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Trodolak

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 27, 2017
37
16
Hilton Head, SC
It seems that the cellular signal strength on my iPhone X is weaker than that on my previous iPhone 7. This seems to hold true for all reception areas. I’m basing this on the number of reception bars. Anyone else experiencing this?
 
My Intel X showed higher signal than my Qualcomm X on T-Mobile. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Intel modem in the new phones.

Sure you’re comparing apples to apples? Make sure both phones are connected to the same bands in the same location. Tough to generalize signal strength if you don’t have both devices active in the same place at the same time.
 
Sorry, but it is reckless to assume at this point that the modem is at issue. Franky, the Antenna re-design probably has a much larger impact between the iphone 7 and X. Also, I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that the OP's previous phone also had an intel modem.

Yeah cause it hasn't been tested that the Intel modem sucks. /s
 
Those bars are useless. Field Test mode is your friend.
Dial: *3001#12345#*
IMG_1185 is the first thing you see. press the LTE area
IMG_1186-go to "serving cell meas
IMG_1187-rsrpo is your signal to noise ratio, in my case it's -102 dB(note the 3 "bars"
IMG_1188-give your serving cell info(go to IMG_1186 and look for serving cell info.
IMG_1185.PNG
IMG_1186.PNG
IMG_1187.PNG
IMG_1188.PNG
 
It seems that the cellular signal strength on my iPhone X is weaker than that on my previous iPhone 7. This seems to hold true for all reception areas. I’m basing this on the number of reception bars. Anyone else experiencing this?

Not sure if this helps but . . . I had signal problems with my 6S Plus which continued with I replaced it with the X. I called AT&T, they had me change to LTE / Data only. It's improved slightly but the signal still fluctuates. Since I've had the same problem with 2 different phones/ 2 different sim cards, I think that the problem lies with AT&T.
 
It seems that the cellular signal strength on my iPhone X is weaker than that on my previous iPhone 7. This seems to hold true for all reception areas. I’m basing this on the number of reception bars. Anyone else experiencing this?

Yes, because bars is such an accurate representation of signs “strength”. Lol.
 
My iPhone 7 on TMobile gets 1-2 bars and occasionally drops to 4G at my house. I don’t care because my WIFI is 150 mbps. My iPhone X with the alleged Intel chip gets up to 3 bars and I have yet to see it drop to 4G after a week.
 
What would be a better gauge would be posting some Speedtest measurements versus the 7 Series.

It wasn’t that long ago that Apple put out an update that allocated more bars for the same signal sensitivity since so many people were complaining about signal strength...having only 3 bars or so. After the update...voila!! Full bars!
 
What would be a better gauge would be posting some Speedtest measurements versus the 7 Series.

It wasn’t that long ago that Apple put out an update that allocated more bars for the same signal sensitivity since so many people were complaining about signal strength...having only 3 bars or so. After the update...voila!! Full bars!

Just tested 18 Mbps on X. I don’t have the 7 anymore but it peaked at 14. I remember testing the 7 because that’s when I switched from ATT. I was disappointed seeing my ATT 30 Mbps drop to 14 on T-Mobile. Also regarding fake bars I doubt Apple would do that again after multiple class action suits.
 
Where/how did you buy your 7 vs your X? You could have had a Qualcomm 7 and now an Intel X.

I had an Intel 7 switched to an Intel X. Reception seems to be about the same, though I do seem to have 3 bars more often outside.

The problem is INside. When I upgraded from a 6 to 7 on AT&T my signal took a gigantic nosedive. I now lose service in pretty much all buildings larger than a CVS/Walgreens. For the first time ever, I was literally seeing “no service” in all the places I frequent. Two Publix stores (grocery stores), Wal-mart, two Targets. No service in the back of any of them. 1 bar toward the front but not enough to get an internet connection. I’m in these stores a lot as I do food photography for a living, so I’m constantly shopping for props/ingredients.

I also suddenly have a specific dead zone in the center of my house. When I walk through it, the person on the line complains I’m breaking up.

