Re: Thunderbolt drops 4G off and on
MarcusI
Enthusiast - Level 3

I also have an HTC TB and reading through these posts I would like to share my experience with 4G LTE stability.

 

I got my TB when it launched in march and for the first 3-4 months my connection was 4G 1X or 0.  I used the *#*#4636#*#* code before the lte on/off app was available to change my setting to LTE mode, which did pop it into LTE but sure enough after a few hours I was dropping it again.  

 

After the MR2 update in I want to say July I was able to get 3G service pretty consistently but I wanted 4G so I kept forcing LTE mode.  The same result, an unstable connection especially when using the MHS.  I finally gave up on it reverted to the cdma/lte-evdo auto setting and just lived with it.  Around the same time I disabled my data roaming capability.  I also have to add that I change my battery everyday because I charge 2 at night to keep me up for the whole day.  Believe it or not after about 2 days I had LTE most all the time.  Every now and then I would drop into 3G but an in and out of airplane mode and I was right back on LTE.

 

Honestly I don't know what did it, I haven't touched the radio mode since, maybe the 2-3 battery pulls I was doing helped register my sim enough times for it to stick, maybe disabling the data roaming helped, I live and work in the downtown Chicago area so I'm pretty sure that the network coverage wasn't an issue.

 

I'm not claiming to know how LTE works but it sure does take a long time for 4G devices to activate at times up to 2 hours, maybe manually pulling it off the LTE network causes it to have to reactivate when you attempt to put it back on?  I am very happy with the performance of my TB now.  From my experience if you are in an area where there is solid LTE coverage, I would recommend this settings combination:

 

CDMA/LTE-EVDO in the phone information or LTE On/Off app and the leave it alone!

Disable data roaming in the wireless and networks/mobile networks options/data roaming menu.

Power cycle your phone at least once a day until you get a stable connection, not just restart but power completely off and then on.

 

If all else fails try to replace your sim and do the same

 

This worked for me so I hope it does the same for you!

MI

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Re: Thunderbolt drops 4G off and on
djysrv
Enthusiast - Level 2

My hunch is the problem is in the network and the way the phone hands off from one tower to the next.  When I stay put under one tower, 4G service is fine. As soon as I start to move to go to the next sales call, pow, it's gone.

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Re: Thunderbolt drops 4G off and on
Ann154
Community Leader
Community Leader
@djysrv
That has not been my experience. My phone stay in one location for most of the day during the week at work. I have seen it bounce back and forth between connected and not. 4G to 3G and occasionally 1x. Sometimes I can see in the settings that it is connected, but the network is listed as unknown.

I'm most definitely NOT a VZW employee. If a post answered your question, please mark it as the answer.

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Re: Thunderbolt drops 4G off and on
Wildman
Legend

The 4G network is still work in progress and progress can be a pain...  Since my area will be getting it full blown next month (According to rumors) I hope things start getting more stable..

 

This image works well for so many situations lately....  :smileywink::smileyvery-happy:

 

 

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Re: Thunderbolt drops 4G off and on
djysrv
Enthusiast - Level 2

Dropping the 4G network while standing still on one place -- now that's interesting.  Are you at the boundary of 4G / 3G coverage or inside an area claimed by Verizon, via its maps, to have full 4G coverage? 

 

As an aside I wonder if these coverage maps on the public facing Verison web site are marketing wish lists or represent actual status?

 

 

 

 

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Re: Thunderbolt drops 4G off and on
Ann154
Community Leader
Community Leader

djysrv wrote:

Dropping the 4G network while standing still on one place -- now that's interesting.  Are you at the boundary of 4G / 3G coverage or inside an area claimed by Verizon, via its maps, to have full 4G coverage? 

 

As an aside I wonder if these coverage maps on the public facing Verison web site are marketing wish lists or represent actual status?

 

 

 

 


I experience this yo-yo effect smack dab in the middle of a press released announced & turned on area. However it happens to also be inside an high rise office building in the downtown area. Once I go outside both the download and upload speeds improve if I test through the Speedtest.net application. The yo-yo effect still sometimes happens in buildings/restaurants next door to my office building. I know it is partially related to the fact that I'm in a steel and concrete building and up a few floors, but I also think it is strange that I can get a better Speedtest.net results on the first floor of the same building. There might be other wireless interference within the building itself higher throughout the floors. An example of LTE signal in the building when I can hold on to it. http://www.speedtest.net/android/95217546.png There is significant improvement in the signal outside of this location for approximately thirty or more miles.

I'm most definitely NOT a VZW employee. If a post answered your question, please mark it as the answer.

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POTENTIAL SOLUTION?
SoundMessage
Newbie

I've been having this issue since I got the phone - 4G LTE changes to 3G, or 1X, or worst of all, NO CONNECTION.

 

They sent me a CLN replacement.  Tried it.  Same problems.  Sent the CLN back and kept my original phone.

 

Just tried swapping the SIM card this weekend.  No difference that I could tell.

 

Today, I called Verizon again and the rep suggested that I enable data roaming.  The instant I did that, my phone switched from 3G to 4G LTE, and it's kept its 4G connection ever since.

 

The tech support rep said that VZW uses non-VZW-owned towers in some markets, and sometimes if data roaming is disabled, the phone will be unable to connect to these towers.  So, if you're near a sub-contracted tower, and your phone is unable to connect to it, then it may be trying to connect to a VZW tower that's too far away, resulting in poor data connectivity.

 

It's only been a few hours, so I won't know for sure whether or not this has actually solved my problem for another day or two.  However, my fingers are crossed.

 

 

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Re: POTENTIAL SOLUTION? - NOPE!!
SoundMessage
Newbie

Spoke too soon.  I thought it might be too good to be true, and it was.

 

I'm still reverting to 3G with no rhyme or reason behind it.

 

:smileysad:

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Re: POTENTIAL SOLUTION? - NOPE!!
patt3332
Enthusiast - Level 3

I don't really know, but I'm wondering if having data roaming on might increase your bill.

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Re: POTENTIAL SOLUTION? - NOPE!!
TamaraH_VZW
Verizon Employee

Good day, Community!

 

Since the last post on this particular forum, the software has been updated for the Thunderbolt.

This much needed update does address the 3G to 4G transition.

 

Benefits & instructions on how to complete the update can be found here

 

Keep in mind, as with any software update, you may need to perform a hard reset after you have backed your information up to a computer.

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