trying to improve wifi calling on cell phone

[Pants]

I'm at my wits' end with this dang thing. The phone make/model is ZTE Z730 Android version 4.3. I went through the T Moble troublehshooting process to help improve the dropped wifi calls and/or cutting out and static. My carrier doesn't give me a good signal in this house, so I HAVE to use wifi calling.

T Mobile won't lend me a signal amplifier because my phone is not on a contract, and they won't forward my number to a landline, because it's not on a contract. This carrier is starting to piss me off. Of course they would be more than willing to SELL me a signal booster, but then that would lock me into using crummy T Mobile for everything, because the device isn't compatible with any other carriers.

I'm not sure if I would be allowed to cancel my T Mobile service and take my phone number with me...Anyone else do something like this? If so, I'd REALLY like to know! I've already handed out dozens and dozens of business cards with my current T Mobile number on them. And I don't want to disrupt the communication flow from prospective customers right now...so getting a new phone number wouldn't be good.

My ClearWire modem gets 4 bars (sometimes 5) and my e3000 LInkeys router with Tomato is hardwired to the modem via about a 75ft Ethernet cable. Speedtest.net is fairly decent. I am more than getting the required throughput for the wifi calling requirements.

I have looked into something like a TCP Optimizer app for my phone, but it's not much good unless the phone is rooted, and I don't feel like messing with that jazz. Not that it promises to make much difference, anyway.

So I'm considering disabling the firewall on the modem to help speed up traffic a little through there. I don't have many apps on my office PC that are vulnerable to attack (as far as I know). If I turned Windows firewall on to block all incoming connections, would that keep my PC safe, for the most part....If I turned off modem firewall?

 

[Markverhyden]

Disabling your firewall will have no effect on your speeds. Besides it's not recommended if you are providing any outgoing services from your home. What is your bandwidth?

There are several options but not all may work. Back when my AT&T stick was 3G I bought an antenna which had a connector that fit the stick. There are 3rd party providers such as Wilson Electronics that sell kit. Having a Yagi antenna may help if you can pin point the location of the closest tower to your home.

Providers also have Internet based boosters which do make a difference. But, other than the antennas, none of them are cheap.

 

[Pants]

ISP bandwidth is suppose to be 1.5 Mbps down/.5 mbps up. But some times I can get more or less out of each.
I think I know what you're talking about. My ISP is ClearWire, my modem is in my living room and the antenna sits on my roof in perfect line of site to the closest tower of my ISP. Coax cable comes off of the antenna and it is hardwired to the modem. I have made the coax cable as short as possible. I don't think my ISP signal is going to get any better. I could up the tier. I could opt for 6 mbps down, and 1 mbps up, for only 15 dollars more a month, but I'm not sure that would do much, as the ClearWire is such an unreliable ISP. I use to be on the higher tier and speed tests at times showed below 1 mbps down...Just pitiful. So I couldn't see the point of paying for all that extra bandwidth.

I know carriers have base boosters, but they won't lend me one since I'm not on a contract, so I would have to BUY one from them, which I wouldn't be able to use with any other carrier; So they would pretty much lock me into using only their network. Seems like a waste to me, so I'm not gonna go that route.

 

[Pants]

Got an idea. I don't really need data on my cell service. I'll cut the service back from $50/mo to $35/mo unlimited talk/text. ...and apply that saved $15/mo to a landline for my office. I'll receive most calls on my T Mobile number, but when I call people back from my office I'll use the landline....If I happen to take a call on my cell and quality is too bad, I'll call them back from the landline. Even though I have handed out bus. cards with my T Mobile number, I can put my new landline number on my website along side of T Mobile number, and transition everyone to using the landline...since my website is on my business cards.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Transfer your number on you cell to the landline and get a new cell.

 

[Pants]

Transfer your number on you cell to the landline and get a new cell.

I'm not sure if that's permitted coming from T Mobile, but I'll check. thx... I just discovered a bunch of apps set to auto update on my cell, and disabled the auto update on them. That'll probably help a little.

 

[frederick]

You got ClearWire? Didn't they join up with Sprint? Might want to look at making that switch.

I've been with T-Mobile for...oh god I'm feeling old...12 years now. I haven't been on contract with them for 4 years now. I bought my Galaxy S3 out of pocket. The benefit to this is I can do what I want, when I want. Since being with them though, the only time I ever wanted to drop T-Mobile was when I was in Kansas for a stint, but no one out there really provided any real good reception unless you were in Salina, Wickenberg, or Kansas City (MO side or on the border). But I kept with them. Here in Phoenix, I get great reception unless I enter the homes from the 70's to the mid-80's where they are made of re-enforced concrete bunkers to survive communist nuclear missiles. Other than that, it's been great.

Your BW for internet sucks. Honestly, get a new ISP. My phone, mid-call takes no more than .1mbps/.1mbps. You are operating at 1.5mbps/.5mbps, you open a web page and you could look at losing your call too. In my house, I dedicate 1mbps/1mbps for phones, that is the minimum BW.

 

[Pants]

Out here in the country it's slim pickings when it comes to ISPs. Only other options are Hugh'sNet or UnWired Broadband. I'd suspect that Unwired Broadband is more reliable, but for the same bandwidth (more or less), it's a lot more expensive.

I plan on switching to Unwired Broadband eventually, but for now, since my client base is so little I think I'll wait a bit.

 

[SprinterTech-WI]

Best bet is get a Booster, the $200 spent is worth it the Wilson units do great and work for all carriers.
Otherwise just port out to another carrier.
The WiFi calling will not work well imo as I'll bet you're ping is fairly slow and have an inconsistent bw.