[Q] Proper configuration... - Samsung Epic 4G Touch

Hey guys, I just bought a replacement Epic Touch 4G off of eBay after my old one ate itself.
I spent about 9 hours screwing around with the thing, and eventually was able to get voice and eventually 3G working. The MSL code was different from the one the (very frustrated) Sprint customer rep expected (only found this out afterward, using the getprop trick in the shell), which was interesting.
Anyway, I've been on an interesting journey with this thing. I'm completely comfortable with hard technical stuff, but the behind the scenes goings on behind cell phones is outside my usual domain. However, most of the kinks I was experiencing initially, seem to be smoothed out now.
But one thing is still killing me. My signal has been positively abysmal. I was having trouble updating the PRL the official way, so I learned how to use QPST to do it. At first, I threw a corporate PRL in there. No change. Then I changed to 25014 (the latest?), but still extremely poor performance. Additionally, most of the time, data is connecting at 1x. Once in a while I'll see 3G connect, but it's rare.
I'm looking for any suggestions on what to tweak, or -- better -- for a list of expected values for the #-code screens, so I can ensure they're correct. I'm not sure who had this phone originally, or what they did to it.
Much thanks, and if there's anything I can add to this to help, let me know!

fortyseven203 said:
Hey guys, I just bought a replacement Epic Touch 4G off of eBay after my old one ate itself.
I spent about 9 hours screwing around with the thing, and eventually was able to get voice and eventually 3G working. The MSL code was different from the one the (very frustrated) Sprint customer rep expected (only found this out afterward, using the getprop trick in the shell), which was interesting.
Anyway, I've been on an interesting journey with this thing. I'm completely comfortable with hard technical stuff, but the behind the scenes goings on behind cell phones is outside my usual domain. However, most of the kinks I was experiencing initially, seem to be smoothed out now.
But one thing is still killing me. My signal has been positively abysmal. I was having trouble updating the PRL the official way, so I learned how to use QPST to do it. At first, I threw a corporate PRL in there. No change. Then I changed to 25014 (the latest?), but still extremely poor performance. Additionally, most of the time, data is connecting at 1x. Once in a while I'll see 3G connect, but it's rare.
I'm looking for any suggestions on what to tweak, or -- better -- for a list of expected values for the #-code screens, so I can ensure they're correct. I'm not sure who had this phone originally, or what they did to it.
Much thanks, and if there's anything I can add to this to help, let me know!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you flashed stock jb rom and updated modem, then prl, then profile, reboot, profit?
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium

Related

LOS update -- new development

I am currently tethering over a 4g connection, and my internet is working fine, BUT I have a complete LOS for the cell signal. I think this could be a very important fact because we should be able to know some things by the fact that WiMax is working while the cell signal is altogether lost.
Hopefully, with this info, a solution is a little closer at hand.
Ok...when people say LOS do they mean Loss Of Service? Or Loss Of Signal?
Because if its the latter, that sht aint that bad. But if its the former...I'm glad I don't have it.
ms79723 said:
Ok...when people say LOS do they mean Loss Of Service? Or Loss Of Signal?
Because if its the latter, that sht aint that bad. But if its the former...I'm glad I don't have it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is bad. People that get it have to reboot phone for it to come back and it kills battery life. Nit to mention missed calls and texts. It is a complete loss of service.
Sent From My Evo Killer!!!
Its 2 separate radios..
I had pandora going over 4g earlier for hours...but lost signal with a crossed out circle after about an hour. Pandora kept going but u couldn't make a phone call, ths.falls in line with the other poster. Im running eg30plus over latest 2.1 midnight.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
As WhiteWidows stated, it's 2 different radios. The LOS people have posted over and over about is the ability to make/receive calls (which is what the OP posted about). The Wimax radio (4G) doesn't transmit phone calls. That's why you can do data on 4G and still make a call at the same time.
.....
Hi guys, this is one of my first posts but I've been a long time reader coming from the Evo 4G forums. I'm rooter using Zedomax v3 and experienced multiple LOS as well.
Last night I tried limiting the clock speed to 1ghz and setting the min at 400mhz. Strangly I now get slightly better reception and never had a LOS yet. Will continue to test out this theory and see if it's clock speed related.
I came about testing this since I ran mine at 1.6 for a while and not only would I get more LOS occurances, I would also get phone freezes lol. I tether and stream music a lot so wanted to keep it slightly underclocked to keep the temps down. Hope this helps as a temporary band aid for the LOS bug
It definitely makes sense that the two radios are separate...the point of my post was just to offer some more information to help figure out a fix.
If one radio fails while the other stays working, do we know that the problem is phone-related? Many posters have speculated that the issue may be on Sprint's end, so I wasn't sure if this info did anything to challenge or support that theory. Maybe it does nothing, though -- just throwing it out there!
Someone posted a log cat of a LOS. There's still some coding in the radio files that thinks there is a sim card. Says sim disconnected and result radio off
sent from my DAMN ET4G!!!!
Hopefully a solution is found soon, I've seen similar issues posted on various android forums. Androidforums, Sprint community and here. Wish I waited a bit to hear more user experiences....
Success100 said:
Someone posted a log cat of a LOS. There's still some coding in the radio files that thinks there is a sim card. Says sim disconnected and result radio off
sent from my DAMN ET4G!!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Has anyone tried editing the build prop to manually change the preferred network from wcdma to CDMA auto? Maybe that'd fix that issue
I have been on my current SGS2 stock out of the box for over a week now and have not had any LOS issues, or missing texts, or data not working, or missing phone calls, etc.....
