Phones with good signal / reception

geraint83

Hi all,

Last year, I purchased a new Samsung Nexus S (https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3558743) and I've been generally happy with it. However, one thing that does annoy me is the poor signal reception.

My wife and I are on the same mobile network, but while I'm struggling to pick up any reception bars, she'll often be getting close to full bars on her old Nokia e52 - even though we're both at the same location. This has meant that I sometimes lose calls, or that the signal isn't strong enough to hold a conversation when one does come through.

I've looked on the web and see that this is a problem that others have experienced, and the consensus is that phones nowadays aren't as good as what they used to be in terms of capturing a strong signal!

I'm now considering my options, and as far as I can see, there are two things I could do:

1) Update the internal radio firmware, as described here: http://forum.cyanogenmod.com/topic/14633-nexus-s-radio/. However, I don't have any idea how I'd go about doing this - and would I need to root the phone?

2) Sell the Nexus S on eBay (it's in a very good condition) and buy another smartphone which has a better internal antenna - but which one? Would the Samsung Galaxy Nexus or the iPhone 4S, for example, have better antennae?

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me!

jonkersuk

Definitely stay clear of the iPhone 4 it will be even worse that your current phone.

baby_frogmella

jonkersuk wrote: »

Definitely stay clear of the iPhone 4 it will be even worse that your current phone.

And where does the OP say he/she is thinking of going for the iphone 4? Oh i see, the iphone 4 uses the same antenna as the iphone 4S:rotfl:

PJB

Not sure what option 1) is but I would look on XDA

talkalot

I have both the Galaxy Nexus and the IP4s. The Galaxy Nexus signal reception is very good but I have found the IP4s with its improved aerial to have the better signal reception by far. On the same network the Nexus has lost signal a few times. The IP4s holds on to a signal like a clamp.

Buzby

Bottom line? All mobile phones have different tolerances and are only rejected if they fall outside the relevant parameters. So one could be more sensitive than the other (in just the same way a box of eggs may not have the same yolk sizes!). There is no point believing that all Samsung / iPhones / Nokias / HTC are better than the rest, as there will be better/worse ones in the same batch.

As fo the iPhone 4/4S the antennas are different in each case, and the models are totally different in construction - as can be easily seen.
L

grumbler

Buzby wrote: »

... There is no point believing that all Samsung / iPhones / Nokias / HTC are better than the rest, as there will be better/worse ones in the same batch. ...

It's like saying that there is no point in believing that Fiesta is more economical than Mondeo.

diamonds

Orange has Android app for a wifi Signal Boost, check xda developers if it is available for Nexus if your on Orange, Vodafone & Three have signal boosters units you plug into broadband to connect to either network

geraint83

Thanks everyone for your replies! Since there hadn't been any responses to my post for a few days, I'd given up hope!! Thanks to everyone for their responses - to respond to a few of them...

jonkersuk:
No, it's the iPhone 4S that I'm looking at, because it's supposed to have an improved aerial over the iPhone 4.

PJB:
I've had a look on XDA but the method of flashing the radio firmware sounds a bit complicated so I think I'll stay clear of that in case I brick the phone!!

talkalot:
Your response was as I suspected. I think that the aerial for my Nexus S is located in the battery cover on the rear of the phone. This means that when I hold it in my hand I lose signal quite quickly. The iPhone 4S has its antennae going around the sides which would hopefully be better, and I think it has 2 antennae which it switches between to get the best signal.

Buzby:
Sorry, I don't think I've understood the point you're making. Wouldn't all models in a phone range (e.g. all Nexus S, all iPhone 4S...) have the same tolerances since they use the same antenna set-up?

diamonds:
I don't have a problem with reception when at home so a signal booster unit wouldn't help. While I'm on the 3 network, the 2G fallback in my part of Wales hasn't been switched off and I get full bars at home because the Orange transmitter is only about 500 metres away from the house.


On the face of it, it looks like moving to the iPhone 4S could help with my reception problems when out and about, but I'll now have to consider whether iOS will meet my needs. I'm very happy with the 'vanilla' Android ICS provided on my Nexus S - I was fed up with the Sense skin on my previous HTC Desire.

One thing that I should say is that this isn't a problem with the 3 network (which might surprise some!). I think that it's related to the ability of the phone to latch onto and retain a signal in areas with variable reception - my workplace being one of these locations! When I was in the pub with my wife today, her Nokia had full bars on 3G with 3, while my Nexus S was hovering in and out of signal before roaming onto the 2G fall back signal - so annoying!!

tasteslikechicken

Geraint83, going off the info you have provided and the research I have been tirelessly doing of late due to my own 'soon to be' upgrade, heres what I can gather....

Nokia have one of, if not THE best reception ratings in handsets available, its always been the same over the years and every handset review of the new Nokia Lumia's say the same.

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus has been berated by the AMERICAN users due to Poor signal quality, calls dropping inexplicably and poor battery life (which may have been patch fixed by now)

I had made my mind up that I wanted a Galaxy Nexus, but looking at the specs and comparing it to the other contenders, the only good thing its got going for it is the awesome screen....

Then on the other hand... The Nokia Lumia runs windows 7.5 mango (soon to be Tango) OS. In October, Microsoft are releasing WM8, across the board for Tablets and Handsets. NOBODY outside of MS knows if the Lumia handsets are going to get the new WM8 upgrade or if they physically can handle it. So you could end up with an out of date OS before you are even halfway through your contract.

So.... your guess is as good as what phone to get!