I just transferred to the University of Minnesota,and it seems like T-Mobile has terrible coverage and penetration on campus; my average bars are lower, and my battery life has tanked, with battery stats telling me that the cell standby is taking 35-50%, with anywhere between 5-35% time without signal. I can only guess that the radio is sitting at max power trying to grab signal, but I may be wrong.
I've tried both the 26.08.04.30 radio, and the newest Bell one, both seeing terrible performance. I find myself needing my phone data, so I'd rather not slap on airplane mode or turn off 3G if I can help it. I was even considering tethering whenever I decide to get a laptop.
Anyone have any tips?
EDIT: A couple additions, fixes.
Sent from my G2
Does your school have WiFi pretty much everywhere? My university does, and I am on a newer Even More plan so I was able to get free WiFi calling (does not use minutes). WiFi saves battery especially when using data when compared to cellular data. Just make sure you set the WiFi sleep policy to never in Settings > Wireless > WiFi settings > Menu > Advanced
I've been attempting to use that as my solution, but it seems like there are plenty of areas with flaky wifi. I feel like that's going to make the radio work hard to try grabbing a good signal, in addition to Wifi Calling trying to enable if it drops. I'm seeing how it goes.
Sent from my G2
Wifi calling is your best bet, I use it on campus and in lecture halls all the time. If Tmobile has crappy service in the area there really isn't much you can do to change it. Sucks.
Sent from my T-mobile G2 using Tapatalk
Has anyone found an app to toggle the 4G on/off yet? I realise it is disabled in Android 2.3, but I see they have it working for the Evo and maybe others. I also saw at least one paid app that says it works, but I don't want to pay for it and then find out it doesn't work.
Thanks,
All the 4g toggles I've tried work on WiMax only
Why do you want to disable 4g? Its not like an lte out Wimax radio that causes massive battery drain so why turn it off?
Sent from my Hercules with xda Premium.
Data Enabler Widget
really? i did not know this. I'm not sure what Sprint uses, but i know when i had sprint if i disabled my mobile data it made my battery last MUCH longer.
most of the standard 4g toggle widgets included in most widget packs, i.e. widgetzoid, do not work on this phone.
the one toggle i have found to work is called "Data Enabler Widget" by "farproc" it is available on the market.
Be aware that picture messaging does NOT work without 4g data on, and you must re enable it before you use it. (wifi too for some stupid reason)
why disable?
I want to disable it primarily because i don't have unlimited data, but also to extend battery life as well. If there is no toggle switch that works I will just have get used to the extra steps of turning it on and off through the settings menu.
Yesterday I used 50% of the data that I would normally use in a month, because I thought I was using wifi, but apparently was not. That tells me that the phone either is not holding the wifi signal at home very well or the wifi is not overriding the data connection. Either way, I need to be turning off the data connection when I am at home or using a wifi hotspot.
if you would take the time to read my post, i just provided you with the exact app you are looking for. it is a widget available on the android market. it is called;
DATA ENABLER WIDGET by farproc.
kthx.
bikemaker said:
I want to disable it primarily because i don't have unlimited data, but also to extend battery life as well. If there is no toggle switch that works I will just have get used to the extra steps of turning it on and off through the settings menu.
Yesterday I used 50% of the data that I would normally use in a month, because I thought I was using wifi, but apparently was not. That tells me that the phone either is not holding the wifi signal at home very well or the wifi is not overriding the data connection. Either way, I need to be turning off the data connection when I am at home or using a wifi hotspot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Another option then is any this party power control app. You can turn off mobile data through those.
Sent from my Hercules with xda Premium.
I always used the power control app on my Hero, but unfortunately the one for this phone doesn't include a data toggle.
reata Enabler Widget
ApexZeph,
I tried the Data Enabler Widget you mentioned and it works perfectly! Thanks!