I have been using wi-fi, 4G, 3G, have an Airaive, went to an area where there is no Sprint service and phone roamed fine and then went back to Sprint service when available.
I have been unable to replicate the LOS issue on my current phone through all possible ways of using it.
My first SGS2 was also fine until I rooted it which then gave me an LOS within 12 hours of doing so.
If someone has a another sure way to get an LOS, I am willing to try it on my stock, never rooted phone but I don't think there are any other situations I can try that I haven't already......
Time.I have went 3 days without a los then 2 in same day.It is all random

LTE Gnex Radio Problems? Try This

Background
This is by no means definitive, so don't everyone go get your panties in a wad and pitch fits like 12 year olds.
So several days ago I noticed that my GNex was starting to have issues with dropping calls and data connections. Basically, I was dropping data and voice despite having a connection to the network about every 2-5 hours, requiring a reboot. This happened over a 3 day period in a stationary position, in radically different places (like 80-150 miles apart). It was happening on 3G and on 4G so I was pretty confident that it wasn't just a localized outage or the local tower acting up. I'm no expert and certainly no /dev, but I've been around some Android devices a time or two.
I'm a big proponent that 95% of problems with an Android device are user error. That doesn't mean you're holding it wrong or that you're stupid, merely that something the user has installed or set is affecting something else, that affected something else. As an example, shortly after getting my GNex I installed TweetDeck. I had used Navigation several times to test GPS (first thing I did being a SGS owner) so I knew it worked and worked well. Anyway, immediately after installing and setting up TweetDeck, my GPS crapped. It would see satellites but not connect... even after 30 minutes....even after rebooting, clearing AGPS data, blah blah. Being objective, I decided to freeze TweetDeck with TB. As soon as I did, GPS returned. As soon as I unfroze it, GPS failed. I uninstalled TweetDeck and reinstalled from the Market, and had no more issues.
Solution (For me at least)
With that event in mind, and a crapped out radio, I went looking through my app drawer for apps that access the radio. I picked out Network Info II 0.6.0, Real Signal 3.5 and Network Signal Info 1.51. I rebooted and waited. Here it is three days later, and I have yet to have a single voice or data drop. If I've had one on the data side, I haven't noticed and it certainly wasn't for long.
I don't know how or why. All I know is that I've never had any form of radio trouble and those apps were recently installed, and that without them, the radio issues are gone. Take it for what it's worth, which probably isn't much. But if you're on 4.0.4, with 4.0.4 radios and you're suffering from radio problems, flip through your app drawer and remove or freeze applications that have the sole purpose of polling data from your radios. Who knows, maybe having 3 was 1 or 2 to many.
Thanks for the write up. And I really think the issue with certain apps interfering with OS-level stuff is a big issue, and one that nobody seems to want to notice.
There are a ton of posts, not only on this forum but on others, where people are saying they have so many issues with the Nexus and this and that. What a lot of people don't realize is that, yes, certain apps that are either poorly coded in general or not coded for ICS can potentially interfere with the normal operations of your phone.
A lot of people tend to use/stick with apps that they are used to, right? I came from the G1, the very first Android phone, so I've been using Android for awhile, and I bet that other people are too. Some apps are a staple of people's usage, meaning as soon as they get a new device, those same apps are the first to be downloaded and installed. However a lot of times those apps are abandoned by their developers, never to be touched again.
So of course an app that was coded on Froyo or even Eclair that calls the GPS or the radio or bluetooth stack or something else hardware related can potentially cause issues, especially with ICS being such a radical change from Gingerbread.
Question for OP. When you lost your data after 5 hours or so, was your 4G or 3G signal still showing as well as the data bars still moving like they are active but technically your data is not connected at all?
Was it apps you added that you froze or system stype apps? How did you see what accesed the radio?
[email protected] said:
Question for OP. When you lost your data after 5 hours or so, was your 4G or 3G signal still showing as well as the data bars still moving like they are active but technically your data is not connected at all?
Was it apps you added that you froze or system stype apps? How did you see what accesed the radio?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. It was doing the typical thing you read about where people will have gray bars, 4G/3G showing, "Verizon Wireless" on the lock screen but no connection to anything at all.
The applications I froze are all 3rd party market apps. Check out the permissions for Network Info II as an example. My not so scientific hypothesis wonders if too many apps that can read "Network State" and "Phone State" going at once is too many. Again, not really based on anything at all, but I wouldn't be surprised to learn that multiple apps or a poorly coded app constantly requesting Network/Phone State could throw radios into a tailspin and cause those radio crashes that we see from logcats.
And as a disclaimer, I'm not knocking those applications or saying that there's anything wrong with them. I make this post primarily to encourage people with the issue to think logically about the apps they have installed and experiment with removing some out of the equation. Going back to what I said eariler, 99% of people that install TweetDeck on their GNex probably don't have GPS issues because of it, ever. I did until uninstalling and reinstalling and haven't had issues since.
I see this as possibly being no different, at least in regards to a 4.0.4 Bootloader, OS and Radio Package.
Food for thought: Apps have not been updated to work 100% with ICS?
KWKSLVR said:
Yes. It was doing the typical thing you read about where people will have gray bars, 4G/3G showing, "Verizon Wireless" on the lock screen but no connection to anything at all.
