Cell phone signal question

[pontifex]

Whats the difference between the 1x signal and the EV signal on a cell phone? Is 1x voice signal and EV data signal or something like that?

If I only have EV signal and no 1x signal, can I make a call?

Why is it possible that I have 3 bars of EV signal but no bars of 1x signal or even vice versa? I live and work in a very rural area. I usually get very little or no signal here at work due to being in a valley and the nature of the building I work in.

I just got an LG Dare yesterday and I am getting 3 bars of EV and 0-1 bars of 1x signal.
It's weird because my Dare gets the above mentioned signal and my Motorazr V3m is getting 0 EV and 0-1 bar of 1x signal.

For the most part the 2 phones were the same signal on the way to work but in certain areas one had more or less of both types of signal. I just find it very odd.

 

[Zenmervolt]

1xRTT

It's a data transmission standard that is slower than EV-DO. Neither is necessary to make a voice call or to send a text message, but they are necessary for data (internet) connections.

EDIT: My blurb is simplified, since 1xRTT can transmit voice as well, but it's not necessary for it. Most phones designate 1xRTT as "1x". As for the signal variances, some phones just get better reception than others, it's really that simple.

ZV

 

[sao123]

Originally posted by: pontifex
Whats the difference between the 1x signal and the EV signal on a cell phone? Is 1x voice signal and EV data signal or something like that?

If I only have EV signal and no 1x signal, can I make a call?

Why is it possible that I have 3 bars of EV signal but no bars of 1x signal or even vice versa? I live and work in a very rural area. I usually get very little or no signal here at work due to being in a valley and the nature of the building I work in.

I just got an LG Dare yesterday and I am getting 3 bars of EV and 0-1 bars of 1x signal.
It's weird because my Dare gets the above mentioned signal and my Motorazr V3m is getting 0 EV and 0-1 bar of 1x signal.

For the most part the 2 phones were the same signal on the way to work but in certain areas one had more or less of both types of signal. I just find it very odd.

Different signals coming from different towers.
Similar phenomenon have been experienced by nextel users, where they could PTT, but not make calls.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
1xRTT

It's a data transmission standard that is slower than EV-DO. Neither is necessary to make a voice call or to send a text message, but they are necessary for data (internet) connections.

ZV

oh. then how do I know how good my cell signal is for voice calls?

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
1xRTT

It's a data transmission standard that is slower than EV-DO. Neither is necessary to make a voice call or to send a text message, but they are necessary for data (internet) connections.

ZV

oh. then how do I know how good my cell signal is for voice calls?

While neither is necessary for a voice call, in my experience, if you have a strong good signal from either, your voice signal is fine. Note that I over-simplified 1xRTT (which can transmit voice as well as data) to emphasise that even if there is no 1xRTT and no EV-DO connection you can still make voice calls if you have a signal from an older CDMA tower.

EDIT: For example, I am in Augusta, Maine right now and the tower that my phone uses is neither 1xRTT nor EV-DO, but I can make voice calls just fine; I just don't have a data connection to sync my E-Mail.

ZV

 

[HopJokey]

I manually set my phone to 1x all the time (instead of auto switch between EVDO and 1x). Do I save any battery life doing this?

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: HopJokey
I manually set my phone to 1x all the time (instead of auto switch between EVDO and 1x). Do I save any battery life doing this?

Doubtful, but I'm not sure. The only time I notice a decrease in battery life is when I travel through a rural area that's still analog, or through an area with no service at all since the phone keeps trying to ping a tower unless I manually turn off the transceiver.

ZV