Cingular - dropped calls - replaced SIM now the RAZR...

I've got a Moto RAZR and have been having so many problems with
dropped calls, it made the phone practically non usable.

Cingular suggested replacing the SIM. Did that. No improvement.

Then they sent me a new RAZR. Am still in testing mode (have had it a
day), but it still seems to be dropping calls.

Bottom line: I haven't heard or read these kinds of reports from
other RAZR users, so I can only assume it's a Cingular issue.

I am new to Cingular (dropped Verizon because they had disabled the BT
function of using the RAZR as a modem) - is there network this bad
that I literally can't use this damn phone for more then 2 or 3
minutes without it dropping a call?

I can't imagine a carrier being this bad. Verizon had great network
service, but I just couldn't go with their brand of the RAZR with the
modem disabled - an incredibly stupid move on their part if you ask me
(or maybe just a money making scheme or more likely to get people to
use their crappy web services).

I'm almost sorry I left Verizon if the service on Cingular is this
bad.

Is it just me - or my phone - or my area - or is Cingular that bad a
service provider?

---

› See More: Cingular - dropped calls - replaced SIM now the RAZR...

Which area are you in?


"LiRM" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I've got a Moto RAZR and have been having so many problems with
> dropped calls, it made the phone practically non usable.
>
> Cingular suggested replacing the SIM. Did that. No improvement.
>
> Then they sent me a new RAZR. Am still in testing mode (have had it a
> day), but it still seems to be dropping calls.
>
> Bottom line: I haven't heard or read these kinds of reports from
> other RAZR users, so I can only assume it's a Cingular issue.
>
> I am new to Cingular (dropped Verizon because they had disabled the BT
> function of using the RAZR as a modem) - is there network this bad
> that I literally can't use this damn phone for more then 2 or 3
> minutes without it dropping a call?
>
> I can't imagine a carrier being this bad. Verizon had great network
> service, but I just couldn't go with their brand of the RAZR with the
> modem disabled - an incredibly stupid move on their part if you ask me
> (or maybe just a money making scheme or more likely to get people to
> use their crappy web services).
>
> I'm almost sorry I left Verizon if the service on Cingular is this
> bad.
>
> Is it just me - or my phone - or my area - or is Cingular that bad a
> service provider?
>

LiRM <[email protected]> wrote:
> I've got a Moto RAZR and have been having so many problems with
> dropped calls, it made the phone practically non usable.
>
> Cingular suggested replacing the SIM. Did that. No improvement.
>
> Then they sent me a new RAZR. Am still in testing mode (have had it a
> day), but it still seems to be dropping calls.
>
> Bottom line: I haven't heard or read these kinds of reports from
> other RAZR users, so I can only assume it's a Cingular issue.

I think it is a RAZR issue, combined with environment to some degree ... but
mostly a RAZR issue. My daughters friend has a RAZR and she told me she has
trouble getting a signal in many places, she often has the call just drop and
that often she is forced to power cycle the phone to get signal and to place a
call again. I had a Nokia 3595 that I carried around for testing and had no
such problems, so I am sure it is not the network.

>
> I am new to Cingular (dropped Verizon because they had disabled the BT
> function of using the RAZR as a modem) - is there network this bad
> that I literally can't use this damn phone for more then 2 or 3
> minutes without it dropping a call?
>

No, the phone is that bad. Anytime you use an internal antenna and surround
it with aluminum, and couple it with bad software, and I think you are asking
for trouble on all counts.

> I can't imagine a carrier being this bad. Verizon had great network
> service, but I just couldn't go with their brand of the RAZR with the
> modem disabled - an incredibly stupid move on their part if you ask me
> (or maybe just a money making scheme or more likely to get people to
> use their crappy web services).
>

Perhaps you gave up Verizon for the wrong reasons? Trying to get something
[tethered broadband on your laptop] for nothing is bound to end in
disappointment.

> I'm almost sorry I left Verizon if the service on Cingular is this
> bad.
>

:-)

> Is it just me - or my phone - or my area - or is Cingular that bad a
> service provider?
>

Phone. Area may amplify the issue, but I doubt it highly. Might I suggest
that you try a better phone?

