What would cause service to get worse over time?

[dro]

So when I first got my Droid in December, the reception in my house was great. I never missed calls, the phone always showed 'no time without signal' when I checked. I also routinely ran speedtest and was always downloading around 600k on 3G. Also, my 3G icon never once went to 1x.
Lately, I have been missing calls left and right at my house. My time without signal from the last 17 hours is currently over 50%. If I can even get speedtest to run, I am lucky to break 100k. I am lucky to even see the 3G symbol now, it is usually 1X. I have restarted the phone and updated the PRLs numerous times. I also get the same experience at my work place, where service was excellent before. Am I overlooking something? Is there anything else I can try, or should I exchange this thing? I have insurance and there is a dead pixel in my display, so I can get a replacement if needed. I don't want to turn my baby in for some refurb though if there is not a problem.

 

[hookbill]

So when I first got my Droid in December, the reception in my house was great. I never missed calls, the phone always showed 'no time without signal' when I checked. I also routinely ran speedtest and was always downloading around 600k on 3G. Also, my 3G icon never once went to 1x.
Lately, I have been missing calls left and right at my house. My time without signal from the last 17 hours is currently over 50%. If I can even get speedtest to run, I am lucky to break 100k. I am lucky to even see the 3G symbol now, it is usually 1X. I have restarted the phone and updated the PRLs numerous times. I also get the same experience at my work place, where service was excellent before.

Lots of things. Problems with a tower, bad weather. Had the same thing happen to me. If I went 5 miles away it was perfect, at home it was terrible.

I called Verizon and told them about it. They did a ticket on it and about 4 days later, boom, everything came back on. Call Verizon and let them know you are having issues, they should fix you up.

Make sure you check your phone in another area just to make sure it isn't the phone.

 

[drivinfocused]

I had this happen in my last phone dropped about 50calls in a couple days. Talked with verizon and they did a test on a tower. A few hours later a had a call saying that it was the phone. And it was in my house as well. But no other problems anywhere else. Good luck getting it fixed

 

[hookbill]

I had this happen in my last phone dropped about 50calls in a couple days. Talked with verizon and they did a test on a tower. A few hours later a had a call saying that it was the phone. And it was in my house as well. But no other problems anywhere else. Good luck getting it fixed

How could they get out to do a tower test that fast? Something sounds funny there. Unless they happen to have an engineer right there at the time. Seems like you just didn't get good service.

I told them that the only area I was having a problem was at my home. And I called daily to get reports on what was happening. I never got a call back like they promised but the problem did indeed get fixed.

 

[drivinfocused]

I was the same way just in my house with problems. Okay a few hours I meant told them at about 4 in the evening and by about 830 the next morning I had a call saying the tower and service was fine and it had to be the phone.

 

[Jaylor]

I'm actually having this same issue with my Droid right now. I called Verizon a week ago, made me do a bunch of stuff on the phone, and said they checked the network. (Which I highly doubt because she issued a trouble ticket and within 2 minutes said someone had checked the tower and the tower was fine.)

So, they sent me a new phone (referb) in the mail that I just got today. I activated it and updated my roaming soon as I got it and guess what? Same signal issue, dropping to 1x or 0 bars in 3g.

I then called customer service again, got Tech Support and they go 'Oh, its a network problem then since you got a new phone and are having the SAME issue; we need to send an engineer out to the tower, it will be 3-4days and we will call you back."

Bottom line is either

1) The droids antenna SUCKS and just has major signal problems and Verizon either A) Doesn't want to admit it or B) Doesn't know about it

2) Verizon's network is being overloaded by all the new Smart phones using tons of data and they don't want to admit it

I'm very unhappy with Verizon, I've been a loyal customer for 12 years and have always loved their tech support, customer service, etc and now? I just was actually VERY short with the CS reps on the phone because I've had to make 4 phone calls for the same issue and they keep jerking me around.

If you have a signal issue with your Droid, CALL them and complain. Call them daily, call them hourly, don't let them jerk you around and be forceful, its the only way this issue is going to be solved.

 

[ronjr123]

I had the same problem. My first phone sucked for cell service since the day I got it. Last week called and complained and they sent me a replacement and the signal is like night and day. 100% better. The only thing now, the keyboard does not light up on the new refurbished phone!! Oh well, I'll keep it for a couple of months and then call and get another replacement.

The thing to do though is to call and NOT go into a store. The idiot that I talked in the store had a Droid (stock of course and NOT one Application)!! As soon as he saw that I was running DXTop, he said he couldn't help me. Must have been the apps I was running!! I really wish they would either train their people correctly and/or if they do and they still don't get it, get rid of them. There are alot of people that are out of work that would take the time to learn their products.

I'm ranting here.....but they just seem to be like car salesmen anymore. When I am shopping for a car, if I know more than the person I am talking too, then I just walk away. If they would just take the time to learn their products....everything is on net these days....OK I quit.

 

[Jaylor]

Latest update on my Signal issue saga. Verizon got back to me after checking the towers and gave me some BS saying that "There are so many towers near your home that they are all fighting for the signal and creating a dead zone."

There are so many issues with this statement, the biggest ones are:

1) I'm NOT only having the problem when I'm at home, its happening everywhere.
2) Both my housemates have Verizon and have no signal issues.
I told the Verizon Techs this and they just choose to ignore it.

3) Verizon has a TON of cell towers in my area yes. However, how could they fight for a signal? CDMA Towers all broadcast at the same power, at the same signal and they compliment each other, NOT fight for the signal. (I actually talked to a friend that OWNS a phone company and knows a lot about cell service and he started laughing and said Verizon is blowing me crap)

On a 'good' note. Since Verizon determined that they are having a service issue and are not able to give me the network coverage they should be, they are giving me 3 months to cancel my contract without a early termination fee and even keep my Droid. Which is 'nice' but stupid. The only other CDMA networks are Sprint and Cricket.. both of which suck. Not only that, there is no phone even remotely like the Droid right now and its unlikely there will be within 3 months.

*sighs*

Bottom line, the radio in the Droid sucks.. either do to hardware issues or software issues and Verizon is unwilling or unable to push back on Google and Motorolla to figure out what is going on.

 

[big.daddy]

i agree, the radio does stink. my signal goes up and down sitting in the same spot. I have not been overly impressed with the network either. I am an alltel convert and had perfect service with alltel. two days ago my internet was taking forever so i did a speed test, my downloads were at 0 Mbps and uploads were at .8 Mbps, which seems backwards. I am definitely going to get rid of the droid after the incredible comes out to see if its a better device.