topic Re: Data cuts in and out in Get Support

Data cuts in and out

DennyCrane — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 07:02:53 GMT

I've been a PM customer for a couple months now, coming from 20 years with TELUS. I work from home, so I haven't really had lots of opportunity to test my LTE (3G throttled) data much, hence why I waited so long to post this question.

Right from the start I noticed inconsistencies in my data connection. When it works, it works great. I was initially concerned with the 3MBPS cap, but it actually doesn't affect me all that much. My issue is that the data seems to cut out quite frequently when I'm not on WiFi. It's not slow, it just doesn't work. But 'LTE+' shows great signal on my Pixel 3a. How I can tell is that it won't load a website, or a more common issue is that I try to send a WhatsApp message and the message gets stuck with the clock (not delivered to the server) for 40 seconds, or even upwards of two minutes.

At first I thought maybe this was a one off, but even with how infrequently I leave WiFi, it happens EVERY time I am on LTE. And it's not the initial switchover; it happens after I've already been on LTE for some time and have been using the data connection without issue. I am not moving positions, and I'm in a very good signal location. And it happens several times per session.

I have no idea what's going on, but this is not going to work for me. I tried my wife's phone today and was able to reproduce the same result within a minute.

As far as troubleshooting is concerned, I tried rebooting my phone and resetting APN settings to default. Any other thoughts on what I can try?

Re: Data cuts in and out

HALIMACS — Sat, 06 Feb 2021 04:39:35 GMT

Can you 'force' the phone to use 3G, @DennyCrane

This may or may not be relevant to your situation - read it on another thread and just throwing it out there...

Re: Data cuts in and out

computergeek541 — Sat, 06 Feb 2021 04:41:33 GMT

@DennyCrane wrote:
I've been a PM customer for a couple months now, coming from 20 years with TELUS. I work from home, so I haven't really had lots of opportunity to test my LTE (3G throttled) data much, hence why I waited so long to post this question.

Right from the start I noticed inconsistencies in my data connection. When it works, it works great. I was initially concerned with the 3MBPS cap, but it actually doesn't affect me all that much. My issue is that the data seems to cut out quite frequently when I'm not on WiFi. It's not slow, it just doesn't work. But 'LTE+' shows great signal on my Pixel 3a. How I can tell is that it won't load a website, or a more common issue is that I try to send a WhatsApp message and the message gets stuck with the clock (not delivered to the server) for 40 seconds, or even upwards of two minutes.

At first I thought maybe this was a one off, but even with how infrequently I leave WiFi, it happens EVERY time I am on LTE. And it's not the initial switchover; it happens after I've already been on LTE for some time and have been using the data connection without issue. I am not moving positions, and I'm in a very good signal location. And it happens several times per session.

I have no idea what's going on, but this is not going to work for me. I tried my wife's phone today and was able to reproduce the same result within a minute.

As far as troubleshooting is concerned, I tried rebooting my phone and resetting APN settings to default. Any other thoughts on what I can try?

Since this only happens when you're connected to the LTE network, I don't see this as an APN setting issue. The settings are either right or they're not in the sense that if not correct, data wouldn't work at all. Also, the APN settings are the same whether you're connecting to LTE or HSPA.

A few weeks back, I did notie that I couldn't use data when I was connected to LTE. This was a one-off thing as disconnecting mobile data and reconnecting fixed it immediately. It also hasn't happened to me since.

I would try comparing the performance the 3Mbps LTE performance to HSPA network performances. There are places that it can perform just as well, with equally good pings.

Re: Data cuts in and out

DennyCrane — Sat, 06 Feb 2021 05:13:31 GMT

I can try to force HSPA, but it seems odd that LTE worked fine when I was with TELUS, but now on PM it loses the connection (even though it shows a connection) so often. It's the same network after all.

Re: Data cuts in and out

computergeek541 — Sat, 06 Feb 2021 05:26:30 GMT

@DennyCrane wrote:
I can try to force HSPA, but it seems odd that LTE worked fine when I was with TELUS, but now on PM it loses the connection (even though it shows a connection) so often. It's the same network after all.

I suspect that this could be the result of something possibly going wrong with the artificial speed limiting that is imposed on customers while using the LTE network for the current price plans.

Re: Data cuts in and out

DennyCrane — Sat, 06 Feb 2021 05:31:39 GMT

Do you think it's worth contacting a moderator over? I have several friends and family members in PM, and none have reported this issue (except my wife).

Re: Data cuts in and out

HALIMACS — Sat, 06 Feb 2021 05:40:55 GMT

Yup, it is @DennyCrane

To contact a moderator, there are 2 methods:

Use the ticketing system for a faster response time. Click on the chat bubble in the lower right and type moderator assistance, then select account-related issue, then select you need a human now. Follow the prompts to submit a ticket, or,
Send a private message to the moderator by clicking here

Watch for their response in your Community private mailbox which will be indicated by a number on the small envelope icon to the left of your Community avatar.