The applications I froze are all 3rd party market apps. Check out the permissions for Network Info II as an example. My not so scientific hypothesis wonders if too many apps that can read "Network State" and "Phone State" going at once is too many. Again, not really based on anything at all, but I wouldn't be surprised to learn that multiple apps or a poorly coded app constantly requesting Network/Phone State could throw radios into a tailspin and cause those radio crashes that we see from logcats.
And as a disclaimer, I'm not knocking those applications or saying that there's anything wrong with them. I make this post primarily to encourage people with the issue to think logically about the apps they have installed and experiment with removing some out of the equation. Going back to what I said eariler, 99% of people that install TweetDeck on their GNex probably don't have GPS issues because of it, ever. I did until uninstalling and reinstalling and haven't had issues since.
I see this as possibly being no different, at least in regards to a 4.0.4 Bootloader, OS and Radio Package.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Alright, so will that app tell me what is accessing that feature or do I need to go through every app to find out and what exactly shoould t say in the access?
Help me out here please because this is starting to annoy me!
The fastest way to see what apps have what permissions is Menu > Settings > Apps then go through each app and scroll down to permissions. Or you could back up your apps with TB, do a Nandroid then completely wipe the phone and live with it totally untouched (minus your gmail account of course) long enough to see if the problem goes away.
Don't get me wrong, I've never seen an LTE phone that didn't occasionally disconnect for a few seconds. People that say, "OMG my Rezound never did" are either full of it or didn't pay attention. There are plenty of cases of Rezounds, Maxx's and Thunderbolts having brief and random disconnects. But there's a huge difference between that, and losing signal as often as I was and as often as many people here say they do. There's nothing you can do about the former, but hopefully this is something that can be done about the latter. I'm crossing my fingers that it may help and that it's a relatively simple fix because frankly, until I saw it for myself I thought a lot of people were being drama queens. I'm not a whiner, I'm a doer, so I encourage everyone to go do.
bk201doesntexist said:
Food for thought: Apps have not been updated to work 100% with ICS?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are a TON of apps that haven't been updated. I have a paid app that hasn't been updated that is abandoned and still on the market. Works fantastic except on ICS.
I've thankfully been free of radio issues thus far on my GNex, but I want to thank you for this thread.
KWKSLVR said:
I'm a big proponent that 95% of problems with an Android device are user error. That doesn't mean you're holding it wrong or that you're stupid, merely that something the user has installed or set is affecting something else, that affected something else.
...
Being objective, I decided to freeze TweetDeck with TB. As soon as I did, GPS returned. As soon as I unfroze it, GPS failed. I uninstalled TweetDeck and reinstalled from the Market, and had no more issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
KWKSLVR said:
I make this post primarily to encourage people with the issue to think logically about the apps they have installed and experiment with removing some out of the equation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not to jump up on too high of a soapbox, but I couldn't agree with you more.
It's very satisfying to read about people methodically, empirically testing. It's something that seems rare these days.
So thank you!
KWKSLVR said:
The fastest way to see what apps have what permissions is Menu > Settings > Apps then go through each app and scroll down to permissions. Or you could back up your apps with TB, do a Nandroid then completely wipe the phone and live with it totally untouched (minus your gmail account of course) long enough to see if the problem goes away.
Don't get me wrong, I've never seen an LTE phone that didn't occasionally disconnect for a few seconds. People that say, "OMG my Rezound never did" are either full of it or didn't pay attention. There are plenty of cases of Rezounds, Maxx's and Thunderbolts having brief and random disconnects. But there's a huge difference between that, and losing signal as often as I was and as often as many people here say they do. There's nothing you can do about the former, but hopefully this is something that can be done about the latter. I'm crossing my fingers that it may help and that it's a relatively simple fix because frankly, until I saw it for myself I thought a lot of people were being drama queens. I'm not a whiner, I'm a doer, so I encourage everyone to go do.
There are a TON of apps that haven't been updated. I have a paid app that hasn't been updated that is abandoned and still on the market. Works fantastic except on ICS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My signal does not go in and out but randomly after hours it might lose data. By looking at it you would never know because everything looks fine but behind the scenes data is not working.
So what we are looking for in permissions is what you listed in the 1st post and that is what will be listed?
I thought it might have been me running in tablet mode so I just switched back to phone mode. Would like to see if it is actually caused by what you say.
[email protected] said:
My signal does not go in and out but randomly after hours it might lose data. By looking at it you would never know because everything looks fine but behind the scenes data is not working.
So what we are looking for in permissions is what you listed in the 1st post and that is what will be listed?
I thought it might have been me running in tablet mode so I just switched back to phone mode. Would like to see if it is actually caused by what you say.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I froze those apps, I picked them because I knew they had access to:
Network communication > view network state > Allows an application to view the state of all networks. The part in bold is the description of what the permission "View Network State" means. That permission is under the "Network Communication" Category. Some apps will have more than that single permission under Network communication, some with have none at all. "Real Signal" has the fewest permissions out of the three I froze, and maybe all three don't HAVE to be frozen, but I haven't tested that yet.
Another random thought. During that time period, I also had a BUNCH of random reboots.
Maybe on other devices 95% user error might be closer.
