Charge dropping 3G service: "Network not available"

[Booch]

First off, some of the other posts were a little similar but not entirely.  I live about 200 miles from any 4G service, so it is not an issue dropping off between 4G and 3G.  I also do not have Wi-Fi enabled, so it is not an issue between the switch between Wi-Fi and 3G.

Between 2-3 times per day, my Charge loses its 3G coverage and I cannot get any data transmission.  I have figured out that if I restart my phone, I will have my 3G data back again.  However, this is not a long-term solution and is very annoying.

I have had my Charge for a week with the constant dropping of my 3G.  Today, I finally got tired of it and thought there was maybe an error with my phone.  I went to my local Verizon store and they replaced my phone.  To my surprise, after having my new replaced phone for only about 2 hours, it has dropped the 3G data again.  My phone is showing 4 out of 5 on the bars, so I know I am not in a low coverage area.  I am getting very frustrated as I've tried talking to the local reps at the Verizon store and they are clueless.  I called the national Verizon help line and they were not aware of any problems, so it didn't help me out.

I would appreciate any help from Verizon (or any other posters) that might have ideas.

I have seen some of the poor responses from Verizon "tech support" on some of the other questions.  Telling me that I can return the phone plus pay a restocking fee is not an appropriate or reasonable answer.  If someone can actually help, it is appreciated.  Otherwise, I guess I will continue trying to catch someone's attention.

[vidguy7]

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yurishd wrote:

Just purchased "Charge" and, well, sure thing, have the same problem. I'm really experienced developer (SW<->HW integration). First if you remove your "battery saving" app (whatever it is.... "Green Power", Dr Battery... I used "JuiceDefender") then it will be much more stable with connection. But the problem is NOT in such apps - the problem that they turning connection ON and OFF, and it seems once switching... It loosing... . Sure thing if it is configurable then you can turn off controlling "mobile connection", but then you actually loose all the point (or almost all) of "battery saving". Second, if it would be "Software" issue I'm pretty sure we would see already "fix". So, most likely it is HW problem. Well, I guess it is bad... I'd rather change phone.. either downgrade to some 3G android... or even iphone (which I don't like...) ... otherwise we have NEW phone that have BAD chipset with some SW fix which, who knows, how good is.

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Your theory doesn't work though with people like me who have no such software as "Green Power", Juice Defender or any battery managing application.  I don't believe this has anything to do with it for the majority of people experiencing this issue.

[ts47]

I have no 4G or 3G connection issues outside DC.  I don't believe this is the norm for most Charge owners.  I've owned my Charge since a few days after the initial release.  If you have problems, I would call tech support about that first.  Those guys are great! 

Some other tips are;

1. Don't install app killers or apps that claim to extend battery life on this phone unless you are sure they are compatible and you really know what you are doing (like the developer guy above).  Adding these apps has caused issues with data connectivity on this phone.  Also, the Charge comes with its own app killer.  If you have installed any of these apps, try uninstalling and doing a factory reset to correct your problems.  Many of these apps are still in beta for this phone.  Additional app killers are not needed on this phone.

2.  Try turning off wifi like the guy above did.  If your phone is trying to access a wifi signal, the other data connections won't work.

3.  Be very careful changing settings in the phone.  Some of the forums out there give instructions how to access secret menus and such.  While I don't have a problem with a little creativity on the part of the Android community, you should make sure you have any signal problems worked out before going there.

4.  It is possible you could have a defective phone.  Samsung has probably sold 200,000 of these things.  The occasional bad phone would not be surprising.

I hope this helps.

BTW... There is a photo in another thread that shows the supposed problem.  From looking at this photo, it looks like that problem was trying to access the internet BEFORE the phone has finished booting.

[ts47]

CORRECTION TO THE ABOVE POST:  I mean to say, I don't believe most Charge owners have problems with their 3G or 4G connections.  After rereading my post, it just didn't read the way I intended it to.

