[Hands0n]

O2 snatch defeat from the hands of success.

I picked up my iPhone 3G on Saturday. Where I live the O2 signal for 3G is very weak. So much so that the iPhone stayed on 2G for very much most of the weekend. Battery life was not bad considering the amount of use I put it to.

Today has been my first day at work in London E1 area. There the O2 signal is highly variable. 3G comes and goes constantly. The iPhone battery didn't stand a chance! It needed a top up in late afternoon but was all but dead when I got home.

By contrast my iPhone 2G would arrive home with more than a half charge remaining.

And so O2 force me to switch off 3G on my iPhone 3G.

Shabby, O2. Very shabby :mad:

[gorilla]

Yip, the iphone on O2 in the UK has been totally misrepresented. I'm sure someone clever enough would be able to wangle out of their contract on the basis that they will never see a 3g signal and they have been mis sold. Edge isn't even that widespread.

I can get no bars of 3g in the house, yet I can just about use safari. I did that iphone speedtest and got around 480. However, 3g doesn't seem faster than edge to me (on the iphone over O2's network). I'm positive that the N95 (on 3) would beat the iphone on O2 in a browser speed race. Although not quite like for like, it would show that 3 have fully implemented 3.5g were I am and O2 have just about rolled edge out!

There is another thread on this forum that states that orange users switch off 3g, well that's exactly what I've done on the iphone. You have to wonder why they offer unlimited downloads, if very few are actually able to use O2's network for data. For those of you who are reliant on mobile data, the iphone must be teasing the hell out of you!

Is the wifi deal making up for O2's inadequacies? I've found a few places near me that I can use, so it's not all bad I suppose, but it's just not the same. It's too location specific for my liking.

[miffed]

Must admit , I am getting a little fed up with the very problem you describe - Working right on the cusp of a 3G cell is draining my battery like no-ones business !
Now , keep in mind I was 100% happy to keep my iPhone 2G on o2 , I didn't jailbreak it for AGES , and I only unlocked it once I had bought my 3G
....But now I am getting itchy feet , I think if Zibri came out with an unlocker (not looking very likely !) - I would unlock and use on T-mobile for a bit , it just seems a real shame to have a 3G capable device running on a 2G network all day - especially when I have a 2G iphone hosting a T-mobile sim , with 3G coverage everywhere it goes !

[Ben]

I just sent a complaint to O2, in 3 parts no less due to their crappy website, as it's the only way anything will ever change: https://www.o2.co.uk/apps/help/help

[Ben]

O2 emailed me back. Too funny.


1. Please switch off your iPhone and switch it on again. This will help re-latch your iPhone to our network.

2. If you have another O2 Pay Monthly mobile phone, compare the signal on both your phones (iPhone and your old O2 Pay Monthly phone). This will give you a better picture of the network coverage in your area.

3. Remove your iPhone SIM card from your iPhone. To find how to remove your iPhone SIM card, please refer to your iPhone User guide. After you've removed your SIM card, wipe it with a soft dry cloth. This will remove all the 'static' present on your SIM card. Now put your iPhone SIM card back and switch your iPhone 'On'.

4. Try moving to a different location. If you're indoors, try going outdoors or moving close to a window.
My bold. So, wiping the SIM card removes the static, does it? Hehe.

Anyone having problems with coverage should call 08706 072 302 and ask for the Network Coverage Team. Apparently.

[Hands0n]

I will be doing just that tomorrow. What a ludicrous response to your complaint. Are you absolutely certain that you did not accidentally send it to 3's Customer Services? Or do you think that O2 and 3 are doing a CS-share?

[solo12002]

Welcome to 3g on the o2 network. God I m really gaging to say that it will teach you all. From one Ive seen in Northern Ireland, o2 dont have a 3g network. For one of the first networks in the UK, they are the one lagging so far behide the others, some on here have stated that o2 is taking its time to invest in a 3g network to get it right


LOl please point it out to me.

[Hands0n]

God I m really gaging to say that it will teach you all.

I'm sure that you'll find that many of us are blushing right now :o I'm not going to be naive enough to suggest that O2 will get it right some time soon now. They've had five years to do so (since they bought their licence) and have failed outright.

[Hands0n]

I found this snipped on the O2 forum for iPhone


You might also want to try putting your phone into field test mode by dialing *3001#12345#*. You'll see the 3G signal strength as tiny numbers in the top left of your screen. Anything less than -100 is a rather weak signal.

At my home the iPhone is showing -87 (outside of speedtest it keep dropping back to 2G).

Edit: I had a little bitch and moan too http://customerforum.o2.co.uk/viewtopic.php?p=41907#41907

[gorilla]

I knew that O2 was going to be rubbish, but really wanted the iPhone, given the choice I might even have considered orange ;)

Did the field test: -75, yet I have no 3g reception displaying, go figure

[solo12002]

Its a shame really, Ive not got an iphone, played with one in the local shops, it will be one hell of a phone on the right network.

O2 have not just made it, and to top it all off they had a year from iphone 2g to 3g to inprove things, I personal dont think they have, not in NI anyway. Orange has or is going to the dogs, three I dont think could cope with the iphone in respect of support (despite the fact that Ive no issues with them to date) T- Mobile has little coverage in NI.

So for me i think it would have to be on vodafone. Still trying to work out how 02 got the iphone in the first place, must of been one hell of a back hander in it for someone. i mean a 3G mobile on a network with no or little 3g. gorilla do you not have cover with the folks up the hill? (ops I forgot think they are Vodafone)

[chagle]

I've got to admit, O2 in my home area is pretty rubbish - Even on my travels I don't often get 3G. I was with TMOB and to be honest, they show O2 up big time. Rarely did I ever drop down to 2G.. I wish either, 1. O2 would sort their network out.. or 2. The phone was open to other providers.

At the moment, from what I've seen and read in this and other forums - O2 just don't cut it.

[Hands0n]

For the last two days Ive had my iPhone 3G locked down in 2G mode. That just to get sufficient battery life out of it. It now lasts as long as my original iPhone did.

On any other network this would not be necessary.

[gorilla]

gorilla do you not have cover with the folks up the hill? (ops I forgot think they are Vodafone)

Yip, their own voda, but that doesn't make their service any better! I hear numerous stories of 'blacks spots' where there is no mobile phone reception. From my own experience, O2 2g is fine, near perfect in fact, three was great for the most part, but those on orange and vodafone are patchy.