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Charge dropping 3G service: "Network not available"

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.

Comments

jenmcm76

I was having this same this problem on my phone. I got the phone about a week ago, and it seemed to work fine at first - pretty consistently strong 3G connection. After a day or two any time I tried to check e-mail or do anything else requiring 3G, I got the 'network not available' error. I was able to temporarily restore the 3G connection by going to Settings > Wireless & network > Mobile Networks > System Selection > CDMA mode, and then switching back and forth between 'Home only' and 'Automatic'. however this would only last a few minutes before the 3G connection would disappear again.

After doing some online searches, I found a message from someone who was using Juice Defender, an app I had also downloaded. Once they uninstalled it, the problem went away. I uninstalled JD last night and everything's been fine since. If you're still having problems, check to see if you have Juice Defender or any other battery-saving apps installed - it could be disconnecting the 3G in an attempt to save battery life.

DL1234

Although JD and other battery saving apps do have a problem with the Charge, this is an issue with the phone. Happened to two stock Charge's I had... with nothing downloaded. Laying side by side, one could randomly lose it's data connection.. and sometimes rebooting or toggling data would get it back.. but the other was fine the whole time.. then the 2nd one would lose data... and toggle it a few times and it would come back.

JerryF

To all folks on this thread, please try this test. First, completely uninstall any APPs that save power or involve controlling your battery in any way, shape, or form.

Then, fully charge your battery and leave the charger plugged into your phone. BTW, use the 110 volt charger that came with your phone, not the USB port on your PC.

Then, with Wi-Fi OFF and the phone set to 3G only, connect to 3G and see if it still drops.

This test is to see if your battery may be the problem.

Please post your results.

JerryF

frbarnes1975

I am still within my 30 days but I like the phone but it doesn't do me any good if I can't use it. I've had the same issues that everyone is stating. The Verizon rep at the store told me it's because they are working on the 4G network but I truly think its the phone.. Please let me know if you all find anything out.. My only option at this point is the Iphone and I really don't wont one of those...

WCMack

Dear frbarnes1975,

If you bought from a VZW store, I believe the critical period for exchange is 14 days, not 30. You should get back there ASAP, or call and confirm.

Good luck.

zvannatta

I am having this problem now too, which started yesterday morning (9/5/11).

I bought the phone 8/28 and it has worked fine in the week and a half that I have had it. I was able to recieve 3G coverage between Madison/Milwaukee and 4G in Madison. Now that I'm downtown Madison, I am unable to receive voice or data.

JerryF wrote:
To all folks on this thread, please try this test. First, completely uninstall any APPs that save power or involve controlling your battery in any way, shape, or form.

Then, fully charge your battery and leave the charger plugged into your phone. BTW, use the 110 volt charger that came with your phone, not the USB port on your PC.

Then, with Wi-Fi OFF and the phone set to 3G only, connect to 3G and see if it still drops.

This test is to see if your battery may be the problem.

Please post your results.

JerryF

I have no luck here. Absolutely no network coverage or even a flicker of one.

I did not install any APP that was intented to save power.

JerryF

Zvannatta,

Make sure WiFi is OFF and only Mobile data is on.

Also, you might turn your phone OFF by holding button on the right side until you get the screen where you can choose POWER OFF. Wait a minute and turn your phone back on. This will not erase anything on your phone.

Make sure you are NOT accidentally in Airplane Mode.

JerryF

zvannatta

JerryF wrote:
Zvannatta,

Make sure WiFi is OFF and only Mobile data is on.

Also, you might turn your phone OFF by holding button on the right side until you get the screen where you can choose POWER OFF. Wait a minute and turn your phone back on. This will not erase anything on your phone.

Make sure you are NOT accidentally in Airplane Mode.

JerryF

Thanks JerryF,

I spent a good two hours on it last night ditzing around with it with tech support. WiFi was OFF and mobile data was on. I cycled the phone several time, changed the network mode and turned the airplane mode off/on several times to absolutely no avail. There wasn't even a flicker of coverage. I even ended up facebooking several 4G users living a couple blocks from me; they were having no problem with their service meaning that it probably wasn't the networks.

So I took the phone in this morning to my nearest Verizon store and told them the deal. I proposed a new SIM card -- I discovered I would get a "Sorry, this SIM card is unreadable ... " message when I tried making a call -- which the store manager tried once, before simply replacing the phone and chalking it up to a lemon.

So as if a couple hours ago, I'm on DROID Charge #2 now. The first lasted a week and a day before the "network not available" error. Hopefully this one will pan out, and that this error is simply the result of a bad run of Charges at the manufacturer's factory.

