928 reception issues... pretty weak compared to my 8x. Anyone else?

[anon(5335877)]

I have noticed the signal bars are lower but reception has been stellar. I am wondering if it is a display issue and not a true reception issue.

Bars aren't a good way to compare reception because each phone calculates it differently. If you want to compare, it's better to use the field test app (if the phone lets you access it) and read the signal strength in dBm.

 

[hary536]

I think, when comparing any devices, you shouldn't always compare the number of bars. If there is a 1-2 bar difference, it's okay.
All depends on the actual quality of connection. Also, things are dependent on software sometimes.

Ooops, seems the last comment before mine referred to same thing.

Hi,

I bought my 928 on launch day and immediately noticed the signal is weaker compared to that of my 8x. I admit, I live in an area that is not constantly 4-5 bars of LTE, but my 928 has noticeably weaker signal than my 8x did. To the point where it spends a lot of time in 3G mode. Just last night, I had family over for a BBQ and was trying to stream a YouTube video to show my dad something, and I had to connect to WiFi because it would play a second then buffer for 20.

My 8x didn't always have a perfect signal where I live, but it was a MUCH better signal.

I went to Verizon and got a new sim card to see if that would help. No improvement. Thinking of going to Verizon to try a new device. Possible I got a dud? Everything else seems to be working fine.

How is everyone else's 928 doing so far? Especially curious for those who had an 8X on Verizon beforehand.

tcman88, I know you probably can't say much, but has there been any discussion internally about reception issues?

 

[ArvydasGOAT]

To be clear, I'm not only judging my performance on bars. I've experienced multiple dropped calls and the inability to send MMS messages due to low reception. Unfortunately, my replacement 928 seems to be as bad as the first. My 8x really did get better reception, but I think I'll keep the Lumia.

 

[psiu_glen]

Boourns. I would imagine it can't be worse than the Trophy, right? I don't have much trouble with the Trophy, but it's certainly not the greatest phone reception-wise.

And the Devour by Motorola was TERRIBLE for reception...giant aluminum shell...tiny RF window...no wonder.

 

[Paulo1300]

although nokia has been creating cell phones forever, dont they deal with GSM waaay more often than CDMA (considering very few carriers use CDMA, especially outside the US)?
i bet nokia phones will get better with CDMA with time

when it comes to reception for verizon, I would choose motorola to probably have the best (although i do see the post above)

 

[scottcraft]

My 8X gets better reception than the 822 I had. It's not a huge difference, but I get LTE in more areas with the 8X. Both are significantly better than the Trophy, that phone was horrible in my area.

 

[jfreiman]

You can find nearly countless articles on how bars mean nothing and are controlled by the phone/device vendor; they are not standardized by the carriers or 3rd party.
I know LTE bandwidth isn't the same as signal quality as they operate on separate bands/frequencies, but a side by side of both devices may be a better indicator of antenna design/placement.
This comparison is equally compelling on WP8 since all of the HD screen models use the same SoC, modems, etc.

 

[TheNidhogg]

Nope, you're not alone. My 928 almost never has full bars, and for me a good connection has become 3. If I'm ever in a building it goes to 1 or 2 bars but strangely enough I'll have LTE still. I just about wanted to light my 928 on fire when I was at a football game and my grandpa with his Blackberry and my dad with his iPhone 4S were both getting perfect reception: happily getting score updates and sending texts, but my Lumia (despite saying I had 4 bars and LTE) wouldn't even send or receive texts.

I also can rarely send picture messages, and I often receive picture messages as a link telling me to "Retrieve Media content now" but clicking it will just cause it to load forever. I'm very unimpressed with this phone's lack of ability to do the most basic task a phone is meant to do: Get a signal.

 

[DavidinCT]

My 8X gets better reception than the 822 I had. It's not a huge difference, but I get LTE in more areas with the 8X. Both are significantly better than the Trophy, that phone was horrible in my area.

Keep in mind, the Trophy was a 3G phone, not a LTE phone...and agreed even with 4-5 bars if 3G on the Trophy, it was really slugish, I could not stream a video with out it buffering and stopping every 5-10 seconds to buffer. Never a problem over Wi-FI, I blame that on Verizon's 3G network..

I get about 4-5 bars of LTE in my home. For all the complaining I do about this buggy as heck 928, I do think it does as good as the 8X for signal. Every once and a while in my home I get a dropped call but, I did get that with the 8X....

 

[scottcraft]

Keep in mind, the Trophy was a 3G phone, not a LTE phone...and agreed even with 4-5 bars if 3G on the Trophy, it was really slugish, I could not stream a video with out it buffering and stopping every 5-10 seconds to buffer. Never a problem over Wi-FI, I blame that on Verizon's 3G network..

I get about 4-5 bars of LTE in my home. For all the complaining I do about this buggy as heck 928, I do think it does as good as the 8X for signal. Every once and a while in my home I get a dropped call but, I did get that with the 8X....

The Trophy was the worst phone I ever had for reception. My 822, 8X and HTC Rezound all do much better, even on 3G.

 

[odin09]

My Trophy was very good but the 928 is equal or better. I have still never had one dropped call with this phone. Even when I've got one or two bars the phone is fast and the calls are solid.

 

[DavidinCT]

The Trophy was the worst phone I ever had for reception. My 822, 8X and HTC Rezound all do much better, even on 3G.

I guess to each their own. I thought my Trophy was great(for it's time), My wife has a iPhone 4 (Verizon), and I would be on calls in places she could not even get a signal. To say better than the 928 or 8X, can't say that because when I was on my Trophy, it was only 3G but, on both the 928 and the 8X, I get full LTE, so it's a different type of signal.

 

[dvandy4898]

My husband just purchased the Nokia Lumia 928 about a month ago. The reception is terrible in house, hwy, work, doesn't matter. I have contacted Verizon and they have no clue. My daughter dropped the phone the other day and put a small crack on the screen so sending it back to Nokia not an option I am sure. Everything else works, internet, email, any app but the phone reception sucks. Any ideas on what to do next?

 

[anony_mouse]

HTC phones have easily the best LTE reception right now.

 

[DavidinCT]

My husband just purchased the Nokia Lumia 928 about a month ago. The reception is terrible in house, hwy, work, doesn't matter. I have contacted Verizon and they have no clue. My daughter dropped the phone the other day and put a small crack on the screen so sending it back to Nokia not an option I am sure. Everything else works, internet, email, any app but the phone reception sucks. Any ideas on what to do next?

Do you have the insurance ? If you dont, and you have not told verizon, call them up and add it then wait a few days and call up a claim. .

As for your signal, if you had strong signal there with other devices (LTE),then I bet it would be a defective phone but, now that it has a crack, there is nothing you can do about that.