Xperia Arc Network hang/disconnections

[#1]

I have been using a total of 3 Xperia Arcs for the past week and experience has been more than frustruating!

I bought the xperia Arc from 2 different stores in Hong Kong to be used with local provider CSL.  I have been having tonnes of problem with networking both on wifi and 3G on all 3 units!

1)  Internet connections will very frequently hang, especially when I have an Exchange account configured to automatic push email.  Occurs both with wifi and 3G.

2)  On wifi, if I disable Location\Use wireless networks, then the internet connectivity will not hang.

3)  On 3G, nothing seems to work at all.  I have tried deleting supl from the APN Type, leaving only "default,mms" but internet will still hang.

4)  When internet hangs, there is no icon indication with wifi, except webpages will not load, widgets needing internet connectivity will not refresh, and etc....

5)  When internet hangs while on 3G, sometimes the phone will disconnect data (H icon disappears) and reconnects.  Other times, I lost 3G connection all together, with Arc showing a red X on the cellular strength.

6)  Sometimes the phone will appears to be normal but actually disconnected from the cellular network.  I had this happen at least once every 2 days.  And there is no way for me to tell until somebody calls me via other methods and tell me my cellphone is not reachable.  At that point, I will need to reboot the Arc.

7)  When transitioning from no-coverage area (for example elevator, underground garages), to area with coverage, the Arc wil take a long time (over 3 mins) before I can make any calls.  Way longer than another another phones that I have used.

Now before anyone saying this is a network or SIM card issue, I have already tried the following:

1)  Wireless connection issues persist with Netgear WNDAP350, Netgear WNDR3700, and Draytek V2920Vn APs.  These are NOT CHEAP CONSUMER grade wireless APs.  Tried 802.11n with both WPA/TKIP, and WPA2/AES.  Arc will experience wireless network hang with all of the above.  HTC Desire HD, Samsung i9000 both show no such disconnection issues with the same equipments.  And makes no difference whether Arc has a SIM inserted or not as well.

2)  I tried a different 3G network, PCCW, and the Arc also exhibit the same symptom on PCCW.

3)  I tried a new SIM from CSL and the same network hanging issue persist with the Arc, but not on the HTC Desire HD and Samsung i9000.

4)  The same issues exist on 3 different Arcs that I have which means the issues due to hardware failure highly improbable.

So can somebody please tell me what is going on with the Arc?  Something wrong with Android 2.3.2?  Heard the Nexus S people are experiencing similar issues!

[#2]

I am using the phone on China Unicom in Shenzhen, and have not noticed these issues, mind you I have not been looking for them. I will try to see if I experience any of these issues and report back in a few days.

[#3]

Thanks.  Problems are definitely reproducible (happen on all three of the Arcs available to me).  Most easily reproduced with an Exchange email account (mine corp server is Exchange 2007 SP2 fully patched), with Arc set to Automatic push.  Setting schedule of the Exchange account to 5mins instead alleviates the problems but does not eliminate.

[#4]

This is most likely something that will have to be addressed in a firmware update. I don't use push email, so I don't know if my insights will have any bearing on your situation. I will check for connectivity in and out of elevators. Problem is the network here is not the best anyways hehe. I do agree with you that this doesn't sound like a bad batch of phones, but a software bug instead.

[#5]

Right.  So the phone is practically useless for me right now as i won't even know if i can receive calls when the phone is showing full signal strength.....

And if google tech support forums are any guide, the Nexus S guys network hang problems got better with 2.3.3, but still not eliminated.........

http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Google+Mobile/thread?tid=747f398a6c1bb2b9&hl=en&start=240

[#6]

This definitely is a major issue if calls are not connecting. I will ask friends to take note when and how often they cant reach me when they call. I haven't had any complaints yet, but the phone is very new. Thanks for the heads-up.

[#7]

I'm having the similar issue on my arc. I'm using it on Vodafone India network. It shows it is connected, some applications like whatsapp work but if I try using a browser, sometimes it works but most of the times it is unable to load websites. Even other applications dont work. Have tried vodafone support for settings. Done all kinda resetting but it won't work. One interesting thing I did notice was it was working perfectly as hotspot. Sites will open on my laptop but not on the cell phone.

I donno where the problem is.

[jimi83]

Hi. i have exactly the same problem i live in UK. when i trying download something,web surf, etc. it just hang.. not everytime but often. When downloading file from market it stops ...and then i see the conection with wifi is hang, but i still see full wifi signal icon . so i must re enable wifi(on/off) in arc then it works again..but after awhile it doing the same thing  . And with 3G is the same situation ! it trying to reconect(when downlading file)...then is ok for about 10 sec and again hang..for 30 sec...

my Ap i Dlink.

bb

[#9]

After testing with my phone for some time, I can't say I am experiencing this problem here in China (Hong Kong purchased phone). If I lose signal in a basement or elevator, I am quickly connected back on the network within 20 seconds of returning to a service area, which I would expect to within the spec'd polling times of the phone. As for data, I also have not experienced any hangs or resets. Downloads are for the most part fast, although browser speed can be a lot slower than it should be. That is quite possibly due to being being behind the great firewall. Now that we are able to unlock the bootloader on our phones, I plan on installing openVPN (which requires root access) and then bypassing the great firewall (facebook, twitter and youtube, here I come hehe)

[#10]

Hello,

I am in Canada on the Rogers network with Fido as a service provider (same company now) and I flashed the 3.0.A.2.181 north american generic firmaware. The phone was working beautifully and no i have no connection to the network (sms, internet, calls) and it shows that i am connected. I have to switch it to GSM only in the settings to at least get my sms and be on EDGE. Worst part about all this is when i go back to the settings to put it back to WCDMA preferred, it works for about 20 mins (sometimes less) and then same thing happens. Its like the software or something is limiting my connectivity. I tried a few firmawares and they all do the same.

I put my sim card back into my Nexus One and no problems.....it seems that its the 3G thats being handicapped somehow on my Arc.

Please help!!!

Billy.