Sprint's 4G is not the same as HSPA+. HSPA+ is just 3G, or if you wanna feel better, 3.5G. It runs all the time and doesn't use extra battery because you're still only using the 3G radio. Sprint's 4G is WiMax, which is basically glorified Wifi and requires a totally separate radio. It works like Wifi; you turn it on, wait for it to scan and connect to the 4G network (which doesn't even deserve to be called 4G because it sucks ****).
Since you guys are on GSM, what you could do is disable 3G data and that would do it. You'd go to EDGE, but you'd save a ton of battery. Again, 4G is just a marketing term for you guys; you're still just using fast 3G.
kenvan19 said:
Why do you want to disable 4g? Its not like an lte out Wimax radio that causes massive battery drain so why turn it off?
Sent from my Hercules with xda Premium.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its not?
4G on idle 2 hours: 18% drain from 100%
EDGE idle 2 hours: 5% drain from 100%.
4G is a bleeder.
kenvan19 said:
Why do you want to disable 4g? Its not like an lte out Wimax radio that causes massive battery drain so why turn it off?
Sent from my Hercules with xda Premium.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HSPA+ uses a lot more power than EDGE. Programs like Juice Defender use this fact to their advantage and disable HSPA when the screen is off, and I hear it just about doubles idle battery life.
manekineko said:
HSPA+ uses a lot more power than EDGE. Programs like Juice Defender use this fact to their advantage and disable HSPA when the screen is off, and I hear it just about doubles idle battery life.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HSPA+ = 3G. Yes, 3G uses more power than EDGE. It has always been and will always be that way. There is no magical "4G" toggle because HSPA IS 3G. So the only way to turn off your faux-G is to turn off 3G data and fall back to EDGE.
There is no 2g/3g(4g) toggle that works on the stock roms. It will just take you to the settings page where you have to choose GSM/HSPA, GSM only, or HSPA only.
knickfan5745 said:
There is no 2g/3g(4g) toggle that works on the stock roms. It will just take you to the settings page where you have to choose GSM/HSPA, GSM only, or HSPA only.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
GSM only = 2G only
HSPA = 3G/4G only (remember, they use the same radio)
GSM/HSPA+ = whatever is available, with HSPA having priority.
Hey everyone,
I spent 4 hours this evening reading up on how to Root, CWM, and Flash a ROM onto my SGS2. Contained in one of the threads (I believe it was [ROM][NOV 14]Bombaridier V.2.0) I came across a brief mention of a program which allows the user to toggle 4g Data on/off simply by clicking the icon. I downloaded it, and just now I flashed Bombaridier (awesome ROM btw). That problem is now gone (obviously) and I can not, for the life of me, remember what it was called. I'm hoping someone can throw me a bone here so I don't have to sift through hundreds of pages again in order to find it. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks
Nate
You are probably speaking of Juice Defender but Ill let you know of another program that is better IMO. It's called LLama its event based. I have two events 1. Mobile data on when screen is on and 2. Mobile data off when screen is off. Juice defender does the same thing but every fifften mins turns on 4g grabs emails etc and then turns off again. The reason I think LLama is better is because in my job Ill forget about my phone while working and pick it hours later. yesterday my phone went 2hrs before it dropped from 100% to 99%.
the only problem I find with having mobile data off when screen is off (llama) personally is that I use GV as my text app. and if my mobile data is off, then I won't know that I've received any text.
When in the office, i do not have wifi, so I rely on my data connections for texts. Is there a condition where when the screen is off for 1 minute, then mobile data will be turned off and turn on again every 10 minutes or so (like juice defender) to help me check if i received any text?
I was wondering if there's any kind of tricks I can use.. to save battery life..
to just use my phones 3g, and not for text and calls (I have another phone for that, and I like to use my epic as a tablet uninterrupted anyway).
can the voice/text be cut out any kind of way so it's now always checking the tower? I guess i could change the polling to 7 instead of 2 (i think i already done that)..
at this poitn though i need to get my 3g working, it's died under cm7.2 el22.
going to flash ec05 probably right now...
That's part of ur radio transmitter. That's also how u keep a data connection with the towers.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using xda premium
If you disconnect your phone from service you can still use wifi and tether from your other phone if you can make it a hotspot or any wifi spot and use it that way.
