I posted a link / URL to another forum where posters were discussing the loss of connectivity they experienced when going to KitKat. Evidently it violates the terms of service for this site, because some posts discuss modifying their devices.
In essence, posters discovered two things relevant I believe to the plight of many posters here:
1). The new XLTE band does not penetrate buildings as well as the previously used bands for LTE. It is higher in frequency and consumes more power/
2). Posters discovered (by looking under their battery), what the build date on their phone was, and prior to some time late last year, their builds (and implied the hardware in their phones or the radio/modem software that sits below the KK operating system) did not work well with the new band. That they needed a phone with a build date of this year, and/or a refurb date of this year to have appropriate reception. When they got a "new" phone, the reception problems were greatly mitigated.
Wish I could post the URL without it being deleted. I feel that many of you don't know there are low-level differences in the Note3 handsets that might account for why some have problems, while others don't post the update to KK.
This is a known problem.
Yes I downloaded the typical. Facebook and Instagram. I just recently hard reset my device this week as well.
I have the same issue with my Note3. I have no signal more than I have a signal with the no network service available. My wife was on her S4 last night and I was on my Note 3 and lost service while on a call with my dad 3 times while she was also on her phone and never lost service or her call.
I've had the Note 3 since it first came out and the service has continued to drop.
I moved from a Note2 to a Note3 1 year ago and my two boys and wife stayed on the Note2. Their phones would always have 4g in our area and I would would struggle in buildings and in certain areas of town. It was horrible and many times I had no services at all. I finally upgraded to a Note4 and couldn't be happier. I have service again. My kids usually get my old phone. My one son changed to the Note3 and two weeks later he asked for his Note2 back because the service was so bad. I had not even mentioned to him the issues I had.
Note3 was a failure and I couldn't wait to get rid of it. I will hold on to it until my next phone upgrade and trade it in as no one in my house wants it. Sad that a Note2 is more desirable than a Note3.
Wow - I got to hand it to you. With such a lousy experience with the Note3 after the upgrade, I'm not sure I would have stuck with Samsung and gone with a Note4.
So get this. Today I call Verizon with the same issue. I've had my Note 3 since June and it was a Certified pre-owned. I have a work phone that is Verizon as well but Iphone 5s so I can make a good case on this issue. My 2 hour commute to work with phone calls and I'm always dropping calls on my Note 3, but never on my 5s.
So the first tech on the phone forwards me to an advanced tech. She has me power off the phone and puts me on hold. When she comes back she specifically mentions that they are aware of a problem with the Note 3 and that Samsung has agreed to replace it with a Galaxy s5. So I say, that is great except the s5 isn't a Note and that's not acceptable. So she says you can get a Note 3 as a replacement, but you will probably have the same problems. She then says we can get Samsung on the line and you can make your case with them.
I end up on the phone with Samsung support without my Verizon Support person and the Samsung person says there is no such agreement with Verizon. In fact the Samsung tech insisted that dropped calls were a carrier issue. I explained that if I have two Verizon phones in the same location on one always works and the other always drops the calls then I don't believe it is a carrier issue. She stuck to her story and I finally hung up on her to call Verizon back. Now I'm super mad.
I call Verizon back and explain that I need a senior support person that can find out about this agreement. After a half an hour or more she finally tells me that a senior support specialist is aware that Samsung will exchange my Note 3 for a s5 because they know there is an issue. This Verizon person agrees to get Samsung on a conference call with me. This Samsung guy says he went up three levels of support only to get the same denial. No s5 or Note 4 is ever given as a replacement. Who knows what is going on? I'm inclined to believe that Verizon has told Samsung they have a problem but no agreement is solidified as to how to handle it.. I'm supposed to get my warranty replacement Note 3 tomorrow and we will see if that makes any difference. If this problem isn't fixed by my new Note 3, Verizon should make it right and hammer it out between them and Samsung. I did buy it from Verizon so they should man up.
wagado,
So sorry to hear about the trouble you have had with your Note 3. We want to ensure we are identifying the nature of the trouble and addressing that for you so you have a working phone. I'd be happy to check on the network if we need to do that for you. Please let us know how the replacement is working for you. Rest assured, we will leave no stone unturned in getting you the best connection possible!
BrianP_VZW
Follow Us on Twitter @VZWSupport
Well I needed to report on what happened with my replacement Note 3. So far it works great. I've had it about a week now. No dropped calls.
My old note had a 13 on the sticker under the battery which I assumed in 2013 manufacture date. The new one had a 14 which I assume is a 2014 manufacture date. One of the forums I read about this issue said that there was a change in design after the release of XLTE.
All I know is that it is working now.
Good report. May help someone else. If they are having reception / dropped call issues, maybe they should call Samsung and request a unit with a sticker with a 14 under the battery. Yes, likely, they changed a few things hardware related, but possibly also related software / firmware. Glad you got a good one.
totally agree wish I had know that and even the extended time to return for 6 wks was great black Friday deal in 2013, except my service in winter after the 6 wks period was better, until the spring leaves and new software caused a whole lot of stress. I did purchases a phone booster which does well in those spots in need on the road, truly the device needs a lot of power it to connect to the network. (That is just a few hundred Hz more than the device need constant or it wont work!) Is this something Verizon should upgrade or replace your device with something else?
Start a new topic or ask questions in the open forum.
