AntonioC_VZW wrote:
vidguy7 wrote:
There's no point swapping the Charge out since this data problem is inherent in either the design of the phone or the interaction between the phone and the VZW 4G/3G network. You can go through 100 of these phones and your results won't change UNTIL VZW and/or Samsung addresses this. In the meantime we're left swinging in the breeze.
Hi vidguy7,
While the data connection issues outlined on these forum/posts may need a software update to be resolved and a phone replacement will not guaranty the resolution of the issue, please keep in mind that some troubleshooting options may improve the phone's performance in the mean time. Be assured that any software update developed to resolve this issue will be pushed out to all devices as soon as developed and released by the manufacturer.
Please review the troubleshooting options below:
1- Turn Wi-Fi off when not within reach of a Wi-Fi connection as this may interfere with the mobile data connection.
Select Menu.
Select Settings.
Select Wireless & network.
Select Wi-Fi settings.
Uncheck Wi-Fi.
2- Test for any third party application conflicts by running your phone in safe mode. If issue is not replicated while in safe mode then a third party application is causing the issue.
Press and hold the Power button
Select Restart.
Once the Samsung logo appears, press and hold the Menu button.
Continue to hold the Menu button until Safe mode appears in the lower-left of the unlock screen.
To disable safe mode, simply power off and back on.
3- Enable mobile data.
From the home screen, select and hold the status bar (located at the top of the display).
Drag the window shade to the bottom of the display.
Select Mobiledata.
4- Select 3G only when not in a 4G coverage area.
Select Menu.
Select Settings.
Select Wireless & network.
Select Mobilenetworks.
Select System selection.
Select CDMA mode (when not in 4G coverage).
Antonio, I have done 1-3, and, at times #4. 1, 3 & 4 have zero impact on this issue long term and are simply 'workarounds' that don't solve the issue permanently and merely offer a temporary 'fix' that may last for minutes or until you travel to a new location.
The problem with #2 is that the simple reboot necessary to go in to the 'safe' mode is enough to restore data to the phone as you well know. I could simply reboot the phone and not go in to safe mode and get data restored. So this really doesn't prove much about the software and its impact on this issue in any scientific way. I have very very basic software and am not one of these guys that downloads everything under the sun from the Android Market. I don't even have a battery saver or alternate launcher.
The big issue with #4 is that there are many areas that are a mix of 3G & 4G and therefore it is not practical to constantly change the settings from CDMA-only to LTE and back again. You can literally go in & out of a building and go from 4G to 3G only to return to 4G when you're back on the street. You can literally go from one block to the next and go from 4G to 3G and back again to 4G. The number of times these 2 scenarios can occur are frequent and make the manual switch hugely impractical for a fix that needs to be at the engineering level of the phone itself.
I should also note this is my 2nd Charge after the first was swapped out and they both display identical behavior. I should also note that when my first unit was returned to the VZW store on RTE 110 in Huntington, N.Y., there was another guy swapping his out for the IDENTICAL reason.
Couple this with the many other people experiencing exactly the same issue in various locations, it's hard not to come to the conclusion there is an issue with the phone and/or software. It seems to many people that the radio is just not as sensitive as it should be and not as sensitive as in 3G-only phones that don't exhibit this behavior. It also explains why some people never see this issue...they may live in a truly solid 4G area and not one that indicates solid 4G on a VZW map and is, in actuality, very spotty 4G if 4G at all.
I have PM'd VZW posters here with specific locations as to where the VZW map shows 4G and there is in fact only 3G (or at least the Charge thinks so). See a pattern here?
I will say this, when the Charge works it works very well and the 4G speeds are exceptional. But these intermittent data issues are more than a consumer should have to tolerate. I'm more than willing to wait for a fix IF there is truly a fix coming. I've dealt with issues under my control like poor battery life by merely buying a large capacity battery as well as an extra, slim battery. Unfortunately there is no comparable fix to this data issue.
It would really be beneficial if VZW would keep us up-to-date on fixes that are being worked on between VZW and Samsung. You are the 2nd VZW employee to allude to work being conducted behind the scenes between the two companies. But it would be nice for someone at VZW to keep us informed on a more regualar basis.
