No signal, bad data connection

I had the same problem during this week. It starts to be very annoying, especially if you use the phone for work. Maybe something wrong with the latest update? Please help us.

For me, the problem was solved by changing the carrier. I bought a prepaid SIM card from a different carrier, just to see what happened, and after that I haven’t had any problems at all. The phone has been connected 100% of the time. So in my case, it was either a faulty SIM card or bad coverage.

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Since the latest update I’m getting the same thing. calls dropping and reguarly no signal at all

Maybe it is related to this issue:
https://forum.fairphone.com/t/pencil2-network-disconnects-gps-problems-and-re-entering-sim-possible-workarounds/20642?source_topic_id=19065

Try disabling GPS or another workaround as described there.

Hi, the deactivation of GPS won’t help with my problem. I have the same issue. Sometimes there is a H+ connection and a few seconds later the data connection is completely lost. This issue occures since about 3-4 weeks.
Another strange thing is, that if this happens, in the status bar is only “H”, despite in the screen with all status information (it appears if you drag the status bar down), the symbol hat the mobile connection is a “H+”.
Can anyone give me a hint, what to do or if this is a hardware problem.

Hello there

I am recently and just now as well, loosing signal. WIFI working fine. Sim I changed from one to two cleaned etc. and still remains the same. From what i have read above it’s not the fault of the sim card but of fairphone 2. If this is so and it is a mobile whose first function is preciselly to be able to make/receive calls does that mean I have bought a non mobile phone?
Wile writing I managed to solve the problem once again but this time I had to swith off localization (gps)

Hi

I bought the fairphone about a month ago and cannot fix this problem. Have tried a new sim, etc. The phone is more or less useless to me outside of wifi areas. From reading these linked threads, it seems my only option is to return it? Are there any other solutions that people have found?

Thanks
whoosh

I have the same problem! I’m so happy I’m not alone!
Did anybody already found a solution? I contacted the team about it, I hope they will answer soon. It is really annoying! I’m a general practitioner so I need to be constantly available and that is not the case with this phone.

So if there is an answer from fairphone or a solution please tell!

Thank you!

For me, it’s also becoming a problem.
My FP2 often has no connection at the office. No problem, I still have a fixed phone on my desk. And I will see those smses coming when it suddenly has a connection.

But now… We just bought a new house. You know, a house that has some insulation, right in the city center. Too much insulation, apparently: my phone has no signal in my own house :frowning:
I guess I will have to contact support, because this can’t be normal behaviour…

Same issue here.

I do neither see crashes nor are there issues with re-entering the SIM PIN. However, it seems that mobile internet works only occassionally for few seconds - sometimes on demand (e.g. open browser, whatsapp, …). Typically, the connection is lost after a short time again, even when it is used. There are phases, however, where mobile internet is enabled for hours, but no packets are recieved. Also, the mobile connection (for phone calls) shows similar behaviour. The connection is displayed to be “ok”, but calls won’t work and a bunch of missed calls will be shown some hours later, although the phone was definitely turned on and displayed working connection. Again, in some cases, calls are working after trying several times. During calls, once they are established, the connection is usually okay a few minutes.

The same provider (Germany, E-PLUS/O2) works for others at the same time and location flawlessly.
I’m running FPOOS 16.09, currently updating to 16.11.

I also have these issues. How are all of you doing with it? Replacement parts or other solutions?

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Hello everyone !

I have the same problem of loosing data connection (2G/3G/4G).
In the beginning I thought the SIM was broken so I order a new one but the problem is still here.
I tried several solutions but no results (switch to SIM 2; disable 4G; activate roaming; reset APN; disable GPS, try with another SIM…)

I’m going to open a support ticket

suggested solutions for signal problems

I had severe signal problems twice with my Fairphone 2.

