Samsung Droid Charge -- No 4g or 3g network connection

[athleet]

I've just recently gotten the Samsung Droid Charge and activated my SIM card on it, but for some reason, it will not connect to the 4g or 3g network even when mobile data is on. I know my SIM card works because I can make calls and text, but I cannot browse the internet. I've tried going to settings and enabling mobile networks, turning airplane mode on and off, and even enabling roaming, but nothing seems to be working. I can connect to a WiFi network perfectly fine. It just won't connect to the Verizon network. Is the phone defective or am I not doing something that I should be doing? Thanks for the help.

[svzurich]

I PMed my information a few hours ago.  I currently have a 4G connection in my apartment, but trial and error makes me refuse to turn on WiFi or change connection modes for fear of the 4G going away again.  

[timnyc]

dear vidguy

does verizon provide case numbers or contact info especially when you request level 2 tech support or higher up as needed for your issue? 

[XaeroR35]

I wanted to add my name on the list of people with 4G / Charge issues. I was really excited to get my Charge and move over to the 4G network. After a day I was extremely upset that 4 G wouldnt stay connected for more than 20 minutes at a time. When it is connected it is extremely fast, but what good does that do if I cant connect?

Rebooting the phone will reconnect it to 4G as will switching to CDMA only mode, and then back to LTE.

I read that the Thunderbolt has the option to only use 4G, is this true? And if so why doesnt the Charge have that option?

I am nearing my 14 day return window and want some answers. I was sold on this great looking device and was promised to have blazing fast 4G speeds in my area.

[vidguy7]

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XaeroR35 wrote:

I wanted to add my name on the list of people with 4G / Charge issues. I was really excited to get my Charge and move over to the 4G network. After a day I was extremely upset that 4 G wouldnt stay connected for more than 20 minutes at a time. When it is connected it is extremely fast, but what good does that do if I cant connect?

Rebooting the phone will reconnect it to 4G as will switching to CDMA only mode, and then back to LTE.

I read that the Thunderbolt has the option to only use 4G, is this true? And if so why doesnt the Charge have that option?

I am nearing my 14 day return window and want some answers. I was sold on this great looking device and was promised to have blazing fast 4G speeds in my area.

---

My advice?  Dump it and get a phone that works.  What good is 4G if besides not getting 4G you can't even get data at any speed on an all too often basis?

[ts47]

I have no 4G or 3G connection issues outside DC.  I don't believe this is the norm for most Charge owners.  I would call tech support about that.  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.  Adding these apps could easily case issues with data connectivity.  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.

2.  Try turning off wifi.  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 this thread that shows the supposed problem.  From looking at this photo, it looks like your problem was trying to access the internet BEFORE your 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.

[ts47]

Hey Verizon Guys... I had a conversation with someone who had the problems that are being complained about in this thread.  He claimed that the Verizon store installed Green Power on his phone before he left the store without his knowledge.  He also said something about a setting that was disabled that allowed the phone to wake once a data packet is received.  These two combined problems made his phone drop data connections.   Uninstalling Green Power and enabling that setting fixed his phone.

Here are my questions:

1. Is it appropriate/allowed for your stores to install these apps on people's phones?

2. What is this setting on the Charge that does or doesn't allow the wake on packets received?  Is this something real?

Here's a portion of the conversation:

However, the Verizon store DID install a Green Power Saver App because they
thought it was so great to install Apps without telling the customer (because
they get too many 4G phones back due to perceived battery issues). I had assumed
it was just part of the bloatware. Ironically, there is also a setting that is
apparently disabled on new Charges (to wake data connections on data packets).
Those combined screwed me over and also make the problem reproducible on brand
new/out of the box Charges. Competent Verizon techs should be able to see this
immediately and enable the setting.

[Matt24]

I'm having the same issues in Atlanta. I've tried all the suggested fixes, but my signal still comes and goes unpredictably. I've had the phone for a little over 2 weeks, so trading it in isn't an option (anyway, I like the phone other than the data signal inconsistancy). Any chance this is something that can be resolved? I wouldn't have gotten this phone if I knew the data signal would be so unreliable. Anyway, I don't have much to add other than to report that this issue affects me, too.

[Pmpdx]

Absolute dittos on this issue in Portland Oregon starting Sunday July 24th. Up to that point my thunderbolt had been hitting 10-20+ mbps. Problem persists and verizon says there is no known problem.

[WCMack]

I am pretty sure I will get heavily flamed for saying this, but I think threads like this, that go on forever cataloging Charge users' dissatisfaction with the data service they are getting, have little value after a certain point.  Please don't think I am cold-hearted, or a anti-free-speech troglodyte.  I feel for each of you that paid (as I did) $300+ for a phone that is clearly not delivering on the shining promise of smoking data speeds.  I would be PO'd too, if in fact I were in a 4G area and had the problems you are describing.  And I guess if you want to **bleep** out VZW or your local VZW rep on here, I can't and won't stop you.