[mritz]

I have the same problem. Purchased the Samsung Charge 2 weeks ago, intermittent problems with data connection and delayed text messages (over 18 minute delay) Internet 3G or 1eXv went down on 7/9/11 around 4 pm. Called vzw 800 on Sunday 7/10 spoke with 2 different people who both had me remove sim card and battery (which I had already done on Saturday several times) and was told i was still in the guarantee period (1.5 hours phone call). I said okay I will go tomorrow, no you have to go today your guarantee period expires today. I went to vzw service location waited for 45 minutes, they performed the same procedures - no network available, you'll have to go to the store you bought it to exchange it. It was closed so I was told to go to their other location, which was closing in 45 minutes and told it could be 45 minutes/hour wait, told to go to the other store tomorrow and they will exchange the phone. 3G network finally came back at 12:30 am Monday 7/11.  Could there have possibly been an update going on with the network? Do I exchange the phone today for another Samsung Charge or switch to something else? I really like the phone, but don't ever want to go through this again. That's 3 1/2 hours of my life I won't get back.

[Booch]

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mritz wrote:

I have the same problem. Purchased the Samsung Charge 2 weeks ago, intermittent problems with data connection and delayed text messages (over 18 minute delay) Internet 3G or 1eXv went down on 7/9/11 around 4 pm. Called vzw 800 on Sunday 7/10 spoke with 2 different people who both had me remove sim card and battery (which I had already done on Saturday several times) and was told i was still in the guarantee period (1.5 hours phone call). I said okay I will go tomorrow, no you have to go today your guarantee period expires today. I went to vzw service location waited for 45 minutes, they performed the same procedures - no network available, you'll have to go to the store you bought it to exchange it. It was closed so I was told to go to their other location, which was closing in 45 minutes and told it could be 45 minutes/hour wait, told to go to the other store tomorrow and they will exchange the phone. 3G network finally came back at 12:30 am Monday 7/11.  Could there have possibly been an update going on with the network? Do I exchange the phone today for another Samsung Charge or switch to something else? I really like the phone, but don't ever want to go through this again. That's 3 1/2 hours of my life I won't get back.

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Geez, that sucks.  Some times I think Verizon is just a pack of {please keep your posts courteous} 

I do really like this phone but have gotten tired of toggling between airplane mode and having to restart it.  I'm not having the frequency I was earlier (I had to do it around 4-5 times per day--now it is down to 1-2 times per day).  This is unacceptable for such a high priced phone.

It's amazing to see how more and more people are having this issue without a proper response from Verizon.  Shame on you, Verizon.

[Booch]

I'm still having my issues and I'm not running Juice Defender. This is becoming very frustrating as we are still in the dark several weeks after our phone purchase.

[jd4242]

I paid hundreds of dollars for my droid 1 for the screen to just stop working and was told there was nothing they could do for me so i paid $350 for the droid charge and has had this problem since i walked out the door.went through multiple calls with tech line,all denying they have heard of this problem.finally they told me to come in and they would switch my phone out.got there and they said they couldn't duplicate they problem so they wouldn't give me a phone.i sat there for two hours waiting for it to lose 3g and the sec i pull out it lost it.i took a screen pic and went right back.it had service by time i got back and told me that i could have turned my data service off and took a pic.i left and called and they sent me a new phone,still denying that there was a problem.not even 5min into the new phone it lost 3g.important in a 3g only area and my phone is bone stock and set to 3g only!!this is **bleep**! !by time they find the problem they will want us to drop another $300+ for a new phone!!ps my droid 1 with bugless beast overclocked to 1000 would smoke this phone and NEVER lost service!!Should have bought the thunder bolt,same house,same area,no problems!!

[vidguy7]

It's really unfortunate how VZW is handling this problem.  There are either the infamous 'we never heard of that before' responses or the more encouraging, but never followed-up, "we are working with Samsung to get it resolved". I firmly believe the reason we never get follow-ups is because this is a hardware problem pure & simple and there is nothing that can be done short of the next gen 4G phone.

