I have 2 bars with EGDE and 4 bars with 3G? Which will give me better battery life based on that?
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I have 2 bars with EGDE and 4 bars with 3G? Which will give me better battery life based on that?
I think if you are not constantly loosing signal and trying to re-establish one 2g is the better way to go for battery life.
Thanks! :)
No problem
EDGE is wayyyy better for battery life... but I personally get better service with 3G.
I have a similar situation here, 3G=4 and 2G=3 bars because I have a very close 3G-only filler mast close to my home and the main 2G mast is more distant. I get much better battery performance on 3G because the transmit side in the phone is running at lower power, probably better than 50% reduced RF output on 3G. However, your local radio conditions will be different.
The signal strength you see on your phone is only a general guide, because the battery killer is Transmit power. This is actually regulated from the base tower so your phone is seen by the tower's receiver with the optimum signal strength. The signal level your phone shows to you is an indication of what the phone is receiving, not what it is transmitting. It is usually a reasonable guide because the signals travel both directions through the same environment, but it is not a guaranteed 1/1 relationship.
To be blunt about it, the theory of better life on 2G is exactly that - theory from an artificial test environment with standard conditions. It doesn't represent real life usage. The best answer is to test each mode under your typical working conditions for several days each, then make your own conclusion.
very well said and thanks for the info
if the 3g is consistent with more bars, I would be willing to bet that battery life on it is better. But 9 times out of ten 2G is better for batt.
2g gives you more battery life but you lose the speed of 3g which sucks
i think edge saves you battery life but it really depends on the operating system you have on. i went from .237 to .266. so far the battery life has improved a bit.
I found that I get better battery life on EDGE than on 3G. I use EDGE when I need to conserve battery life and 3G when I want faster Web browsing and simultaneous use of data and voice. So it is all good on .282.
There is no real evidence that shows that EDGE signals have better battery life than 3G signals.
I personally have tested it myself and they both last the same amount. Since they are, I am always on the 3G network and have never had ANY battery loss/problems. Now it could be the case because I have constant 3G signal in my area and it never drops.
Either way, for me, absolutely NO difference.
My battery life is at least twice as good on EDGE than 3G where I live.
With EDGE I can stand by for days
2G always gave me better battery life
I have strong 3G in my area, will I have better battery if I set my network to only 3G or leave it on 2G & 3G (I was told having at set for both networks can eat battery because the phone is constantly checking...)
Any thoughts?
Look.......All battery life is subjective. If you want long batt life, and this is important to you, just purchase a larger capacity batt.
http://shop.crackberry.com/blackberry-bold-9000-batteries.htm
I upgraded to .282 for the ability to switch between 2G and 3G. I keep my phone in 2G and have noticed much better battery life. I haven't noticed any significant downgrading of download speeds. It probably exists, but I haven't noticed, and the extended battery life is well worth it.
I'm on ATT.
2G is a weaker signal than 3G, so 3G always uses more power. One of my suppliers sells shielding materials for aerospace/military and they sell a bag that prevents a mobile phone from communicating (for terrorism / criminal prevention - once the cops get their phone, it goes in the bag and they can't remotely wipe it or access it). I tried their 2nd gen one and my bold could still get a signal via 3G, but not 2G. They sent me their latest 3G one and once the bold is in there, the signal is gone for good until the bold comes back out. Just get a bigger battery and leave it on 3G, you know you want to....
2g also restricts simultaneous data + voice calls.
Threads like this always leave me scratching my head. Even assuming for the sake of argument that 2G gave me vastly better battery life, I would still keep it on 3G. If I wanted a Curve, I would have bought one.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
I just switch to 2G when I am in an area where I get 1 or 2 bars in 3G. I don't get a lot of calls anyway. Otherwise, I haven't noticed any battery issues when using 3G.
I never take a call if I'm surfing the Web or emailing anyway. I reject the call so it can go to voicemail. I'll call back later.