My point is that you might be more likely to get VZW to actually DO SOMETHING about the problem by doing something other than posting your outrage here.  I believe that whatever VZW employees are monitoring this forum are more than fully aware of the problem, and are less and less likely to engage with you the longer these threads get.  Plus, the issue seems to be a combination of problems with the phone design and problems with the network; in any event, problems that these employees can do nothing about except to "escalate" the issue, which they have said they have done multiple times, and which some of you have discounted as being totally ineffective.

So in the spirit of the Dalai Lama, who said something like, "never worry...if you can so something, do it, and if you can't there's no value in worrying", here are some thoughts about other things to do.

1.  Write to the new president of VZW (McAdams, I think).  Nothing gets things moving like a complaint letter to the top, except 100+ complaint letters on the same issue!
2.  Go public.  Got a local newspaper...complain to their consumer complaints department.  Better yet, call one of those consumer watchdog people on local TV...they love stuff like this.  I guarantee if it gets on TV anywhere in the country, VZW senior management will find out about it.
3.  Don't accept the solutions offered by VZW tech support whether on the phone or at the store.  Push the issue up the chain until you get to somebody who has the power to help you on the spot.  I guarantee there is somebody and some level who has the authority to agree to pretty much any solution you want.  And don't get worn down by excuses like, "he's not here" or "you can't talk to him".  If you get stonewalled, bring in your letter (see #1) before you send it and see if that loosens things up.  If you do that, name names!

Let the recriminations begin!

[debbidrew]

I had to restart my phone to get 3g, im not in a 4g area. I had installed Juice defender app to conserve battery. Upon uninstalling this app, I have had a steady signal since. Hope this helps.

[franpro2002]

Success! I just deleted Juice Defender and rebooted. I am now getting constant 3g at least. I have yet to find 4g coverage, even though the map shows both my work and home to be 4g. If you have Juice Dfender loaded, remove it right away.

[franpro2002]

Update! No 3g or 4g again this morning. I have had this phone for three days now and I will get 3g about 10% of the time and never once a 4g, even though I live and work in a 4g area.

This is **bleep**! Funny, I thought Blackberry sucked.

[JerryF]

I, also, UNinstalled Juice Defender and my ability to connect greatly improved.  I even checked my files and found a backup copy there which I immediately deleted.  In my case it kept me from connecting to often and the phone seemed flaky, unstable, and inconsistent after it was installed it.  Soooo, it's done gone and went!!!

BTW, I mentioned this ages ago in a couple of posts on this forum.

I am glad it helped.

JerryF

PS, I am glad you two posted.  It's great that after all the previous posts two first-time posters have discovered at least one reason why there is "No 4g or 3g network connection."

[barrymart]

Apparently 50 Unhappy Customers are Insignificant to Verizon.  I'm having trouble believing we're the only ones receiving "Network (or Server) not Available" error messages all the time!  Yet not only do I see very little on the topic, but I see absolutely not ONE acknowledgement of a problem from Verizon.  This would indicate to me that the rest of the Charge (or other 4g phone) owners are perfectly happy with wildly intermittent service, or they don't know any better as new cell phone broadband users or the problem is phone specific (i.e indicates a phone problem).  Does Verizon ever respond to any of these posts?  I' new to the Verizon community posts, and with this kind of inattention, I'm probably leaving ASAP.

[kmk1212]

I am having the same problem.  I have tried to manipulate all the settings per the comments, clear the cache, and do a battery pull on my phone. Nothing is working!

[miller4life11]

Same for me, except Im on my thunderbolt but I also don't have 3g and I've tried turning the radio off and on as well as putting it in airplane mode and turning it back on. I do however have 4g, possible outage again maybe. None of verizon's website are mentioning anything about this except in the forums

[jujube]

This just started happening to me this past weekend and now I have NO data.  It's a new issue and very sudden...I had it yesterday and it is gone today.  Is it possible my sim card just went corrupt??   I can use wifi and access internet but I have no data at all - I can't even get 1x.

[arctic388]

I have issues randomly with losing Data connection. really disappointed.

[jujube]

So I dont't know if this will work for anyone else but it worked for me (we will see if it lasts more than a day)

I took out my sim card - tried to make a call and got the message that a sim was not installed and phone needed to be rebooted.

Rebooted and and insert the sim back while it was rebooting.

That seemed to work - kicked the 3g back on (I have a 4g phone but am in an area that only gets 3G go figure). It's been on all day and works like it did before.

I am sure you can just take out the sim and reboot and insert it back and it should technically be enough rather than try to get the reboot message but that was what I did.