Help with a new phone 'Crawling'?

Candy53

Hi,

Could someone please help with a problem with a new mobile?

My son was sick of his small 3 fone being very slow so he's managed to buy himself a new one.

He's got a Sony Ericsson Arc S. He's back with Vodafone PAYG. He read alot of reviews before he bought it and they were nearly all good.

Trouble is, even though the signal is full bars, the phone crawls! It has the Gingerbread, and can download the Ice Cream Sandwich 4, but reviewers say it slows the phone down.

Then, it said it had 3G but in the settings it is only 2G.

Are all the Android phones slow? Or should he download a different browser like Firefox or Chrome? Would that help? He doesn't know now if to take it back or not.

Thanks,
Candy

grumbler

Candy53 wrote: »

Trouble is, even though the signal is full bars, the phone crawls! It has the Gingerbread, and can download the Ice Cream Sandwich 4, but reviewers say it slows the phone down.

Crawls with downloading? If so the speed depends mainly on the signal, not the software.

Then, it said it had 3G but in the settings it is only 2G.

Well, on 2g internet has to be very slow.
Usually there are three options in the Network Mode:

• WCDMA only (3g)
• GSM only (2g)
• GSM / WCDMA auto.

Are all the Android phones slow? Or should he download a different browser like Firefox or Chrome? Would that help? He doesn't know now if to take it back or not.

Have you tried this on WiFi? If it gets faster, then surely slowness is because of the signal.

Candy53

The WCDMA only doesn't say 3G and when he put it on this option it showed no network and a X. The GSM only provides the full signal.

He hasn't downloaded anything. I meant he can download the Icecream Sandwich 4 if he wants but bad reviews on that. He has got the WCDMA/GSM Auto but still crawls on that. The signal is very good here with Vodafone.

Candy

latecomer

How old is the sim card?

Candy53

It's new with the phone.

We've just discovered the problem I think. Vodafone, who are the biggest server don't support 3G here even though the signal is always great and we're fairly close to a transmitter. 3, which is a bad signal, supports it. Don't get it.

Candy

jbainbridge

Assuming you've got wifi in the house - use that for any data while at home - its free.

Rachel_B11

Have you tried asking Vodafone? I'm with O2 (because they have the best signal in my area) PAYG with an iphone and I've been amazed how helpful they've been whenever I've had a query - certainly I've got a look more help than I ever expected - competition in the mobile phone market appears to be paying off. I was incredibly pleased with how they helped me when I upgraded my phone and gave my old one to a friend - including transferring all my credit so I didn't lose a penny in the process. (No I don't work for O2)

It might be that Vodafone don't currently have a good signal in your area. But as you're on PAYG I wouldn't worry too much as sims now appear to usually be free. So check here for the signal strength of Vodafone and their rivals & make a decision then if it's the signal and if you should swop to someone else usingthe link from the ofcom site I'm not allowed to post as a new user but try ofcom mobile signal strength in google and it's the first hit. I think whether a phone's good for you depends on the signal where you live rather than the provider per se.

grumbler

Candy53 wrote: »

The WCDMA only doesn't say 3G

(2g) and (3g) were my comments.
In this mode, depending on the available signal, you can see '3g' or 'H' (HSDPA) in the notification bar, possibly even some other signs for other 3g protocols.

and when he put it on this option it showed no network and a X. The GSM only provides the full signal.

3g signal is known to have worse coverage than 2g, especially indoors.

He hasn't downloaded anything. I meant he can download the Icecream Sandwich 4 if he wants but bad reviews on that. He has got the WCDMA/GSM Auto but still crawls on that. The signal is very good here with Vodafone.

It may be 2g signal in 'auto' mode, but again, it is unclear what exactly you deem to be slow. Is it internet or just, say, apps that don't use internet?

Candy53

jbainbridge wrote: »

Assuming you've got wifi in the house - use that for any data while at home - its free.

Well I don't blame you for assuming we have Wifi, but problem is we haven't. We don't have a computer, so we have to try and get the best out of our fones.

The only thing I can think of then is for him to get his fone unlocked, and go back to '3' to get the 3G, or download a better browser and see if that helps.

Thanks everyone for your help. I will phone Vodafone to see what they say.

Candy

Candy53

grumbler wrote: »

(2g) and (3g) were my comments.
In this mode, depending on the available signal, you can see '3g' or 'H' (HSDPA) in the notification bar, possibly even some other signs for other 3g protocols.

3g signal is known to have worse coverage than 2g, especially indoors.

It may be 2g signal in 'auto' mode, but again, it is unclear what exactly you deem to be slow. Is it internet or just, say, apps that don't use internet?

Sorry, cross posted. It's slow surfing the net. Even getting on it in the 1st place. So try to search, or moving around a website, it's loading for a long time, even though the signal has full bars.

Candy.

Im_just_careful

and I assume you live in a small town.

I'm puzzled that "3" was slow since unless you are on another network (which they allow in some areas) you get 3G all the time.

For the other operators they have 2G networks (fine for calls but s..l..o..w on a smartphone) and seperate 3G networks.

First thing to try, put the old "3" SIM in the new phone. This may not work as the phone may be locked to Vodafone. If it does seem to work you may need some "APN settings".

Second (or perhaps first) thing to try. Go to a large town and try it there. Does the phone respond much more quickly there ? If so then, as I suspect, it is only having 2G network coverage that is your problem and you are a bit stuck.

Solutions:- get broadband & use WiFi, come to a deal with a neighbour to use their WiFi or see if any networks have decent 3G coverage of your area