Why does one phone have better reception than others? Whats the truth about bad reception from Sprint?

[MelonSplitter]

I am having problems recieving calls on my S3 in areas I never had problems at with my HTC EVO. I sent my S3 back to Samsung hoping there was something wrong with it but it passed all functionality testing. In other words, there's nothing wrong with it. They also stated: Problem Solved, No PCS SERVICE. While my phone was being "repaired" I broke out my EVO and had recieved 100% of calls in the same areas that my S3 would not recieve them. I know I sound like a freakin broken record but whats the real truth?

[Boosted20V]

Antenna design? Case material? It all adds up. No two phones are exactly equal.

[twospirits]

Then you also through in environment.

[lynyrd65]

I am having problems recieving calls on my S3 in areas I never had problems at with my HTC EVO. I sent my S3 back to Samsung hoping there was something wrong with it but it passed all functionality testing. In other words, there's nothing wrong with it. They also stated: Problem Solved, No PCS SERVICE. While my phone was being "repaired" I broke out my EVO and had recieved 100% of calls in the same areas that my S3 would not recieve them. I know I sound like a freakin broken record but whats the real truth?

Were you roaming? I hear some samsung phones like the Epic SGS1 won't roam onto PCS bands. Maybe you were in a PCS-only roaming area?

[WiWavelength]

I know I sound like a freakin broken record but whats the real truth?

 

You must be holding your phone wrong.

 

 

AJ

[digiblur]

And here I figured it would be the other way around where the S3 would have a little better edge on the PCS side than the EVO. I've noticed it is the other way around though when roaming on the cellular band though.

[S4GRU]

The GS3 had equal or better radio performance to the EVO LTE in every way in our testing. And these findings seem to be supported by all the observations I have read and seen to date. The issue in the OP is an anomaly associated with this specific unit.

 

Robert

[Boosted20V]

The GS3 had equal or better radio performance to the EVO LTE in every way in our testing. And these findings seem to be supported by all the observations I have read and seen to date. The issue in the OP is an anomaly associated with this specific unit.

 

Robert

 

I thought he was talking original EVO 4G, not LTE.

[S4GRU]

I thought he was talking original EVO 4G, not LTE.

 

Thanks for the clarification. I missed that. However, in our 9 device testing, the GS3 was right up there with the best radio performers. Including the Motorola Photon.

 

Robert

[pii100]

Thanks for the clarification. I missed that. However, in our 9 device testing, the GS3 was right up there with the best radio performers. Including the Motorola Photon.

 

Robert

Wait, you mean a company with its roots in radios makes good cellular telephones? Color me surprised!

[GregSmoov]

Thanks for the clarification. I missed that. However, in our 9 device testing, the GS3 was right up there with the best radio performers. Including the Motorola Photon.

 

Robert

 

The Motorola Photon was the best performing Sprint phone I ever owned.

Too bad it was locked down and didn't have much dev support.

[shockerengr]

My GS3 has generally had better reception than my Epic did.

[koiulpoi]

The Motorola Photon was the best performing Sprint phone I ever owned.

Too bad it was locked down and didn't have much dev support.

I loved my MoPho when I had it. Ran CM9 on it since day 1 of ICS community support. It was an amazing phone; I could drive through areas marked as the fringe of "roaming" on the coverage map and still pull a 1X Sprint signal. Trust me, there's a lot of those around here. It was a marked difference going to the EVO LTE, I tell you what. We sold a decent number of them to people around here for just that very reason. I kinda regret that, looking back, as those people won't be able to take advantage of ESMR, and this area needs that extra coverage desperately.

[MelonSplitter]

Thanks for the clarification. I missed that. However, in our 9 device testing, the GS3 was right up there with the best radio performers. Including the Motorola Photon.

 

Robert

I guess I am the only one in an area with the population of 212,013 who owns an S3 that is having this problem. My associate and I both use Sprint for our PCS service. Standing right next to him I can have him call me but my phone just stares at me with a blank screen. I then call him, no problem, I can make calls 100% of the time, and his EVO 4G lte lights up after 3 rings. This after Samsung has declared my phone to be 100% functional. I don't know what else to do. I think I'm gonna be sick. It's friday night. I'm gettin hammered. This sucks.

