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Razr 4G sucks!!!
- Thread starter ascreen06
- Start date
Your concerns are justified. Things that can contribute to your signal issues are the building's age (older buildings often have stone foundations), size (larger buildings have thicker foundation walls), depth (older buildings often have deeper sub-ground levels), type of construction (often older buildings will have thick masonry construction even in upper walls), the number and density of large buildings all around (buildings both prevent penetration and reflect signals creating multi-path signals that are difficult to lock onto), etc.
Fortunately the 4G LTE signal for Verizon runs on the 700Mhz band rather than the 800Mhz and 1,900Mhz bands of Cellular and 3G. This means the wavelengths of the 700Mhz band being longer are actually better at penetrating structures. How much better is the question and frankly the difference between 700Mhz and 800Mhz is a relatively small percentage so the overall effect may be minimal. See chart below.
There is also the issue of what types of antennas are covering your area, how densely those antennas are placed, and what if any directional antennas are placed on nearby buildings to supplement the coverage in poor reception areas. Then there's the question of whether 4G is provided in your area with Extended Coverage antennas or not. As I mentioned in another post either earlier here or elsewhere, I can't remember, but 4G LTE Coverage Areas are provided coverage with standard antennas which create a somewhat donut-shaped signal path, where the hole is the antenna and the donut is laying flat. In those areas, ground penetration will be better within the middle range of the signal's reach but worse as you get farther out. Conversely 4G LTE Extended Coverage areas which use directional beam antennas whose pattern looks more like a squashed donut or even a squashed triangular section of a donut, so the coverage reaches farther but is not as tall from top to bottom of signal reach, meaning ground penetration will be less.
It's tough to say how this will fare for you, but there is the possibility that if 4G is strong generally in your urban area, that your 4G in the building could be even better than the 3G you have now. Also, even a poor 4G signal could still beat a poor 3G signal hands-down for data speed simply by design. I suggest you visit http://network4g.verizonwireless.com/#/coverage , and type in your physical building's address at the bottom left, click the RED "Am I covered", and then when it pops up, click the RED "View Coverage Map. There you'll get a detailed view of coverage for your immediate areas. Pay close attention to the color of the 4G coverage represented on the map. You are hoping for the DARK RED area as a best case scenario, but if in the RED area, you would hope to be close to the edges of the DARK RED. Try zooming in and out to get a clearer view of coverage at street level and regionally.
Brfxxccxxmnpcccclllmmnprx
New Member
Just to clarify, I'm solidly in the 4G coverage area, not in the Extended or any fringe area, but being in this building is causing 3G interference to the point of very slow speeds and even dropping into 1X. Actual cellular voice is no problem whatsoever though.
Short of having a 4G phone on the same carrier to test it locally, is there a way to test the 4G signal strength or download speed for a particular coordinate or address? I'm thinking of a website where I could plug in my location and see actual speeds/metrics instead of just a map like VZW hosts.
That's the only other thing I can think of unless there's been others in my situation and they can report that 4G works in basements of old big old buildings when 3G doesn't or just barely does.
Thanks again.
Edit - I did the address mapping already and I'm solid darkest red for my location. Nearest "extended" area is several miles away.
Short of having a 4G phone on the same carrier to test it locally, is there a way to test the 4G signal strength or download speed for a particular coordinate or address? I'm thinking of a website where I could plug in my location and see actual speeds/metrics instead of just a map like VZW hosts.
That's the only other thing I can think of unless there's been others in my situation and they can report that 4G works in basements of old big old buildings when 3G doesn't or just barely does.
Thanks again.
Edit - I did the address mapping already and I'm solid darkest red for my location. Nearest "extended" area is several miles away.
OK, good news for you. No, unfortunately I know of no site as you mention providing actual speed metrics. There are apps that do that both by measuring your speed and then by uploading yours along with others give you what you are looking for, but I don't know if they will give you that information unless you are on 4G and contributing yourself. It's worth a try though. I'll have to dig but I may be able to find the one I tried in the past. It actually gives a map showing the points where people ran the test and their results for you to see. Still, with you in the basement/ground floor, your results are likely not going to be indicative of those of others immediately around you.
Coming from a Droid X myself I noticed that the 3g is better on the Razr. On 4g its solid, never had an issue.
Sent from my DROID RAZR using DroidForums
Brfxxccxxmnpcccclllmmnprx
New Member
Do you happen to use your RAZR in a building/basement or area where your DX had slow speeds or bad signal strength?
I'm hoping to hear that 4G can work reasonably well in my situation even if 3G won't. Thanks.
I'm hoping to hear that 4G can work reasonably well in my situation even if 3G won't. Thanks.
Being a welder I'm in a tin building all day surrounded by steel. My DX had poor 3g inside now with my Razr I get great 3g and 4g.
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nonnasmyladie
Member
4g works great everywhere in NYC
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Sent from my Transformer TF101 using DroidForums
NewlyDroided
New Member
My RAZR is essentially a 3g phone.. I live in Richmond, VA and the Verizon coverage map covers my area, and yet I don't ever get any 4g signal. This is an absolute downer.. what is the problem here?
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Sent from my DROID RAZR using DroidForums
Wow! I'm in Richmond too. No 4G at all? How is the performance of your phone?
Sent from my DROIDX
When you say "the Verizon coverage map covers" your area, are you speaking of the country-wide map visible on the page for coverage, or the one that lets you see coverage down to street level in your immediate neighborhood? If it's the latter, perhaps you are in a low-lying area and are only covered by 4G LTE Extended Coverage. I have done extensive research and posting on this subject.
If you haven't already done so, I suggest you visit http://network4g.verizonwireless.com/#/coverage , and type in your physical address at the bottom left, click the RED "Am I covered", and then when it pops up, click the RED "View Coverage Map. There you'll get a detailed view of coverage for your immediate areas. Pay close attention to the color of the 4G coverage represented on the map. You are hoping for the DARK RED area as a best case scenario, but if in the medium RED area, you would hope to be close to the edges of the DARK RED. Try zooming in and out to get a clearer view of coverage at street level and regionally.
Please report back with your findings.
lloydstrans
Banned
I bought my silly a$$ razr knowing, according to Verizon I had no 4g coverage at my or shop, totally elated when I got it 11/10/11 and I had 4g, took it home and bam, had 4g there to. Moral being Verizon not as smart as their map implies.
Living on the razr's edge "strop" aside.
Living on the razr's edge "strop" aside.