vB Easy Archive - Reception/Signal Strength problem on Pearl

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Reception/Signal Strength problem on Pearl
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Posted by: mwheaties

Has anyone experienced reception/signal strength problems on Blackberry Pearl ?

I have had the Pearl, along with 3 (for family members) Razr V3 Blacks from T-Mobile.

The Razrs get great reception (4-5 bars) while the Pearl gets 1-3 bars.

I talked with TMo CS and their Data Services folks who believed the problem was the SIM card in the Pearl.

I stopped by a local TMo store and they swapped out the SIM, but that didn't change anything.

Next step in troubleshooting 101 would seem to take a path toward replacing the Pearl, but just wondering if any others are experiencing poor reception on a Pearl when other phones in the same coverage area (Best according to TMo coverage map) are getting great reception.

Thanks.Has anyone experienced reception/signal strength problems on Blackberry Pearl ?

Posted by: Chillin

You are talking about bars, which really has next to nothing to do with reception.

I have no problems at all with reception on my Pearl.

If you want to see what your reception really is hold Alt and hit BNMLL

Over 100 is poor.
Under 90 is good.
Under 60 is great.

Posted by: scooby214

Thanks for that alt bnmll trick. I knew I was in a weak signal area, and that gauge confirms it. Depending on where I go in my house, I've been as good as 85 and as poor as 101. Fortunately, most areas are closer to the 85 to 90 range, and I never have call quality problems anywhere in the house.

I agree that one can't accurately compare the reception between phones by the number of bars. What has worked better for me is to take the phones to a very weak signal area and see which one loses T-Mobile's signal first. In my experience, Motos tend to show full bars until the signal gets quite weak(in a rather nonlinear manner). Perhaps Motorola set it up this way so that the user would think the phone is getting better reception! My Motorola, Samsung, Nokia, and Pearl all lose T-Mobile's signal at pretty close to the same places when I leave T-Mobile's coverage area or when I go to the dead zones in the mall nearby.

Posted by: BlackBerryFinch

Is this isolated to your house only? I have the same issue with my carrier and my 8700, I can barely even get a signal in my house, structure, walls etc. yet once outside full strength, go figure?

Posted by: scooby214

No, it isn't limited to inside my house. T-Mobile's coverage map shows my area to have weak coverage. I never have any problems making calls or using data. I have also tried Sprint, Cingular, and US Cellular, and they all have weak coverage. I can travel about a half mile in any direction and get full bars. My neighborhood association has done a good job of fighting off proposed cell towers.

The only carrier that won't work for me is Cingular, as it won't work in parts the school building where I teach.

I've been very happy with T-Mobile's coverage in my area.

Posted by: mwheaties

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chillin

You are talking about bars, which really has next to nothing to do with reception.

I have no problems at all with reception on my Pearl.

If you want to see what your reception really is hold Alt and hit BNMLL

Over 100 is poor.
Under 90 is good.
Under 60 is great.

Thanks for that tip. It seems to vary between 85 and 90 on the Pearl.