[koiulpoi]

Go to a corporate-owned Sprint store and demand a white box/RF test.

 

Actually, the S3 might not be compatible with that test... let me know.

[halcyoncmdr]

Go to a corporate-owned Sprint store and demand a white box/RF test.

 

Actually, the S3 might not be compatible with that test... let me know.

 

No LTE devices are supported by the RF tester in the retail locations. WiMax yes, LTE no. My assumption based on no facts whatsoever is that is because they use the same 1900MHz frequencies.

[P_M_G]

The GS3 had equal or better radio performance to the EVO LTE in every way in our testing. And these findings seem to be supported by all the observations I have read and seen to date. The issue in the OP is an anomaly associated with this specific unit.

 

Robert

 

Robert - can you link to the test results? I was waiting to see your testing but not sure where to find it!

[S4GRU]

Robert - can you link to the test results? I was waiting to see your testing but not sure where to find it!

 

The article is still on my To Do List. I'm buried and trying to dig out.

 

Robert

[P_M_G]

Robert - can you link to the test results? I was waiting to see your testing but not sure where to find it!

The article is still on my To Do List. I'm buried and trying to dig out.

 

Robert

 

No problem - thought I missed it!

[koiulpoi]

No LTE devices are supported by the RF tester in the retail locations. WiMax yes, LTE no. My assumption based on no facts whatsoever is that is because they use the same 1900MHz frequencies.

No LTE devices at all? Are they not even supported for 1X and EVDO?

 

I have no idea how the RF tester works. Preferred Retailers don't get those around here.

[halcyoncmdr]

No LTE devices at all? Are they not even supported for 1X and EVDO?

 

I have no idea how the RF tester works. Preferred Retailers don't get those around here.

 

Nope, no LTE devices at all. We rely on the info in Service Trender to determine phone and network drops/blocks instead of an actual antenna RF test.

 

That is the only reason I am thinking it is related to the 1900 MHz LTE. It also only is capable of testing 850 cellular and 1900 pcs, not 800 SMR from what I can find here in the US. The actual tester is the NJZ-1800C for those that are curious.

[Rasta Cheesehead]

I guess I am the only one in an area with the population of 212,013 who owns an S3 that is having this problem. My associate and I both use Sprint for our PCS service. Standing right next to him I can have him call me but my phone just stares at me with a blank screen. I then call him, no problem, I can make calls 100% of the time, and his EVO 4G lte lights up after 3 rings. This after Samsung has declared my phone to be 100% functional. I don't know what else to do. I think I'm gonna be sick. It's friday night. I'm gettin hammered. This sucks.

 

When your friend called your phone did it ring on his end the normal amount of rings 40 seconds for CDMA or did it go straight to voicemail? Are you using a custom ringtone or preload (out the box) tone?

 

I see you have a stock sg3, is it rooted? Software up to date? Any app like task killer memory managers? Have this phone been factory reset and used in the areas you have issues in without restoring your back up ( test with a clean device)?

 

 

[SGT516]

I don't know if anyone here remembers the old Sanyo (pre Kyrocera era) phones but I swear they had built in signal amplifiers.

 

I had an RL-4920 candy bar phone and while my wife's Samsung would be searching for a signal my trusty old Sanyo would just march on.

 

Even their flip phones were great.

[twospirits]

Wow thats a blast from the past.

 

TS

[QWIKSTRIKE]

The GS3 had equal or better radio performance to the EVO LTE in every way in our testing. And these findings seem to be supported by all the observations I have read and seen to date. The issue in the OP is an anomaly associated with this specific unit.

 

Robert

 

I bought this phone over the Evo LTE because of signal strength. I tested it against my Photon, in strong and weak area's and found it on par, and always with in -1dbm in weak areas. n.v could be the cause.