But, not on my Gnex! What if you bought a completely new phone and have not installed any apps. The first time you open up the stock browser and use it for 5 mins or so on 4G LTE next to the cell tower -75 db stationary and still lose connection of both data and voice with "the triangle of death" on 2 separate GNex with 2 new SIM cards? Is this a bad batch? To me, "bad batch" is when we say 1/100 is a faulty device but this is almost reversed with GNex. We should exchange devices until we find a "good batch"
All I am saying is we all should be a little more compassionate for people like me. A lot of problems are made by users, sure. But it sure isn't 95%....It's more like samsung/google/vzw 60% in this case..
I hope I shed a little light on all the users that did not create user errors yet still have radio problems and VZW keep telling us to wait because issues are going to be addressed with the supposed firmware update that should have come in Feb, now March. Now...I don't know when.
Thank you for your post though, you rock
With anything, even product reviews, the people that have issues always make up the vocal majority. No one talks about how things work the way they should.
If my phone truly dropped 4G as often as it did when I had this application conflict, I'd be in the Verizon store every day until I either had a replacement or got banished from the store. If Verizon told me that it was "normal" and to live with it, I'd pay a visit to management at a different Verizon store and pay an online visit to the BBB. If that didn't do any good and I was really REALLY bored and had nothing better to do, I'd probably draw up a letter to Verizon's legal department about the liability Verizon could have when a consumer can't call 911 in the middle of the night because the radio crashed.
I still think it's an incompatibility hiccup with ICS more than necessarily an issue with Verizon's LTE network. I see GSM owners complaining too. And, as I said in the OP, I can only speak for a "stock" 4.0.4 bootloader/modem/radio experience. I've seen posts from people talking about how their problems have disappeared since making the move from 4.0.2 to 4.0.4. All I can speak of from my own experiences is that I've never had a problem from any version of ICS other than what I experience.
Come to think of it, I think I'll defrost all three of those apps and see what happens, especially since the phone in my hotel seems to be in working order.
OK, in the couple of hours since I've defrosted my cocktail of apps I've:
Opened the Facebook app, watched it poll for GPS and lock, then closed the Facebook app only to have GPS stuck on. Once I went into Settings > Apps > Location Services and tried to uncheck "GPS satellites" it rebooted. After rebooting, the phone showed 4G and a connection to Google's servers but I couldn't browse or use any app that is web based (like speed test, gmail, etc). After about 30 minutes of trying, I rebooted again and everything was fine. I have a feeling it's related to Real Signal looking at the plethora of stuff it monitors and that it's starting up on boot.
That's all I personally care to see. Needless to say, they're all frozen again.
I don't think there is a problem with real signal, I only installed it after having these problems to start with.
Since I got my nexus it works randomly drop voice and data. People would call me and get a fast busy signal. I tried many different radios and they all behaved the same. I switch my network to CDMA only and haven't dropped data or voice in two days.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
On 4.0.4?
I don't think it's necessarily just Real Signal. I think it's multiple apps polling data from your radios. After a few more days, I'll go through them one by one. So far in my experiences on my setup, there is something up with the combination of those apps.
Again, there's a solid chance that a combination of other apps could give other people similar issues.
I will say this, even if I had problems before installing those apps, this particular cocktail would only make them worse.
It's not ICM
Hi all - First post here, but have been having nightmares with my wifes Nexus - mine is fine and drops NOTHING - EVER.
Hers on the other hand - we are on our 2nd one and I was informed by Verizon today, that it's been 14 days since they replaced it and I"m stuck with it. I rooted her phone and installed 4.04, which fixed the random reboots she was having, and her signal LOOKED stronger, but she is dropping calls like mad and getting kicked off the network randomly.
Anyway, it does not appear to be a ICM thing - I was reading a review on IT World (I'm not allowed to post links till I've posted 8 times? ) - They are describing THE EXACT SAME THING the Galaxy Nexus is having. So there is a switching problem WITH VERIZON. The Maxx isn't ICM and the phone is a totally different manufacturer (Motorola)
I'm smelling class action lawsuit.
Woodk1 said:
Hi all - First post here, but have been having nightmares with my wifes Nexus - mine is fine and drops NOTHING - EVER.
Hers on the other hand - we are on our 2nd one and I was informed by Verizon today, that it's been 14 days since they replaced it and I"m stuck with it. I rooted her phone and installed 4.04, which fixed the random reboots she was having, and her signal LOOKED stronger, but she is dropping calls like mad and getting kicked off the network randomly.
Anyway, it does not appear to be a ICM thing - I was reading a review on IT World (I'm not allowed to post links till I've posted 8 times? ) - They are describing THE EXACT SAME THING the Galaxy Nexus is having. So there is a switching problem WITH VERIZON. The Maxx isn't ICM and the phone is a totally different manufacturer (Motorola)
I'm smelling class action lawsuit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, indeed.
I am very surprised to not see one yet!
It means all of us with this issue is actually being very patient at the moment.
Again, for anyone who does not have this issue at all, and curious to find out what issue we all are actually describing here by LTE Connection Drop + Voice Drop is:
http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=24345
Man, why does everyone always pull the "class action lawsuit" line?
Firstly, you're not going to do diddly squat legally about it, so stop kidding yourselves (and us) when you say that you are.
Secondly, no service you pay for is "guaranteed" to have 100 percent uptime. My Comcast internet connection goes out every 3 months or so anywhere from 5 hours to one day. Do you think I have legal grounds to sue them? Nope. When a thunderstorm rolls in and you lose power for 12 hours, can you sue your electric company? Nope. In fact, I'm pretty sure in most ToS contracts or forms that you sign, it states that they do not guarantee you anything.
