cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

Is anyone having cell signal issues? I moved from a moto q9 napoleon and never had any signal issues; i.e.alway getting evdo signal while in my home, but now with the tp2, i spend most of my time with a 1x signal. And this (1x signal) negatively impacts my battery life.

The better question - is there a fix or solution?

Thanks

John

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

I dont have any issues, same signal as my TP. Have you tried dialing the*228 and then option 2?

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

I know I sound like a verizon rep but try *228 and see what happens if you haven't already. With my TP1 when I went on vacation to the poconos I was roaming and barely picking up a signal. After doing *228 and updating I was no longer roaming and had full bars.

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

yep - *228 option 2 twice - but not improvement

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

I actually just went through this. I too was having the 1x all the time. I saw this thread and tried the *228 option 2. Didnt work. So just for the hell of it I did *228 option 1, and viola! full 3g bars. I just re activated it..... Try it out ....hope it helps

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

Second *228 option 1 attempt was the charm for me. I had done option 2 then called again and did an option 1 but no joy. Soft reset, even got in the car and drove a couple miles down the road and it wouldn't switch over to 3G even though showing 4 bars of 1X. Saw the thread and tried the *228, 1 again and it worked!

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

Dial ##DEBUG then Talk, then check the AN/AAA Authenticated authentication value in the HDR screen. Does it say 1=Authenticated or is it a bunch of ## - ## -## -## -##?

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

The solution to your coverage issue is one that Verizon doesnt freely suggest unless you ask for it. Simply call Verizon at 1-800-922-0204 or *611 from your phone. Speak to any representative, and explain that you would like to have the "Hybrid PRL" activated on your account. This allows you to roam off both Verizon and Alltel Networks as PRIMARY, thus increasing your coverage. We have done this for over 700 numbers on our account now, and have had nothing but positive feedback. This is a FREE service, however will take the tech 24-48 hours to push the update out to your phone. Once its done, whatever you do, DONT DIAL *228 and update your coverage, as this will pull the update off the phone. Please feel free to confirm this with any verizon agent, or visit your nearest store, they should be able to pull up the email that was sent to all stores about 3 weeks ago.

- Cj

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

One more thing, This works for ALL Verizon Phones currently available and ones that are within the past 2 years, not just Smart Phones. Older phones that are on 1x network only (such as the VX5500 series) do not require this update, as they are programmed to roam on any tower they can reach. Once Verizon completes the merger with Alltel in Mid October to early November (Hopefully), this update will become part of the *228, option 2 push.

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

AN / AAA Authenticated says "1 = Authenticated"

I also just *228 option 1 (re-programing the phone), and thus far, i am maintain 3G (evdo) signal.

The above said, when I compare the radio signal strength on TP2 and my wife's Q9 Napoleon (A4500), the Napoleon seems to hold an edge - typically showing one more bar. Regardless, I seem to be holding strong with 3G.

I will call VZN customer service in the morning and request the "Hybrid PRL" activated as well.

Thanks for all the great feedback.

John

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

my verizon tp2 also is setup this way
AN / AAA Authenticated says "1 = Authenticated"

i actually have my old touch pro and my new tp2 both active and have been using them together the past few days. i have to say in my area (columbia,sc) the phones function pretty much the same as far as signal.

i actually work right by the interstate and have a tower right by here. i usually get a great signal and EVDO. but since reading this thread i have realized that my tp2 is one 1x a good bit.

i did a *228 option 1 when i first got the phone, and then later i did and *228 option 2. well after reading this thread i did another *228 option 2.
well the phone reset and comes back up with EV, but quickly switches to 1x.

watching it now it seems to lose all bars when going to EV. or is that supposed to happen????

my old touch pro is right beside it and it seems to be holding on to that EV signal.

should i try that hybrid PRL? will that fix the issue of the phone not staying in EV mode?

**update
i am watching very close now and the phone seems to be going back and forth from 1x and EV.
also, when i get a call it switches from EV to 1X. also when its on EV i get maybe 1 bar, but when its on 1x i get 4 or 5 bars.
everytime i call it i watch it switch from EV and go to 1x. is that supposed to happen? when i hang up it goes back to EV with no signal.

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

I'm actually surprised that folks are experiencing signal issues with their TP2. I've only had mine for a day now but so far I've actually seen an increase in signal strength in most areas along with faster browsing.

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

I'm also having this issue. I have had the phone since Saturday.

I keep dropping in and out of EV and today I've been in 1x all day with 4 bars.

My authentication was fine, but now it says 221 = 221 = 221 over and over so something is getting messed up.

The last two times it did this, the only thing that fixed it was a *228 option 1 again. Now that's not working either. Gonna call tech support probably later today.

