 

Use 4G LTE only:

1. Power on the MiFi

2. Connect to the MiFi

3. Navigate to http://mifi.admin

4. Sign into the MiFi

5. Click the WWAN tab

6. Click the More link at the bottom of the page

7. Change the WWAN Preferred Mode from Global to LTE Only

8. Click Apply

9. Test your connection

 

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Re: 4g connection but no throughput...tech support has written me off
wherder
Enthusiast - Level 3

John_Getzke wrote:

 

As far as loopholes go I don't believe there are any.  The contract that you signed specifically outlines the requirements to cancel your service without fees during the 14 day trial period at the very beginning.  If you are outside that window then you are going to be out of luck.

 

 



John,

 

I have had known of some success in the past regarding this, and it looks as though I may again have success.  You may not be out of luck.  Often you can get VZ to still charge you the early termination fee but then have that amount credited back to your account to essentially eliminate it.  This typically can happen when there is simply so much overwhelming evidence that VZ (or another carrier for that matter) is incapable of providing reasonable support and reliability for the product.  I do truly believe that in this particular case, VZ has overhyped the capabilities and under-delivered on the actual customer experience.

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Re: 4g connection but no throughput...tech support has written me off
deloswilbur
Enthusiast - Level 3

What would be awesome would be ability to charge back fee for time spent troubleshooting the device/connection.  I would actually make money on this deal....

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