I've had terrible signal strength that is usually -90dBm - -104dBms. Tons of missed calls, dropped calls and weird echos. I finally figured out why.
It has something to do with the antenna in the phone and your hand covering it. When I hold the phone normally like any other phone, im at -95ish dBms, then when I hold the phone with only 2 fingers ( 1 on top 1 on bottom, kind of pinching it with your thumb and index) the phone immediately jumps to -75dBms. I must've tried this 40 times, and everytime I get the same result. Is there any way to solve this, or do I have to return it for something that doesn't have an oddly placed antenna.
I'm already on my 2nd replacement phone. I really like it, and really dont want to get rid of it, but the signal strength is terrible when your holding it. FYI - If your trying this, make sure you use your left hand to hold the phone "Normally", using your right seems to help about 10%, using only 2 fingers makes about a 20% jump in strength.
Wow I just double checked you. I get between -86 and -92 covering the whole back of the phone. I get between -78 and -88 covering only the top. And between -62 and -72 with my fingers covering the front of the phone on the very top and very bottom. Very interesting. Unfortunately there is nothing to be done besides adjust how you hold it. I tried a few reasonably natural positions that were significant improvements but not perfect the best was probably the thumb on one side pointer on top and middle finger on the other side grip but probably best is to put the phone in a pouch front facing your body and use a headset.
I guess we just discovered what patent HTC violated from Apple. Yep its the old lets put the antenna where it will make the aesthetics superior to effectiveness.
I e-mailed this information to HTC product support.
I tried the same experiment. It works! But how is someone suppose to talk like that? I also found that when I used my headset to talk and not touch the phone, it worked fine.
In the seat of my car the signal goes down as well. The car holder is fine but my car holder broke so I need a new one. I keep hoping one will comeout for the Incredible like the Droid so i will automagically put my phone into car mode and stuff. Awesome.
I do find that when I am having issues I can hold it away from my hand using my fingers. I have big hands and this phone is a little uncomfortable to grip anyway because it is so darn thin. It isn't the most comfortable but it isn't the least comfortable either it works and I get good signal strength. I wonder if one of those signal booster things would help or if there could be created a device to re-route the antennae along the side or to the top. The iPhone would benefit from something like that as well except you can't get into an iPhone without voiding the warranty. LOL.
In my area the signal is useable most everywhere. It rarely gets above 94dBm but it would be nice to not have to worry about that.
Kind of makes me miss the old days of the ugly but practical nub antennae. Less ugly and difficult than the **bleep** pull out antennae but more useable than the completely internal ones.
it seems my right hand has more mass then my left hand!!! LOL how odd is this? It actually makes a difference in the dbm by about 10 using my left hand...LOL but still this is the area my old carrier used to not get any service or drop alot!!!
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