3G/4G radio goes inactive

[VZWExpert]

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droidsw wrote:
VZWExpert, your points are valid, but one. NO 3G/4G signal is a glaring issue and your band-aid doesn't resolve it.

I have the phone. The "no data connection" issue is caused by the 4G and/or Wi-Fi being turned on and not being available. Disabling them effecitvely removes the problem. Yes, it's a band-aid, and I'll concede that it's a bit annoying to have to manually switch modes, but it's a solution. A glaring issue is one that would hinder people from using their phones all together.

Why buy a 4G phone if you are just going to change the settings and use it in 3G only?

Think of it like a toggle switch. You can toggle 4G on and off at will in the same manner you can Wi-Fi. Toggling off 4G will save a significant amount of battery life in 3G areas, so I welcome the ability to manually switch it off. When I go into a 4G area, I turn it back on and have data speed 10x faster than 3G. The best analogy I can offer is it's like having Nitrous Oxide boosters in a car. When you flip the switch, you can blast off. Try driving all day with the switch on all the time. I promise you that you won't get very far.

I would also ask why buy a 4G phone if you don't reside in an area with 4G coverage, but that's your prerogative.

For the same reason people buy Ferraris. People rarely get the opportunity to drive it 200MPH, but it's definitely a whole lot of fun when you do. Performance aside, ZumoCast alone is worth $200. I could get it on the $200 Droid 3 or the $300 Droid Bionic. The Droid 3 comes with 16GB of internal memory, 512 MB of RAM, and is only 3G. The 16GB memory card, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, and 4G capabilities of the Bionic are worth $100 to me. 

I find all the 3G issues in the VZW iphone section interesting. Very similar to issues Android phones have. I haven't read the Apple forums lately. Just curious how the same issues cross manufacturer lines.

I vaguely remember massive influx of iPhones crashing AT&T's entire data network in New York City a while back. Now THAT is a "glaring issue." That phone also had "death grip" issues in which you could completely kill your signal just by holding the phone a certain way. There's also the small matter of 70% of Droid apps being free and only 30% of Apple apps being free. That's 40% of all apps -- nearly half -- free in one hand, but not in the other. Apple also has a policy that prohibits Verizon Wireless employees from troubleshooting iPhones. All technical support for Apple products must be done by a certified Apple technician in an Apple store or through Apple Care.

And based on the 3G issues and the advent of 4G already having issues, it's not encouraging. It may seem like I was baiting you for an argument, but I was asking your "expert" opinion.

500 years ago, the earth was flat. 100 years ago, a fun Saturday night was reading a book made of parchment by candlelight. 20 years ago, cell phones were the size of a suitcase and weighed like 20 lbs. 5 years ago, the iPhone completely revolutionized everything. 2 years ago, Google vowed to make a better iPhone. Now, here we are. Google's Android OS dominates the global smartphone market and is improving every day. Simply put, I traded in my iPhone 4 for a Droid Bionic and couldn't be happier, and I'm excited for what the future will bring.

I'm clearly taking the pessimistic viewpoint. You the opposite.

Forever optimistic

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[droidsw]

Don't even go there with the app topic. "70% free" means nothing when 100% are suspect to be potential sources of conflict. The number one issue Android must address.

Have you ever heard "reset your phone and don't re-install ANY apps?" That is a common troubleshooting "tip".

But, that's a monotonous topic in itself.

I like that policy of Apple insisting on being the only ones that troubleshoot their phones. Moto doesn't even contribute in the Moto forums, other than to say "we're working on it".

Thanks for the interesting comments.

[VZWExpert]

No problem. Just so you know, I wasn't trying to make it an iPhone vs. Bionic debate, you just asked for a comparison. I had an iPhone 4 for 4 months and liked it just fine, but the Bionic is just much more my speed. Being the super geek I am, I like having the customization and expanded features that Android offers. As for the apps, most widely used cell phone apps are available for both operating systems. Sure, there are security risks and potential sources of conflict whenever you download anything. I just prefer to download whatever I choose, not just what my handset manufacturer tells me I can. And considering I spent $300 on iPhone apps in 4 months, it's a big deal for me.

When it comes to ease of use, there's no question the iPhone is a simpler interface. It's easier to use. I compare it to a McDonalds cash register. If you want a large drink, you hit the button with the picture of the large cup. If you want small fries, hit the small fries button. It's not exactly rocket science. But there's only one iPhone, and the options are limited to memory and color. There are currently like 15 different Android models on Verizon Wireless alone. Hundreds more around the world. While the iPhone is a great solution for some folks, it's too much technology for some folks and not enough for others. Finding the right solution for you is what matters.

