Pixel XL dropping signal

[CleverUsername]

Hi, I joined PM at the same time I got a new pixel XL phone from Fido (just over three days ago).

Ever since I've been experiencing frequent signal drops (six to seven times per hour, according to the Network Signal Info app).

I first noticed it at home (I live in Etobicoke, on a high rise building); the phone would disconnect from PM's network and quickly attempt to reconnect. Then it became really annoying because it would disconnect while I was playing Pokemon go.
Since then I've experienced this everywhere: right now I'm in downtown and while writing this post, the signal has dropped five times.

My wife's phone is locked to bell so I can't switch SIMs to test whether it's a SIM problem, and on the internet there are not many reports about the Pixel XL dropping mobile network signal.

PM's APN settings are correct.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[EltonB]

Hope this helps! I live in Etobicoke also and never experience any dropped calls with PM. I have a Huawei P8 Max and its always on 4G!

[kevinf]

Thought I would come back to this... I found the same issue from an electrically noisy charger, specifically, a USB Type-C hub with USB PD (power delivery) passthrough. https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=15249

When that is connected with a USB key plugged in (for music), and charging, my GPS signal / data would drop periodically, even in the USA.

[ASharpTM]

---

@kevinf wrote:

actually this was solved via the OTA update this last week. NPF26J

---

Can confirm this OTA more or less solved the LTE dropping issue. I had problem occur at least half a dozen times every day when I'm in downtown Toronto. After the OTA I only had one drop but that might have just been a one-off. Aside from that, I haven't had any problems since receiving the update.

[WearySky]

@kevinf you can see the towers in your area on the cell tower map - the thing with Bell and band 4 towers is that every band 4 tower is almost always another band as well.  With Telus, the band 4 LTE towers are *only* band 4 towers, so that's your only option for connecting.

[kevinf]

actually this was solved via the OTA update this last week. NPF26J

I too had flawless reception around Halton, but LTE drops all over Toronto. Telus has real-towers in Toronto? I guess they were doing something whack that standard bell baseband didn't know how to handle.

It appears I connect to fewer (But not zero) Band 4 towers in Toronto, mostly Band 2 now. Still connect to Band 4 at my house. So im not sure if they simply blacklisted Telus towers? Does Bell have Band4 towers in Toronto ?

https://productforums.google.com/d/msg/phone-by-google/dV2_0_GykGw/nNgzw5iHBwAJ

[hummuschips]

@CleverUsername to my knowledge you can only buy a Oneplus 3 from their website.  My friend ordered one early october and received it 3 weeks later.  FYI, the Oneplus 3 is a really nice phone!  They are going to be announcing a new one(I think it's just an updated CPU) in 5 days I think.

[canucks4life]

FYI appears to be a common issue.

http://mobilesyrup.com/2016/11/09/googles-pixel-appears-to-be-experiencing-lte-band-4-connectivity-i...

[Cyber]

@CleverUsername,

I got lucky to find this thread else I would have ordered a Pixel XL !

I probably wait for the Oneplus 3T with Snapdragon 821 that will be released on November 15.

No QHD screen, but at half the price of the Pixel XL, I can live without!

By the way, you can purchase it directly on their website https://oneplus.net/ca_en/

But wait for the Oneplus 3T

[CleverUsername · Accepted solution]

Well... It's settled; switched to LTE, drops. Switch to 3G, no problem. It's the phone. Dammit Google.

Anyone knows where can I grab a One plus 3?

[imm1304]

@CleverUsername, 

I think you are further confirming that the LTE Band 4 (1700/2100) is not working on your phone. 

Do look out for updates on your phone, hopefully they send an update to fix this soon. Also, contact Google customer support and see if they offer any help.  

[CleverUsername]

So; I switched SIMs for about two hours yesterday evening. On the Bell network I experienced no signal drop; switched back to PM, and... No signal drop.

I spent my day in downtown today; my signal dropped a few times while standing still, and once after ending a call. I tried mikeneri81's suggestion of switching to 3g and haven't had a dropped signal since.

[Sammymk6]

Make that three, I have a pixel xl using Telus in Toronto as well. Fingers crossed it's just the software

[Rockdaddy22]

Greatly appreciated 🙂

[LeSong]

Dear @Rockdaddy22,
I highly appreciate your concerns and advice but i wasn't trying to play any fanboy games at all ..
It's just an honest personal opinion from a personal experience that i've been through with any of the Android phones that i have came across. however, since i understand where are you coming from i'll edit my reply so it doesn't offend any one in any way ..

Thanks ..

[Rockdaddy22]

Hopefully you find a resolution to this problem. 

[LeSong]

most likely it's the Phone as it seems to be a common issue in particular for this Phone ..

