ICS: Network Drops, Refuses to Reconnect

[thekaz]

Hello. I previously posted when I had Gingerbread about a problem I had with the network. It drops (especially when I'm sleeping) and it refuses to reconnect unless I restart the phone. I was given advice that with an upgrade to ICS, the problem would be rectified. http://talk.sonymobile.com/thread/51316

But, even with an upgrade to ICS (Build # 6.1.B.0.544), I'm still having the same problem. Now, instead of my phone losing connection but showing full signal strength, my phone just loses connection and says I have absolutely no signal. With a restart, my phone is fixed.

When I had GB, I tried "reset to factory settings" AND "software repair" through the computer. But, I still had the same problem.

Any help would be very much appreciated. I'm getting very frustrated! Does anyone else have the same problem?

[WBrisk]

I´ve had my Xperia P only for three days and never run it on GB (I updated to ICS immediately), so I can´t compare. But I have in a similar way lost connection five times already, and in two of those cases the phone icon showed a strong signal, so I realized the problem only when I tried to make a call and nothing happened. I also had to reboot the phone every time.

What also bothers me is the flickering signal strengh: even lying still on the table it can jump from full to zero strenth, in an erratic tempo and without any obvious reason. I know that the signal in my house is rather weak, particularly - of coarse! - in my studio, where I use the phone mostly. But no other phone has behaved like this.

I could easily fall in love with my P, provided that I can trust it's there when I need it.

WBrisk

[_alexdon_]

Maybe you are in an area with low network coverage.Have you tried setting it on 2G only?Or did you try to repair the phone using SUS or PCC?

[thekaz]

Hi! Yes, I've repaired the phone using Sony Bridge for Mac. I've also "reset to factory settings." I also called AT&T, my network provider, to re-register my cell phone to the cell towers. Nothing works, and I still periodically get completely disconnected and miss calls, texts and messages. I thought that flashing my phone from GB to ICS would work but nope.

[WBrisk]

Thanks alexdon!

I should have rememered: it´s the 3G/WCDMA signal that´s weak in my house. I had chosen the (default) setting "WCDMA/GSM", where WCDMA is the preferred signal. But if its only "preferred", why didn´t the phone automatically switch down to GSM rather than loose the connection? Anyway, now I downloaded the Power Toggles widget, where I can easily switch between the modes. My "home setting" will be only GSM.

Probably the continuous effort to catch a poor 3G-signal also caused a lot of power consumption, so I hope the battery will last longer now.

WBrisk

[WBrisk]

I'm a little confused with this compulsory "Data roaming" setting. On my earlier phone, a ZTE Blade (also called Orange San Francisco etc.) on Android 2.2, you could have "Data enabled" without having roaming turned on. Now I can´t. It's no big problem, since the moment I leave my country I would in any case turn both off, but I'm just curiosus to know whether this new setting is part of Xperia or ICS. Or whether I'm doing sometingin wrong here...

WBrisk

[Uliwooly]

Xperia P

HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - LT22i

AT&T 3G

850 / 1900

double check with AT&T regarding their coverage also do you have the correct apn settings?

[_alexdon_]

Sometimes,it is better to set the phone on GSM only,depending on the coverage.If you set it on GSM/WCDMA,it drains battery just finding the more powerful signal.You can select the modes in your settings,but with that app it's just easier.And for the roaming,in ICS you can select in settings if you wish it to be active or not.

[thekaz]

Thanks. Sorry, I somehow managed to delete the response that you replied to.

I talked to Xperia customer service and what they told me is that my "LT22i" is not compatible with the American market, which should use the "LT22a" model instead. They told me that AT&T doesn't work well with LT22i, and that maybe I should try T-Mobile instead (I don't think I'm going to switch phone providers to just keep this phone.)

Also, like you said, the frequences for 3G AT&T match up with the frequencies that LT22i is capable of connecting to. So, I don't see why having an LT22i in the USA is a problem.

Third, this was not an issue when I first got the phone, so I don't see why this should be an issue with my phone model.

I'll try new APN settings but it worked before so I'm not sure why it won't work now. Frustrating, as I spent money on this device!

[Uliwooly]

that's because back in the days the "i" variants were different

an example

the Xperia Arc

LT15i HSDPA 900 / 2100 

LT15a HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 / 800 - LT15a

Xperia P

HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - LT22i

don't trust nor believe AT&T they will tell you that nothing work unless you get the phone from them.

Get a new SIM card (they are free) and enter the correct APN settings

settings -> wireless & networks -> mobile networks -> access point names -> MENU -> add New

Name: AT&T

APN: wap.cingular

Proxy: leave blank

Port: leave blank

Username:WAP@CINGULARGPRS.COM

Password:CINGULAR1

Server: leave blank

MMSC: http://mmsc.cingular.com

MMS Proxy: wireless.cingular.com

MMS Port: 80

MCC:310

MNC:410

APN Type: leave blank

MENU -> Save

Don't forget to mark the Correct Answers & Helpful Answers

unrelated topic, if you have some time please check this thread

http://talk.sonymobile.com/thread/44888