Google support forums rife with Nexus One 3G complaints, is this a real problem?
By Sean Cooper 
posted January 9th 2010 12:01AM
posted January 9th 2010 12:01AM
What started out as a few tips on 3G issues for Google's Nexus One seems to have ballooned into a fair bit of drama at Google's support forums. The main complaint appears to be owners reporting that their device either never switches to 3G, or, it is constantly switching between 3G and EDGE. Many users are also posting that switching out to another manufacturer's set yields great 3G reception where they're testing, and others have chimed in that the service on their phones has been spotless. In an interview today at All Things D here at CES, Walt Mossberg mentioned the support problems to which Andy Rubin replied "we have to get better at customer service" -- all too true if this is a real problem. Let us know in comments if you're seeing an issue, and if there is a real problem here, hopefully it'll get addressed on the double.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
t-mo/at&t people, are you still getting that annoying interference with other radios & electronic devices? One of the worst thing about the gsm-based carriers.
@krosref That is an Edge thing. It hasn't been an issue on 3G devices.
There seems to be some misunderstandings about mobile radio here. First of all, Android has very little to do with the radio in the phone; the radio software is running on the radio (or modem) chip, Android including the Linux kernel is running on the Snapdragon. It is most probable that the modem chip and its software is also provided by Qualcomm, and then it is Qualcom which is responsible for the radio performance. Anyway, Android cannot do very much about it.
HTC is probably able to tweak the signaling sw to some extent, but is unlikely to make any major changes.
It is also likely that the processor in the G1 is accompanied by a different modem chip even it is a Qualcom processor in both cases. And since that chipset has been around for some time, it likely has fewer bugs and better relative (or even absolute) performance.
The one thing that HTC definitely can influence is the antenna design, but that is still a piece of black art; it is almost impossible to create a great antenna for a mobile every time; mostly it is a case of trial and error.
So, even with the same Android sw, the same chipset supplier, and the same manufacturer, there might be large differences between the radio performance of different devices.
@passerine
It's NOT the radio. See my post. it's the software,and there is a patch to force 3G. 3G works even under low signal conditins.
In the included booklet it says you have to keep your hand away from the bottom of the phone in to get clear 3G signal since thats where the antenna is. Seems stupid since most people hold the bottom instead of the top...
@Apoc I agree, I thought it was a dumb design with the iPhone, and yet they keep doing it.
It has been many years, but I remember having a t-mobile phone and consistently lacking a signal at one of my customers locations. The thing is, it was literally 200 Yards from T-Mobile's corporate headquarters. I have been skeptical of T-Mobiles network ever since. Then again AT&Ts has gotten so unreliable lately I may end up taking the plunge and hoping for the best. I just wish that there were some other GSM based competitors.
My G1 constantly switches between edge and 3G in the Dallas Fort Worth area, the 3G is so-so and when it keeps switching, it just kills all of the apps that use data. It makes it useless while it's going on.
Just like i said a few days ago..software is too buggy
Seems T-Mobiles crap network wasn't quite ready for the Nexus. Same story over and over again, and they always seem to place blame on the phone? Lol...like quallcomm doesn't know how to make a cellular radio chip, they've only been selling millions of units for how many years now? Wake up guys.
@surgex
I should get a life. This coming from an idiot on a blog whining about a freaking phone.
@Goona
Learn how to use a mouse moron, you meant to reply to the comment ABOVE mine.
@surgex
It`s the comment system dunce.
@Goona
Keep downranking me bitches.
@tapfuma
So they shouldn't report this asswipe, you're the same hypocrite that if they reported an iphone problem, you would be complaining.
@Goona
and cheering about the iphone having problems, bloody hypocrite.
@Goona ; Impartial ? did you see that part of are you just defending your iCrack. I have used all versions of the iPhone and i liked them all and i had my problems with them and when the HD2 comes out i will try it and when they come out with the IP4 i will try that as well. Try something out before bashing it. This device has not been out for one week and Engadget cant seem to be saying anything but negative stuff,....get it ????
@Goona
Android sucks, garbage OS.
@tapfuma
Hey dumbass, Engadget has the right to post problems with any phone without clowns like you questioning them. When they post problems with the iphone I never see you complaining, bloody hypocrite.
im in the uk (swindon) and mine has been running like a dream so far :)
@mikeparkie
This further proves my theory of T-Mobile suckage.
@newone757 Well it does. Look I came from ATT and used a Nokia unlocked e71. The Droid on Verizon simply does NOT drop calls. Can't say that about my ATT experience.
hmmm, phone rolls out with almost solely online media coverage. maybe, just maybe you should take that hint and not get it unless you know what you're doing in becoming an early adopter.
@Goona
seems somone has something stuck up the other end of their pie hole. Get a life or a wife or a man. I am sure you have a dictionary there,.."Impatial idiot"
So far noone in the UK has had any problems right? From what I can see, the Nexus just doesn't work too smoothly on T-Mobile US, because there have been no complaints from the rest of the world... Anyone on a network other than T-Mobile had any problems?
@electrikalex
I have problems in the UK on O2.
See http://is.gd/5WUuD for my testing between tmobile pulse, nuxus one and o2 and tmobile SIM's
MArtin
Can you just turn off GSM mode? I had to do that on my N95 or it was always falling back to GPRS when I started to do stuff.
Was missing from the iPhone which made it unusable since there is no edge on vodafones network
@tapfuma
I should get a life, this coming from an idiot whining on a blog about a freaking phone.
IT'S THE SOFTWARE!!!!!!!
OK. I found "Phone Info" screen through "Any Cut" programs "activity" list. This looks like a screen not intended for average users. It clearly has settings that should not be messed with. However, it does have a pull down menu that was set to "WCDMA Preferred". I changed this to "WCDMA Only". The phone reset, and never again saw the f'ing "E" on the signal indicator- ALL 3G. After about 1/2 hour of speed tests (150k - 800kbps) and google satellite map downloads (all definitely faster), I switched back to "WCDMA Preferred". Guess what? After a few minutes, I was back on EDGE, even with a good signal. Switched back to "WCDMA Only", and 3G it remains.
The PROBLEM with doing this is that you will have NO DATA COVERAGE if you slip into a weak area where only Edge will work. So Doing this means you have to create a shortcut and change this setting if you lose signal.
WHAT THIS TELLS ME IS THAT THIS IS A SOFTWARE PROBLEM. The criteria for determining 3G vs. Edge selection in the SW is (as I suspected) weighted heavily to EDGETMOBILE probably did this to reduce their network loading. Do not be surprised if they remove the "Phone Info" screen in future updates so you cannot do my patch.
-------
The problem is NOT related to signal strength. The connection switches randomly between 3G and Edge at ANY signal strength.
You can access Signal Strength at Settings/About Phone/Status
The following conditions were observed by moving to different locations (NOT chronological order) in and out of the house:
Signal Signal
Strength Strength Indicated Display
dBm ASU Network Bars
-63 25 3G 4
-63 25 Edge 4
-77 18 3G 4
-77 18 Edge 4
-89 12 3G 3
-89 12 Edge 3
-101 6 3G 2
-101 6 Edge 2
-109 2 3G 1
-109 2 Edge 1
Even with the STRONGEST signal, the phone is unable to reliably connect to the 3G network. Furthermore, the phone clearly DEFAULTS TO BE ON EDGE under even ideal conditions.
It's karma for all the iPhone bashing.
@Goona
My point exactly Fanboy !!