I’ve fixed my LTE issues and wrote a post explaining how here: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/fix-vzw-connectivity-charging-issues.2145835/
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iPhone XS Max Is the mobile reception on the xs Max even worse than iPhone X ?
- Thread starter mydogeatsbeats
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People have tried that. It either works for a short period of time or not at all. But working for a short period of time makes it certainly look like it's software related.
If the iPhone Xs is at the same dbm level as other phones it downloads as fast as the the other phones. The problem is, at least with mine, the iPhone Xs signal was consitently lower than my other phones. It couldn't get as good as a signal and it fluctuated wildly. It would go from -95 dbm standing in my open front door all the way down to -115 dbm without even moving. It never grabbed a signal and stayed with it. In field test it was constantly going up and down.
In field test mode, my XSMax was showing a constant, stronger signal than my wife's 7plus. And there was at least one location in town where I used to have no service with my own 7plus, but had a signal with the XSMax. Which is why I really don't think a bad antenna design is the problem here.
I'm starting to think I was lucky enough to receive one from a bad "batch". My screen was also really yellow compared to my other phones.
What network are you? Mine is T-Mobile and no band 71 yet.
Re: yellow screen. Maybe a stupid question, but did you make sure to turn off True Tone?
Yep. Turned it off. Wasn't as yellow but my Pixel 2 screen looked a lot clearer and my wife's Xs had true tone on and it looked as white as the Pixel screen.
A bad batch would not have anything to do with that! It might be just one faulty component manufactured by one of the suppliers. Why would they need an FCC certification report?! Apple has had it many times before. We’re not talking about a complete redesign here.
So I got to test my XS Max against my father's Qualcomm iPhone X.
Surprisingly the XS Max was getting 2 bars LTE when the QC iPhone X would only get 4G. Speeds were also markedly better on the XS Max.
I actually think Apple has done a better job this year than they did before. The new intel modems are MUCH better than the old iPhones. Even the Qualcomm versions seem to perform wore. This is all relative to wifi and internet. I have not tested phone call reception on both phones.
Surprisingly the XS Max was getting 2 bars LTE when the QC iPhone X would only get 4G. Speeds were also markedly better on the XS Max.
I actually think Apple has done a better job this year than they did before. The new intel modems are MUCH better than the old iPhones. Even the Qualcomm versions seem to perform wore. This is all relative to wifi and internet. I have not tested phone call reception on both phones.
Did a test today where I literally stood next to my friend who also has a XS Max 256GB (even same color) on AT&T (same carrier) and did several speed tests (we had the exact same number of bars...and did it without cases to control for signal variability). He got 25mbps download every time and I got 3mbps every time. I also max out at 3mpbs download for LTE every single time I run a speed test no matter the location or level of signal.
This is also my second XS Max 256GB that has maxed out at around 3mbps for download on LTE for every speed test no matter location or signal level.
This is also my second XS Max 256GB that has maxed out at around 3mbps for download on LTE for every speed test no matter location or signal level.
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Both prepaid, but I have a legacy unlimited plan that has carried over from the Cingular days. My last several generations of iPhones all had excellent LTE speeds (and my iPhone 8 Plus on the same plan was blazing fast...40-60 mbps 2 weeks ago before upgrade/trade-in), so I don’t think it’s a plan thing.
You need to go into field test mode on both phones. I don't remember where it shows what band you are using.
Yes. http://osxdaily.com/2018/05/02/use-field-test-mode-iphone-x-ios/
Also make sure you reboot phone after done using it, or it will keep running in the background.
Also, you can check what bands are available in your area, by selecting location and carrier.
https://www.cellmapper.net/map
In my city, all the towers on verizon are using bands 4 and 13, with only one of their towers using bands 2,4 and 13. Those are all the older LTE bands, and probably why I haven't seen much of an issue in my city.
Will try field mode. That map is very difficult to understand/use though.
Thank the Virgin I am not the only person with this problem!
I drive 1:15 to work each way (30 miles each way), every day, and talk on the phone each way, the entire time, in a major urban area that typically has solid AT&T LTE service. I have been doing this with every iPhone since the 6. And I can tell you that in my experience, this new Max of mine has the worst reception of all. Here are a few examples of my problems:
Using FaceTime Audio: LTE connection signal strength rarely rises above 2 bars. If the phone drops to 4G, it will NEVER go back to LTE unless I end the call, put phone in airplane mode momentarily, and restore signal. Immediately, the phone will go to 4 full bars of LTE. But it takes a manual reset of the antenna to get there.
Using LTE phone service: Calls routinely drop (I haven’t dropped a call in YEARS on my route). Calls fail to connect and sometimes don’t disconnect until I power down the phone.
Using LTE Data: Siri has become darn near worthless when driving. Commands are almost always returned with “Sorry, I seem to have lost connection to internet” or whatever she says when there is no signal. Yet, according to bars, signal is strong. Also, Apple Music fails and pauses constantly.
The person I am talking to usually experience audio drop (they can’t hear me), while most of the time I can hear them perfectly. In 4 years, this was a rarity. Now it’s daily.
This happens on I-66 every, single, day. Destinations are Tyson’s Corner, Washington DC, Centreville.
I am cursing my phone daily.
I drive 1:15 to work each way (30 miles each way), every day, and talk on the phone each way, the entire time, in a major urban area that typically has solid AT&T LTE service. I have been doing this with every iPhone since the 6. And I can tell you that in my experience, this new Max of mine has the worst reception of all. Here are a few examples of my problems:
Using FaceTime Audio: LTE connection signal strength rarely rises above 2 bars. If the phone drops to 4G, it will NEVER go back to LTE unless I end the call, put phone in airplane mode momentarily, and restore signal. Immediately, the phone will go to 4 full bars of LTE. But it takes a manual reset of the antenna to get there.
Using LTE phone service: Calls routinely drop (I haven’t dropped a call in YEARS on my route). Calls fail to connect and sometimes don’t disconnect until I power down the phone.
Using LTE Data: Siri has become darn near worthless when driving. Commands are almost always returned with “Sorry, I seem to have lost connection to internet” or whatever she says when there is no signal. Yet, according to bars, signal is strong. Also, Apple Music fails and pauses constantly.
The person I am talking to usually experience audio drop (they can’t hear me), while most of the time I can hear them perfectly. In 4 years, this was a rarity. Now it’s daily.
This happens on I-66 every, single, day. Destinations are Tyson’s Corner, Washington DC, Centreville.
I am cursing my phone daily.
Hello everyone!
The same problem in Japan, near Tokyo.
My iPhone XS and my wife’s iPhone XS have about 1.3 mbps.
What is really strange is that when I was chatting with apple support yesterday and he asked me to check my speed again I suddenly got 120mbps! Then I checked it again today and it’s again about 2mbps...
The same problem in Japan, near Tokyo.
My iPhone XS and my wife’s iPhone XS have about 1.3 mbps.
What is really strange is that when I was chatting with apple support yesterday and he asked me to check my speed again I suddenly got 120mbps! Then I checked it again today and it’s again about 2mbps...