3G completely unreliable for basic telephony - iPhone 4S

[Shallow Hal]

In short time have owned this device am rapidly concluding either the 3G network is broken or the device is incapable of operating properly on the O2 3G network.
Long periods of inability to dial out or receive calls means this phone is NOT doing what it said on the box. Partner 's 3GS same problem UNTIL she switches 3G off - which sadly cannot be done with the 4S.
Extremely fed up and what makes it worse is that there are similar complaints all over the Apple discussion forums dating more than 2 years ago - in other words Apple have done bugger all to address this in that time.

[rockmyplimsoul]

This is a complicated matter that is not all Apple's doing. Sure, they removed the ability in the 4s to turn 3G service (which would force your phone to use a stronger 2G signal). From what I've read, the new chip set in the 4s is capable of having 3G turned off, but Apple didn't put the hooks in place to do that ... maybe in 5.1?

However, this is also a carrier issue since they're the ones putting out spotty 3G coverage, and setting the signal level thresholds at which your phone should automatically transfer to 2G. So to that end, your carrier is not letting your 4s default to 2G in areas where you have weak 3G signal.

[Shallow Hal]

Agreed - blame to be apportioned to both parties truth be told. Meanwhile the customer uncomfortably stuck in middle. I still think these thresholds you mention seem bit simplistic - what if both 2G and 3G reception is same? Does the device self-destruct after being driven into some nightmarish perpetual logic loop?

[Shallow Hal]

...and another thing - when dual band 900/1800 network came out a few years back we never had the same issues - worked seamlessly as far as I was aware - the later tri and quad bands were the same.

[Shallow Hal]

The argument regards 3G having been marginal reception where I was having the problem (and device not switching to 2G) is flawed as I had it verified by O2 I was indeed in very good 3G reception area... the problem is clearly complex.

[rockmyplimsoul]

Originally Posted by Shallow Hal

The argument regards 3G having been marginal reception where I was having the problem (and device not switching to 2G) is flawed as I had it verified by O2 I was indeed in very good 3G reception area... the problem is clearly complex.

If that were the case, why does your partner's 3GS reception get better with 3G off? Did you bring that up with O2? It wouldn't be the 1st time a carrier said "problem, what problem?"

[tnutzinc]

was there any news of the IOS 5.1 release? Also, if you jailbreak your iphone, (thinking about it) can you update your iphone after jailbreak?

[Shallow Hal]

Latest thinking...
I am of opinion this whole issue revolves around what the phone does/does not do when faced with a "congested" network.
Nothing to do with lack of signal - on contrary - my phone was logged into strongest signal at time - BUT that network was unable to support further calls to or from the phone - what it should have done was to handover to the 2G network.
A busy network unfortunately does not report as "no service" - perhaps this is what it needs to do...

[rockmyplimsoul]

Early reports of 5.1 beta 3 indicate that the 3G ON/OFF switch is making its way back for the iPhone 4S. So if you're in a spotty 3G area you can turn 3G off to force the iPhone to use EDGE.

[travis91]

Originally Posted by rockmyplimsoul

Early reports of 5.1 beta 3 indicate that the 3G ON/OFF switch is making its way back for the iPhone 4S. So if you're in a spotty 3G area you can turn 3G off to force the iPhone to use EDGE.

Intersting, until I read it now I hadn't noticed that this button actually disapeared. Anyways doesn't the iPhone automatically switch to edge in case it can not receive any 3G signal anymore?

[rockmyplimsoul]

Originally Posted by travis91

Intersting, until I read it now I hadn't noticed that this button actually disapeared. Anyways doesn't the iPhone automatically switch to edge in case it can not receive any 3G signal anymore?

In theory yes the 4S should transfer to EDGE when 3G service becomes poor, but what seems to happen is that when 3G service is not good the 4S doesn't transfer to EDGE very gracefully. As a result, the 4S keeps trying to get 3G (which drains the battery) and messaging and phone calls are effectively disabled since the 4S continues to try to use 3G. By having the ability to turn 3G off, the user is able to force the 4S to use EDGE for messaging and phone calls, which also preserves battery life.

[Shallow Hal]

To reiterate - a 3G switch reappearing on the 4S will not be a solution. The problem is that either (a) the network is failing to tell the device that there are no available channels on which to receive/make calls (despite good signal strength for 3G) and as result the iPhone is hanging on to the 3G network as it perceives it to be available for service... or (b) the network IS telling the device to move off 3G as no available channels (too many users?) and the device is plain ignoring the message.

[Shallow Hal]

...which gets me wondering - what is the protocol with multiband cellphones when facing "busy" networks? I assumed that there was a reasonable level of information exchange between network and device and some "intelligent" decisions being made - too much to ask? With the level of "sophistication" we are led to believe lies behind a modern cellular network I EXPECT my device to automatically fall back to alternative bands when I initiate a call in a band which, unbeknown to myself, is busy.

[rockmyplimsoul]

Originally Posted by Shallow Hal

I assumed that there was a reasonable level of information exchange between network and device and some "intelligent" decisions being made - too much to ask?

You would think that there'd be some handshaking between the device and network to handle this (and there probably is but it is implemented poorly or prone to error on the device and/or network side).

Originally Posted by Shallow Hal

To reiterate - a 3G switch reappearing on the 4S will not be a solution. The problem is that either (a) the network is failing to tell the device that there are no available channels on which to receive/make calls (despite good signal strength for 3G) and as result the iPhone is hanging on to the 3G network as it perceives it to be available for service... or (b) the network IS telling the device to move off 3G as no available channels (too many users?) and the device is plain ignoring the message.

It doesn't matter what the cause is (your a or b) since if you can force your iPhone to use EDGE then you avoid the issue altogether. Judging by some of the later posts in this heated thread over in Apple-land, the 5.1 beta has the 3G switch and it does work.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread...t=420&tstart=0

[Shallow Hal]

You are missing the point by a wide mile - the switch requires YOU to anticipate that the 3G network your device might currently be logged on to (and was making/receiving calls perfectly well ten minutes ago...) has suddenly become a busied-out network - despite the fact your device is still showing wall-to-wall 3G signal. Other than possessing some form of ESP - on what other kind of intuition do you base your decision to move off that network and on to say Edge or 2G? If you say it is because you just tried to make a call and it failed then it is already too late - that call your neighbour was trying to make 5 mins ago to tell you your house is burning down is already missed and your 3G switch is simply a mechanism to close the stable door AFTER the horse has bolted. All the switch is empowering you to do is change your 3G cellphone into a (permanent?) 2G cellphone - why, realistically, would you want to do that?...and don't forget it is also possible for 2G to be busied-out also - again, the only way you find out is when twenty people tell you they were trying to call you earlier. But don't worry - you have that magic 3G switch and that's going to make everything ok - NOT.