Re: Data cuts in and out

DennyCrane — Sat, 06 Feb 2021 06:28:32 GMT

Thanks. Ticket logged. I wasn't able to provide details, but I'm sure I will be able to once they respond.

Re: Data cuts in and out

MoreYummy — Sat, 06 Feb 2021 06:42:03 GMT

yea, let us know how it works out if tey find anything.

Sometimes the data is sketchy or drop little. should not happen often. unless it is normal in your area, thats another issue .

Re: Data cuts in and out

darlicious — Sat, 06 Feb 2021 07:39:44 GMT

@DennyCrane

It couldn't hurt to toggle airplane mode on/off. Maybe a new connection to the network will help.

Re: Data cuts in and out

charliewilliams — Sat, 06 Feb 2021 08:18:44 GMT

it may be that your phone is a bit old and is using a network it cant handle.

Re: Data cuts in and out

mm80 — Sat, 06 Feb 2021 08:25:03 GMT

@charliewilliams wrote:
it may be that your phone is a bit old and is using a network it cant handle.

It can't handle the network? If the phone can't handle the network, it doesn't work. It doesn't disoconnect when using data.

Re: Data cuts in and out

gpixel — Sat, 06 Feb 2021 18:35:48 GMT

@DennyCrane I also experience the same thing. airplane mode and switching to HSPA are the two workarounds.

how is the pixel 3a old?

Plans with 3G data may reach download speeds of up to 3 Mbps, with the coverage and reliability of the LTE network. Speed and signal strength may vary with your device, configuration, Internet traffic, environmental conditions, applicable network management and other factors

i have found that when a tower is overcrowded (usually the best signal) pm customers will get transfered to a tower further away and worse signal. airplane mode is the fastest fix, but don't be surprised if you get kicked off that tower again. with HSPA I do not have this issue, instead my battery life takes a hit. I just leave LTE on and use airplane mode, it takes 2 seconds. this happens here and there when I'm at home and at work

Re: Data cuts in and out

DennyCrane — Sat, 06 Feb 2021 22:03:08 GMT

The Pixel 3a is not even 2 years old. It wasn't released until April 2019, and I didn't get it until summer.

It's just so odd that on TELUS I never had this issue. It's not the end of the world right now because of working from home and being locked up for covid, but if this is how it's always going to be I'll probably switch back to TELUS or maybe Koodo once we're back to more normal times and not stuck at home all the time.

I have great signal, yet the data just stops working. And it happens all the time. I just went out for an hour and barely touched my phone. At one point I sent a WhatsApp message to my wife from a parking lot in Langley with full signal, and it took 20 seconds to be delivered. Once it kicked in I was able to continue using it without issue for the next couple messages.

Re: Data cuts in and out

Nezgar — Sat, 06 Feb 2021 22:25:19 GMT

@DennyCrane it may have something to do with Public Mobile's throttling they do on LTE, which isnt throttled on 3G HSPA - it might be interesting to force 3G (HSPA/WCDMA) for a while and see if you notice any difference in behaviour?

Re: Data cuts in and out

DennyCrane — Sat, 06 Feb 2021 22:27:03 GMT

Thanks I'll try 3G. My concern with that though is that as more and more network capacity is shifted to 4 and 5g, that 3g may become less and less reliable.

Re: Data cuts in and out

Nezgar — Sat, 06 Feb 2021 22:32:06 GMT

@DennyCrane

No I agree... but for troubleshooting for now. I also noticed PM has no IPv6, only IPv4 and the traceroute seems sub-optimal routing through alberta and US to get back to a canada IP in Vancouver or Regina. Do you recall if Telus Mobility "flagship" LTE offered IPv6?

With IPv4 only theres at least one layer of NAT going on, which may incur low TCP connection idle timeouts, which could be what you're observing - old connection dead, new connection works when it retries after 20s etc....

Re: Data cuts in and out

gpixel — Sat, 06 Feb 2021 22:33:26 GMT

@DennyCrane

Telus is top tier. they have first dibs on the best towers...

turn off your phone and remove and reinstall the sim. then do a network reset. it shouldn't be happening all the time.

open settings
scroll down to system
tap on reset options
tap reset wifi,mobile & Bluetooth
tap reset settings and restart

Re: Data cuts in and out

DennyCrane — Sun, 07 Feb 2021 04:50:51 GMT

I have tried removing the sim and powering down for 5 minutes. Didn't make a difference. Mods reset something at their end, which didn't help either.

I've been on 3G for the last few hours and that seems to work. I wouldn't call that a solution, but it is definitely working well.

Re: Data cuts in and out

gpixel — Sun, 07 Feb 2021 05:01:16 GMT

@DennyCrane Langley has a lot of trees...

you can check the cell towers in the area by using this site.

https://www.ertyu.org/steven_nikkel/cancellsites.html

Dial *#*#4636#*#*
then tap phone information

you can find out the frequency and match it up with ertyu to find the tower you may be connecting too.

earfcn is the frequency in MHz

use signal strength to estimate which tower it might be

I usually lose connection when I'm connected to 5255 MHz(700mhz band) the tower is about 1.5km away