[SeiShinRyu]

I have got new findings. Today I crossed the French border (I live in the North of Spain, close to France) till a spot where only French operators could be reached. Tests showed that Passport SE is not so bad, although its signal stability is not as good as that of my Z10 (by the way, I took with me my Z30, and its behaviour is very similar to that of my Passport SE). My final surprise arrived when I repeated the test in my garage, that is in a basement and where the signal is rather low. Although initial tests showed the same results as in France, it seems that �something� in the software of the Passport made it to loose totally the signal that could not be retrieved till I reached a spot where the signal was very good. My Z30 showed the same behaviour, whereas my Z10 never lost signal.
So, now I am more confused than before, but it seems that software has something to do with the observed enormous difference in sensitivity.
Someone with the same experience?.

[stefanbechen]

I just noted today that my SE lost signal while my wife's iPhone still showed two bars. Different carrier involved so not a real comparison but first time I noticed this. I am on Vodafone and my wife is on O2/Telefonica.


Posted via CB10 using a PassportSQW100-4/10.3.2.2639

[jojon2se]

What are your relative readings with regard to the orientation of the device, and do you see touching the frame affecting reception?

I wonder whether the Paratek adaptions may often be tripping the Passport up, instead of helping, because I have noticed that even in not-that-bad reception situations, moving around is a no-no, and you can go from excellent to abysmal in an instant, for no apparent reason; Best put it down somewhere, I've learned, and use a bluetooth headset or speaker, or the call is disconnected, for some reason usually with a: "network is busy" message.

[JREwing]

My wife has a Note 4, and my SE Passport consistently get better reception. Both on AT&T.

[SeiShinRyu]

What are your relative readings with regard to the orientation of the device, and do you see touching the frame affecting reception?

I wonder whether the Paratek adaptions may often be tripping the Passport up, instead of helping, because I have noticed that even in not-that-bad reception situations, moving around is a no-no, and you can go from excellent to abysmal in an instant, for no apparent reason; Best put it down somewhere, I've learned, and use a bluetooth headset or speaker, or the call is disconnected, for some reason usually with a: "network is busy" message.

Of course, I pay attention to device orientation, and, yes, in areas with low signal, devices are sensitive to touching (above all Passport), but I pay as well attention to this detail. It seems, yes, that software detunes the antenna and the terminal is not longer able to tune to the proper cell till its signal is high enough. As a detail, the phone remained locked to another operator signal with the message "emergency calls only". The behaviour of the Z10 is fantastic: one of the best terminals I have owned as far as signal strength is concerned.

[Vistaus]

My mum's Passport on T-Mobile here in The Netherlands gets not as good reception in the city we live in, but that was the same on her Z30 (which she had previously) and the same on my old phones as well. Many gaps in this big city, a shame that T-Mobile is so incompetent here. Since I got my Passport, I moved to Telfort and now I have the best reception I've ever had on a phone so they clearly have better coverage.

Posted via CB10

[jojon2se]

Of course, I pay attention to device orientation, and, yes, in areas with low signal, devices are sensitive to touching (above all Passport), but I pay as well attention to this detail. It seems, yes, that software detunes the antenna and the terminal is not longer able to tune to the proper cell till its signal is high enough. As a detail, the phone remained locked to another operator signal with the message "emergency calls only". The behaviour of the Z10 is fantastic: one of the best terminals I have owned as far as signal strength is concerned.

Thanks!

I meant mostly whether you have gone so far as to logging "deviation tables" (so to speak), in each location, for different orientations, and earthing, and possibly tower location and attenuating/reflecting properties of walls around you; and constructed a rough picture "in your mind's eye", about the RF "permeability" of the device frame/shell, and reception efficiency of antenna segments.
That would be BlackBerry's job, of course, but... :P

The "emergency calls only" message is only too familiar to me.

[wojt7]

Thanks for the valuable thread. Rarity these days...

[Zedd88]

I have got new findings. Today I crossed the French border (I live in the North of Spain, close to France) till a spot where only French operators could be reached. Tests showed that Passport SE is not so bad, although its signal stability is not as good as that of my Z10 (by the way, I took with me my Z30, and its behaviour is very similar to that of my Passport SE). My final surprise arrived when I repeated the test in my garage, that is in a basement and where the signal is rather low. Although initial tests showed the same results as in France, it seems that �something� in the software of the Passport made it to loose totally the signal that could not be retrieved till I reached a spot where the signal was very good. My Z30 showed the same behaviour, whereas my Z10 never lost signal.
So, now I am more confused than before, but it seems that software has something to do with the observed enormous difference in sensitivity.
Someone with the same experience?.

What OS Version and Radio Version are you using? I have experienced faster battery drain and poorer signal with the past couple of OTG. So I actually use the radio signal of 10.3.2.799 which seems to get better signal and definitely better battery.

So I think something broke with the past two upgrades. So try playing around with different radio version that works best for you.