Zach

dsquare86

I am having the same issue as the OP but with a slight twist. I live in Extended Network where only 1X is made available to me. Both mine and my wifes Charge will drop their data connection from 1X. She has had two phones with this problem and I am on my original. IMO, this is a hardware issue with the phone itself. I am anxious when Samsung or Verizon will decide me and many others posting in this forum are worthy of an actual solution to this problem.

JerryF

I have mentioned this before. Some of you that live in an area that has a POOR signal strength may have to consider an amplifier. Last night I had 3G/4G email problems so I checked the signal strength. For some unknown reason it was at -93 dBm which is poor.

To prove to myself that it was the signal strength and not the Charge phone I went out to the garage and into our Motorhome (MH). Inside the MH the signal strength was -95 dBm (even weaker). When I connected the Charge phone to the amplifier and cradle the signal strength went up to -43 dBm (yes that's up/stronger signal) and I will bet there is not one person on this BLOG that has ever had a -43 dBm signal strength on their Charge phone. BTW, all my email problems immediately disappeared with that -43 dBm signal.

If anyone is interested here is what I have.

Wilson 12" omni spring mounted antenna # 301103

Wilson amplifier # 803201

Wilson Cell phone Cradle Plus # 301146

You can see this "stuff" and get the best prices at www.3Gstore.com

You also can see and buy this "stuff" at www.wilsonelectronics.com

Those of you who live in a weak-signal area may find that an amplifier is your only solution,

Those of you in a 4G area, the amplifier, antenna, and cradle combination all work with 4G even though the 4G frequencies are not listed in the specs. I have proved this many times when driving our MH between 3G and 4G areas.

Rumor has it that Wilson is currently developing a new amplifier that specifically handles BOTH the 3G and 4G frequencies.

Best regards,

JerryF

PS to Dsquare86,

There are no guarantees but you might find that with an amplifier you can receive a full 3g CDMA signal instead of 1X. I say this because with our MH we have been in campground areas that before turning on the amplifier all we were receiving was a yucky 1X connection. Then, immediately after we turned on the amplifier, we received a good usable full higher speed 3G connection, not the yucky 1X.

dsquare86

JerryF wrote:

PS to Dsquare86,

There are no guarantees but you might find that with an amplifier you can receive a full 3g CDMA signal instead of 1X. I say this because with our MH we have been in campground areas that before turning on the amplifier all we were receiving was a yucky 1X connection. Then, immediately after we turned on the amplifier, we received a good usable full higher speed 3G connection, not the yucky 1X.

This is not going to happen in my area. I'm not complaining about the lack of 3G, I am complaining about the inability to even hold a connection on **bleep**ty 1x. Phone showing full signal sitting still.

JerryF

Dsquare86,

What is your signal strength in percent? To get it go to: Settings>About Phone and press Status. Then go down the list of items to Signal Strength and you will see a number that may look like this -90 dBm. What is yours?

The number of bars on the home screen is not as important as the percent.

A stronger signal strength will hold the connection better even if it's only 1X. It would be a bonus if you got 3G.

JerryF

lmorr87

I have been without 3G on my phone for about 5 hours now. I have tried everything. Can someone tell me if it is an outage in my area or just problems with my phone?

ChristinaB_VZW

Hi lmorr87,

Thanks to the community for your responses.

I understand your frustration with the data connectivity on the Charge. Would you mind describing what you have already tried? I would like to make a couple of suggestions for you, if I may.

-Press and hold the side button(power button) on the phone and once the pop-up comes up, press "Airplane Mode" and leave it there for about ten seconds. Then, press and hold the side button again and turn off Airplane Mode. Wait about ten more seconds and see what type of signal you have.

-Press and hold the side button on the phone (power button) and choose "Restart." The phone will power off and power back on by itself. This sometimes refreshes the registration with the network and you may then see the signal.

-If you are in a 3G area that is not yet 4G, you are able to change a setting that tells the phone to pick up 3G. Below are the steps.

Settings

Wireless & Networks

Mobile Networks

System Selection

Change to CDMA Only

Next screen-Leave on Automatic

I do want the community members to know that this issue has been brought up to our product investigation team and Samsung. As soon as a response or fix is announced we will post it. I wish I had more information for you, but this is something we are waiting on from the manufacturer. I provided some steps on how to get your data connectivity back as workarounds. I assure you that we will let you know as soon as possible when there is a fix.

Thank you very much,

UncaDanno

Thanks for responding, Christina.

There are two Charges on my account. Both of which sporadically have the "Network not available" issue.

We have tried all the methods you mentioned. And the error dialog still appears. This happens regardless of the phones being in a "strong" 4G area (Charlotte) or out on the fringe where 3G/1X is more likely. The phones have been taken back to "main stores" where the people who present themselves as technicians tell us that there is nothing more that Verizon can do.

I noticed that you mention the same thing that Joel_VZW mentioned 3 months ago in this thread: that the issue has been reported.

