Poor reception at home affecting my battery life?

[rsd]

I ported over to Cell C from Vodacom earlier this week and suddenly my cellphone's battery life is truly awful. I work from home so I'm typically in the same spot. Cell C's signal is really bad here - no one can hear me during calls.

I'm starting to suspect the sudden change in battery life is a result of the bad signal and the phone using more power to stay on the network or something. Is that possible? Anything I can do about it?

I have an HTC One S

 

[sajunky]

I'm starting to suspect the sudden change in battery life is a result of the bad signal and the phone using more power to stay on the network or something. Is that possible?

This. Weak signal, modem is allowed to transmit more power. In addition lets say there is two towers with similiar signal, modem can lose power on handover attempts (switching between towers).
I suggest to turn on 3G only when needed. Also check if locking 3G to 900MHz saves battery. It should.

 

[morkhans]

Yes it will. Constant swapping between 2G and 3G will affect it and if the signal is weak the phone will try and compensate for it by boosting transmit.

Maybe try set your phone to 2G only (if you can) as a test.

 

[rsd]

This. Weak signal, modem is allowed to transmit more power. In addition lets say there is two towers with similiar signal, modem can lose power on handover attempts.
I suggest to turn on 3G only when needed. Also check if locking 3G to 900MHz saves battery. It should.

Thanks for the reply!

Would locking 3G to 900Mhz not shaft me if I'm elsewhere and need to roam on Vodacom in order to get a 3G signal? I'm on wifi at home so I guess that its likely the issue isn't actually mobile data, more just cell standby.

 

[morkhans]

I suggest to turn on 3G only when needed. Also check if locking 3G to 900MHz saves battery. It should.

Maybe try set your phone to 2G only (if you can) as a test.

HEHE

 

[rsd]

Yes it will. Constant swapping between 2G and 3G will affect it and if the signal is weak the phone will try and compensate for it by boosting transmit.

Maybe try set your phone to 2G only (if you can) as a test.

I'll see if I can set it to 2G, thanks.

 

[goofball]

Switched my BB to 2g only and ever since the battery lasts a day longer.

Cell C might have good rates but their signal is crap and it always switches between 3g and 2g.

 

[ADRAM3L3CH]

If you have wifi at home , setup your BB to use that instead. I noticed my battery lasts alot longer when on a wifi connection.

 

[Freaksta]

Yea my phone is set to 2G always(At home 3G signal is very iffy,vodacom, switching back and forward so i just leave it on 2G) wifi connections are pretty much everywhere is use my phone. In the odd time i do need 3G i have a widget to switch!