# For those on VZW who have their phones. How is the signal?



## mean sixteen (Nov 20, 2011)

There has been talk about how the VZW radio will be. So here is where I would like to hear the opinions of people who have an activated phone.

Enlighten us please.

Sent through mental telepathy...or my Gnex


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## hunterwrot (Sep 25, 2011)

Coming from droid bionic at my house I have slightly less signals but it seems to be improving over time. Awesome phone though.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2


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## yarly (Jun 22, 2011)

Remember that the bionic (unless you happened to use the ICS leak) was reporting the 1x signal only. On ICS, it reports LTE when you're on LTE or EvDO when you're on 3G. EvDO signal may be higher/lower than the 1x one. LTE signal will always look worse than a 1x or EvDO signal by the way it's measured. Same goes with the bars as they are calculated based on the current network connection instead of just 1x.

Anyone that has a Verizon S3 and wants to run my little signal information app, I would be grateful (especially if you're in an LTE area). See the link below. The app is at the bottom of the OP to download it. Post a screen shot if you could (or more than one if you get various readings from different locations or devices).

http://rootzwiki.com...s-signal-sucks/


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## oddball (Jan 21, 2012)

yarly said:


> Remember that the bionic (unless you happened to use the ICS leak) was reporting the 1x signal only. On ICS, it reports LTE when you're on LTE or EvDO when you're on 3G. EvDO signal may be higher/lower than the 1x one. LTE signal will always look worse than a 1x or EvDO signal by the way it's measured. Same goes with the bars as they are calculated based on the current network connection instead of just 1x.
> 
> Anyone that has a Verizon S3 and wants to run my little signal information app, I would be grateful (especially if you're in an LTE area). See the link below. The app is at the bottom of the OP to download it. Post a screen shot if you could (or more than one if you get various readings from different locations or devices).
> 
> http://rootzwiki.com...s-signal-sucks/


Is there a built in recording script for your app? It would make it much easier for forgetful folks like me. I have it on my dx and it really helped with nailing down the reception issue I was having. We have a 4X4 ft dead zone in our building. It just happens to be in the middle of the spot where I work. But I will probably forget screenshots as I am terrible about things like that


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## yarly (Jun 22, 2011)

oddball said:


> Is there a built in recording script for your app? It would make it much easier for forgetful folks like me. I have it on my dx and it really helped with nailing down the reception issue I was having. We have a 4X4 ft dead zone in our building. It just happens to be in the middle of the spot where I work. But I will probably forget screenshots as I am terrible about things like that


Next version will have that. Also adding in notification for when your signal drops. Currently it does log (for debugging purposes) what your signal is in logcat, so if you get some logcat app on the market and you don't wait overly long, you can still find your signal stats through that. Just filter out the logcat on the term "Signal" and it will show only stuff related to my app.


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## oddball (Jan 21, 2012)

yarly said:


> Next version will have that. Also adding in notification for when your signal drops. Currently it does log (for debugging purposes) what your signal is in logcat, so if you get some logcat app on the market and you don't wait overly long, you can still find your signal stats through that. Just filter out the logcat on the term "Signal" and it will show only stuff related to my app.


When my new toy comes Monday I'll be playing with this regularly. And I am in a completely covered LTE area so I will be testing fairly regularly


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## GarryLumpkins (Jun 14, 2012)

Coming from the Galaxy Nexus, 4G is 200,000,000% better! Oh yeah and I see slightly better 3G in my area. I'm really loving this phone although I just heard VZ locked it


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## yarly (Jun 22, 2011)

oddball said:


> When my new toy comes Monday I'll be playing with this regularly. And I am in a completely covered LTE area so I will be testing fairly regularly


I'll take whatever you can record 

I just find studying the variations in the network readings between devices on how their radio software interfaces with the various modem hardware and the network interesting. I have larger plans for the app, like having people be able upload their recordings onto my web server and compile all the info together based on where city, state, phone type, carrier, distance to tower(s), inside/outside and what kind of building, etc. Currently, it's not on the market, just here until I get all the bugs and some more features added. Rootz version will always be free and have all features/no ads. There's some apps that sort of do that like root metrics, but it's not as concerned with LTE only or being more focused on one carrier like I am. Though I would happily take LTE readings from other carriers as well like AT&T and Rogers.

Mostly want to make it useful for all of us, but also give something we can point to the news outlets, carriers and OEMs when their network/phones have issues so we can call them on their BS. Too much in the way of signal information is hidden and it would help everyone to know more about it.


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## chefberardi (Jul 7, 2011)

Sent from my SCH-I535 using RootzWiki


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## falkor164 (Jul 5, 2012)

Signal strength and call quality is great. As far as data I speed tested at 22.5 down and 6.5 up and that is in a newer lte area.


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## juicy (Nov 23, 2011)

Lte is already bogged down in my area, but I still get around 5 up 5 down , sometimes higher. I miss being when 4g was new and I was getting 25s down and like 15s up lol. Anyways, signal is poor if you compare it to the bionic, gps is lightning fast though. I get less 4g signal where I used to get good 4g on my bionic and Data drops are something I am not used to. Otherwise, the phone is awesome and I like it a lot. The screen is a whole lot better than the bionic, where the bionic was kind of pixely (Not a word?). I Like the phone, the signal isn't terrible, but the moto radios were definately better, but it works so whatever. I'm rooting it right now

Edit: Method was successfull! Bye bye all bloat that wasn't able to be disabled


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## Ch2cl2 (Nov 7, 2011)

juicy said:


> Lte is already bogged down in my area, but I still get around 5 up 5 down , sometimes higher. I miss being when 4g was new and I was getting 25s down and like 15s up lol. Anyways, signal is poor if you compare it to the bionic, gps is lightning fast though. I get less 4g signal where I used to get good 4g on my bionic and Data drops are something I am not used to. Otherwise, the phone is awesome and I like it a lot. The screen is a whole lot better than the bionic, where the bionic was kind of pixely (Not a word?). I Like the phone, the signal isn't terrible, but the moto radios were definately better, but it works so whatever. I'm rooting it right now
> 
> Edit: Method was successfull! Bye bye all bloat that wasn't able to be disabled


How did you root the Verizon version?