LTE is a relatively new technology, and Verizon is the first one to offer it. There's going to be hiccups and growing pains. It's been a year and it's A LOT better now than it was back when it started. 4 years ago we were all happy to get something faster than EDGE speeds, and now we get connections capable of 40/50 Mbps down at times and people are still unhappy.
I understand people's frustrations with the network/switching issues that are occurring between CDMA and LTE. But we live in an age where everyone feels entitled and important enough to immediately sue another company at the drop of a hat.
Here's an idea: If you are faced with severe LTE switching issues and it's a continuing problem, call up customer support. Tell them what is going on and let them help you. Yes, you are past your 14 day return policy, but you have one year of a device warranty, they will ship you out a replacement device. Since your Nexus works fine and your wife's does not, it leads me to believe that it's not a network issue in your area, and either: A. Your wife got two dud Nexus' in a row, which sucks but is not unheard of. or B. Your wife is using some sort of app or service that interferes with the radios. If you still have the issue after the 3rd replacement, call them up again and explain, and they just might be able to give her a different device altogether if the Nexus isn't working out for her.
Dear MMcCraryNJ,
hear my long plea if you have the time. If you don't that is okay.
Firstly, I am so glad you seem to be not affected by this issue on your GNex.
Every single day, I wish I was in your shoes.
On the brighter side though, with LTE Data/voice drop & severe vertical banded screen & one-way-microphone outbound issues, I have come to join in XDA forum. I've also gotten to know countless VZW / Samsung customer service representatives at all levels as well as local store customer service agents.
Secondly, I, and I am sure most of all the other GNex users with above issues, know that no product & service is guaranteed to work perfectly with 100% uptime. Personally, it takes a significant defect of any product for me to call customer service at all. I am one of those, who actually try to live with products that have minor flaws everyday. If GNex did drop my LTE 3-4 times daily, I'll live with out much complaint let alone 3 months that you've mentioned. 3 months of uptime would be heavenly, but I'll actually be perfectly fine with 3 hours uptime. Sadly, my uptime has been 5-10 minutes with LTE. If my one-way-outbound microphone cut off issue happened 1 out of 10 calls, I'll live happily. Sadly, nearly every other call makes my voice into a robot and I have to call back again.
I am personally coming from Droid Eris long long time ago when Android first came out with newest 3G technology back then. Eris wasn't issue free but my satisfaction with what I got was pretty much 95%. You see, as long as a product performs what it claimed to perform 60-80% of the time, I am happy. Claim and advertisement that Verizon made with CDMA Galaxy Nexus in the US as "The latest 4G LTE Pure Google ICS Smartphone meeting the most reliable 4G LTE network in the world" caught my attention, as many others, to actually decide to choose this new phone with my 2 year contract over countless androids that came out in the past 3 years.
Again, our frustration that is described on these post is described in detail here (http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=24345) it is not a LTE / 3G switch issue only. Switching issue is very small part of this problem. I will not go into any detail of one-way-microphone cut off issue at all, due to its unrelated nature on this particular post.
Just as you've suggested naively, your suggestions in order that you wrote them in were exactly the steps I thought and took from very first day I purchased GNex back 4 months ago from a local verizon store. I have stopped in at the verizon store to get exchanges of the actual device, SIM card. None of these replacements solved the data/voice drop issue. I am all talking about stock 4.0.2 without any apps installed on any of these GNex. It can't possibly be the bad batch as I received batches that were produced in completely different months. I loved whatever was promised with GNex so much that I was determined to find the one for me as no other devices Verizon offer at the time appeal to me at all. As 14 days has passed, the local verizon literally told me to 1) wait for the update 2) root your device to all different kind of ROMs and Radios 3) call VZW customer service. Which all of the advice I followed, I am still waiting, none of the ROMs and radios solved the issue.
Ever since then, I've been calling VZW and Samsung (when VZW transferred me), and talked to numerous customer service representatives at all different levels. (Level 2 & 3 and at some points I've been transferred and escalated twice to a person really higher up) With my efforts, I was actually able to tag all my calls, and send them screenshots (via e-mail), and follow through to actually make above mentioned issues officially put on VZW technical bulletin. It is a huge improvement, because when I first called about these issues, they told me "They've never heard of these issues.". Now, after all of our efforts, they admit there's over "120 technical bulletin reportings on these issues."
You do think that it is so easy to get a refurbished factory replacement phones with all my history right?
The answer is sadly No. They've been literally telling me to wait a little longer no matter how much I requested them to get me a replacement device. They are indeed very hesitant to keep replacing devices for all of us especially now days where the supposed update is going to resolve these issues. And on my end, I want to see first if the software fixes it, because I am literally burned out to get another screen protector install everything again, etc. Now the official answer is wait....for the update. If they don't keep their last promise of March update to resolve this issue, that is when my patience will run out and I'll jump to a different device. Although, I love this phone....
