Samsung Galaxy S4 unable to connect to 4G since Android 4.3 update
HNLRampRat
Enthusiast - Level 1

My Samsung Galaxy S4 has not been connected to 4G for several billing cycles now.  I have been in known 4G coverage areas the entire time, quite often in direct line-of-sight with antennas known to connect in 4G.

There are no outages reported in my areas, at least not as long as I've been without 4G. I first noticed a problem after the phone did an automatic software update to 4.3 - there was a lack of  4G.

Then I noticed strange things, such as I couldn't update my "Ship Mate - Princess Cruises" app.  Uninstalling it did not help and reinstalling only produces "Couldn't install on USB storage or SD card." errors.  (I have not been able to reinstall this app ever since!)

Then there were strange issues with contacts (i.e. some contact information was missing that I knew used to be there).  Sometimes broken links would show up for pictures in the gallery.

The error message "Unfortunately, Google Play Services stopped working." now appears about 4 or 5 times in a row every half hour or hour or so.

Based on the support I've read online, here's what I've already attempted (some multiple times) in the hopes of returning all to normal:

1) Verified the obvious stuff (flight mode OFF, mobile data ON, preferred network mode LTE/CDMA - doesn't work in Global either)

2) Restarted phone
3) Full shutdown and start
4) Shutdown, pull all SIM cards and battery for several minutes and restart
5) Removed 2nd SIM card and restarted without it
6) *228 and successfully both reactivated and updated roaming
7) deleted cache through safe/recovery window on startup
😎 full hard (factory) reset

4G never returned.  All errors remain.

Does anyone know why this happened?  What's left to do???  Please help.

Re: Samsung Galaxy S4 unable to connect to 4G since Android 4.3 update
tikibar1
Community Leader
Community Leader

Re # 6 ... you don't dial *228 with 4G LTE phones since updating the Preferred Roaming List is handled by the SIM card.  I'd try a new SIM card ... they're free at your local Corporate Verizon store.

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Re: Samsung Galaxy S4 unable to connect to 4G since Android 4.3 update
HNLRampRat
Enthusiast - Level 1

But will a new SIM card address the main/other issues?  Is a faulty SIM card causing all these problems?  (And why would it fail right after the 4.3 update...  coincidental, no?)

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Re: Samsung Galaxy S4 unable to connect to 4G since Android 4.3 update
tikibar1
Community Leader
Community Leader

The new SIM card hopefully will address the lack of 4G.  The other issues are probably related to the 4.3 update; numerous threads about issues and possible fixes (some work and some, unfortunately, don't).

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Re: Samsung Galaxy S4 unable to connect to 4G since Android 4.3 update
BrookeGriffin
Newbie

I have this problem currently and have had it happen in the past. This is time number two. The sim card was replaced the first time and looks like I will have to go in a second time, within a year.

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Re: Samsung Galaxy S4 unable to connect to 4G since Android 4.3 update
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Hi BrookeGriffin - Let's get you back on the 4G LTE superhighway! Have you removed the SIM and reinserted since this began? Are you consistently getting 3G? Have you recently installed any new applications or updates?

Thank you,

YaleK_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWsupport

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Re: Samsung Galaxy S4 unable to connect to 4G since Android 4.3 update
OToughOne
Newbie

3rd party applications can cause conflict with the 4G network.  prior to the last Samsung Galaxy s4 update may 2014 my phone worked correctly.  After updating the 4 the 4G went erratic and would continue to drop signal.  After Verizon support had me take the phone back to factory pull the battery and then replace the sim card the phone was replaced and still had the same issue.  The lesson here is don't restore your data and application until you verify operation.

In my case a data compression program call Onavo extend was causing the 4G to be interrupted.  Try removing data related applications and see if that helps.

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