[BBMINI]

Hi All,

Does anyone know if BBs will default to an available wifi signal even if the wifi is weaker/slower than the available 3G signal would be? I find that my 9850 (and 9650 did this too) stays clinging to our home wifi even when I'm in part of the house where the signal is very, very weak and slow, and 3G is actually faster.

I'm assuming the BB has no way to compare the different signals and determine which one will be faster and better to use, but figured I'd ask.

Thanks ahead for any clarification.

[skyrocket9]

Hi All,

Does anyone know if BBs will default to an available wifi signal even if the wifi is weaker/slower than the available 3G signal would be? I find that my 9850 (and 9650 did this too) stays clinging to our home wifi even when I'm in part of the house where the signal is very, very weak and slow, and 3G is actually faster.

I'm assuming the BB has no way to compare the different signals and determine which one will be faster and better to use, but figured I'd ask.

Thanks ahead for any clarification.

If you turn on WiFi on any device it will always try to connect to WiFi even if there is only one bar.

[Techno-Emigre]

I am curious about this as well. I make sure my 9850 isn't always trying to connect, as that really sucks on the battery. Now that there is text on the PB, I perch my 9850 in a window so it can get a better signal and can comfortably chat away on the PB ha! Ha!

[southlander]

Yep. In my experience BlackBerrys will always try to route through any available WiFi before using the 3G. You'll have to toggle off the WiFi when it is weak.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9930 using Tapatalk

[itmccb]

I'm not aware of a device that doesn't behave like that. Half the point of using wifi is to avoid using cellular data.

[BBMINI]

10-4. Thanks, everyone. This feedback is about what I expected but was hoping there would maybe be a way for it to "decide" which would be stronger/faster -- wifi or 3G -- and use it. That would probably be a rather complex thing for a BB to be able to do (I'm assuming, but don't know enough about it to really know), but would be a great feature on any mobile device.

[southlander]

I'm not aware of a device that doesn't behave like that. Half the point of using wifi is to avoid using cellular data.

yes it is. but ideally the device could check and compare the data throughput of the wifi and cellular. and if wifi is a lot slower than cellular pop a notification that says "hey your wifi is sucking hard right now, would you care to switch to cellular only?" that would be great.

Sent from my BlackBerry Runtime for Android Apps using Tapatalk 2

[MADBRADNYC]

AFAIK it depends on the setting that you elect in your mobile network options.

For example on my 9900 I have my "Preferred Network For Calls" set to "WiFi Calling Preferred".
Set this way I have the exact behavior the OP described. Weak WiFi signal, but the device still tries to use it anyway.
When I set it to "Mobile Network Preferred" I get the exact opposite behavior.

If I set it to "Mobile Network Only" obviously I can't get a WiFi signal at all even with WiFi turned on.
If I set it to "WiFi Calling Only"... Yep you guessed it. It won't work on my cellular network only.

[jenks5150]

When you enable Wi-Fi on your device, you are telling it to always favor a Wi-Fi signal if available. If the device can get a response from any given signal, it will connect to it. I would recommend putting a range extender in your house in order to get better Wi-Fi coverage, as switching between Wi-Fi and mobile network is a hassle.

[raino]

AFAIK it depends on the setting that you elect in your mobile network options.

For example on my 9900 I have my "Preferred Network For Calls" set to "WiFi Calling Preferred".
Set this way I have the exact behavior the OP described. Weak WiFi signal, but the device still tries to use it anyway.
When I set it to "Mobile Network Preferred" I get the exact opposite behavior.

If I set it to "Mobile Network Only" obviously I can't get a WiFi signal at all even with WiFi turned on.
If I set it to "WiFi Calling Only"... Yep you guessed it. It won't work on my cellular network only.

What you're describing is a UMA/WiFi calling feature, available on our network (T-Mobile) and a handful of others. It's not an option on carriers that don't do UMA/WFC.

Here's a hypothetical scenario: I have an excellent WiFi signal, and a weak but constant network signal (1 bar). My phone is on MN preferred. Correct me if I'm wrong, won't my phone still latch onto that 1 bar simply because I have MN preferred and a MN signal (albeit a weak one) available? Or does UMA actually compare signal strengths and not just availability? Scenario could work vice-versa too.

[MADBRADNYC]

What you're describing is a UMA/WiFi calling feature, available on our network (T-Mobile) and a handful of others. It's not an option on carriers that don't do UMA/WFC.

Here's a hypothetical scenario: I have an excellent WiFi signal, and a weak but constant network signal (1 bar). My phone is on MN preferred. Correct me if I'm wrong, won't my phone still latch onto that 1 bar simply because I have MN preferred and a MN signal (albeit a weak one) available? Or does UMA actually compare signal strengths and not just availability? Scenario could work vice-versa too.

Yes. That's exactly what I said...

When I set it to "Mobile Network Preferred" I get the exact opposite behavior.

Meaning that when set to "Mobile Network Preferred" even when the WiFi signal is strong, the device still tries to use the mobile network, because the device is set to to so.
UMA and WiFi calling are two separate features.
The 9900 does not have UMA it only provides WiFi calling on T-Mobile.
So if there is a handover during the call, the call will be dropped.
I think every carrier offers that with a 9900, correct? So, the options should be there for anyone, no?

My old 9780 does have UMA though which it enables calls to be handed over from network to network.
This is a T-Mobile only offer.

[raino]

Yes. That's exactly what I said...

Please excuse me while I get over my Reading Skills fail

I think every carrier offers that with a 9900, correct? So, the options should be there for anyone, no?

Not at the carrier level like TMO. If it's available, it's through third party VOIP apps.

[MADBRADNYC]

Please excuse me while I get over my Reading Skills fail

No worries, Bro.

Not at the carrier level like TMO. If it's available, it's through third party VOIP apps.

Not sure what you mean by the "carrier level like TMO"??
All 9900 devices come with a WiFi enabled calling feature.
I may have incorrectly assumed that a carrier would not sell 9900s and not allow users to use it?
What are the carriers that offer the 9900 without being able to use WiFi calling?
That would truly suck.

The only unique feature I know that T-Mobile offers over the basic WiFi calling is UMA.
That is something totally different. And, not even possible to do with a 9900.
It doesn't have the hardware for it.

[raino]

Not sure what you mean by the "carrier level like TMO"??
All 9900 devices come with a WiFi enabled calling feature.
I may have incorrectly assumed that a carrier would not sell 9900s and not allow users to use it?
What are the carriers that offer the 9900 without being able to use WiFi calling?
That would truly suck.

The only unique feature I know that T-Mobile offers over the basic WiFi calling is UMA.
That is something totally different. And, not even possible to do with a 9900.
It doesn't have the hardware for it.

What I'm saying (claiming, rather ) is that no other carrier in the US allows WiFi calling in either UMA or software form. The only option for these customers is third party VOIP apps, which is not WFC, as there is no carrier involvement (hand-offs, billing, etc.)

[MADBRADNYC]

What I'm saying (claiming, rather ) is that no other carrier in the US allows WiFi calling in either UMA or software form. The only option for these customers is third party VOIP apps, which is not WFC, as there is no carrier involvement (hand-offs, billing, etc.)

No other carrier?
Isn't the OP as well as others here in this thread on Verizon? That is a US carrier isn't it?
I don't see anything about the signal while being on phone calls in the OP though, so can't say for sure.
I know they can't use UMA, but I thought for sure others could use WiFi for calls at least.
That sucks if they can't use the phone to the full potential.