There's definitely something going on though.

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

could this be a problem with the custom taskbar im using?

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

Doubt it. I'm almost completely stock and have not changed anything related to themes and I'm having the problem.

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

In case this helps someone else, I'm going to post the same info I sent to you in a PM:

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

your phone will always drop to 1x during a call or sending or recieving text.... thats why texting eats battery, your constantly switching from evdo to 1x and back and forth.... thats normal on that part...

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

Well, I am back to 1x. I called customer service and requested Hybrid PRL activation (which will take a couple of days.

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

How many 1x bars do you have now? How many did you have with EV? I don't think the Hybrid PRL is the issue.

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

i had 1 to 2 "3G bars" (rarely a 3rd would show up). my 1x usually shows 3 (but sometime showing 2).

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

Yeah you should have been fine then.

I've spoken to 2 techs now that don't know how to fix this. Incredibly frustrating.


First girl INSISTED that the phone is supposed to just say 1X.... yeah.

Next guy wants to roll a verizon truck to the tower I'm connected to, literally 200 yards from my office, cause there must be something wrong with the signal....

It's just unbelieveable.

I just tethered through my laptop and on the speakeasy test, with 4 bars of 1x, I'm getting 136kbps down.....


Edit: FINALLY got someone on the phone who would give me a DMU reset.... solved it right away... (thanks 8notime).

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

Option 2 gave me 3G!

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

Interesting - i did a hard reset and re-acquired evdo signal... for a while ... then lost again. Performed a couple of re programs (*228 option 1) and re-acquired evdo. The performed firmware update (*228 option 2) and lost evdo, and back to 1x. Performed 2 more * 228 option 2's and finally got evdo back. At this point, I have no confidence that this will hold.

Checked my authentication value in HDR and AN?AAA Authenticated value came back as "0= Not Authenticated"

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

If you don't mind my inexperience, what is Hybrid activation and how can it help?

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

There are others here that can provide a more complete (or more accurate) answer, but my general understanding is -- the aggregate cell tower footprint from both Verizon and Alltel, which will soon become available to all Verizon customers once they complete the network integration process. As I understand it, this will be formally rolled out before the end of the year.

The above said, hybrid activation did not help me with my TP2.

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

according to verizon, you must have been a previous alltell cust for the hybrid prl to work. verizon customers are not eligible

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

Verizon Users Getting Stuck in 1X --- PLEASE READ!
For those of you who have the plaguing problem of your data connection dropping to 1X, I'm trying to spearhead this issue with Verizon and need your help.

Everytime I open a ticket, it get's closed stating that it's a signal issue with a specific location. We all know that this is not the case. I finally have got ahold of a Tech supervisor who gave me all of his contact information so that we could ALL direct our issue to him. He would then get it elevated through the proper channels and then hopfully they can find a fix. It's my hope that we can all email or call him and explain our issue. He was very nice to work with on the phone and said he is dedicated to getting the problem resolved. I think he's looking at this from a global look rather than an isolated one like every other tech I've spoken to.

Here is his contact information:

Kevin Drakeford
kevin.drakeford@verizonwireless.com
843-566-8600 EXT 1789
Charleston, SC Call Center

Please email or call him with your information and make sure to inform him all of the steps that you've tried that have been unsuccessful (new phone, hard reset, etc etc).

I will try and follow up with him later in the week. Msg here if you contacted him. Hopefully we can get this fixed and be left with just an awesome working phone!

Re: cell signal issues with vzn tp2
 

I'm not sure that this is necessarilly a verizon problem per se. Here have been my experiences so far. First this phone seems to stay in 1x mode if it can't get a reliable 3g signal as do most phones. The problem I'm finding is that the ability of the tp2 to hold onto a signal, 3g or 1x, is pretty poor. In a strong signal environment the phone works great but if I'm somewhere that cell phones are getting 2bars, my signal strength goes crazy. It will bounce anywhere from 0 to 3 bars and wont stay static. Now I will say the verizon radio seems a little worse for this. I flashed to both a sprint and uscellular radio and the signal strength does stabilize a little bit, But the bouncing IS still there. I recently went over to my budies house he has the tp2 on sprint and i sat the phones next to each other and while his signal was more steady it was still displaying the same bouncing almost in time with mine. My personal opinion is that the touch pro 2 just does not cope well with low signal strength, and coupled with verizons seeming appathy towards coming up with a TRUE solution we're getting all kinds of weird issues. For those that haven't, try reflashing your radio to the sprint one. Also how many of you are having this issue in a strong signal environment? Oh and one more thing when it happens to me resetting my data or phone connection in the com page seems to bring it back. Sorry for the long post I hope it helps.