I also have a dead zone on a more rural road I take twice a week, where suddenly my podcasts would stop streaming.

Had multiple iPhones before the 7 and never had an issue in all of these situations. Was really hoping the Intel X would be an improvement as Apple refuses to sell me Qualcomm, but I seem to be having the same problems.

Sure, I’m just one person, but my wife and I both have the same signal. We both took a major hit from 6 to 7. We both have the same bad service on the X. Not just in the way bars are displayed, but an easily identifiable hit, as it is hard to not notice that we have absolutely no service at all in the same places we always had service.

It isn’t like I live in a rural area. I can watch Walt Disney World’s fireworks in my backyard every night. I’d say it was network congestion due to just how many tourists are packed around me if it weren’t for the fact that I still don’t get service in my WalMart at 3am.
 
I think you're overdoing it. The rest of the world has the Intel modem, because the rest of the world is not on CDMA. Apple wouldn't ship crap modems on every iPhone except Verizon, which is a tiny percentage compared to their global shipments.

Qualcomm > Intel.
 
It seems that the cellular signal strength on my iPhone X is weaker than that on my previous iPhone 7. This seems to hold true for all reception areas. I’m basing this on the number of reception bars. Anyone else experiencing this?
I am having similar issues . The reception and celluar strength are really bad compared to my 7 plus. I am thinking it the new antenna design. Hoping to see more users surface and probably see if someone has a solution.
 
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Those bars are useless. Field Test mode is your friend.
Dial: *3001#12345#*
IMG_1185 is the first thing you see. press the LTE area
IMG_1186-go to "serving cell meas
IMG_1187-rsrpo is your signal to noise ratio, in my case it's -102 dB(note the 3 "bars"
IMG_1188-give your serving cell info(go to IMG_1186 and look for serving cell info.View attachment 734165 View attachment 734166 View attachment 734167 View attachment 734168

Same situation as OP. It also seems like it takes several seconds (maybe 15-30) longer to reaquire a signal when I exit a tunnel on the train than it did for my iPhone 7. I went into Field Test mode as you suggested (actually did it twice a few minutes apart while on train to work and then again when I reached my office where I had 5 bars with my iPhone 7 and have none with my iPhone X). I have no idea how to interpret the results. Can you help? I would be very grateful!

D952493C-4B7D-40A5-A6FD-5F2304654975.jpeg
EA587A3C-4782-4633-BC5E-67B05488236C.jpeg
FC42C9F4-80C2-4B16-A550-1A9844ADE85A.jpeg
07A665D0-132B-4266-9EE4-ABFDB1430051.jpeg
548D1FE5-26AE-414B-BFA3-7E71932C88F0.jpeg
0FEE3E88-1B0C-486F-9BED-3E1995AD19B7.jpeg
 
Those bars are useless. Field Test mode is your friend.
Dial: *3001#12345#*
IMG_1185 is the first thing you see. press the LTE area
IMG_1186-go to "serving cell meas
IMG_1187-rsrpo is your signal to noise ratio, in my case it's -102 dB(note the 3 "bars"
IMG_1188-give your serving cell info(go to IMG_1186 and look for serving cell info.View attachment 734165 View attachment 734166 View attachment 734167 View attachment 734168

Is there any way to force the phone to use GSM networks only?
 
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It seems that the cellular signal strength on my iPhone X is weaker than that on my previous iPhone 7. This seems to hold true for all reception areas. I’m basing this on the number of reception bars. Anyone else experiencing this?


I have the same issue. The signal even drops to 4g sometimes. I never have full bars. I almost always have 1 or 2.
Additionally, a lot of people on the other end of phone calls complain that there is a lot of static coming through. I don’t know what the issue is, but I never had this issue with my 7.
 
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I have the same issue. The signal even drops to 4g sometimes. I never have full bars. I almost always have 1 or 2.
Additionally, a lot of people on the other end of phone calls complain that there is a lot of static coming through. I don’t know what the issue is, but I never had this issue with my 7.
what is your carrier and which X model you have?
 
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