This is the longest online posting of any sort in my life ever. I hope this somewhat gives you a new perspective on what unlucky GNex user like myself had to go through in the past 4 months due to getting "bad batches"
Trust me, I hate to live in a society where anybody can talk about law suits against anybody. But, this was one of my first moments that I literally felt like I was hopeless & got betrayed by VZW / Samsung / Google. I started to fantasy about way to make them responsible for this poor product and service. All I wanted was at least 60 percent working "4G LTE Smartphone". (4G LTE is turned off due to connection drop, Phone is unusable as business purposes due to frequent one-way-cut off). After $299 and 2 year contract with $75 monthly service bill of 4 months with all the time I spent to help VZW/Samsung with this issue as a customer, my wildest dreams of thinking of participating in a class law suit, which will never happen, actually make me feel a little bit less helpless towards these major corporations as a customer.
Thank you for hearing my plea. I sincerely apologize for the length of this post.
Hope more of us can enjoy this great GNex in the near future.
After all, I love this device, I love this XDA forum and GNex community. I wouldn't want to switch to a different device just yet

How to Increase Signal in my Apartment?

I recently moved in to a new apartment for college and unfortunately my signal is very poor while inside the building.
This is really the only place on campus that I don't get great signal unless I get close to the window and pray that my phone decides to connect.
I've briefly looked into possible solutions but wanted to see if anyone had any suggestions/opinions on what I should/ could do.
I briefly looked into the Sprint AIRAVE, which I should be able to get. However, unless I can get it for free then I really don't see it as a viable solution, especially since my contract is up soon and I can just move to another carrier.
At this point I see my options being:
1. Get the AIRAVE.
2. Purchase a 3RD party signal booster (If cheaper than Sprint one).
3. Come up with some kind of DIY solution
4. Change some things on my phone in the hope that it improves.
5. Switch to another carrier.
What do you guys suggest doing/ think is the best option?
Are there ay other options I've missed?
Current Setup on my Epic 4g:
Rom: CM9 STABLE build from 8/10
Kernal: Shadow v0.6.3.3
PRL: FC09
I suggest option #1: Call Sprint and throw a fit, and have them provide you an airave
You may be better off with option 5.
The Airave is more of a cop-out solution for Sprint and their craptastic network. However, if it works for you then by all means go with it.
I've been with them for over 10 years now and haven't seen much network improvement in my city in the last 5 years. There are big patches of dead and weak signal spots all over. Hell, I can step outside my office building and find a dead spot in one 5 foot span, then move out of that span and be in a 3-signal strength spot.
I'm waiting a bit longer to see if their network will improve in my area. Otherwise, I will most likely jump carriers.
nikon120 said:
You may be better off with option 5.
The Airave is more of a cop-out solution for Sprint and their craptastic network. However, if it works for you then by all means go with it.
I've been with them for over 10 years now and haven't seen much network improvement in my city in the last 5 years. There are big patches of dead and weak signal spots all over. Hell, I can step outside my office building and find a dead spot in one 5 foot span, then move out of that span and be in a 3-signal strength spot.
I'm waiting a bit longer to see if their network will improve in my area. Otherwise, I will most likely jump carriers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My family has used them for about 10 years total, with a brief break when we lived in england. I've never really had any problems with getting signal where I needed it before now. But yeah, at this point they better make a good offer if they want me to stay with them.
So I called sprint, they wanted me to go through some troubleshooting stuff and ended up asking me if I was rooted.
I had a bunch of back and forth with him and he claimed that being rooted/not on stock caused my phone to show no "vital signs" and that even if I am using the proper PRL it doesn't matter. Everything he said sounded like a bunch of policy stuff and he never gave a clear explanation of why it mattered if I am rooted. Anyways he said I could restore to stock/factory settings and then he would call me back latter and we would troubleshoot stuff.
I am going to be doing the flowing:
1. Backup everything
2. Odin back to stock (non-rooted + update)
3. Go through the troubleshooting, even though I know it won't make a difference.
4. Hopefully get the AIRAVE for free.
5. Go back to my current setup.
I've also noticed that turning 4G on may actually make a difference in signal (Since there is 4G in atlanta).
Does anyone have in thoughts about this?
Am I wrong in saying that being rooted has NO effect on connectivity?
GuidingArrow said:
So I called sprint, they wanted me to go through some troubleshooting stuff and ended up asking me if I was rooted.
I had a bunch of back and forth with him and he claimed that being rooted/not on stock caused my phone to show no "vital signs" and that even if I am using the proper PRL it doesn't matter. Everything he said sounded like a bunch of policy stuff and he never gave a clear explanation of why it mattered if I am rooted. Anyways he said I could restore to stock/factory settings and then he would call me back latter and we would troubleshoot stuff.
I am going to be doing the flowing:
1. Backup everything
2. Odin back to stock (non-rooted + update)
3. Go through the troubleshooting, even though I know it won't make a difference.
4. Hopefully get the AIRAVE for free.
5. Go back to my current setup.
I've also noticed that turning 4G on may actually make a difference in signal (Since there is 4G in atlanta).
Does anyone have in thoughts about this?
Am I wrong in saying that being rooted has NO effect on connectivity?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you do anything with Sprint that involves troubleshooting, you should be on 100% stock. Also, never admit to rooting, even though there is that PDF from internal Sprint mail around these forums saying it's basically okay for customers to be rooted. It's way easier to just get back on stock and step through troubleshooting, than dealing with a script following CSR on the matter.
It takes an experienced flasher all of 3 minutes to get from stock back to previous setup or a new custom setup. So not a big deal.
Turning on 4G is an entirely different radio; hence you would have differing signal strengths from 4G to 3G.
GuidingArrow said:
I recently moved in to a new apartment for college and unfortunately my signal is very poor while inside the building.
