My smart phone sucks.

[ROCKY3]

I feel like throwing it in the trash, but it is a company phone.

[Dale Einerson]

Let me guess, you went from iphone to android?

[TomM]

Long time US Cellular user.  Tried ATT for a while and just not cutting it where I happen along.
All my prior US Cellular phones (Erickson, LG, Motorola) rec'd a good signal and almost no dropped calls over a 16 year span.
THEN, at the end of July 2012, I purchased the "Samsung Galaxy S3".  Ordered the first one on the phone... it arrived in a day or so.  Had it activated and it would not hold a call.  Drop after drop after drop.  US Cellular sent me another one three weeks later. I had to pay almost $40.00 for the next one, evidently because the $300.00 I had already paid was not enough for a phone that works.  After amost 50 dropped calls later within three weeks, and with the assistance of a tech at a corporate store I was sent my third Galaxy S3 (advertised as the greatest phone ever)... after a few more months I just could not take it anymore and on the day it dropped six calls in three hours I finally had to give up.  So... $315.00 MORE DOLLARS later, I now have a used Motorola Electrify M that actually works as a phone.  I now have a $600.00 paperweight called the Samsung Galaxy GS3.  It works great surfing the internet, but I needed a phone with an antenna.  The Electrify is a bit smaller and the apps work a little different, but hey... I need a phone that actually works as a phone first... Nothing like 'I can't get no ... satisfaction'... US Cellular and Samsung obviously feel I was a fool to buy that phone and deserve to pay over $300.00 for one that works.
Gotta love big corporations that could give a rip about whether their product works or not.
I know this phone works for some people (probably a lot of people), but all my other phones worked fine no matter where I went and this model is just ... well... what can I say?
I might add that is is really frustrating to purchase screen guards for each phone, only to have to replace them with each different phone and to have to replace all your apps and options each time you replace one, figuring "this one will work".
I've even had a US Cellular rep refuse to take my calls or return my voicemails and texts and emails.  So I am glad I can get calls now, if I could get service reliably with ATT or Verizon or whatever, I would switch...  Thing is, to find that out, I would have to pay big bucks to subscribe to some other service and then they only give you 15 days now to figure out if their system works for you.  What a raquet!

[ROCKY3]

I feel like I constantly have to charge mine....And my sausage fingers keep hitting the wrong keys....what the heck....I have an IPhone 5, I hate it.

[TomM]

A buddy of mine in the UK works for Nokia... when I complain about the android using up the battery, he reminds me it is actually NOT a phone, it is a computer... with a phone attached.

[ramjet]

Rocky those phones use allot of energy battery when the data network is on you can save battery by turning that off and using it only when you need it without my Iphone will last two days with it on out within 12 hours or so.  Set up the icon to the front page so it is easy to turn on and off.

[Ghetto]

The iPhone 5 is a battery hog. I'd ask the company to buy the external battery the connects to it. Not sure who makes it, but it basically looks like a cover for it.

Plus I'm sure you know this, but there are apps that are running in the background that may be sucking the battery down. Double tapping the button will show you what's open. If you press and hold any of the apps that show, the - will show up and you can close them down. The music app may be running constantly playing songs. That thing kills the battery.

Also, if you are on the road, turn the wifi off. It's constantly trying to find signal.

[ramjet]

Actually there energy saving apps you can get will do it for you.

[Ghetto]

http://www.mophie.com/iPhone-5-Power-s/118.htm

[bigoil]

Tom, check with Verizon as I was told they share/use us cellular towers.

[imnofish]

Just one more reason to love my inexpensive dumb phone.   

[Scourge]

Let me guess, you went from iphone to android?

Forget that.  The Note 2 is better than the newest IPhone by light years.....not even close.

[Scourge]

Long time US Cellular user.  Tried ATT for a while and just not cutting it where I happen along.
All my prior US Cellular phones (Erickson, LG, Motorola) rec'd a good signal and almost no dropped calls over a 16 year span.
THEN, at the end of July 2012, I purchased the "Samsung Galaxy S3".  Ordered the first one on the phone... it arrived in a day or so.  Had it activated and it would not hold a call.  Drop after drop after drop.  US Cellular sent me another one three weeks later. I had to pay almost $40.00 for the next one, evidently because the $300.00 I had already paid was not enough for a phone that works.  After amost 50 dropped calls later within three weeks, and with the assistance of a tech at a corporate store I was sent my third Galaxy S3 (advertised as the greatest phone ever)... after a few more months I just could not take it anymore and on the day it dropped six calls in three hours I finally had to give up.  So... $315.00 MORE DOLLARS later, I now have a used Motorola Electrify M that actually works as a phone.  I now have a $600.00 paperweight called the Samsung Galaxy GS3.  It works great surfing the internet, but I needed a phone with an antenna.  The Electrify is a bit smaller and the apps work a little different, but hey... I need a phone that actually works as a phone first... Nothing like 'I can't get no ... satisfaction'... US Cellular and Samsung obviously feel I was a fool to buy that phone and deserve to pay over $300.00 for one that works.
Gotta love big corporations that could give a rip about whether their product works or not.
I know this phone works for some people (probably a lot of people), but all my other phones worked fine no matter where I went and this model is just ... well... what can I say?
I might add that is is really frustrating to purchase screen guards for each phone, only to have to replace them with each different phone and to have to replace all your apps and options each time you replace one, figuring "this one will work".
I've even had a US Cellular rep refuse to take my calls or return my voicemails and texts and emails.  So I am glad I can get calls now, if I could get service reliably with ATT or Verizon or whatever, I would switch...  Thing is, to find that out, I would have to pay big bucks to subscribe to some other service and then they only give you 15 days now to figure out if their system works for you.  What a raquet!

The problem wouldn't lie with your phone, it'd be your carrier.  

And I went from the 4G Evo 3D to the NoteII and it's been incredible.  Though like I said, unless you're using a 10-15 year old phone, they should all pertty much have the same service as they're all working off the same towers.  Phones shouldn't come with antenna's anymore.

AS for the Battery, the Galaxy Note II battery lasts for 4-5 days if I'm not using the internet or my navigation.  Though I have an extra battery and charger, I've had it for 3 months now and haven't had to use it.  I went up to the state tourney and didn't have to charge it once. 

I'm generally not really concerned with what phone I have as I've just gotten a new one when my 2 year contract came up, but this phone is different.  It's basically like a small laptop...

[Kjohnson]

Scourge, who is your carrier?

[TomM]

I don't disagree that it is my carrier and the 'poles' they must use or their area....... Although it defiinitely has to do with lack of a satisfactory antenna in the Samsung Galaxy S3... since I tried no less than THREE of them and all dropped calls in all the normal areas I happen to travel regularly... This was NOT the case with my older cell phones and is not a problem now with the Motorola Electrify M, all on US Cellular ... I may have mentioned the S3 dropped 22 calls in a three day period (at its worst) and at its best it dropped no less than one call every two days... There almost seemed to be very little rhyme or reason to where/when it would drop... but other phones (about five in all) have not done this in the exact same areas.