Either way we have a phone that has obvious data issues.  It's also becoming very obvious to me that data on VZW is simply not as reliable as it was on my old AT&T.  Yes, phone calls are more reliable and dropped calls are a rarity, but honestly, the no data issue is something I rarely ever saw on AT&T.

What a shame.  I wonder if there is a carrier that can do both and do both well? I fully understand that 4G on VZW is new, but it does NOT explain why the no data issues are so frequent in areas that are only 3G.

VZW...can you hear us now?

[jerrypeek]

I have the same problem with my Charge , data service will go out on the charge but is working fine on my daughters droid pro. Tech support told me to turn off data for a minute and then turn it back on which works but who wants to do this all day.Verizon needs to fix this since it did not start until the last system update ?

[rcaplinger]

Since someone from Verizon appears to have posted, let me add my experience.  I also have almost daily connectivity loss, whether 4G, 3G, or 1X.  Sometime's the signal drops in that order, then cuts out completely; other times, it seems to switch back and forth between the bands.  There is no single location where this happens (work, home, on the bus), nothing consistent when it occurs.  I use bluetooth regularly and it is turned on all the time, even at home.  I have not tethered any devices since July 6 when I would have begun being charged, and I have not attempted to install any 3rd-party tethering apps.

I do not use WIFI at any time during the week, I do not have any apps that could be the culprit, I have not rooted or otherwise tried to change the version of Android on my Charge.  I do not have any task killer apps, anti-virus, etc., other than apps that were shipped with the Charge.  I do not stream anything over the internet, although I have tried it and was disappointed that it was also subject to the same performance problems as music stored on the microSD card.

I have had the phone lock up a few times, I have had the browser crash after every 3 or 4 days of usage. This is not unlike my computers which do the same thing, but I didn't think I surfed that much on the phone.

Any time I am listening to music through my bluetooth headset and try to surf web sites through the built-in browser or through any apps from specific websites, like Engadget or Tech Bargains, at the same time (4G or 3G, doesn't matter), the bluetooth audio stutters, cuts out, speeds up, and is generally unlistenable while the page elements load (watching the red and green arrows under 4G icon at the top).

I have also tried other MicroSD cards, both faster and slower, and they make no difference in performance of the music player while surfing.  The only difference was that faster class cards decreassed the time between camera shots while the picture is written to the card.

I do believe the 4G/3G connectivity issue needs to be addressed ASAP by Verizon and Samsung.  The other items I have mentioned also should be looked at, but I want my data working first.Posting a public message to the effect that you have at least heard us would mean a lot to so many people who love this phone.  If you need volunteers/beta testers, I'd be glad to lend my phone and time.

Thanks!

[AnthonyTa_VZW]

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rcaplinger wrote:

Since someone from Verizon appears to have posted, let me add my experience.  I also have almost daily connectivity loss, whether 4G, 3G, or 1X.  Sometime's the signal drops in that order, then cuts out completely; other times, it seems to switch back and forth between the bands.  There is no single location where this happens (work, home, on the bus), nothing consistent when it occurs.  I use bluetooth regularly and it is turned on all the time, even at home.  I have not tethered any devices since July 6 when I would have begun being charged, and I have not attempted to install any 3rd-party tethering apps.

I do not use WIFI at any time during the week, I do not have any apps that could be the culprit, I have not rooted or otherwise tried to change the version of Android on my Charge.  I do not have any task killer apps, anti-virus, etc., other than apps that were shipped with the Charge.  I do not stream anything over the internet, although I have tried it and was disappointed that it was also subject to the same performance problems as music stored on the microSD card.

I have had the phone lock up a few times, I have had the browser crash after every 3 or 4 days of usage. This is not unlike my computers which do the same thing, but I didn't think I surfed that much on the phone.

