Manufacturers’ estimates of talk time and standby time are always listed as maximum time periods under ideal conditions. In normal use, most persons can realistically expect about 50% of estimated talk and standby times before recharging is necessary.
All phones have lithium-ion batteries and may be charged at anytime without damage to the battery.
The following factors determine the variation in talk times and standby times that most persons experience:
- Display backlight is on much or all of the time.
- Battery wasn’t fully charged prior to use.
- How close or far away the phone is from a cell site. Further distance requires more power.
- Percentage of time being used for talking.
- Percentage of time in analog mode. An analog signal will cut talk times 50% or more.
- Data cables or accessories connected to the phone.
- No service available or coverage holes. Phones trying to acquire or reacquire service use more power than when they find service and go into power efficient operation.
- How often voice mail notifications, pages, and text messages are received, and when they are acknowledged by the user.
- Earpiece and ringer volume settings (higher setting require more power).
- Antenna up or down (down requires more power).
- Web browsing on phone will shorten battery life up to 3-4 times normal talk time.