Is there any particular reason, besides researching/fixing the issue not being particularly profitable, that this has been "looked at" for three monhs now and there is still no resolution?

Thanks.

curtisdr

IMO, they are dragging their feet because there's supposed to be a Gingerbread release for this phone coming. I think it's unlikely that they will be doing anything to fix this issue with the version of Android the phone came with.

wmcraig

I am having a similar issue with my charge. But let me start with my last device, the thunderbolt, when i got it in march the day it released i loved it. It had the occasional 3g to 4g problem but a couple updates later it was all fixed.i work in new orleans and live in north alabama and while i was in new orleans, ironic or not the night before the lg revolution was to be released it started having data issues..·········· 3g to 4g then to 1x then no data connection over and over again, i didnt call verizon about this as i figured it was an area wide problem and i didnt have another phone to call from to troubleshoot mine. That being said when i got home 2 weeks later i figured i wouldnt have the problem there, but it did. I got a new phone and sim card and.it worked well for the next twenty four hours then i went to tn and back and it started acting up again with the data connection issue. New phone the next day and it never worked right so she offered to let me try eithr the charge or revolution and i chose the charge. I got it the next day and it worked flawlessly. Now im back in new orleans area and it worked fine until, ironic again, the night before the bionic was to be released and it started the same thing with the data connection i had with the.thunderbolt. Luckily while i was home i picked up the older smaller samsung galaxy tab, and love it by the way, but as of this morning around 9 am the charge lost its data connection completely and has not been back up since.i have done 2 soft resets to no avail and then hesitantly did a hard reset to get rid of the possibility of any dld apps causing the problem but its still a vegetable for anything but telephone use.its now 10:30 pm and i called cs and just as i figured they couldnt do anything unless the did some troubleshooting on the.phone. So this is a problem that needs to be addressed and explained instead of cs saying that this is the first such problem with this device that we have had. Liars. Anyone else had this problem?

WTTTT

This thread is now 3 months of posts saying the same thing on this issue. It appears to be a problem with the phone however, and until, (if?), Samsung and Verizon release new phone software, the problem will continue until we are due for an upgrade and can get rid of the phone. None of the suggested solutions in this thread have worked for me. The only thing that avoids the issue for me is to never use WiFi. I have also had some luck with a manual on/off WiFi app IF I remember to switch off the WiFi before I leave a coverage area. If I do not and get the dreaded Network Not Available message, the only thing that fixes it for me is powering the phone off and on. I do not live in one of the US big metro areas so have 100% 3G service and can't address issue in 4G areas.

One indication that the problem is in the phone's software is the inability of some battery saving apps,(like GreenPower or Juice Defender), to work with this phone. The developers of those apps just can not get their products to turn the network back on when they should.

Davriss

I have seen several posts about people complaining about this and other errors enough and being moved to a different phone.

Knowing this what phone would you move to?

The Thunderbolt has it's own list of issues and so far the Bionic is shaping up to have quite the list as well.

It seems we are all early adopters of the 4G LTE Network devices and we are getting what normally comes with early adoption of new hardware and systems: cool new flashy toys, awesome cool capabilities for such a small device, and all the bugs that go with it.

When we signed up for the Brand New 4G LTE, many of us with no 4G yet in our area, we accepted that there were going to be issues that would need to be fixed, that is normal for any new technology.

That being said these issues have been around for at least 5 to 6 months, since day 1 of the phone. I trust the fix is coming but I would like to see it sooner rather than later. Yesterday would be nice :smileyhappy: .

That's my two cents dealing with this.

Just a bit of perspective on the post, I have had to deal with major issues with systems from IBM, EMC, NetApp, Cisco, Promise systems, American Megatrends just to name a few, and taking 6 months to a year to fix a fairly significant bug is not uncommon for any of them. The bigger they are the slower they move.

High_Spirits

Hi. I live in California and I'm having the same issue. I thought I would post, even though Verizon is apparently aware of the problem. I figure the more people post about the problem, hopefully, the sooner something will be done. This is not the first time this has happened to me. I've gone through every step to fix the issue, and nothing is working. The first time it happened to me, it took 3 days for my data service to start working again. 4G is not available in my town yet, so I don't believe that is part of the problem. Good luck to everyone! I hope this can be resolved soon.

PSUboy99

Dear Verizon Wireless,

I have the same problem. I’ve read the 20 plus pages here and I’ve researched the same issues on a few other forums. I’ve tried everything that everyone has suggested, including what VZW Reps have posted. Everything seems to be a temporary fix. Nothing solves the problem. I’ve been to the Verizon store numerous times, only to leave bewildered and frustrated that nobody can help me. Nothing seems to be a long-term solution. I guess I’m like many people out there that just research the problem to see if there is a solution. I rarely ever post. I don’t feel the need to repeat everything that other people have already eloquently stated.

