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LTE (on ATT) causes cell signal degradation

dasams

dasams

macrumors member
Original poster
May 6, 2011
69
3
I have a crappy cell signal in my home office that typically shows 2 bars on my new iP5. If I enable LTE, the cell signal drops to 1 bar and even to 'no service'. If I turn LTE off, the cell signal comes back.

Also, with wi-fi off, I do not get LTE in my office but can pick it up from outside which confirms that it's a weak signal in my area.

The LTE effect on the cell signal occurs regardless of whether wi-fi is on or off. This is repeatable. So wtf? :confused:
 
Not sure what's confusing. LTE coverage won't necessarily be the same as 3G, etc. Different equipment, etc. It's not enabling LTE on your device that's reducing signal.
 
dasams said:
I have a crappy cell signal in my home office that typically shows 2 bars on my new iP5. If I enable LTE, the cell signal drops to 1 bar and even to 'no service'. If I turn LTE off, the cell signal comes back.

Also, with wi-fi off, I do not get LTE in my office but can pick it up from outside which confirms that it's a weak signal in my area.

The LTE effect on the cell signal occurs regardless of whether wi-fi is on or off. This is repeatable. So wtf? :confused:
Click to expand...

I've noticed that with mine, I've not had great cell reception to start with, if I leave LTE on at my house I miss calls, turning it off and calls come through. I'm with AT&T.
 
takeshi74 said:
It's not enabling LTE on your device that's reducing signal.
Click to expand...
This is exactly my point. When I enable LTE, my voice cell signal drops and even goes to 'no service'. When I toggle LTE off, my cell signal improves. I know that this shouldn't happen and yet it does. :mad: Anyone else observe this?
 
dasams said:
This is exactly my point. When I enable LTE, my voice cell signal drops and even goes to 'no service'. When I toggle LTE off, my cell signal improves. I know that this shouldn't happen and yet it does. :mad: Anyone else observe this?
Click to expand...

Its two entirely different signals.
 
digitalfx said:
Its two entirely different signals.
Click to expand...

I've got a PhD in Engineering and well aware of the technologies. I'm just stating my observation that enabling LTE causes the voice signal to drop. It does, fortunately, recover. Try it.
 
Yes. I've noticed this. It's almost like my phone has an identity crisis and doesn't know which network to choose. It seems like LTE works great outdoors, but as soon as I step inside, it starts flip flopping between LTE and 4G. At times, like you said, it might drop to no service as its having trouble deciding which network to connect to. When I disable LTE this problem seems to go away. I'm in the Boston area on AT&T.

Is it possible that LTE isn't effective indoors? I have no idea how any of this works, so is it possible that the LTE signal can't travel through walls and glass as well as other network technologies?? I also think this constant switching between networks and sometimes dropping to no service is hurting my battery life.

Thoughts? It would be nice to see if any others have this issue as well.
 
Odd. I've had poor service with AT&T at home for years. Ever since using e i5 I've been able to actually make and receive calls in my bedroom! Proved to me that the upgrade was worth it.
 
ndpitch said:
Yes. I've noticed this. It's almost like my phone has an identity crisis and doesn't know which network to choose. It seems like LTE works great outdoors, but as soon as I step inside, it starts flip flopping between LTE and 4G. At times, like you said, it might drop to no service as its having trouble deciding which network to connect to. When I disable LTE this problem seems to go away. I'm in the Boston area on AT&T.

Is it possible that LTE isn't effective indoors? I have no idea how any of this works, so is it possible that the LTE signal can't travel through walls and glass as well as other network technologies?? I also think this constant switching between networks and sometimes dropping to no service is hurting my battery life.

Thoughts? It would be nice to see if any others have this issue as well.
Click to expand...

YES! identity crisis exactly what I'm feeling. We both showing abt 2-3 bars he has the 4S showing 3G and he can check his fantasy sports and I am flipping O to LTE and can't get a page to load! Why wouldn't I least show 3G?
This at his moms the house is kinda a dead zone but we are both on VZW same acct only difference is phone model.
Next time I'm going to try shutting off LTE see how that works
Just wondering if its my phone or is it because the phone searching too hard for LTE and the signal getting lost in translation
 
ndpitch said:
Yes. I've noticed this. It's almost like my phone has an identity crisis and doesn't know which network to choose. It seems like LTE works great outdoors, but as soon as I step inside, it starts flip flopping between LTE and 4G. At times, like you said, it might drop to no service as its having trouble deciding which network to connect to. When I disable LTE this problem seems to go away. I'm in the Boston area on AT&T.

Is it possible that LTE isn't effective indoors? I have no idea how any of this works, so is it possible that the LTE signal can't travel through walls and glass as well as other network technologies?? I also think this constant switching between networks and sometimes dropping to no service is hurting my battery life.

Thoughts? It would be nice to see if any others have this issue as well.
Click to expand...

Have been on wifi (even though its not blazing fast). But when I tried speedtest with LTE was at 12 or so I believe maybe less. Went to work the next day tried LTE outside- 44.90dl. So it might just be the LTE signal in the house not strong
 
Any other thoughts on LTE signal strength indoors? The 4g network seems to be quite strong regardless of location. LTE definitely doesn't work as well inside, and I'm dead center in an LTE coverage area.
 
ndpitch said:
Any other thoughts on LTE signal strength indoors? The 4g network seems to be quite strong regardless of location. LTE definitely doesn't work as well inside, and I'm dead center in an LTE coverage area.
Click to expand...

I have full signal strength indoors - and the building I'm in is like a concrete bunker. I still can pull 25+ megs down.

Two possible things could be happening: The LTE on the tower closest to you is not on at full strength or the tower closest to you simply doesn't have LTE and it's picking it up from a tower farther away.
 
I can relate to this. Have AT&T in NYC, was experiencing a lot of calls not coming through as even a missed call, and major delays sometimes in voicemails coming through. Getting 2 LTE bars indoors and between 3-4 outside. My guess is poor LTE signal strength from my apartment. Went to AT&T store today and they recommended switching LTE off when indoors to see if that resolves it for the time being.
 
Im with Telus and it appear that the actual LTE network is non fully working or it's a apple chip problem my only big deception with the iphone 5 is the network connection it sucks terribly !
It's has not been test or what ?
 
It will get better. LTE on my iPad 3 in naples was wicked. 30 down 15 up consistently. Didn't have LTE here in Palm Beach until about 2 months ago. I think ATT scrambled to get the coverage before the iPhone 5 rollout, but obviously compromising it. Here I get very weak signal and my down/up speeds re more like 5mb/2mb. I think it's "fake LTE" in some areas. in other words, they are using existing HSPA equipment to provide LTE in areas that weren't ready yet.

If we had service here like I experienced in Naples I might cancel Comcast to my home. Honestly it was insane how fast it was.
 
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