This is really the only place on campus that I don't get great signal unless I get close to the window and pray that my phone decides to connect.
I've briefly looked into possible solutions but wanted to see if anyone had any suggestions/opinions on what I should/ could do.
I briefly looked into the Sprint AIRAVE, which I should be able to get. However, unless I can get it for free then I really don't see it as a viable solution, especially since my contract is up soon and I can just move to another carrier.
At this point I see my options being:
1. Get the AIRAVE.
2. Purchase a 3RD party signal booster (If cheaper than Sprint one).
3. Come up with some kind of DIY solution
4. Change some things on my phone in the hope that it improves.
5. Switch to another carrier.
What do you guys suggest doing/ think is the best option?
Are there ay other options I've missed?
Current Setup on my Epic 4g:
Rom: CM9 STABLE build from 8/10
Kernal: Shadow v0.6.3.3
PRL: FC09
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe try the nexus modem and see if that improves signal. Some people say it has and got rid of dropped calls. Samsung is notorious for making awful modems, but Google made the Nexus one, so it is better for me and most people who have tried it.
I know really shouldn't have admitted to being rooted but I think I kind of wanted to argue with him about it, just to see what kind of reasoning they give.
And yeah, flashing back to my previous setup shouldn't be too hard. I already know for a fact that going to stock won't solve the problem,
I'm still testing the 4G thing since I can't really confirm if it is actually boosting the signal or not.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
@xboxfanj: I thought about trying that the other day. I have to be on a CM7 rom to use it, correct?
GuidingArrow said:
I know really shouldn't have admitted to being rooted but I think I kind of wanted to argue with him about it, just to see what kind of reasoning they give.
And yeah, flashing back to my previous setup shouldn't be too hard. I already know for a fact that going to stock won't solve the problem,
I'm still testing the 4G thing since I can't really confirm if it is actually boosting the signal or not.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
@xboxfanj: I thought about trying that the other day. I have to be on a CM7 rom to use it, correct?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now there is a patch for CM10 as well. Nothing yet on stock or CM9.
Yeah I noticed that. I tried switching to PA1.99 and using the nexus modem but it didn't have any kind of effect in my apartment.
So I odined back to stock fc09.
The Sprint rep called me back, I told him it didn't have an effect (because it didn't).
He agreed to send me the AIRAVE at no charge so I should hopefully have it in a week or so.
After I get it all setup I'll update this thread with details as to whether or not it actually solves the problem.
Now time to root my phone again...
xboxfanj said:
Now there is a patch for CM10 as well. Nothing yet on stock or CM9.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Waiting for someone to do a TW stock patch!
Sent from my PantechP4100 using xda premium
kennyglass123 said:
Waiting for someone to do a TW stock patch!
Sent from my PantechP4100 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am dying for the cm9 patch!! So far aokp has given me my best setup (sorry KG, TPR is a very close 2nd!).
Sent from my SPH-D700 using xda premium
kennyglass123 said:
Waiting for someone to do a TW stock patch!
Sent from my PantechP4100 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hopefully it'll be compatible with the touchwiz framework. Does anyone know where I can find the mtd tw device source?
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2
Received the AIRAVE today. Took a little bit of fiddling to get it setup right.
I now get pretty consistent signal, generally 5 full bars, throughout my apartment.
My only real complaint is that it decreases my internet download speed from over 100Mb/s to around 40Mb/s.
The decrease is unavoidable since I have to use the AIRAVE router functionality in order to have it and my computer hooked up.
However it did seem to increase my upload speed by about 5Mb/s once I increased the limit it had set by default.
It also seems to causes me to receive texts twice but that may have just been a one off thing.
Overall it has solved the issue and since it was free I can't really complain.
The double text is an occasional thing and probably will never happen again. I hooked my airave to my router instead of the modem as suggested and it works just fine and does not interfere with my throughputs.
kennyglass123 said:
I hooked my airave to my router instead of the modem as suggested and it works just fine and does not interfere with my throughputs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is how I have mine set up and it works perfect.
Mine is setup so that the AIRAVE connects to the wall and then to my laptop (it's probably hooked to a router/modem somewhere but it's dorm internet so I have no control over that).
It would probably be faster if I hooked it through a separate router but I don't really want to spend the money on one, and would need a pretty decent one since my school has one of the top 10 fastest internet connections in the country (if I had to guess number 3, behind the pentagon and google fiber).

EVO GODS, Please Help My Issue With a Metro-Flashed Evo 4G [Pictures inside]

I've been at this problem for days and it's been really getting to me. I've been trying to ditch the god-awful Huawei M835 (free phone) for Metro, in favor of a Sprint Evo 4G from a co-worker at a good price. Fast forward and now I've flashed it to Metro PCS....erm...I think. After a day using numerous tutorials trying to piece together things here and there, I am now here. I can call out with no issue. I can't receive calls whatsoever; the dialer doesn't show up and the 1X connection at the top teeters if not moreso now. Depending on how brittle the signal on the phone gets, it'll either dial all the way (tested with a different metro phone) or go straight to voicemail; all while I'm holding the Evo, running nothing. I can text and receive them although they're in super late fashion; like getting 4 frantic texts intended over a span of time, all at once and conversation is minimal at best.