Having said that if by posting this will somehow assist Verizon in realizing it’s more of an issue than they perceive it to be then I strongly urge other people like me, who rarely post, to post your issue so hopefully Verizon will expedite a fix.

Therefore, I beg you Verizon. Please provide a permanent solution not a temporary fix soon or you will lose a loyal customer.

Sincerely,

A very disgruntled and longtime loyal customer

P.S. Please don’t notify me that the issue has been raised to a higher level at Verizon & Samsung. I’ve heard that for several months now.

JerryF

ALL,

Here comes that broken record again because as I recall only 4 people have reported on their battery test results and it's 50/50. It worked for 2 or them and not for the other two.

If you haven't why not try it as follows. It's easy.

First, completely UNinstall any APPs that save power or involve controlling your battery in any way. Also turn off the Charges battery saving function by going to: settings>display settings and UNcheck Power saving mode. BTW, I had Juice Defender (JD) and UNinstalled it because at random times it would not let me connect even though there was a good 3G and/or 4G signal so I suggest UNinstalling JD for sure..

Then, fully charge your battery and leave the charger plugged into your phone even after it says the battery is fully charged.. BTW, use the 110 volt charger that came with your phone, not the USB port on your PC.

Then, with Wi-Fi OFF and the phone set to 3G only (settings >Wireless & network>mobile networks>System selection choose CDMA mode (try home only first then try Automatic).

Now connect to 3G and see if it still drops. Keep the charger plugged in!

Please report your results using this test.

JerryF

dlascorpio21

Well Well Well....NON-REPORTING TECHS!!!???

I just recently got off the phone with a tech from vzw, this will be the 3rd Droid Charge for myself. I've had this issue since i first joined VZW in June, went thru the whole process of hard resets, SIM removals etc etc. Still two days of no network connections. Pointless! The Charge has this issue probably 70% of the time. What's crazy is talking to the tech, he did the online search for this issue. I advised him its like the first thing that comes up on google as soon as you start typing "Droid Charge no...," So while on the phone he joined me in a search for this on-going issue. It appeared he could not find it. He stated he was looking at reported cases under Droid Charge that Verizon keeps a log of. When something goes thru a full report, they report it to Google(android os), Samsung(phone brand) and their own VZW services. In doing such there was not one completed report from any verizon techs. Not even when my first phone went out on me. He typed up the report and filled out the claim, for all three parts as mentioned above. Now with my report in that makes one of hundreds if not thousands of possible reports to actually show in their system. I thought this whole thing was a crock of {word filter avoidance}
..Being as though this subject alone has 21 pages of this problem from their community website. He started reading some of the previous posts in shock, trying to figure out why nothing is reported. Ah well, new phone will be here tomorrow, hopefully its a fully working one.

Only way Verizon will do something is if, they have the following:

Enough full complete reports such as my own.

Once that is done, they make the effort of allowing Samsung to make software changes to fix the issue.

Other than that, we cannot get a free upgrade to a better phone, unless its an ongoing issue.

Thanks!

brutethunder

Word for word true! They make me feel like a liar, theres never been any complaints about the charge they say. basically saying your screwed and we might say we care but we dont. Oh by the way thank you for your monthly $500 monthly payment you have been paying the last ten plus years. So much for the valued customer speech at the end of calls. Im just going to watch for the radio fix and use wi-fi when i can. I feel embarrassed to even call anymore.

chrisnjoanie

Had the same problems as most people on here with 3g dropping. Verizon swapped out my SIM card and now it is working better than before. I'll see how long it lasts.

revglenrose

Tried the test as outlined; still dropping. Have been Verizon customer for many years -- currently have two phones. My husband's non-3G is working fine. My Blackberry is barely able to make a call. My ipad just does not connect with 3g or if it does, it drops. Maureen K.

JerryF

MaureenK,

Sorry it didn't work. With all the phones you have it sounds like it must be a signal strength problem by Verizon from the tower that serves you folks. If you are ever near a tower see if it will hold a 3G signal when you are next to that tower.

Here is a Verizon coverage location map.

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/CoverageLocatorController

Thanks for running the test.

JerryF

jensimagination

I live in Delaware and we have little hopes of getting 4G anytime soon- so 3G should be a no-brainer for my new Charge. What a piece of junk! I had my original Droid for nearly 2 years and only traded it in so that I could get an internet tether that was wireless vs USB. I NEVER NEVER NEVER had issues with my original Motorola Droid dropping the network or calls in my house or the majority of areas around me. There are a couple of known areas of about a half mile stretch around here with poor service, but everyone knows where they are and expects them.