--
Thomas T. Veldhouse
Key Fingerprint: 2DB9 813F F510 82C2 E1AE 34D0 D69D 1EDC D5EC AED1

LiRM <[email protected]> writes:

> Is it just me - or my phone - or my area - or is Cingular that bad a
> service provider?

Possibly in your area, but then again you never told us where you
are. Coverage does vary by geography. It could be worse coverage
than Verizon has in your area. Hard to say.

In Chicagoland, I enjoy pretty solid coverage with my Nokia phone with
hardly ever a drop.

My V400 Motorola phone is not as solid unfortunately, but when I do
get dropped, it's in areas that were quite solid with my Nokia (before
I literally dropped it, to its peril).

Best Regards,
--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/

In article <[email protected]>,
"Thomas T. Veldhouse" <[email protected]> wrote:

> LiRM <[email protected]> wrote:

> >
> > I am new to Cingular (dropped Verizon because they had disabled the BT
> > function of using the RAZR as a modem) - is there network this bad
> > that I literally can't use this damn phone for more then 2 or 3
> > minutes without it dropping a call?
> >
>
> No, the phone is that bad. Anytime you use an internal antenna and surround
> it with aluminum, and couple it with bad software, and I think you are asking
> for trouble on all counts.


Not at all. My son switched from his bad coverage and no signal indoors
in Culver City, California area with Sprint and three different brands
of phones, to now excellent coverage and no dropped calls with his
Cingular Motorola Black V3.

It's more a function of signal strength where you are, and how saturated
the cell is.

Jackzwick <[email protected]> wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> "Thomas T. Veldhouse" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> LiRM <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> >
>> > I am new to Cingular (dropped Verizon because they had disabled the BT
>> > function of using the RAZR as a modem) - is there network this bad
>> > that I literally can't use this damn phone for more then 2 or 3
>> > minutes without it dropping a call?
>> >
>>
>> No, the phone is that bad. Anytime you use an internal antenna and surround
>> it with aluminum, and couple it with bad software, and I think you are asking
>> for trouble on all counts.
>
>
> Not at all. My son switched from his bad coverage and no signal indoors
> in Culver City, California area with Sprint and three different brands
> of phones, to now excellent coverage and no dropped calls with his
> Cingular Motorola Black V3.
>
> It's more a function of signal strength where you are, and how saturated
> the cell is.

As you know, "saturated" has very little to do with it. Signal stregth does.
The problem with the Razr phones, especially early models, is that there is a
lot of metal on them and the antennas are internal. They essentially appear
to resist some of the signal by default, so they perform poorly. You son
probably lives in an extremely well covered area, as much of urban California
is known to be. As you know from living in the midwest, things are different
here ... whether in the southern plains or the northern plains.

You might wonder why I say "saturated" has nothing to do with it. CDMA
suffers greatly when there is a large number of users due to the decreased SNR
and thus the effective shrinking of the cell. GSM does not. The only issue
with GSM is if channels are available, and thus whether capacity has been
reached. Saturation does not matter unless it is 100%. As I said, my little
toy test phone did fabulously in these same areas.

I personally have not met a really happy Razr owner. I have met a
V3M user [on Verizon] that are willing to suffer through until his next NE2
comes up.

--
Thomas T. Veldhouse
Key Fingerprint: 2DB9 813F F510 82C2 E1AE 34D0 D69D 1EDC D5EC AED1

On Thu, 7 Sep 2006 08:28:25 -0500, "marka2k" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Which area are you in?
>

South Florida - Fort Lauderdale in particular.

>
>"LiRM" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> I've got a Moto RAZR and have been having so many problems with
>> dropped calls, it made the phone practically non usable.
>>
>> Cingular suggested replacing the SIM. Did that. No improvement.
>>
>> Then they sent me a new RAZR. Am still in testing mode (have had it a
>> day), but it still seems to be dropping calls.
>>
>> Bottom line: I haven't heard or read these kinds of reports from
>> other RAZR users, so I can only assume it's a Cingular issue.
>>
>> I am new to Cingular (dropped Verizon because they had disabled the BT
>> function of using the RAZR as a modem) - is there network this bad
>> that I literally can't use this damn phone for more then 2 or 3
>> minutes without it dropping a call?
>>
>> I can't imagine a carrier being this bad. Verizon had great network
>> service, but I just couldn't go with their brand of the RAZR with the
>> modem disabled - an incredibly stupid move on their part if you ask me
>> (or maybe just a money making scheme or more likely to get people to
>> use their crappy web services).
>>
>> I'm almost sorry I left Verizon if the service on Cingular is this
>> bad.
>>
>> Is it just me - or my phone - or my area - or is Cingular that bad a
>> service provider?
>>
>

