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Charge inability to connect to the 3G network

Well, let's try this again. It appears my first post was removed for some reason.

There is a serious issue with the Samsung Charge that affects either handoff from 4G to 3G network connections or simply being on a 3G connection from the start. When you try to access a website, connect to your email or do anything data intensive, you get a prompt that says "Network connectivity problem". In other words you get ZERO connection to the 3G data network.

Now I love the speeds of 4G, but if 3G is unusable with the Charge, and thus far it is, then this is simply a 'no go' situation for most people. The problem either resides in the network not properly communicating with the Charge or a more serious issue with the phone itself.

I should note that Verizon already exchanged my first Charge for a 2nd one and I am having precisely the same issues. Additionally, my wife can be sitting across me from the table with her Verizon IPhone and have no issues on any website while at precisely same time I get the "Network connectivity problem". Even rebooting the phone, pressing 'airplane mode' on and off does absolutely nothing for this issue.

I have a few more days with this and then I'll be forced to return it for a 3G only phone. This is just not a workable situation at this point. I would love to hear from Verizon on this. Tech support did not know what was going on.

Comments

unknown

Sounds like the Verizon 4G network is still not working properly. I love Verizon, but their implementation of 4G has been a fiasco. I would not purchase a 4G device until this is resolved.

ballanda

I am in the same boat. In a 3G only area. I have the phone in CDMA-Only mode and it STILL cannot maintain a 3G data connection. Exchanged it twice! I really like this phone but data connectivity is killing me! Verizon / Samsung: FIX THIS!

vidguy7

I really think Verizon needs to fully understand how widespread this issue is. It's beginning to seem it's not just isolated to the N.Y. area. This seems to be endemic to the 4G phones that drop to 3G connections in many areas. My visit to the Verizon store today in Lake Grove proved that to me. I couldn't get out on 3G connections with the Thunder Bolt or the new 4G LG either.

I never thought this would be an issue with 4G. I expected limited coverage, but I never expected zero connectivity that often occurs on 3G. As you said, this needs to be fixed.

What scares me is that when you call tech support, it's as if it's the first time they've heard it. Even going to the Verizon store they claimed they hadn't heard it before. The irony is that when I first got to the store, my phone was getting 3G data. So I switched it to "CDMA only" and then back to LTE. That induced the problem once again and I handed it to the tech people and said "try to get to a website, ANY website". They couldn't.

Not good.

ballanda

Vidguy, thanks for keping up the fight. We need to make this issue known. I am planning on making a visit to my store in Eatontown, NJ today.... which is just out of 4G land. Honestly I dont care about 4G speed, I just really like the new phones.... and when Verizon rolls out teired pricing this summer, 4g will become unaffordable anyway. 3G-only needs to work, especially if VZW is going to soon be providing financial disincentives to use 4G!

unknown

Thanks for bringing this to our attention. There is a couple things that I want everyone to test to ensure your data connections are correct.

1) Go to settings> wireless & networks> mobile networks (at the bottom)> make sure use packet data is checked> data

roaming is checked (no roaming charges in the United States)> and if you are in a 3G only area, change it to CDMA

mode.

2) Once these settings are correct, we need to know if it happens everywhere. If it happens everywhere, it's the device for

sure. If it only happens in particular areas, we may need to have you reach out to tech support (direct number 866-892-

7957) and open up a trouble ticket for the area.

3) If you have confirmed that it happens everywhere, I would try a factory reset to rule out any software having an adverse

impact on the phone and redo step 1. If 1, 2, and 3 fail, please PM me with the following info:

a) IMEI/MEID found under settings> about phone> status:

b) PRL # found under settings> about phone> status:

c) Build Number found under settings> about phone:

d) Firmware version found under settings> about phone:

e) Number of occurrences (can estimate)

f) Any elaboration besides poor 3G connections

g) Confirm you have tried steps 1, 2, and 3. Note: If you have not tried all 3 troubleshooting steps, I can't file a

product issue complaint on your behalf.

h) Address where it occurs the most (where you mainly use the phone). If unknown, any address you have used it

in the past.

This is how we get issues escalated for a fix: A whole bunch of product issue forms filed. They must be done correctly though. Please send it to me in the following format to streamline things:

vidguy7

Mike, first a sincere thanks for any & all efforts on your and Verizon's part in trying to solve this very frustrating problem. My settings are and have been correct per your email. But something has definitely changed in my area (N.Y./Plainview) today that is giving me trouble-free service for the first time when in 3G coverage. When my phone switches from 4G to 3G, the data continues uninterrupted and I am no longer getting the "Data Connectivity Error".

Can you confirm that something was done in this area (towers etc.) that would have brought me from a no-data issue on 3G to having no problems at this point? It seems to me that's as important as determining the settings on our phones since I changed nothing on my phone since this issue arose.

Thanks again for your attention on this.

ballanda

Seems better for me too, since I started using PUSH email to maintain (or try to maintain) a constant data connection. Still not great. I had 3G drop once yesterday in my house which only has 1 bar of coverage. With 2+ bars, it seems to be stabilizing. I'll report back if I have more trouble. Hopefully VZW did something. Also, if you get a chance to put up some 4G towers in eastern Monmouth County, it would be greatly appreciated. Not like we're in the sticks here :smileyhappy:

vidguy7

Ballanda, my connections continue to be great after yesterday's turnaround. I'm really curious to hear from Verizon as to what they did to bring this about. I'm hoping we don't hear they did nothing and this was just a random turnaround. That wouldn't be good either.

I do think we have to give credit where credit was due. I called tech support, I went to the Verizon stores and demonstrated the problems and they all took notes. They did take this seriously as it seriously impacted the perception of 4G. Apparently they made the necessary changes and I can go back to heartily recommending both the Samsung Charge and Verizon's 4G network. :smileyhappy:

e34m5

I did what you said and it works fine, both ways. I'm in New Hampshire (03810).

vidguy7

Glad to hear it! If we don't make our issues public, Verizon may havve no idea there are problems.

ballanda

My 3G connectivity stll is bad/nonexistent from time to time, and nowhere near as consistent as the Thunderbolt was in 3G-only areas. I am still disappointed. I am also insulted by the VZW moderator asking me to do a pile of peperwork just to formally submit this issue. That's his job. I didnt buy this highly touted phone just so I could do more paperwork. Here's my issue report:

IT'S BROKEN - FIX IT!

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