This Charge is a total piece of junk. I have to restart it MULTIPLE times a day to get it to pick up the 3G network again, only to have it randomly drop it again half an hour later. This is sitting plugged into the charger in the same location of my house- not moving around. Perfect one moment, gone the next.

It allso drops calls frequently and tells me there is no service at all available, again, must restart it and the network is magically restored. I couldn't be more unhappy with this phone. On a side note, its auto correct is also incredibly stupid- the one for the original Droid worked so much better!

WTTTT

This sounds like something that would be easily fixed by a Samsung software update?

dlascorpio21

Yes, Jen...I am also in DE, and I get 4G like right now because my job is right off the 95 corridor. But its horrible. They offer the phones, make you pay for the service, you cant get the basic portion of a service which is 3G...and 4G is like a random shot in the dark.

JerryF

I know I'm repeating what you've already done so Please don't get upset.

I just locked my Charge on 3G by choosing Settings>Wireless & Network>Mobile Networks and checking both Use Packet Data and Data Roaming. Then I choose System selection>CDMA Mode and Automatic. Is yours configured that way?

For comparison I then went to Settings>About Phone>Status and my battery was 73%, my Signal Strength was -77 dBM, my Mobil Network type was eHRPD, and the Mobile Network state said Connected.

Then I searched the internet, ran several speed tests (Ping 145ms/0.37 MillionBps down/0.36 Mbps up) and other stuff for 10-15 minutes while on 3G and had no signal loss.

I only sent this info to you so you could see the setup I used to get a good (no dropping) consistent 3G signal so you might double check your own set up. If yours is like mine and you still lose the 3G signal then it probably is either your Charge phone or your local 3G network towers.

Best regards,

JerryF

PS, By the time I got this written and proof read it's been 25+ minutes and no drops.

JerryF

Here is an addition to my previous post. When I reset all the settings to return to 4g the phone would not return to 4G At times it was at eHRPD and sometimes it was at CDMA+1XRTT even though the settings were reset to 4G, what a bummer.

After trying several times I fell back to holding the on/off key to turn the phone OFF. I then restarted the phone and it came up in 4G. I guess to really make the switch between 3G and 4g requires a reboot to recognize the just changed settings,

JerryF

brutethunder

I have a ton of hours with tech support and supervisors and I have been told several times that 3g speeds are supposed to start at .75 mbps and as high as 2.5 mbps. I live under a tower with varying -59 dec. to -85 dec, and I never see upload speeds lower .75 mbps and my downloads speeds .09 to .60 mbps.= 1x download speeds and 3g upload speeds. Besides being backwards its week.

PS. JerryF. Your download and upload speeds are in the area of good 1x speeds.

JerryF

Brutethunder,

Yea, the 3G speeds are slow. What is dec as in your varying -59 dec to -85 dec? Is that a measure of signal strength. If so it's surprising that being as close to the tower as you that it varies so much.

JerryF

brutethunder

I believe the varying changes, is from testing in the house to outside. And either poor 3g radios or radio software. I hear the new radio updates are supposed to fix a lot of our network data issues if we ever get it. When im in 4g areas I rarely have the issues I have with 3g areas. My wife and I both have the charge and 3 replacements for me 2 for her, replaced sims and not once can I get either one to act (work) the same as the other. They seem to have a mind of their own. Very buggy phones and the file system is so slow possibly causing most of everyones issues.

My 2cents...

TominqueBo_VZW

Hello High_Spirits,

I understand the importance of staying connected. I would like to re-confirm Samsung is aware and are working on a resolution asap. As more information is given on the resolution an update will be advised. Thank you.

dave44052

This has been said over and over for at least a month and still we are stuck with your junk. so please stop telling us they are working on it. How about a promis date or u will let us trade them in for different phone.

ramstrd

I had my dorid charge since July an phone has been a nightmare always lose data connection all the time it holds better on 4g bit still lose it all the time. Yesterday i had no data for eight hours. I dealt with Verizon tech again an still couldn't fix so called Samsung an they say there is no known issue with phone an only fix they offer is to send phone to them for a week to get worked on then sent back. This is crazy i have never had a phone just lose connection randomly like this an Samsung said it a Verizon network problem but i have three other Verizon phones in house an they have no issue thankfully finally got Verizon to get me a different phone after this phone i will never ever get another Samsung phone again this has been the worst phone an fact no admitted there is a issue made me almost leave Verizon.

dave44052

I have been having this same problem since july and they haven't done crap. I also have times where i can't haswer or make calls because a loud screaching noise. Verizion has been having me tag my calls by dialing ***after it happens hell i get when dialing that aswell. I have a so called ticket number that they were supose to notify me of the repairs to this day i have not heard a word. has anyone noticed when typing your screen moves.so far up that you cant see what your writing. This phone is a piece of **bleep** and should be recalled giving all of us suckers that bought it our money back.

