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    [HowTo] Alternate way of saving battery when using 4G/LTE

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      • Y Offline
        Yoni @c4pp4
        last edited by

        @c4pp4
        Hello c4pp4
        I had made some battery tests to see how efficient your method is (I didn't actually use your script), and I had found that going down to 2G does increase battery life but that having the data connection turned off is actually more efficient, and I was wonderring if you are able to create a similar script that could enable/disable the data connection, preferebley without the need to actually unlock the phone, so that when the screen is turned on it will connect to the internet so that communications could come through?
        I would had made one myself but I have no idea how to.
        Here are the battery tests, starting with 4G with data on:
        badtest.JPG
        2G with data on:
        2gbatest.JPG
        And 4G with data turned off:
        batest.JPG
        You can see further details here: https://forums.ubports.com/topic/6971/wifi-mobile-data-on-off-according-to-screen-state/29

        c4pp4C P 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
        • c4pp4C Offline
          c4pp4 @Yoni
          last edited by c4pp4

          @yoni said in [HowTo] Alternate way of saving battery when using 4G/LTE:

          enable/disable the data connection

          Do you mean turn it off at all? No connection to receive a call? What is sim slot number in your case?

          without the need to actually unlock the phone

          I think that's no problem.

          Y 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • Y Offline
            Yoni @c4pp4
            last edited by Yoni

            @c4pp4
            I didn't mean flight mode, rather just to have the mobile data turned on and off accordingf to the screen state if possible, if not then according to the phone being locked/unlocked.
            That will be so amzing if you can create such a script!
            Sim slot 1 out of 2 (Xiaomi mi A2)

            c4pp4C 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • c4pp4C Offline
              c4pp4 @Yoni
              last edited by c4pp4

              @Yoni
              After all I didn't need to know the sim slot number. šŸ™‚
              Here is your script for testing:

              #!/bin/bash
              
              interface=com.canonical.Unity.Screen
              member=DisplayPowerStateChange
              
              dbus-monitor --system "type=signal,interface='${interface}',member='${member}'" |
              while read -r line; do
              	if [[ ${line} == *"int32 0" ]]; then
              		read
              		dbus-send --type=method_call --dest=com.ubuntu.connectivity1 /com/ubuntu/connectivity1/Private org.freedesktop.DBus.Properties.Set string:com.ubuntu.connectivity1.Private string:MobileDataEnabled variant:boolean:false
              	elif [[ ${line} == *"int32 1" ]]; then
              		read
              		dbus-send --type=method_call --dest=com.ubuntu.connectivity1 /com/ubuntu/connectivity1/Private org.freedesktop.DBus.Properties.Set string:com.ubuntu.connectivity1.Private string:MobileDataEnabled variant:boolean:true
              	fi
              done
              
              D KenedaK 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
              • D Offline
                domubpkm @c4pp4
                last edited by

                @c4pp4 Hello. I tested your script : it works half for me (Volla OTA-20) ;

                1. Cellular data is not disabled when the screen locks (and turns off) AUTOMATICALLY after the inactivity time set in the system settings.

                2. The script works when you MANUALLY lock the phone by pressing the dedicated side switch.

                Tested and verified by sending an email to myself: case 1: email received black screen ; case 2: email received only when the screen is turned back on by pressing the side switch, which is normal šŸ™‚

                c4pp4C 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                • D Offline
                  domubpkm
                  last edited by domubpkm

                  screenshot20211204_085533538.png

                  I don't like to press the side switch unnecessarily (so as to save it) to turn off the screen. It make me think that, in my opinion, it lacks the option in the "system" drop down menu: "lock and turn off screen", there is only currently the "lock" option (there is a delay before the screen turns off
                  ), or a small .click program, for example like Lock it : Screen off on android, which would be very useful if a developer is able to build that šŸ˜‰

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                  • KenedaK Offline
                    Keneda @c4pp4
                    last edited by

                    @c4pp4
                    Could you make an app your scripts ?
                    I mean a "battery saver" app on openstore would have success šŸ˜‰

                    2015-2023 : Meizu MX4 ā˜ ļøāš°ļøāœļø
                    2023-2024 : Nexus 5 ā˜ ļøāš°ļøāœļø
                    2024-***** : FPOS Fairphone 5 waiting UT for freedom šŸ˜‰
                    šŸ‡²šŸ‡«šŸ‡¬šŸ‡§

                    c4pp4C 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                    • c4pp4C Offline
                      c4pp4 @domubpkm
                      last edited by

                      @domubpkm said in [HowTo] Alternate way of saving battery when using 4G/LTE:

                      1. Cellular data is not disabled when the screen locks (and turns off) AUTOMATICALLY after the inactivity time set in the system settings.

                      fixed

                      D 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                      • c4pp4C Offline
                        c4pp4 @Keneda
                        last edited by

                        @keneda said in [HowTo] Alternate way of saving battery when using 4G/LTE:

                        Could you make an app your scripts ?