Sent from my SCH-I535 using RootzWiki


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## yarly (Jun 22, 2011)

chefberardi said:


> Sent from my SCH-I535 using RootzWiki


Thanks for the data. That's a weird system font. Looks like Comic Sans


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## sparkey949 (Jul 7, 2012)

I515 previously running ICS 4.0.4 (stock was 4.0.2), a few weeks back 4G signal was 2-3 out of 4 bars, don't have a record of the db strength. Up/Dn was about 10/16 Mbps. Before upgrade to latest ICS radios, after upgrade to 4.0.4, signal was hit or miss, mostly miss.
About a week ago signal was suddenly flawless most everywhere in my area (92840), I'm guessing VZW added a tower nearby. Week ago running ICS 4.0.4 signal was 4bars consistantly, now running JellyBean 4.1 and signal is still perfect. Seeing Up/Dn of 18/26 Mbps.


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## monkeystomp (Jul 2, 2012)

no complaints on the signal I came from a thunderbolt. Seems to be just as good.


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## juicy (Nov 23, 2011)

Ch2cl2 said:


> How did you root the Verizon version?


You nees to flash the rooted system image. There is a headline on the rootzwiki main website on how to do it. I got recovery up on it too
Edit: http://rootzwiki.com/index.php?/topic/29256-[ROOT]-[RECOVERY]-SCH-I535-(Verizon-Galaxy-S-III)


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## siff (Aug 26, 2011)

Using it in my living rroom in Delray Beach FL. Wife has a razr maxxx same signal.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using RootzWiki


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## oddball (Jan 21, 2012)

I took some signal screenshots today. Not sure how it is in terms of vs other hardware but I am noticing a huge improvement in actual usability vs my old droid x


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## oddball (Jan 21, 2012)

It will only let me do them one at a time


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## oddball (Jan 21, 2012)

And one last one


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## yarly (Jun 22, 2011)

Thanks for the screen shots. Looks like the S3 doesn't report the EvDO signal (or at least it doesn't on LTE). Dunno why unless they didn't want to freak out users seeing different 3g signals under settings → about than they used to have. The CDMA one listed there is the 1x signal and what was reported under settings prior to ICS. Doesn't seem to report CQI or Signal Strength either. Signal Strength doesn't seem to have any consistent bearing anyways though. It seems mostly like a place holder in the API for whatever an OEM wants to do.


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## mean sixteen (Nov 20, 2011)

My main reason for this thread was that I have the gnex and in the front of my home I get 4g but in my family room I usually get 3g. I was hoping the radios in the sgs3 were better so I might get 4g all over my home. Verizon says I am well within a 4g area.

So really just wondering if anyone has noticed any improvement over their old device.

Sent through mental telepathy...or my Gnex


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## Version_3 (Oct 14, 2011)

mean sixteen said:


> My main reason for this thread was that I have the gnex and in the front of my home I get 4g but in my family room I usually get 3g. I was hoping the radios in the sgs3 were better so I might get 4g all over my home. Verizon says I am well within a 4g area.
> 
> So really just wondering if anyone has noticed any improvement over their old device.
> 
> Sent through mental telepathy...or my Gnex


I'll be honest - how it reports signal seems to be the same as the GNex was - for me at least. However, the data performance on 3G and 4G both seem to be better on the SGS3. I'm a daily streamer of Google Music and Netflix, and both seem to start up faster and are able to keep up while the GNex stuttered on music playback over 3G (my old DInc never had an issue streaming high quality on 3G before I got the GNex), and the GNex would have to buffer once per 30 minute show on Netflix.


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## sgtguthrie (Jun 7, 2011)

My wife's s3 came, and sitting here in the doctor's office she has 4g, and my razr maxx does not. That tells me Sammy did something different... Looking great so far!

Sent from my DROID Razr Maxx via Tapatalk 2


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## johnomaz (Jul 18, 2011)

My S3 is showing two bars and telling me -115dbm on the signal. My wife's Thunderbolt is about -85 or so dbm and my DroidX before the upgrade always had about -90dbm. I however have called on my S3 today and the signal quality appeared to be just fine. The quality was great, loud and no dropouts or anything. As long as I can make calls without any quality loss, I have no problem with it showing me only 2 bars and -115 (sometimes -105)dbm. LTE for me isn't in my city directly, but is near. I am on the edge of it because if I drive about 5 miles east, I lose LTE from Modesto but my house is in range. I get about 11megs down and 1.5 up. The upload speed sucks even when in Modesto so I'm guessing its the signal for that part. LTE went up in November last year. The upload is messed up though I think because my wife has tried to upload stuff to YouTube on LTE and it NEVER goes. Just hangs until on wifi. But hey, I was happy with 3G so as long as I have internet anywhere, I'm good.


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## SySerror (Jan 5, 2012)

In Los Angeles I am feeling like it is actually a little worse than my gnex. Maybe JB was just a little faster but I feel like browsing on the S3 using 4g is notably slower than on the gnex (but I notice even a few frames difference so your mileage may vary)


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## oddball (Jan 21, 2012)

tried to upload a new one from my phone didn't work

the signal seems pretty consistent and no matter what it's reading it working far more effectively than any of my past phones


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