The truth is VERIZON doesn't CARE. They got there money and will continue to get ours for at least two years.

I like how so called verizon people claim Samsung is working on this but yet they tell you it not happening..

This.is starting to sound like AT&T and iphone issues

we are just screwed

Dave A **bleep** off customer that cant wait to swich to someone else that really cares about their customers. Oh ya are there any?????

ramstrd

Verizon finally cared enough to get me a Motorola droid bionic will be here today. An it isn't Verizon it Samsung until they admit issue nothing will happen. hoping the bionic is a better phone.

dave44052

Well i talked to verizon today and eventhough i have been waiting paitently since july for a fix they will not upgrade me to the bionic. No one has worked on my ticket since july so now there are trying to get results. If that doesnt work then we will discuss a change in phones. I must say the lady i talked to today really seemed like she cared and actually called me back to inform me of the decision. Im trying to be paitent but is hard when the web drops in and out without me moving.

How is the bionic working out for ya. Are you having web access issues.

ramstrd

I was told at first can't switch phones but after calling twice in same day they said no problem only had to buy the battery. An no connections issues after two days an picks up 4g in places the charge couldn't. Only down side is a different ui to get use to.

PowerUp

I've had my charge since fathers day this is the second phone I've had. I have had bad connection problems since the start and still having them today even after there so called update.i have to reboot my phone about once an hour. I live 3 hr from any 4g so i leave it turned off still have problems with data connection. Also have problems with reading long text messages and pic messages only allows me to see them for 5 sec. Version told me they know of the problem months ago. Hope they hurry up!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PowerUp

Wish they would change out my phone

JerryF

Anyone thinking of getting a Verizon Droid Bionic by Motorola may want to look at this forum in order to get a feeling for any problems the Bionic may have.

http://community.vzw.com/t5/DROID-BIONIC-by-Motorola/bd-p/DroidBionic

JerryF

cstrait001

Or to be specific, this thread on the same 3G/4G Dropping Service http://community.vzw.com/t5/DROID-BIONIC-by-Motorola/3G-4G-radio-goes-inactive/td-p/662029/page/6

dsquare86

JerryF,

I wanted to update you on my issue. I disabled the power saving setting under display settings and this has improved the data issues for me and my wifes phone.

After some careful observation it has come to my attention that much of my issue lies with US cellular who is providing my service in the area. Their towers are dropping my data. I am able to go from no data to native VZW and connect to data with no issues.

WTTTT

So here is just one quote from that Bionic thread:

"There is a (now) known problem with the bionic that some people are experiencing no data or no 3g or no 4g data issues with their phone. For now, the work around they are telling people is to turn their phone into airplane mode, then back to normal mode and it will work. Software update to fix the issue is expected in November."

Maybe they mean November of 2012? Kind of gets you discouraged to see the similar issue starting all over with a brand new phone.

dave44052

To everyone posting on this site. I would love to see what city you are from. In in Ohio and they tell me my ackon tower is causing my problems or at least thats the tower my pbone seems to be using 99% of the time.

Im starting to wonder if this isnt a global issue with verizons equipent. Hard to believe that different manufactuers are having the same problem unless they are using the wrong data from verizon..

Just a thought, I always hated AT&T because of crappy connectio.s so I hope verizon does continue on this path.

How many of you cant see what your tiyping because the widow.is at the.top of the screen in landscape mode?

Thanks

dave44052

Sorry for the mistakes but i cant see what im typing. I HATE this. Does anyone no how to.fix it.

JerryF

dsquare86,

Thanks for telling me your results. Glad that disabling Power Saving helped a little bit. Now test it with your 110 volt charger connected to the phone to see if that helps a little bit more.

After that you can pound a large nail through the screen!!! JUST KIDDING

JerryF

were_not_happy

dave44052, We're in Milledgeville, GA

Same issue down here. I'm within a mile of a Verizon tower, and it's the ONLY tower in the area. No 4G available here, either.

The local Verizon store says it's a problem with the Verizon tower. Sigh.

I think it is something inherently wrong with their network.

And just as SOON as I can, I'm switching providers. Been a Verizon customer for years, and they act like I'm the only person in the world having issues. Customer service has gone out the window.

were_not_happy

Forgot to mention that Verizon also said they couldn't get a technician down here to FIX their tower, either.