[SeiShinRyu]

What OS Version and Radio Version are you using? I have experienced faster battery drain and poorer signal with the past couple of OTG. So I actually use the radio signal of 10.3.2.799 which seems to get better signal and definitely better battery.

So I think something broke with the past two upgrades. So try playing around with different radio version that works best for you.

I agree with you. I bought my Black Passport one year ago, and then its signal sensitivity was much better (included WiFi), with radio version 10.3.0.1053. New OS versions have spoiled this parameter.
As for your sugestion concerning 10.3.2.799 software version, I do not know whether it is compatible with all Passports, SE included (I do not want to experiment with my Black one because it is my work tool, I prefer to "play" with my SE)...

[SeiShinRyu]

I agree with you. I bought my Black Passport one year ago, and then its signal sensitivity was much better (included WiFi), with radio version 10.3.0.1053. New OS versions have spoiled this parameter.
As for your sugestion concerning 10.3.2.799 software version, I do not know whether it is compatible with all Passports, SE included (I do not want to experiment with my Black one because it is my work tool, I prefer to "play" with my SE)...

By the way, I am using the last OS version 10.3.2.2640

[magicdesign]

Over the last few months I have been testing the sim in a passport, Xperia z2, iPhone 6 and lumina 1520

The strongest signal is passport BUT the passport often drops signal completely.

The iPhone 6 holds the signal the best and is on par with the Xperia strength wise.

Worst, surprisingly again was the lumia.

[Zedd88]

I agree with you. I bought my Black Passport one year ago, and then its signal sensitivity was much better (included WiFi), with radio version 10.3.0.1053. New OS versions have spoiled this parameter.
As for your sugestion concerning 10.3.2.799 software version, I do not know whether it is compatible with all Passports, SE included (I do not want to experiment with my Black one because it is my work tool, I prefer to "play" with my SE)...

You could load radio 10.3.2.799, it's in the BB10 OS Forum. If you see no improvement you could always load back your current OS. Use sachesi so that it is a nondestructive update.

Again, they broke something with the OS with the update. When my Passport was new, almost a year ago, the battery was good and so was the signal and wifi. Now I have to resort to hybrids. Just loaded the latest OS 10.3.2.2789 and hopefully it is better than the previous (hybrid OS) that I was using.

[SeiShinRyu]

You could load radio 10.3.2.799, it's in the BB10 OS Forum. If you see no improvement you could always load back your current OS. Use sachesi so that it is a nondestructive update.

Again, they broke something with the OS with the update. When my Passport was new, almost a year ago, the battery was good and so was the signal and wifi. Now I have to resort to hybrids. Just loaded the latest OS 10.3.2.2789 and hopefully it is better than the previous (hybrid OS) that I was using.

I have tried to load Sachesi with no success when installing it (I get an error message). So, while I am fighting to install it, perhaps you could carry out radio sensitivity tests with both OS versions. I suggest to use the app "Network Signal Strength" (downloadable by means of Snap), that measures signal strength in dBm and the cell ID to which the phone is locked (very important to get comparative results).
Thanks.

[SeiShinRyu]

You could load radio 10.3.2.799, it's in the BB10 OS Forum. If you see no improvement you could always load back your current OS. Use sachesi so that it is a nondestructive update.

Again, they broke something with the OS with the update. When my Passport was new, almost a year ago, the battery was good and so was the signal and wifi. Now I have to resort to hybrids. Just loaded the latest OS 10.3.2.2789 and hopefully it is better than the previous (hybrid OS) that I was using.

Did you test the new OS 10.3.2.2789?. Any improvements in signal strength?.

[yvpan1]

I think what causes the Passport to have a slightly different reception behaviour is due to the way the antenna is setup and placed. You won't believe that this phone's antenna is actually just a thin line at the back of the phone just beneath the sim door cover. Yeah, just that!

Compared to the other BB10 phones in which are equipped with a more distinguished antenna surface area, of course the others should work better in terms of the signal reception as the antenna has a larger reception area whilst the Passport, what it has is just a thin line to capture the network reception.

However, try doing a speed test and see how Paratek does things differently to the Passport.

But yeah.. if we could change the Passport, I'd like BBRY design team to enlarge the antenna's area of reception as it will make this phone even better!

Posted via CB10

[krazyatom]

From my understanding, all phone have different signal even if they're exact same model. It depends how the phone was built in signal area. Some phone maybe lose and firm.

Sent from my ONE A2005 using Tapatalk

[ilcasalino]

I live in Italy in a region with low signal but my old Q10 was really better than this new PP SE.

[SeiShinRyu]

I live in Italy in a region with low signal but my old Q10 was really better than this new PP SE.

And my Q5 too. I am nearly sure that it is a software related problem, after more tests I have carried out (too long to explain): I am waiting for the 10.3.2.2639 version that seems to be better as far as signal reception is concerned.