Wow, I do really hate my Wi-Fi controls on my sprint phone and am hoping someone knows of a simple setting I have not found yet.
When I leave my house I turn off Wi-fi yet sometimes when I am out and I look at my phone, it comes back on. I think it does this when a wi-fi network is nearby??? The phone asks me to setup a wi-fi hotspot even though I don't pay for the service (although I have rooted my phone and tried to get it working through an app). But what aggravates me the most about it is that the wi-fi will turn on and if it isn't connected to a network, it will cause issues with things like Google Play. With wi-fi on and no network to connect to, Google Play won't be able to search and reports a connection problem. Most times I don't pay attention to it being on or off because I know I've turned it off.
I am not sure if this behavior is normal, this didn't happen with my HTC EVO I had. On that phone, wi-fi stayed off until I turned it back on.
I've looked and can't find any settings that might help me figure out how to eliminate this behavior. Anyone?
First questions go in Q&A
Second, turn off the Sprint Optimizer in settings>more>mobile networks>automatic connections.
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It is the Sprint Connections Optimizer that is doing that. It will turn WiFi on even after you have turned it off. You can disable the Connections Optimizer in Settings > More Settings > Mobile Networks. Some have reported that this feature will also re-enable itself. I have seen that happen. I used Titanium Backup to freeze the Sprint Connections Optimizer app and I no longer have to fight to keep WiFi off when I want it off.
aside from this small annoyance, Can anyone say if this is a battery drainer or not?
svfreddy said:
aside from this small annoyance, Can anyone say if this is a battery drainer or not?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think it makes much difference on the battery. It's just annoying, like you said. I turned it off (unchecked the box) from the Mobile Networks and it went away. You really don't need that option cuz it will change whenever there the data coverage changes anyways.
how does one disable the wifi so that it only comes on when the user wants it on.
got 4.4 on my sprint note2. everytime i reboot, it automatically comes on.
and it comes on when i'm using the wifi tether router app. and shuts my tether off. getting really annoying with my downloads. and having to start over again.
You'll need to turn of the sprint connections optimizer ( its under mobile networks in settings) that will prevent wifi from coming on unless you want it.
Hope this helps
sloanmeister said:
You'll need to turn of the sprint connections optimizer ( its under mobile networks in settings) that will prevent wifi from coming on unless you want it.
Hope this helps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i'll give that a try. THANK YOU.
On another note.. Has anyone noticed how spot on connection optimizer has been since 4.4? No more cutting on and staying on all day. Now it actually shuts itself off when no Wi-Fi connection is made unlike before. I actually use it now and get better battery life since everywhere I go I usually have Wi-Fi, work included and when there's none it shuts off now. But I do see what op refers to, that's why I always uncheck it before tethering.
Sent from my SPH-L900 using XDA Free mobile app
i'm a long haul trucker, i've been using my note2 as a gps tablet for the past 12 months. the phone is deactivated. i really see no need for wifi to be kicking on. what's the sense in turning it on when everything around is password protected.
really annoying to look at my screen and see wifi choices to connect to.
last week i had it activated, i've seen sprints plans to expand their coverage and hope it works out. i'm tired of shelling out twice the money for a cap on my services and crappy equipment with verizon.
snowwy66 said:
i'm a long haul trucker, i've been using my note2 as a gps tablet for the past 12 months. the phone is deactivated. i really see no need for wifi to be kicking on. what's the sense in turning it on when everything around is password protected.
really annoying to look at my screen and see wifi choices to connect to.
last week i had it activated, i've seen sprints plans to expand their coverage and hope it works out. i'm tired of shelling out twice the money for a cap on my services and crappy equipment with verizon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sprint connection only works when the device is activated to the sprint network so it shouldn't be kicking on if it's desactivated. At least that's the case with my phones.. I constantly swap between my phones and I've noticed whichever ones not activated the optimizer quits working on it even if it's checked on.
Sent from my SPH-L900 using XDA Free mobile app