Lovely, isn't it.

gerelee

not to sound like an 'alarmist' but i've owned the thunderbolt, charge and the bionic .... all three phones would lose data connection, bionic not as often as the other two, but would lose it, just the same ... i had the problem with the thunderbolt and the charge before 4g was even in my area .... had replacement phones for ALL THREE ... made no difference.

the odd thing is, that it wasn't an issue with poor signal AND my 3g only phones, iphone and trophy, NEVER lost their data connection ... i went through tech support, etc blah blah blah ... finally one of them said/admitted that after all that it MUST be a problem with the network ... can't figure another reason why ALL THREE 4g phones would lose data connection, even when set to 3g only, but the 3g phones didn't .. it's a head scratcher for sure.

i bought two of the 4g phones outright so i'm pretty unhappy that they don't work with any regularity .. i ended up going back to the iphone sooo many times.

i only wish they could figure it out so i could have my 4g and 'eat it' too :smileywink:

dave44052

Well verizon called me today and said samsung is.trying to come out with new software for the charge but they wont say when that will be. So my choices are to wait or switch to the revalution. They wont give me the bionic... i think the revolution is lower quality phone than the charge. Does anyone have any exsperience with this phone?

jlstifel

I'm really confused about why I'm having problems and I wonder if someone can set me straight.

I just moved and gave up my Comcast wireless Internet service and was trying to decide between keeping my Sprint cell service with a "non-smart" phone which made crystal clear phone calls and did also allow me to brows the Web in a slow and limited way.

I needed to have my own independent Internet access since where I live now does not offer any kind of service. I decided to go with Verizon due to their good reputation and purchased the Samsung Droid Charge due ot the good rating given it by CNET. I elected to use the "Hotspot" capability of the Droid phone for a wifi Internet connection. I thought I was all set to go. I've only had the phone for two weeks now.

In both my old home and new residence (less than 5 miles apart) I had problems from the get-go with both a very garbled phone usage where I could not hear the person I was calling, nor their recordings/voicemail and they could not understand me or any voicemail messages I left for them. My Sprint service was always crystal clear, so I was surprised and brought the phone back to the salesman for help. Of course, in the store their signal was powerful so I couldn't duplicate the problem and tech support reported that they found no problems with my service and that my area has solid 3G signals.

In addition to the poor phone service, in both locations, the hotspot wifi connection was also iffy and slow. Sometimes I get error messages that the web site I want is not responding (which includes the Verizon web site) or that there is no network connection. When I try to view a very tiny video, it is so slow that it interrupts every few seconds to fill the cache, I guess, and then I need to hit the play button for it to continue. It is about the same experience I had when I had dial-up service.

The saleman reformatted the phone and installed new software to try to remedy the problem. The phone calls seem a little more clear, but I don't use the phone often so it's hard to test, but the wifi service on my laptop continues to be slow and irratic to the pont where it's as useless as it was when I had dial-up so any idea of using real video or downloading music seems like that would be utterly impossible. Sometimes I have the same problem with the phone, but it's the laptop I want to use and don't seem to have these options at all. I have lost my connection in the middle of doing my banking on my laptop, also, and it really buggered things up for me.

They say that 4G is on its way in my area, but after reading the problems others are having, I wonder if that will make things better or worse. I wonder if I should have stayed with Sprint where I had great phone service and I wonder if I have to live with this 2 year contract if I am not getting the services I paid for. Based on my research Verizon is supposed to be the best service.

Can anyone either advise or encourage me?

Thanks.

Judi :-/

dave44052

What im about to say is only my opinion
If i only had the phone for a.few xays and could get out of my contract I would switch to Sprint. Verizon 4g network is JUNK. Yesterday not service for hourssat on hold for 1/2 hr for them to tell me it down. They text me tons of crap but can text us that the service is down. There customer service has gone to hell. My phone has been junk from day one. Load screeches during calls. Internet dropping in and out while im not moving. And i cant see what im writing because the format is.screwed up cant see the screen. Nothing but junk. And if you just signed up they took the unlimited internet away from you. So all the time i have.spent reconnecting and entering the same info over and over would have cost me a fortune. Only good thing is.i still have unlimited internet eventhough its inconsistant.

Dont know how much more.of this i.can take. They wanted me to switch phone but wouldnt let me go to the bionic so i decided not to change. From what i have.read all there 4g phones are having issues. That tells me they have either gave the wrong data to the phone companies or there network is screwed up.

This i.cant see this i apoligize for any screw ups but its out of my control. Anyone else having problems seeing what they are typing???????

Davidoo

I don't have the problem seeing what I am entering. Never had that happen. I do have the continuous loss of data connection and it seems to be getting worse. I had long periods of no data yesterday. I figured there was an outage but didn't have the energy to call and check. The other phones are no better, especially the Bionic. At one point I was considering paying full retail for the Bionic just to get rid of the Charge. I figured I would wait to make sure it wasn't having the same issues. Glad I did. Look at the Bionic pages and you'll see the same crap we're going through. I was in a VZW store on Saturday just looking around while my wife was shopping and talked to one of the reps for a few minutes. He said the Bionic has more problems than the Charge. They recently forced him to get the Bionic (probably a policy to make sure the sales people have the latest phones so they can talk about the benefits to the customers). He wished he had the Charge back as he liked the feel of it better, the screen is better and the data connections are about the same. We're (those of us who signed contracts) basically just screwed and forced to pay full price for something that doesn't work.

jlstifel

Thanks to all for your candid responses. Today is day 14 from the date that I bought my Droid. I really don't know where the problem is but now I'm concerned that I'm locked in for a 2 year contract and I won't be able to find out if things would have been better with Sprint.