[WearySky]

If it's only an issue in the Toronto area, and the phone has 1700/2100 issues, that would definitely explain it since that's the only place with actual Telus towers.

[imm1304]

So now we have 2 Pixel XL users with connectivity issues in and around Toronto.

I see some people talking about absent band 4 (1700/2100) on these devices.. which is the primary LTE band in use for PM/Telus network. https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/phone-by-google/OxkJ1Sn6i5c;context-place=topicsearch...

My impression:  The phone has the capability to use band4 for lte, but is not using it due to a software mess.. very unprofessional and careless if this is true.  But, it should be fixed urgently with a baseband update.  

I would call Google customer support and complain.  

[mikeneri81]

Also to add: When I leave Toronto, the signal is fine. LTE+ all day long in Burlington/Hamilton. As soon as I hit Etobicoke, all the way through to the east end, constant drops.

[mikeneri81]

It's funny that you're also having this problem. Since Friday my signal in Toronto on Telus has been s**t. Constant drops. If I set it to 3G it's fine. Anything on LTE is a joke. I'm not sure if it's the phone or the network. Telus is telling me the network is fine. I've escalated it. Can you try 3G and see if the problem persists? It's very weird and started all of a sudden on Friday. The biggest problem is when I'm on LTE+.

[WearySky]

In that case, it's even weirder that you're seeing this issue with PM.  It's either an issue with your phone that just cropped up coincidentally around the same time that you switched to PM, or it's an issue with your PM sim.  Hopefully it's just the sim!

[CleverUsername]

---

@imm1304 wrote:

@CleverUsername, also keep in mind that Telus has tower sharing agreement with Bell in Ontario and the eastern provinces.  So, our phones would get excellent coverage where Bell towers are in the GTA as well.

Which basically further reinforces the point that this seems more and more like device specific issue.

---

I'll check it out when I get home tonight. Thanks for the suggestions, folks. If it turns out to be the phone... well, at least I can return it.

Also, prior to being on PM I was with Virgin--I just bought the phone from Fido.

[imm1304]

@CleverUsername, also keep in mind that Telus has tower sharing agreement with Bell in Ontario and the eastern provinces.  So, our phones would get excellent coverage where Bell towers are in the GTA as well.

Which basically further reinforces the point that this seems more and more like device specific issue.

[WearySky]

---

@CleverUsername wrote:

Interesting! According to the map, Telus' towers (on which I assume PM piggybacks) are almost exclusively in downtown! I have been unable to try switching SIMs, but this map suggests the problem may be with the phone (because of the number of dropped calls I got while walking in downtown.)

---

Yeah, PM is on the Telus network.  Note that Telus and Bell have a tower sharing agreement - so anywhere you don't see Telus towers, you'd be connecting to Bell towers.  But that's why I asked if you ever had drops on Fido, since you seem to be having the issue everywhere. It's strange that you're having the issue everywhere with PM but weren't with Fido, unless something recently happened to your phone (or possibly your PM sim isn't seated properly?  Have you tried taking it out and putting it back in?  Or it could be an issue with your sim in general).  You should try putting in your wife's Bell SIM when you're at home, to see if you have the same disconnection issues (they should be connecting to the same towers).

[CleverUsername]

---

@WearySky wrote:

Were you having signal drops with Fido?  I'd say it could just be an issue of Telus/Bell towers being farther away than Rogers for you at home, but you say it's happening everywhere now.  It would be strange if it wasn't happening for you with Fido.

At any rate, you can see tower locations here if you're curious.  

---

Interesting! According to the map, Telus' towers (on which I assume PM piggybacks) are almost exclusively in downtown! I have been unable to try switching SIMs, but this map suggests the problem may be with the phone (because of the number of dropped calls I got while walking in downtown.)

[CleverUsername]

I'll get back to you on this!

PS: Sorry; I pressed the "solved" button by mistake.

[WearySky]

Were you having signal drops with Fido?  I'd say it could just be an issue of Telus/Bell towers being farther away than Rogers for you at home, but you say it's happening everywhere now.  It would be strange if it wasn't happening for you with Fido.

At any rate, you can see tower locations here if you're curious.  

[Rockdaddy22]

If I was google I'd blame HTC 🙂

[imm1304]

Hey @CleverUsername,

First, very clever username indeed 

A quick google search reveals that you are not alone.  Several people are comparing signal strength of the pixel phones and complaining that its lower than other phones.  I really hope its a software issue that can be fixed with an update.  

It would really be a shame if Google couldn't get this right on a thousand dollar phone.  

[hummuschips]

Could you try your wife's SIM in your phone to see if you are still getting signal drops?  Just to rule out that it isn't a phone issue.