MIFI 8800l Patch 2a Problem

[Prestonpigagain]

A few weeks ago, I started a topic about failures, after the 2A patch,  with my 8800l Jetpack, under the community name Prestonpig. Verizon employees communicated with me via private messages. For some reason I can't figure out, I can no longer access those private messages or my old community name of Prestonpig. The summary of the discussion was that nothing could be done or attributed to a bug in the 2A patch, and I would have to buy a new 8800l or live with the problems on the old one. I was also told that I could activate a new 8800l on my current unlimited prepaid account, which has been discontinued since I originally signed up for it.

The health of my old 8800l has continued to decline, and since Verizon is my only real option for internet service, I am ready to buy a new 8800l. I would just like to confirm that I will still be able to activate it with my existing prepaid unlimited account, and not have to pick a lesser account instead. Will I need a new Sim card, or can I re-use my old one?

Thank You!

[vzw_customer_support]

Hello, Prestonpigagain. We want to make sure you have the information you need. Great news is you will be able to activate a new Jetpack with your current Unlimited plan. Also, it is recommended that you get a new SIM Card for the device. We hope this helps! CourtneyM_VZW

[Prestonpigagain]

Well, this is still more inconvenient. I am now unable to order a new 8800l. I got to shop/Jetpacks and hotspots, and select the 8800l. I don't get an add to cart option, just a continue button. I click that, it asks me my zipcode, asks if I am a new customer or not, asks if I want to add a new line or upgrade, then takes me to the smartphone selection page - no jetpacks, nowhere to say I want an 8800l. If I go bask to the shop page, it just loops me around the same path over and over. How do I just order a new 8800l?

[Prestonpigagain]

And while I'm at it, how do I order a new sim card to go with it?

[Prestonpigagain]

OK, I'm sorry, I kinda ran out of patience today. I finally got the 8800l ordered. I still don't see a way to get a sim card until I receive the 8800l and get a number off it, causing a further delay in getting it activated and working.

[vzw_customer_support]

Are you completing this upgrade through the My Verizon application, or a browser? AustinL_VZW

[Prestonpigagain]

In fact, I have not yet received the new 8800l. The holiday weekend delayed it until Monday. My order confirmation e-mail says that it has shipped with a pre-installed sin card. We'll see how it goes on Monday.

[Prestonpigagain]

So after waiting 5 days for a next day delivery, I finally have my new 8800l. I have spent the last 4 hours trying to get it activated under my old prepaid account. I worked with one rep for over an hour with no luck, then got disconnected from her only to be reconnected with someone from a different department. He transferred me back to where I was supposed to be, but a different rep. She couldn't tell who my previous rep was and wanted to start over. I then got disconnected from her and have been trying to reach a live human nor for an hour and a half. Gee whiz - this is really what I call customer service!

[Prestonpigagain]

Another discovery - the wait and listen to bad music system automatically disconnects you after an hour of waiting for a live human. How convenient!

[Prestonpigagain]

Just in case anybody is following this still, we got the new 8800l working around 6:30 cdt this evening! What an ordeal.

[vzw_customer_support]

I'm sorry it took so long Prestonpigagain. I'm glad you got this resolved. Have a great day and send us a message if you ever have an additional question.

JoeL_VZW

[sadamsa11]

I am having the same problem. Once it was updated, which occurred shortly after getting my unit, cellular connection is dropped once it is fully charged. If I unplug the mobile hotspot and restart, then I have connectivity. I will wait until it gets to 10% charge and then plug it back in. Once it reaches fully charged, then it drops the connection. How can I fix this issue?

[vzw_customer_support]

@sadamsa11 , 

We're sorry to hear that you are having some sort of connection issue with your jetpack. As for the software update you are referring to, this was released on 5/11/2020 ( https://www.verizon.com/support/verizon-jetpack-mifi-8800l-update/ ), and has not had any issues similar to what you are sharing. A wireless connection can drop for any number of reasons, with the physical location of the device being the most important. When you have the jetpack plugged into a wall outlet, being in proximity to other electronics and metal can affect the connection. Have you used the jetpack in other areas with different results? 

RussellM_VZW

[sadamsa11]

Thank you for your response. I have made sure that the latest patch is applied to the Jetpack. Here are more details as to what I am seeing: this behavior is identical in various locations where there is differing signal strenght.

The MiFi unit is attached to an external antenna. Running on battery only (after a full charge and turning on the unit), the unit will show 2 bars of cell service. Download speeds are typically 10-15 Mb/s. The unit will keep the connection the entire time while running on battery power: no drops on cell service. Once the battery expires (or when the reading states that it is at 10% power), I will plug the device in and will continue to have uninterrupted cell service. At 100% the unit will drop cell service and search for service. 

I have observed the unit reaching 99%, dropping service, and then pop-up the message on the screen that the battery is fully charged and should be unplugged. If I unplug the unit, it still won't connect to cell service unless I reboot the unit, then it connects straight away.

If I leave it plugged in, without service, sometimes it will reconnect. This is very sporadic. It may reconnect after an hour or two. Sometimes it won't reconnect for over 5 or 6 days. When it does reconnect, it may keep the connection for just a minute or two. Other times it will stay connected for around a day (no longer than 36 hour from my recent log that I have been keeping).

I have been experiencing this problem for over a year. It wasn't until recently that I was able to determine that it was the unit. I replaced the outdoor antenna (three times), reran new wire (twice) and replaced all connectors with high quality, low impedance connectors. I have borrowed an older Jetpack from my brother-in-law for a weekend, and never had this problem with his Jetpack. My only conclusion is that there is something wrong with my Jetpack 8800 or that it is not set up correctly.

[vzw_customer_support]

Thanks for getting back to us, and for the details. Let's take a closer look, I have sent you a Private Message. 

[sadamsa11]

Here is a little more detail and updates on the performance of my Jetpack.

I decided to plug my Jetpack into a timer. The timer stays on for 2.5 hours and then turns off for 9.5 hours and then repeats. During these cycles, my Jetpack battery will deplete to about 12% charge and then charge back up over 2.5 hours to about 96% charge.

When I first plugged in this setup, it performed as I expected. During the initial 9.5 hours, as the unit was running off a fully charged battery, I had solid cell reception and Internet service on the Jetpack. After 9.5 hours, the Jetpack started to recharge and I continue to have connectivity. Interstingly, after about 1.5 hours I lost cell connectivity, even though the unit was not completely charged. I was going to wait until the timer turned off and then restart the experiment again. What I discovered was that once the timer turned off and the Jetpack was once again running on battery power, the cell connectivity came back.

I have been running the Jetpack in this configuration since Saturday, November 28th. Since then the Jetpack has operated solidly with cell connectivity and Internet service for 9.5 hours, while it is running on battery power. Once the battery starts to charge, then I lose cell connectivity for the entire 2.5 hours that it is running off the power provided by the wall adaptor (and recharging the battery). This same behavior has been observed for 9 cycles.

So, I have found a partial fix to my problem, but it is far from ideal. Hopefully this additional information will assist you in discovering a permanent fix to my problem.

[vzw_customer_support]

Sadamsa11, we appreciate all of your hard work in determining exactly when this happens. That testing will come in very handy. What we have done, is submitted this information to the manufacturer for further review and investigation. Should a patch be needed to correct this, we are confident that this would be completed quickly to ensure service. LorenB_VZW If my response answered your question please click the _Correct Answer_ button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!