On Thu, 07 Sep 2006 14:34:30 GMT, "Thomas T. Veldhouse"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>LiRM <[email protected]> wrote:
>> I've got a Moto RAZR and have been having so many problems with
>> dropped calls, it made the phone practically non usable.
>>
>> Cingular suggested replacing the SIM. Did that. No improvement.
>>
>> Then they sent me a new RAZR. Am still in testing mode (have had it a
>> day), but it still seems to be dropping calls.
>>
>> Bottom line: I haven't heard or read these kinds of reports from
>> other RAZR users, so I can only assume it's a Cingular issue.
>
>I think it is a RAZR issue, combined with environment to some degree ... but
>mostly a RAZR issue. My daughters friend has a RAZR and she told me she has
>trouble getting a signal in many places, she often has the call just drop and
>that often she is forced to power cycle the phone to get signal and to place a
>call again. I had a Nokia 3595 that I carried around for testing and had no
>such problems, so I am sure it is not the network.
>
>>
>> I am new to Cingular (dropped Verizon because they had disabled the BT
>> function of using the RAZR as a modem) - is there network this bad
>> that I literally can't use this damn phone for more then 2 or 3
>> minutes without it dropping a call?
>>
>
>No, the phone is that bad. Anytime you use an internal antenna and surround
>it with aluminum, and couple it with bad software, and I think you are asking
>for trouble on all counts.
>
>> I can't imagine a carrier being this bad. Verizon had great network
>> service, but I just couldn't go with their brand of the RAZR with the
>> modem disabled - an incredibly stupid move on their part if you ask me
>> (or maybe just a money making scheme or more likely to get people to
>> use their crappy web services).
>>
>
>Perhaps you gave up Verizon for the wrong reasons? Trying to get something
>[tethered broadband on your laptop] for nothing is bound to end in
>disappointment.
>
>> I'm almost sorry I left Verizon if the service on Cingular is this
>> bad.
>>
>
>:-)
>
>> Is it just me - or my phone - or my area - or is Cingular that bad a
>> service provider?
>>
>
>Phone. Area may amplify the issue, but I doubt it highly. Might I suggest
>that you try a better phone?

Thank you, first of all, for your comments and suggestions.

If this problem doesn't clear up, then a new phone may be in order as
you suggest. I'm just trying to get some input from others as to
whether or not my problem is a Cingular problem and from what people
have said so far, it appears that is not the case.

I did make some calls yesterday that actually worked for 10 minutes or
longer - FAR longer then anything I was able to do with the old phone.
So perhaps more testing is in order as well.

Thanks again. I appreciate your help and the help of all who
responded.

Regards,

LiRM

In article <[email protected]>,
"Thomas T. Veldhouse" <[email protected]> wrote:

> I personally have not met a really happy Razr owner. I have met a
> V3M user [on Verizon] that are willing to suffer through until his next NE2
> comes up.

Sorry your circle of friends is so small.

Jackzwick <[email protected]> wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> "Thomas T. Veldhouse" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> I personally have not met a really happy Razr owner. I have met a
>> V3M user [on Verizon] that are willing to suffer through until his next NE2
>> comes up.
>
> Sorry your circle of friends is so small.

It is large enough for me ... I won't be buying a Razr for myself or my family
members. I don't recommend them to friends either. Nothing wrong with
Motorola though; my daughter loves her V325.

--
Thomas T. Veldhouse
Key Fingerprint: 2DB9 813F F510 82C2 E1AE 34D0 D69D 1EDC D5EC AED1

In article <[email protected]>,
"Thomas T. Veldhouse" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Jackzwick <[email protected]> wrote:
> > In article <[email protected]>,
> > "Thomas T. Veldhouse" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> I personally have not met a really happy Razr owner. I have met a
> >> V3M user [on Verizon] that are willing to suffer through until his next NE2
> >> comes up.
> >
> > Sorry your circle of friends is so small.
>
> It is large enough for me ... I won't be buying a Razr for myself or my family
> members. I don't recommend them to friends either. Nothing wrong with
> Motorola though; my daughter loves her V325.

