I used my Samsung Galaxy S4 three years under an AT&T contract. I live 20 minutes from Washington DC, and I am within one mile of 3 AT&T towers. As an AT&T customer, I had no issue with reception--could even get 4 or 5 bars in my basement. I never missed phone calls or had any trouble accessing Internet. I was using less than 3GB data per month (rarely accessed WIFI), and AT&T kept adding more free data to my plan, which I wasn't using. I was paying too much despite not using a lot of data, so I asked for a price cut to remain with AT&T (I was no longer under contract). Their price cut offer didn't come close to Cricket's plans and lower prices.
In early 2016 I switched to Cricket using my same phone and porting my phone number. The first thing that happened was the reception bars went down to 2 or 1. I began missing calls--everything was going straight to voicemail. No incoming calls were recorded on the call log. Even when I had three bars on 4G LTE, calls were going straight to voicemail. Every once in a rare while, when I had 4 reception bars on 4G LTE, my phone would ring, and the incoming call would be recorded in the call log. I could not access the Internet either with ongoing poor reception. Hours on the phone with Cricket Support (or having nearby Cricket dealers telling me to come into the store) did not resolve the issue.
One support dude had me change the phone numbers (voicemail) on call forwarding and the Access Point Names under Mobile Networks--neither worked. Obviously the problem was with 4G LTE.
I had to figure it out on my own by observing my phone and searching forums on the Internet. Issue: my Samsung phone on the Cricket network was automatically set to 4G LTE ONLY. Based on my Samsung phone and the Cricket-AT&T network, I was unable to toggle to another network (3G, etc.). I downloaded apps that were supposed to allow me to toggle, but my phone would not allow it. So I went into the code from the keypad: *#*# 4636 #*#*, Device Info, Set preferred network type. I tried both GSM auto (PRL) and GSM/CDMA auto (PRL)--even though CDMA did not apply. By selecting either option, my phone consistently shows 3 to 5 bars, receives phone calls (even on 3 bars), and is able to access the Internet.
Now that I have figured out how to get my phone to work OFF the 4G LTE network, a new problem has begun: I keep getting switched back to the 4G LTE network and facing the same functionality issues. I don't know why I keep getting switched back to a network that doesn't work with my phone. I have not reset my phone or done any software updates. So I'm stuck without a permanent fix.
I am wondering if my phone required a factory reset (which I would hate to do) when switching from AT&T to Cricket. Maybe one of the obscure settings didn't switch over to Cricket. I never noticed as an AT&T customer whether my phone was switching among networks, but Cricket stays on 4G LTE regardless (unless I reset the code). I am wondering if there are any other network issues with Cricket besides throttling data speeds slower than what AT&T plan members get. Same phone, same locations, same usage as before with AT&T, so what gives? Any suggestions? If I can't get this resolved soon, I'll have to take my phone back to expensive AT&T. It looks like maybe you get what you pay for. Any suggestions?
In early 2016 I switched to Cricket using my same phone and porting my phone number. The first thing that happened was the reception bars went down to 2 or 1. I began missing calls--everything was going straight to voicemail. No incoming calls were recorded on the call log. Even when I had three bars on 4G LTE, calls were going straight to voicemail. Every once in a rare while, when I had 4 reception bars on 4G LTE, my phone would ring, and the incoming call would be recorded in the call log. I could not access the Internet either with ongoing poor reception. Hours on the phone with Cricket Support (or having nearby Cricket dealers telling me to come into the store) did not resolve the issue.
One support dude had me change the phone numbers (voicemail) on call forwarding and the Access Point Names under Mobile Networks--neither worked. Obviously the problem was with 4G LTE.
I had to figure it out on my own by observing my phone and searching forums on the Internet. Issue: my Samsung phone on the Cricket network was automatically set to 4G LTE ONLY. Based on my Samsung phone and the Cricket-AT&T network, I was unable to toggle to another network (3G, etc.). I downloaded apps that were supposed to allow me to toggle, but my phone would not allow it. So I went into the code from the keypad: *#*# 4636 #*#*, Device Info, Set preferred network type. I tried both GSM auto (PRL) and GSM/CDMA auto (PRL)--even though CDMA did not apply. By selecting either option, my phone consistently shows 3 to 5 bars, receives phone calls (even on 3 bars), and is able to access the Internet.
Now that I have figured out how to get my phone to work OFF the 4G LTE network, a new problem has begun: I keep getting switched back to the 4G LTE network and facing the same functionality issues. I don't know why I keep getting switched back to a network that doesn't work with my phone. I have not reset my phone or done any software updates. So I'm stuck without a permanent fix.
I am wondering if my phone required a factory reset (which I would hate to do) when switching from AT&T to Cricket. Maybe one of the obscure settings didn't switch over to Cricket. I never noticed as an AT&T customer whether my phone was switching among networks, but Cricket stays on 4G LTE regardless (unless I reset the code). I am wondering if there are any other network issues with Cricket besides throttling data speeds slower than what AT&T plan members get. Same phone, same locations, same usage as before with AT&T, so what gives? Any suggestions? If I can't get this resolved soon, I'll have to take my phone back to expensive AT&T. It looks like maybe you get what you pay for. Any suggestions?
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