[jmorgan456]

I owned a KEYone for about a month. I sent it back because of many dropped calls.
My BB Classic never (or almost never) drops a call.

Since the return, I have been searching for an explanation. It was not the "hand over antenna" issue. I dropped calls while on speaker. The phone was sitting on my desk at the time. The same desk my Classic always used.

On further investigation, I found that the KEYone and the Classic do not have the same LTE bands. Most obviously, the Classic can use Band 17 while the KEYone cannot.

I am told that ATT uses Band 17 most often. I am also told that in CT Band 17 has the best coverage. If the KEYone does not use the Band with the most local coverage, is that why it keeps dropping calls?

Is there a way to add Band 17 to the Keyone? If not, can I buy a Canada version which appears to have Band 17 compatibility?

Bottom line, can this be the explanation for my issues?

I still love my Classic. But it is getting more obsolete, day by day. I am afraid it will need to go sometime this winter.

UPDATED question: I note that the BBB100-1 appears to cover band 17 in "US V1" but the BBB100-3, US ver 2, does not cover the band. Is that significant? IGNORE - I have since learned the 100-3 is the CDMA version.

[John Vieira]

Keyone just has really bad signal. It's not a band issue, it's a bad design issue.

[danp2000]

BBB100-1 is the US GSM variant for AT&T and T-Mobile
BBB100-3 us the US CDMA variant for Sprint and Verizon

Personally my KEYᵒⁿᵉ has had rock solid signal similar to my DTEK60 and even my Passport. I do live in Jacksonville, FL and have T-Mobile which has great coverage here. Also, WiFi calling works well on T-Mobile.

[Tim-ANC]

Are you using the sim from your Classic in it? If BYOD, there is discussions about the IMEI not being recognized properly on ATT network.

[jmorgan456]

@ tim -I was using my original SIM. But after the dropped calls, I went to ATT and had it replaced. I also had ATT "optimize" my phone. Nothing worked.

I do really like the phone, but if'n I can't use it to make calls, what is the point?

[jmorgan456]

@ dnap -
I learned the same things shortly after posting. I find it strange that they did not include Band 17 on the GSM phone, but hey did on the CDMA. Odd, no?

[Mtro]

I have great t-mobile coverage in NY. I can 100% say with confidence that the keyones signal strength is below average compared to my other phones. Where I'd normally lose bars I drop the signal all together with the k1. I know exactly where my weak signal areas are, as most people do. The keyone is a no signal phone in what is on every other device of mine a 2 or 1 bar area. The antenna in this phone I suspect is weak or impeded. I still use the k1 as my daily driver because the signal is still acceptable. Just wish it was as strong as my other devices.

[jmorgan456]

I wish I could use the Keyone. My weak signal area is my home. There are other areas on the Merritt Parkway and I-95. But if I cannot use the phone while sitting at my desk? ....

I continue to hope there will be a fix. My Classic might soon be unusable as it recedes. As it stands, I am already having issues with What's App. I really need there to be a pkb solution that works before the Classic is defunct.

[jfalkingham]

I wish I could use the Keyone. My weak signal area is my home. There are other areas on the Merritt Parkway and I-95. But if I cannot use the phone while sitting at my desk? ....

I continue to hope there will be a fix. My Classic might soon be unusable as it recedes. As it stands, I am already having issues with What's App. I really need there to be a pkb solution that works before the Classic is defunct.

I've had no reception issues or call drops since installing a slim case. That is all you need to keep a signal going while holding your phone. It works! I just drove from Hartford to Yonkers and took merrit and down and back it worked as well as any other phone I've had on the merrit, same tough spots but overall Ok for me.

[sandyhois]

I wonder if my reception could be improved by excepting a few of the long list of services from "battery optimization" . Does anyone have info on which services relate to cell antenna reception? For example: What does com.blackberry.cellular.powermanager do exactly?