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Lg g4 loses cellular signal completely randomly

Award88
I'm a contributor level 1
I'm a contributor level 1

Hi, my lg g4 loses its cellular signal randomly for a second and then I get a full 4 or 5 bars afterward. This is annoying because I constantly drop calls. I changed my preferred network to GSM/HSPA/LTE auto to simply GSM/HSPA auto and that hasn't helped. Although my signal is much stronger. However, I still lose the signal every now and then. I have no clue what I should do?

29 REPLIES 29

ayrdale
I'm a participant level 3
I'm a participant level 3

I am trying to uograde my lgg4 as I got a total dud that has had many repairs, new mother board within 5 mths of purchase.  Mine is doing the same thing for past few months. I can be in a great serviced area and cannot get a signal! Waiting to see what response you get.  I have tried everything they mention already and nadda makes a diff

Hey @ayrdale!

 

We haven't heard back from you. Are you still experiencing this? 

 

Let us know! We're here to help!

 



astoyan
I'm a participant level 2
I'm a participant level 2

Same phone, same problem. Motherboard has been replaced recently. I live in a rural area with 4 towers around me withtin 4km, pretty much all time I have 0-1 bar and signal strenght rarely goes above -116dBm, and while staying at the same position it keeps connecting from tower to tower, loosing signalor switching from LTE to HSPA randomly. Every time I try to make a call it loses signal completely right away then tries to connect to some other tower and even if I get through after it people cannot hear me well on the other end. At the same time my wife's Fido Galaxy S7 has absolutely no issues working in the same conditions. Switching SIMs and experimenting with APN do not have any positive effect. Either the phone is such a c***p, or Fido has failed with its default LG G4 configuration and doesn't even know about it. So frustrated.

Hello Astoyan,

 

  Welcome to the community!

 

  Firstly, it's not uncommon for different phone models to have differences in cellular reception. For example, a professor at Denmark's Aalborg University tested the performance of various mobile phone antennae (see here). I'm not sure how much we can extrapolate from his data because Fido/Rogers uses mostly different bands/frequencies and the study is now a few years old. However, it does illustrate the large differences between phone models. The reception of the Galaxy S7 could be better than the LG G4.

 


@astoyan wrote:...Every time I try to make a call it loses signal completely right away then tries to connect to some other tower...

  While it does seem that your location might have less than adequate signal for the G4 to function well, it is quite normal for phones to switch from LTE to the '3G' or 2G networks for calls. With the exception of voLTE, voice calls are handled using the '3G' or 2G networks. Most phones will standby with the best available data connection (ie LTE, if available). When making or receiving a call, a phone without voLTE has to switch networks.

 

  You should note that the best available data connection may not necessarily be the fastest. It depends, in part, on the band or frequency to which the phone is connected. The different frequencies have varying characteristics. The higher frequencies do not travel as far, nor penetrate as well as lower frequencies (see graphic here). In addition, cellular reception is dependent on your location relative to the cellular towers and the bands/frequencies used at those towers -- not all bands/frequencies are used at all cellular towers. You can get an idea of your surrounding cellular towers here.

 

  You might consider trying to disable LTE to see whether the phone can maintain a more stable '3G' or 2G connection for calls. You could also determine the signal strength using those networks. If the signal strength is similar to the level you posted previously, it's possible the weak signal is affecting your calls.

 

Hope this helps Smiley

 

Cheers

 

 


astoyan
I'm a participant level 2
I'm a participant level 2

Hi Cawtau, and thank you for quick response.

 

I understand that phones can switch to the best signal they receive, however in my case it's not only data that is affected, it's almost always impossible to make a normal voice call (without VoLTE). And if out of two different phones side by side with the same carrier one of the phones can hardly accomplish it's primary goal, i.e. making a voice call, while other phone works just great, my only conclusion is that something is clearly wrong with that phone, not with my location or signal strenght. And any attempt to justify such a phone's behavior would look like a lame excuse because regadless of the root cause if a phone cannot make a call where other phone can do it, it is only because of that phone.

 

Yet one heavy argument for apparent LG G4 signal issues is the number of similar complains on this and other forums. And with the number of customers that bring back their devices and have their motherboards replaced with no real fix, it should had at least raised questions by either mobile carriers or the manufacturer, but no one seem to have either admitted the issue or provided a solution.

 

As a result I, as well as many other clients who got Fido LG G4 phone, have only three options (as I was explained at Fido store):

 1. keep using it as-is

 2. try to replace its motherboard once again

 3. pay back the remaining phone balance and sign up for another 2 year committment for another phone

 

I don't feel comfortable with paying back the remaining balance as this does look like a manufacturer's fault, but I was not provided with exchage option, I can only keep "fixing" it. An finally, if I give up and pay it back and get another phone, there are no guarantees that I get a phone with no such issues.

 

Regards,

  Alexander

Hello again,

 


@astoyan wrote:...And if out of two different phones side by side with the same carrier one of the phones can hardly accomplish it's primary goal, i.e. making a voice call, while other phone works just great, my only conclusion is that something is clearly wrong with that phone, not with my location or signal strenght.