I provisioned my phone for data and whatnot, just to see if it'd help my issue when it was still calling Collect. I get web and it's pretty decently fast. As fast as the 3G was on my iPhone 3GS for AT&T if not faster. I tried picture messaging for the helluva it and it was a no-go although I don't care about the feature. Basically, I'm just looking into reliable talk and text; and if possible getting calls and texts while I'm on wifi (at the hideout). I just moved out on my own and looking for a new job ( :/ ) so having a reliable phone is important what with landing interviews and parents checking up.
I've learned more about phones in the worst way; mostly by hitting a road-block every click but it's interesting nonetheless. I hope one of the Evo Gods can bless my issue. I have documented everything I changed values to in QPST, please excuse the amateurish setup. I feel like I'm missing a value somewhere or have a set of numbers backwards but I can't seem to identify where.
I'd appreciate any feedback and help on my issue. Just to clarify, I'm running on a DigitalKarma v8 ROM, just of the fact that I couldn't find an appropriate Metro ROM. I've flashed the 3032 PRL and upgraded the radios (2.15.00.12.19) and PRI (2.33_003). I'll be checking the forums and reading up on all the many, different phones but I'd really be grateful if a helping hand is extended. I'd even donate via Paypal a few bucks, holidays and unemployment got me down as of now -___-.
Excited to see what you guys have to say! Peace.

Where to go next with the LG G2 and why?

I could use some advice as to what to do next with my LG G2…
Battery life on the G2 was always exceptional since day one, and I could count on some pretty decent 4G LTE coverage. When KitKat came down, it seems to get even better. I could run ALL my radios (voice, data, WiFi, BlueTooth, and Location ) simultaneously, never have to check my power settings, and easily get 18-26 hours at the low end, and up to 37 hours on a single charge, at the high end. Even with my Pebble Smartwatch receiving updates all day.
Then Sprint visited the Spark update upon us, and it has been downhill ever since. In my home area alone, there are 3 totally different towers. One 3G, one 4g LTE and one Spark tower, and none talk to each other. My entire city has gone from some notable 4g LTE coverage to VERY sparse LTE coverage (mostly 3g or nothing). My battery life is only good if I turn all my radios off, and any time I am actively using my device, I am burning power at a seemingly exponential rate. Now my battery life is down to 13-15 hours on a single charge. Maybe 16 at the high end.
And, to add insult to injury, mine is one of the devices that has lost the knock on function as a result of the Spark update.
So, my questions are this…
I have heard I can use my MSL to turn off two of the frequencies and restore my OLD LTE capability, to maybe improve my service. Is this true?
What is the current way to get the MSL? Sprint has flat out refused to give it to me.
Since a key LG function (knock on) is gone, I’m not sure I care if I keep the rest. Are there other ROMS worth considering?
Do any of them improve battery life, voice and data connectivity or both?
Do any of them allow for a “Roam Only” option, as used to exist with Sprint phones, moons ago? I could at least count on better voice if I roamed on Verizon. And, frankly, if they dumped me for it, that would be no big deal.
I am currently running stock, unrooted. Is there REALLY a built in root counter that tells LG how many times I have rooted, so my warranty gets voided?
If it’s safe to root, what are the best, easiest methods? And, again, what ROMs work best with the G2?
Thanks to all for your time and patience.
I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. I am stock unrooted latest update with spark and easily get 30+ bat life. Today I got my longest at 50 hours with 5 hour screen time.
And there are other ways to get msl something like http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2521276
But yea I hear disabling the two frequencies have helped some people so I would say try it.
Sent from my LG-LS980 using XDA Free mobile app
sharkboy0901 said:
I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. I am stock unrooted latest update with spark and easily get 30+ bat life. Today I got my longest at 50 hours with 5 hour screen time.
And there are other ways to get msl something like http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2521276
But yea I hear disabling the two frequencies have helped some people so I would say try it.
Sent from my LG-LS980 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your reply, and I really wish I was still in that boat. Unfortunately, the standard "## whatever#" option doesn't work at all with the Sprint G2 running KitKat and Spark. I will have to try the tethered option, but I have to wait to use my wife's work laptop because I have a Mac.
VERY frustrating that there isn't just a new code I could just key in.
Will keep trying,
.....
wish i had an answer for you, i am updated to latest radio rooted and my average speed tests are good 25-30 whenever i run it. i have heard a lot of people saying the spark update ruined there phone
just so you know, you can be on a voice call and use your data at the same time UNLESS your connected to wifi also. This has always been the case since day 1 for ANY TRIBAND phone with sprint.
I am not sure about a root counter. I will say it was deliciously easy to root my stock ZVC phone. The method I used took all of 2 minutes literally.
First I downloaded towelroot ( https://towelroot.com/ ) to my phone. Installed and ran.
Boom. Now I had root. Installed SuperSU from the play store to manage root permissions. Then got autoprime's autorec from http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2715496 installed that to phone and boom had twrp recovery. Made a backup of my stock rooted system did an advanced wipe of everything but internal storage...installed the ZV8 radio and then CM11. knock on even works, and mine WAS broken as well
Sent from my LG-LS980
As far as getting your MSL is concerned, if you have an old phone kicking around (or even just an old MEID) head over to sprint.com/activate and switch the line to that MEID, then activate your G2 again. When you go through their online activation procedure, they automatically give you your MSL, Phone #, ICCID, MEID, etc. on the confirmation page and on the email they send you. If you need an MEID I have one off my old Google Nexus S that drowned last month.
Did you disabling the other radios? Can you provide an update and let me know if it did improve the battery life?

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