Any time I am listening to music through my bluetooth headset and try to surf web sites through the built-in browser or through any apps from specific websites, like Engadget or Tech Bargains, at the same time (4G or 3G, doesn't matter), the bluetooth audio stutters, cuts out, speeds up, and is generally unlistenable while the page elements load (watching the red and green arrows under 4G icon at the top).

I have also tried other MicroSD cards, both faster and slower, and they make no difference in performance of the music player while surfing.  The only difference was that faster class cards decreassed the time between camera shots while the picture is written to the card.

I do believe the 4G/3G connectivity issue needs to be addressed ASAP by Verizon and Samsung.  The other items I have mentioned also should be looked at, but I want my data working first.Posting a public message to the effect that you have at least heard us would mean a lot to so many people who love this phone.  If you need volunteers/beta testers, I'd be glad to lend my phone and time.

Thanks!

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Thanks for all of the replies and feedback, and I do understand the frustrations these problems with Samsung Charge may be causing!

rcaplinger,

I would like to make a few suggestions that will hopefully cause for a much better experience with the phone.  First I would like to suggest ensuring the "Use packet data" & "Data Roaming" options in Settings are checked.  And if you are primarily using your device in a 4G coverage area, in the "System Selection", ensure "LTE automatic" is selected.  If you are still experiencing these issues after checking these settings, I would perform a Hard Reset of the device just to refresh the device onboard memory.  Just ensure your data is backed up prior to performing the Hard Reset.  I am including links with instructions for how to perform each of these steps.

Enable / Disable Data - Samsung DROID Charge SCH-I510

System Select - Samsung DROID Charge SCH-I510

Hard Reset - Samsung DROID Charge SCH-I510

Let me know how this works out for you!

[mpbclutch33]

Does checking "Data Roaming" incur additional monthly charges like it says it will?

[rcaplinger]

Anthony, thanks for the reply!

I did have LTE Auto set on the phone, and Use packet Data, but did not have Data Roaming turned on.  I'll give these a try for a few days and see if anything changes.  If not, I'll try the factory reset, but I REALLY don't want to have to do that unless nothing else helps.  Getting all my settings, phone numbers, and apps back would be a pain for a few hours.

[rcaplinger]

Good news, at least for me!  After 4 days of Data Roaming turned on while in my 4G city, I have not experienced even one instance of the signal dropping out, or even dropping back to 3G or less.  I will continue to watch for the signal.  However, I will have major issues if I happen to get charged for data roaming while traveling in the US.

Thanks, Anthony!  One Droid Charge problem down; 2 or 3 more to go!

[trparky]

I talked to Technical Support a couple of days ago and the person told me that 75% of the time he had people swap SIM cards the issue disappeared.  I don't to want to jynx myself but it seems that it's working a lot better now with the new SIM card.

Hard to believe that two Droid Charges (mine and my brother's) both had bad SIM cards.  Oh well, at least I have some semblance of a stable data connection.

Now if only Verzion would hurry up and start deploying 4G in all areas in my city.  Right now coverage is spotty, some areas have it and some don't.

[HRivC]

Another dissatisfied user here.

This morning my Charge lost data connectivity and I've had this phone for only 22 days.

I've talked to customer service, and got ticket number, but after reading this thread, I have a bad feeling about resolution of this problem.

I've had problems of 4G/3G going back and forth, which I can tolerate, but when I'm having absolutely no connection, it is not acceptable. I already tried ChristinaB_VZW's recommendations and none of it worked.

Verizon(and Samsung) needs to look into this problem and come up with a solution that works, and in timely manner.

[cstrait001]

There is definitely an issue with the Charge dropping 3G/4G and loosing service. Mine has been doing that all week. I live in a 4G market. In my household we also have another 4G phone, the LG Revolution, which has none of these issues. I will be calling VZW today for resolution.

I have a friend at work who is having the same issues with the 4G HTC Thunderbolt. This makes me think it could be a network issue, but why its not affecting the Revolution I don't know why.

Sometimes it helps force the phone out of its "funk," for a lack of better words, by putting it in/out of Airplane mode and turning the power off/on.