My Motorola v600 started dropping calls, but my new Sony/Ericsson W600i
doesn't.

And I'd be happy to recommend the V3 (GSM version) to anyone. 50 million
people can't be wrong.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Motorola-R...gins&id=266763

"By July 2006 Motorola were happy to announce that they had the
50,000,000 Razr, which now made it the most popular of any cell phone
available today."



You don't sell 50,000,000 of any model if it has 1/10 of the problems
Veldhouse thinks it has.

Jackzwick <[email protected]> writes:

> And I'd be happy to recommend the V3 (GSM version) to anyone. 50 million
> people can't be wrong.

Well, Michael Jackson's album Thriller is alleged to have sold 50
million copies. Wrap your head around that one!

But 50 million phones... holy crap. That's pretty incredible now that
you mention it.

http://www.motorola.com/mediacenter/...d=7031_6980_23



--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/

On 2006-09-08, LiRM <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Thu, 07 Sep 2006 14:34:30 GMT, "Thomas T. Veldhouse"
>>Phone. Area may amplify the issue, but I doubt it highly. Might I suggest
>>that you try a better phone?
>
> Thank you, first of all, for your comments and suggestions.
>
> If this problem doesn't clear up, then a new phone may be in order as
> you suggest. I'm just trying to get some input from others as to
> whether or not my problem is a Cingular problem and from what people
> have said so far, it appears that is not the case.
>
> I did make some calls yesterday that actually worked for 10 minutes or
> longer - FAR longer then anything I was able to do with the old phone.
> So perhaps more testing is in order as well.

Does the phone do anything odd when it drops the call?

When I first got it my V3 would often reset itself during calls. When
the call dropped the screen would blank and stay that way for a few
seconds, then the screen would turn back on with no service, then
it would find service again. This would happen even with a 5 bar
signal.

Getting the software on the phone replaced fixed this for me. Note
that this is a Hong Kong phone, so its software bugs might be unique
to it, but if the phone behaves oddly it might benefit from new
software.

Dennis Ferguson

Jackzwick <[email protected]> wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> "Thomas T. Veldhouse" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Jackzwick <[email protected]> wrote:
>> > In article <[email protected]>,
>> > "Thomas T. Veldhouse" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> >
>> >> I personally have not met a really happy Razr owner. I have met a
>> >> V3M user [on Verizon] that are willing to suffer through until his next NE2
>> >> comes up.
>> >
>> > Sorry your circle of friends is so small.
>>
>> It is large enough for me ... I won't be buying a Razr for myself or my family
>> members. I don't recommend them to friends either. Nothing wrong with
>> Motorola though; my daughter loves her V325.
>
> My Motorola v600 started dropping calls, but my new Sony/Ericsson W600i
> doesn't.
>
> And I'd be happy to recommend the V3 (GSM version) to anyone. 50 million
> people can't be wrong.

50 million people can easily be wrong. They bought the phone because it is
"cool" and not because it is good.

>
> http://ezinearticles.com/?Motorola-R...gins&id=266763
>
> "By July 2006 Motorola were happy to announce that they had the
> 50,000,000 Razr, which now made it the most popular of any cell phone
> available today."
>
> You don't sell 50,000,000 of any model if it has 1/10 of the problems
> Veldhouse thinks it has.

No? I am glad you like yours. Phonescoop certainly is full of critics.

--
Thomas T. Veldhouse
Key Fingerprint: 2DB9 813F F510 82C2 E1AE 34D0 D69D 1EDC D5EC AED1

Todd H. <[email protected]> wrote:
> Jackzwick <[email protected]> writes:
>
>> And I'd be happy to recommend the V3 (GSM version) to anyone. 50 million
>> people can't be wrong.
>
> Well, Michael Jackson's album Thriller is alleged to have sold 50
> million copies. Wrap your head around that one!
>
> But 50 million phones... holy crap. That's pretty incredible now that
> you mention it.

Nah ... that is 16.3 million users, each with two replacements ;-)

--
Thomas T. Veldhouse
Key Fingerprint: 2DB9 813F F510 82C2 E1AE 34D0 D69D 1EDC D5EC AED1