  Had you previously been able to use that phone properly at that location? As previously mentioned, different phone models to have differences in cellular reception. Some phones' antennae are better (stronger, better placement, etc) than other phones at receiving weaker signals. That study illustrated some differences between phone models. At your location, the signal strength may be strong enough for the Galaxy S7 to work properly, however, might not be strong enough for the G4 to function adequately. There might not be anything wrong with the phone, but reflects differences in design, manufacture, components etc. How does the phone work at different locations?

 

  What signal strength does the S7 show? Most sources would consider less than -100dbm weak enough to cause service issues and -120dbm to be a relative dead zone. Your phone shows a level closer to the latter end. Assuming your phone showed -116dbm when connected to LTE at 700MHz, it's possible the signal strength would have been worse when connecting to the '3G' or 2G network for calls. The different frequencies have varying characteristics. The higher frequencies do not travel as far, nor penetrate as well as lower frequencies (see graphic here). The lowest frequency for the '3G' or 2G networks is 850MHz which would not travel as far nor penetrate as well as 700MHz. The S7 might be able to perform better under those conditions.

 

  If your phone had previously performed properly at that location, it's possible replacing the motherboard may help. On the other hand, if you have always had this issue with that phone, I'm not sure if replacing the motherboard would solve your problem.

 

  One possible solution would be to get a signal booster. I understand it would be an added expense.

 

  I also understand your hesitation in getting another phone. If you do not wish to get a Galaxy S7 (seems to work well at your location), I would suggest trying to research which phones have the best cellular reception. If you do get a new phone, you do have the 15 day guarantee to make sure the phone works as it should.

 

Hope this helps Smiley

 

Cheers


FidoJo1
Former Moderator
Former Moderator

Hey @astoyan

 

Having technical issues are definitely not an ideal situation😟

 

In order to better understand the situation, are you able to give us more details as suggested above: 

 

- Have you tried your sim card in your wife's phone? 

- Is this happening everywhere?

- What happens when you test your SIM card in another phone?

- Does reseting your device to factory settings help?

 

To take a closer look at the details, you can contact us here or we can send you a PM. 

 

Let us know what suits you best! 

 



Hey ayrdale!

 

Could you give us more details?

 

Let us know if:

 

- This is happening everywhere,

- What happens when you test your SIM card in another phone,

- If reseting your device to factory settings helps.

 

Thanks! 



Slainmonkey
I'm a participant level 1
I'm a participant level 1

I don't think this is exclusive to LG as my Samsung Galaxy S8 has started to do this aswell. I've rebooted my phone, and reset network settings with no luck. I have swapped out for a different sim card to see if that fixes the issue.

Award88
I'm a contributor level 1
I'm a contributor level 1

I fixed ghe problem by disabling the volte option in my call settings. 

FidoKenny
Moderator
Moderator

Hey @Award88 and thanks for reaching out.

 

This issue happens indoor and outdoor as well? 

 

And when you restart your phone, do you get a different result?



Award88
I'm a contributor level 1
I'm a contributor level 1

I have also tried restarting the phone many times...

 

@Award88 

 

Thanks for the reply Smiley

Another question for you. Did you get a chance to try your sim card in a different Fido phone to see if you get the same issue?



Award88
I'm a contributor level 1
I'm a contributor level 1

Hey,

 

No I have not, Although my girlfriend has a g3 and she is with fido as well. She doesn't seem to have any problems. I forgot to mention that, the phone seems to "skip" or "freeze" when the cellualr signal is weak. I think it happens when it changes network type. I'm only guessing here though, because I changed my prefered network from gsm/hspa/lte auto to only gsm and that seems to fix the problem. 

 

I thought is was a sim card problem as well so, i got it changed last week. But it didn't fix the problem then.

Hey @Award88,

 

To be sure, is everything is working now? 



Award88
I'm a contributor level 1
I'm a contributor level 1

Yes as long as I stay off my LTE network.

Thanks for confirming @Award88

 

Don't hesitate to reach out if there's anything else we could help with. 

 

-Pamela



Jarv
I'm a participant level 1
I'm a participant level 1

Hi There,

 

how can be fixed this issue?

 

I have every day the same problem with my LG4

 

I did every change that each one recommends here, but the phone still losing signal.

 

thank you

FidoAmanda
Former Moderator
Former Moderator

Hey Jarv!

 

Welcome to the Community!

 

Are you experiencing this everywhere or is this something that only happens in certain locations?

 

Does the same thing happen when you put your SIM card in another phone?

 

Let us know! 



Dzl_Dub
I'm a participant level 1
I'm a participant level 1

Hi,

 

Do you mind me asking what the fix was?

 

I have been having the same issue with my G4 for a couple weeks; had the sim changed and still the same thing.

 

Moving the sim to a 4G/GSM only Samsung Rugby flip phone & it only provded that it was not a sim issue.

 

Any info would be great!

 

Thanks!