[droidsw]

Apple approves the apps that are allowed on their phones. Instead of letting whoever place apps willy nilly in an "open" Market; the apps in the iStore are less likely to cause O.S. conflicts.

Kind of like mom and dad only letting Jr. have a few pieces of candy, because otherwise, Jr. would eat the whole bag and get sick.

"Customization" is nice, but irrelevant if I lose my customization due to frequent hard resets in the name of troubleshooting.

"Simple" is nice and not an insulting word. I prefer "works", or "bug-free".

I know, I seem down on Android. It IS new, in the greater scheme of smartphones. Maybe, my expectations were set too high.

Maybe, my next move is to go sit in the camp with the brainwashed cult members and try their phone?

[schmough]

 Although I feel as though I have been subjected to a "Good Cop/Bad Cop" routine by the previous posts, I do admit it was informative. I walk away with a cure for someone that lives in a 3g area and gets to visit a 4g area occasionally.

 Personally I'm very happy with my newly aquired Bionic. I bought it the 2nd day it came out on the first day of a 5 day trip. Two days of which were spent driving across country . After getting it setup we activated the hotspot feature and ran 2 laptops off of it while driving through various reception areas and it performed great. We were able to use the 2 laptops and explore features on the phone through various reception quality areas along the way with no noticeable issues.

 After arriving at our destination (a 3g area within a few miles of a cell tower)   I did loose service ( from 3g to 1x to no g) a couple of times which I was able to restore by turning off the hotspot feature and restarting the phone.An easy enough fix but still concerning. So I was happy to find that a 3g cure was a matter of adjusting the phones settings and a 4g cure is apparently in the works.

 I recognize that there were high hopes for a flawless 4g right out of the gate and I have to admit that the 4g feature played a big part in my decision to purchase the Bionic (I visit 4g country on a weekly basis),I think its unreasonable to assume that there wouldn't be some issues for a product featuring new technology that has spent less than a couple of weeks in the hands of the public at large. I still think its a great phone and I'm willing to give Verizon/Motorola the chance to address these issues as they arise.

[B33]

There is a way to shut off the 4G radio if you live in a primary 3G area like i do give this a try. an see if it helps any.

Here's the link:  pointing out how to shut off the 4G feature.

http://www.androidcentral.com/how-turn-lte-motorola-droid-bionic

[dankbionic]

I appreciate the different perspectives on this issue.  One that hasn't been mentioned is my situation.  I live in a 4G area and upgraded from my Droid X to the Bionic to take advantage of the 4G.  Unfortunately it can't seem to hold onto a 4G signal and continues to revert to 3G.  (which I had with my X)  It would have been nice if they had an LTE only option instead of just the CDMA only option so I could force it to stay on 4G.  For now a reboot of the phone is the only way to get 4G back... and then it only stays for a bit of time then suddenly switches back to 3G. (with 4 and 5 bars of signal... signal strength is not the issue)  It does this at my house as well as work and is very dissapointing to say the least.  I may just return it before my 15 days are up and wait until they actually fix the issue before I get stuck with and expensive Droid X that really only gives me the benefit of the dual core processor. ( I have no need for the web Doc or the Zumo App as the functionaly of the X was fine for my needs)  Seriously Verizon, are you going to make us wait until November to fix this? 

[Doc832]

I can be in the middle of a hot 4g area or even 3g and then there is NO NETWORK showing on the bionic. Never had this with the original DROID in the same areas. The problem comes and goes and there is not rhyme or reason for the changes as far as signal. Not sure that is something that will get a fix other than to take it back and get a phone that is reliable. Very sad since the phone has many good features and speed galore.

[jimrieth]

I had a bad issue this weekend, leaving 1 county to another the cell towers usually change on my blackberry, after the new tower picks up, never had an issue with 3g on the bb, now the droid bionic does not get any data service at all throughout the entire county until I return, my friends droid x worked fine, other friends bb worked fine, the entire county is in "red" on the verizon map, should be no issues, perfect phone covereage, just no data, tried complete reset, the airplane mode thing, nothing worked...

[chrispythor]

Are they going to fix it on my Revolution and all the others on the Charge and Thunderbolt??????????????  I have had 2 replacement Revolutions sent to me and they all either lock up or shut down erratically while switching from 3g to 4g...If the same problem is on multiple manufacturers phones it is safe to assume it is a network problem.