Blackberry KeyOne terrible signal reception or no signal

Hello Dadomite,

Thank you for reaching out to us on the Community Forums! Having signal issues can be hard to deal with, and I will be more than happy to assist you.

To help rule out a phone issue, please use our Troubleshoot & Resolve Tool. Select your make and model, and then your service issue. This will provide you with numerous steps tailored for your device.

I also recommend using our Mark the Spot application. This will let you alert us of when and where you are having issues. If the issue continues, please send us a private message to: @ATTCares with your account number, and contact number.

I hope this information is helpful. Take care and have a fantastic weekend!

Jonathan, AT&T Community Specialist

@Dadomite Do you have other phones on ATT currently?  Do they have good signal?   I think it’s more likely a degrading coverage area, not a phone issue.

We have other phones, 3 iPhones and the Nokia Windows phones my wife and I came directly from had a strong signal as well. It's the Blackberry alone having the issue.

As for that tool mentioned, I ran through that a couple of times before coming here. It's noteworthy that first it showed my Blackberry as one of our phones, the next time it still showed my old Nokia Windows phone. Then it showed the Blackberry again. That was a day or so before posting here, but all in the same day.

When I followed the link to give it a shot again, it did not list my Blackberry, just the other phones. When I go to my account and manage devices, the Blackberry IS listed. I'll try contacting customer support to be sure the phone is fully activated on the account.

It was briefly solved with a call and elevated to the next level of support.

They turned off "HD calling" or something to that effect. I've read about that online somewhere, but the setting isn't one you have direct access to on the KeyOne, or at least not on the locked ATT phone. The lady on the phone switched it off for me and my bars shot up for the duration of the call. After hanging up, I see that I'm back down to 1. They reported static on my line that I didn't hear as well that was cleared up after the switch. I don't know, not sure why the bars dropped off again or if the static will be back, but that was a long time on the phone so I'm not repeating it right now. Just have to see how it goes.

It might be a problem with the line or SIM card.  Did you move the SIM card from a previous device?

Im out of ideas.   But once in a while I see a post where ATT has some kind of error on the line, and the usual fixes don’t work.  This may be a case for the advanced tech support team

@GLIMMERMAN76 any ideas?

Hello @Dadomite,

Thank you for the update on this issue. If it does indeed continue, please send us a private message with the information listed in the last post. 

We will be more than happy to help.

Jonathan, AT&T Community Specialist

First of all, I appreciate the help and ideas!

I did try reseating the sim card, just to be sure. It's in there right. It's a new sim card, my last ATT phone didn't use one.

As for my phone not showing up on the account/manage devices page...they said that's an odd quirk of the system. Some phones just don't show, they didn't know a reason for it. The phone can be looked up manually, but the troubleshooting didn't help.

I'll drive around to the areas I lost service before to see if things are better. I noticed that at rest, the phone is at 1 or 2 bars. When placing a call it goes up to 3. I don't know if that's some kind of sleep mode, or power saving until needed or what that's about. Better than the other way around.

The tech also noted that there was a lot of static on the line that I don't hear. Others I've called haven't heard it. After switching things it went away.

As I test more I'll update for posterity.

I'm actually having the same issue with the AT&T Keyone that I just activated; just one bar in my apartment.  My prior phone was the Blackberry Passport, and I've always had at least 4 bars at home at all times.  But, after having read your post, I'll call AT&T and see if turning off HD Calling makes a difference on mine, too. I will add, though, that I just Googled Keyone and poor signal strength, and it does seem to be an issue with this device.

I really like the phone, though, and would hate to give it up and go back to two devices (the Passport and then a cheap android for the apps).

I, too, love most things about the KEYone, but the call quality issue is really keeping me from using the phone.  People tell me that I cut in and out or that, more commonly, all the mid and high frequencies go away and all they hear are the unintelligible low frequencies.

Like others, I have been with AT&T for decades and have had (and still had) a number of other devices, none of which gives me the reception problem the KEYone does, both at my home and while out and about.

I most often have zero or one bars and my signal strength is as bad as -122dBm.

BlackBerry (TCL) had me go to the AT&T Store for a new SIM, but it made no difference.  Neither did the recommended network reset.

I will call in to inquire about turning off HD calling.

Glad I found this forum and appreciate any other suggestions.

@IndyVeggie

Signal strength in the -120 range is bad.  No data and no calls.  Text might go through.  It’s not a sim or phone issue, it’s a coverage issue.  

Either you need a WiFi calling capable phone, a cell booster or a different carrier.