                        I'm sorry, I'm not going to do it now. Maybe someone else.

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • D Offline
                          domubpkm @c4pp4
                          last edited by

                          @c4pp4 Thank you. It is fully functional now. Mails are retrieved automatically once the screen is turned on and combined with the work of @jezek , any mms not received when the screen is off should also be retrievable (untested) once the screen is turned back on. And that's saving battery: useful script šŸ‘

                          c4pp4C 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                          • c4pp4C Offline
                            c4pp4 @domubpkm
                            last edited by

                            @domubpkm @Yoni
                            I've tried the latest script and found out turning cellular data off is not saving battery in my case. I've stopped the script and turned it off from menu and it was the same - not saving. šŸ¤”
                            I've switched back to saving with 2G script and it works without problem. :man_shrugging_light_skin_tone:

                            D Y 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
                            • D Offline
                              domubpkm @c4pp4
                              last edited by

                              @c4pp4 ??? šŸ¤”šŸ™‚ Weird. In any case, for the Volla, it is the cellular data that consumes battery power. And your script can help.

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                              • Y Offline
                                Yoni @c4pp4
                                last edited by

                                @c4pp4
                                Sorry for the late reply.
                                I didn't have time to check the script yet, and I'm quite surprised by your results, but I would like to thank you very much for your script!
                                Are you able to see the signal strengths of 2G and 4G in your area to see if that might account for the lack of battery savings?
                                As you could see in my test turning off the data in 4G quadrupled my battery life when I manually turned it off.

                                c4pp4C 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • c4pp4C Offline
                                  c4pp4 @Yoni
                                  last edited by

                                  @yoni There is no lack of battery savings when on 2G. In my case it saves the battery power when using the first script to switch between 4G and 2G. It doesn't save battery power when I turn cellular data off completely. It's weird and I don't know why.

                                  Y 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • Y Offline
                                    Yoni @c4pp4
                                    last edited by

                                    @c4pp4
                                    If you have another Android or iPhone to check the signal strength with the same Sim that you use on your UT, there are apps that can show you the actual reception in dBm, so for me at home 4G is at around -90dBm and 2G is around -70dBm.

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                                    • Y Yoni referenced this topic on
                                    • Y Offline
                                      Yoni @c4pp4
                                      last edited by

                                      @c4pp4
                                      Can I also ask how did you conclude that there is no savings without mobile data on, was it during normal use? Are you able to check it during a 12/24 hour period when the phone is just sitting idle and untouched?

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                                      • c4pp4C Offline
                                        c4pp4 @Yoni
                                        last edited by

                                        @yoni I did that when it was idle.

                                        Y 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • Y Offline
                                          Yoni @c4pp4
                                          last edited by Yoni

                                          @c4pp4
                                          Are you able to do some testing for at least 12 hours from a full battery to see the differences please?
                                          And are you able to get the dBm numbers for 2G and 4G if possible please?
                                          Are you using an email/IM (Dekko, Teleports..) client that works in the background?
                                          I'm really preplexed that your'e not getting any improvements in battery life. this method had worked with many phones that I tested including iPhones using 4G.

                                          c4pp4C 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • D Offline
                                            domubpkm
                                            last edited by

                                            This script is useful indeed, but it currently has its limits : don't forget to stop it (STOP script name) when cellular data must remain activated in continuous screen off : RADIO app, OTA update, download.... And then restart it (START script name) when you want to use it again.

                                            Maybe the script can be improved ?

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                                            • c4pp4C Offline
                                              c4pp4 @Yoni
                                              last edited by c4pp4

                                              @yoni Maybe it was something to do with TELEports or RC image because now it's without problem and before the latest test I updated both.
                                              I think it's some kind of bug because I forgot to turn off script and that's why it was saving battery. In my case when 4G is set and turned off cellular data - it's not saving battery. When 2G is set and turned off cellular data - it's saving battery. I think it shouldn't matter what is set. šŸ¤”

                                              @domubpkm I'm not going to do that. Use the first or second script if you need connection.

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