Since the salesman reformatting the Droid Charge and installed new software the phone calls are more easily understood, but not really clear like they used to be Sprint. But, it seems that no matter what I do, when I use it for the Hotspot on my laptop it keeps disconnecting or it can't find the server or the web site isn't responding... just a lot of error messages. It's reallyl bad when I'm in the middle completing an important form and it drops the connection.

Also, I'm supposed to be able to get movies and all kinds of video but I can't even get through one of the tiny news spots which I used to be able to watch through Comcast. These are just tiny and shouldnt be a problem, but they are slow like when I had dial-up service and they keep freezing up and the cache fills and then I have to hit the play button for it to continue. I can't imagine how they can tell me that I can watch movies and videos and music when I can't ever watch a tiny video through without constant freeze-up.

If I can't use the Droid Charge for a hotspot and hope to actually be able to reliably use the Internet from my laptop what can I do? Anyone have a suggestion? I lookded at the MIFI and it has bad reviews.... and I looked at the extender and it has mostly good reviews for phones but I can't find out if it helps with hotspot connection. When I looke at the connection it says it's at 54 Mbts, which is the same as it said when I had Comcast high speed. When I had Comcast high speed wireless, it was very fast at the speed, but at the same reported speed with the hotspot from my Droid Charge, it's really poor. I don' t know what the number means if the connection is so slow and unreliable. I should be able to play a tiny news video without it freezing based on that reported speed, but I can't.

From what I"m reading here, regardless of whether the company is delivering what I thought I bought or not, I'm still stuck with this unacceptable service for 2 years? Is that how it works?

I wish I had gone back to Sprint. My Non-smart Lotus cell phone was crystal clear and I was able to do email and brows the Web. I don't know what to do, but I'm going to go to the Droid class they are having locally next Sunday and I'm going to discuss this with my salesman.

Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Juidi :-/

sewlady

This is for anyone who might have a clue...

I've had my Charge since July 1 and NEVER saw a "network not available" message.

All of a sudden, in the last 2 days, I have been seeing this message often. What's up with that???

Should I call Verizon & complain? In my last call to them, I asked why I didn't get 4G when they had just sent me an email saying that I now 'should' have it. The tech person I talked to said he wanted to reset my phone (thereby losing all my settings, yada yada). I decided NOT to do that. In another 3-4 weeks, I talked with another tech person and they said, No, I really DIDN'T have 4G yet. Well, I was glad that I hadn't gone through all that resetting stuff. Sheesh.

Anyway...now that I'm getting the "network not availble message, I don't know what the best course of action should be. I mean, when I get this message, I can't even make a phone call!

Suggestions welcome. And desired.

TIA,

Connie in MI

ramstrd

After verizon switched out phones to bionic i have been very happy only time i lose connect is couple seconds when switching towers an from 3g to 4g. But one major difference is if i set phone to cdma only it never loses connection. Yes the bionic has flaws the ui is not the best but gps actually works an wifi has a better range only thing i miss from the charge was the screen. But the pro lem is not verizon system it is the radio in phones because it is two totally different technologys an the ones in thunderbolt an charge is the first design the bionic works better cause Motorola design there own but is still flawed. The charge is def the worse phone i ever had.

mrslu2you

I was having the same problem with my Charge failing to connect to the 3G or 4G network. It would connect for a short period of time if I rebooted the phone, but lose connectivity after just a couple of minutes. I had fully intended to take my phone back to Costco, (thankfully, you can return a phone for 90 days), but after reading this forum, I uninstalled a battery monitor app that I had, and I have not lost connectivity since. I guess I will just wait for a couple of weeks, and if I don't have the problem anymore, maybe I will keep it. (not sure about that, as I have also had that loud screeching tone issue while on phone calls.). I guess we will see, maybe I will upgrade to the Razr or Bionic.

trisho1959

I too have this same problem. They took my brand new phone and replaced it with a refurbished one just two months into my contract stating that changes wouldbe applied to the new refurb phone that weren't to the old one. That has been 4 months ago and I am still experiencing the same probelms. I reset my phone a minimum of 5 times a day just to get my email. My husband has the HTC Incredible and he too had the same problems with his network service.

I am desperate for a solution as this is my BUSINESS phone. :smileymad:

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