[trparky]

We can only hope that Gingerbread (2.3.4) is coming soon since based upon what I've read in some places around the Internet, the 2.3.4 update comes with firmware updates to both the CDMA 3G radio and the LTE 4G radio.

The test leaks of Gingerbread for the Droid Charge is up to EP1Q which is the newest leak as of July 19, 2011 according to droidforums.net.  Two weeks prior to that EP1H was being tested.  According to various people around the Internet, the leaks after EP1H have been pretty stable releases so it may indicate we are close to a potential launch.

DISCLAIMER: I do not suggest downloading any of the leaked versions of Gingerbread for the Droid Charge.  This will void your warranty and may brick it.  Download at your own risk!

[NRS]

I'm also  seeing the new Droid Charge drop it's network connection frequently even while showing a strong 3-4 bar signal.  I am one of the unlucky customers who had the Samsung Fascinate that randomly stopped receiving calls and texts. It is a widespread problem on that model after the 2.2 update so I took it in and was able to choose between a Charge, DroidX2, or Incredible 2 as a CLNR replacement. I was leaning toward the DroidX2, but the clerk at the store was very knowledgable and friendly and recommended the Charge since it was a 4G phone. I live in a pretty stable 3G area, but 4G is on it's way and since a 4G phone is also supposed to work with 3G, I thought it sounded like a good choice.  I've had this phone for just over 24 hours and I noticed the network outage several times already.  The first time was within minutes of using the phone.  It typically only lasts a few minutes or sometimes only seconds and it's back up, but no changes in the network options have remedied this problem so far.  I have 14 days to decide whether to take this back so I'm going to be watching it closely over the next week or two.  I understand that not everyone is having this problem, but for those of us who are, it is very disconcerting.  If there is assurance from Verizon that a fix is on the way, and an ETA on when that will be, I really would like to keep this phone.  Just like the Fascinate, it has a beautiful display and is very sleek. But, I see no reason to take a chance on something that may or may not be fixed and I will not continue to pay for a product or service that won't perform.  I hope this is remedied soon or it's back to the store I go.

 As a customer for several years, I have been very happy with Verizon products and service up to this point, but replacing one bad model with another is inexcusable and I have to wonder if any of the current products on the shelf can live up to their advertising. As others have said, it seems that developers are simply trying to pack too much into these phones and rush them to the market LONG before they have been thoroughly tested and perfected. Or possibly the infrastructure simply isn't powerful enough to support these devices....??

Whatever the case may be, I'm tempted to just go back to my old Samsung Alias flip phone which was just that....a simple VCAST phone with text.  I had 2 of those phones and they both worked flawlessly. If someone called....it rang, If I placed a call... it went through, same for texts and everything else.  Plain and simple and it worked.

I thought I was moving up with the purchase of a smartphone but the jury is still out. Unless something changes or improves dramatically in the next few weeks, it looks like 2 strikes so far. 

Any thoughts concerning the DroidX 2 or Incredible 2 as far as proper functioning all around?

[B4ore]

My question is why are ALL of us having to pay premium prices for Data when this service works marginally half the time. I don't have a problem with paying for what is advertised BUT feel we ALL should be given a break, maybe knocking our costs in HALF till Verizon and Samsung figure all of this out. Is that REALLY asking too much here? I'm gettin tired of call in tech support denying any issues and their "fix" being replacing our new devices with REFURBISHED units. Not acceptable in my book…..C'mon Verizon….time to perhaps step up a little here and be the BIG RED you are supposed to be with that JD Power and Associates Award for Best Customer Service in the industry!

[trparky]

I agree, this needs to be fixed quickly.  I know that the Gingerbread release is supposed to fix it, at least that's what other people around the Internet are saying but honestly if you ask me, the Gingerbread release can't come soon enough.

We need this to be fixed and fixed quickly.  All of us have bought an expensive phone that's had issues from day one and we deserve a fix for the money we spent.