App blocking signal
The first time the signal dropped when beeing indoors, still having the operator sign but I was not able to make or receive calls, nor connecting to wifi. The first suggestion was a broken contact in the hardware or the antenna. If I remember correctly (I had some chances of troubleshooting with my phone) I went to the secure mode and checked if the signal and connection to the operator worked. As it did I started deleting several apps I had installed, finding out that one app blocked the signal.

Loose Antenna:
The second time last week, the contact to the operator broke completely indoors (no operator available) or I I had low signal, changing from 4G to 2G, no signal, no operator connection. while making calls the connection broke down from one second to the other.
The phone fell on one corner (half meter hight) two days before the problem occurred, the day before I made a software update.
I went to the operator to get a new SIM which didn’t solve the problem. I checked the forum, which didn’t help me that much. I tried to contact Fairphone for repair suggestions, I set the phone back to factory settings, checked it in the save mode if any app causes the problem. neither of them helped.

I fond one post helping me. It described how to get to the antenna, which may can get loose.
When you remove the display the the Antenna can be seen on the back on the left side. Left to the microphone module the antenna is clipped on a small plastic pice covered under a small plate which you can take out (you need a small torx-wrench. The antenna can be clipped back to the piece, then you should have full signal again.
(notice, the antenna can get loos because you dropped the phone like me, or due to other reasons. it is a simple clip-connection.)

hope that may be some help.

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Hello, I’ve been having the same problem, and changed my SIM card. Then it all worked perfectly, but now I’m experiencing the same problem again. I’ve tried everything Fairphone recommends but it doesn’t change anything : signal is OK, then drops during phone calls. Or it simply drops because I’m walking and then I have to reboot the phone for signal to come back.

What should I do? Open a ticket? Mess with the antenna ? Note quite sure about doing this…

Depending on where you are located, perhaps somebody could help you with checking the antenna … fairphoneangels

Thanks for Your answer but I’m in France and apparently there are no fairphone angels around… Are you Sure it is an antenna problema? Not software? Is it easily fixable?

I don’t know, I’m not clairvoyant :slight_smile: .

You can either contact Fairphone support (calling gives faster results).

Or you can open your phone and have a look … iFixit has a teardown with pictures … you can see the antenna thing in question in Step 6 (the dark long thing that runs along the edge on the left of the phone) … and they disassemble it in Step 11, but that’s not necessary, you just have to check whether the cable is still properly connected on both ends, these are simple plug-in connections …

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Hello

I managed to solve my network connection problem (3 weeks nearly no signal) by reconnecting the antenna inside my FP as described above from Will and AnotherElk.

As I opened my phone I could pull a bit on the upper part of the black cable and noticed it’s not fix. So I slightly lifted the metal part on the top of the phone (which is not ment to be opened) and clicked it back where it belongs.

For slightly opening (without screwing) the metal coverage: in the place of the battery there is a click cap (Picture: 2) which belongs to the metal coverage. If you open it, you can carefully lift the metal coverage a little bit. Don’t push too hard! Now you can see whether the cable is loose or not.

If it is loose: There is a small gold-silver nibble (looks a bit like a screw). Put the end part from the wire on this nibble and click it in. It should stay there. (I used a srewdriver to get under the coverage; Picture: 1: under this place could the connection be loose).

As I put my FP together again, I got perfect network connection!

Hope it helps!

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Hi everyone,

I was waiting to receive my new bottom module for replacement (bad USB connection, not related) to check the antenna with your advices. I’ve checked the two connections and they were properly connected. I just changed the bottom module and now the data connection is very good, simply switches from 3G to 4G depending on the room I’m in, but it’s always been like that. For now eveything is alright and signal doesn’t drop during phone calls! Just need to check if it stays the same when on the street, or getting out of the subway etc.

So thanks for your advices, my guess is the antenna was stuck somehow, and changing the bottom module released it?
Anyway it works.

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And… No. It came back to signal dropping all the time… Still don’t know what to do. Does anyone have another advice? Thanks.