[Hands0n]

This is culled from the O2 forum on iPhone http://customerforum.o2.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=6486

I have switched off 3G on my iPhone, as has almost all of my work colleagues in the office in London E1, supposedly a 3G hotspot. Not for the iPhone or O2 it isn't.

The original poster offered the following:
Since the iPhone was launched on the 11th July, many people have complained about the 3G reception. Many people blaming O2 and O2 very confused about the reports of poor coverage in high coverage areas. Even reports trickled in from London suffering poor reception...You may or may not have read the thread started by incandescent who advised that the signal improved when holding the phone in a different angle leaving us to believe it to be a design flaw or aeiral issue. After researching the issue it is now appearing that this issue is affecting many people worldwide. Networks such as AT&T and Orange are also recieving high level of complaints about poor coverage in areas they know have high coverage.

Here are two YouTube videos explaining and demostrating the problem.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvICtI5Wqr4

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gnd5r9960V8

I have entered these links via my iPhone so should they fail to work simply search iPhone 3G reception into YouTube and both of these videos will appear.

Further forums/blogs and reports are now showing up worldwide. You can google this and find out further information but these links may be of interest.

http://www.gearlog.com/2008/07/iphone_3g_reception_problems_y.php

http://www.gearlog.com/2008/07/iphone_3g_reception_problems_a.php

http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/07/iphone-3g-users.html

So what gives? Has Apple and O2 gone and blown it with the iPhone 3G?

The silence is deafening.

Edit: And ......
Lots of people are experiencing issues with their iPhone 3g signal on the 3g network. People are experiencing this worldwide and are even comparing other 3g phones with the iPhone and noticing the other 3g phones signal is stable and about 50% more.

Check out this link to see thousands of complaints in regards to this problem http://discussions.apple.com/thread.j... Also, check out DavidBanther's site for additional info in regards to the same problem he is having http://youtube.com/user/davidbanther

[Hands0n]

We all could do worse than visit here --> http://www.fixmy3giphone.com/

[Ben]

Well, it's certainly possible that the iPhone 3G's reception is not great... I suppose in the UK it's much easier to assume it's O2's problem, though :D

I suppose time is going to speak volumes.

[miffed]

Funny , I hadn't really given this a lot of thought , but now you have jogged my memory , I am pretty sure that this IS the case for me

A few months back we moved buidings at work (a few doors along , not a huge move !) We were without a phone line for 4 days , so I put my other o2 sim into my N80 - and I got 3-4 bars of consistant 3G

I even remember getting a strong signal at home !

(^^^^ I had completely forgotten I had done this ! I even made a thread about it !!! https://talk3g.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5520 )

Yet since getting my iPhone 3G , I have had no (3G ) signal at home , and a poor signal at work (like being just on the cusp of the networks )

Looking back it is bloody obvious what is going on ! , I can't believe I had forgotten my recent experiences , I will have to conduct some more experiments today just to clarify

Suddenly it all makes sense

New iPhone = New Coke

[solo12002]

Cant work out how to do a poll on here can we have one.

Are you glad you have the 3g iphone

From what I read Im glad I dint lol

[miffed]

TBH I am feeling like a bit of a prat !

I had made up my mind not to bother - but that lasted a week or so , then I went out and got one

Now the REALLY FRUSTRATING thing is .... Apple didn't NEED to start any revolutions this time (they had done that with the original !!) ALL they had to do was supply the same bloody phone , but with a 3G radio - and what do they do ? Change the screen (for better or worse) , mess up the firmware , cheaper casing ,
Fortunately , for "new" iphone customers , this latest offering is still better than anything else out there - But I'd be surprised to hear that any previous 2G owners are happy with the 3G
I'll arrange a poll for you ;)

[Ben]

The rumblings are getting louder: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/13/iphone_not_very_3g/

[Hands0n]

Good! Because until they do Apple is going to sit it out quietly in the wings letting the mobile operators take the rap until they come out with 2.0.2 or whatever with new 3G settings - assuming it is fixable in firmware.

Naughty of Apple, but then all tech companies do this nowadays. Vista is a good example in point.

[gorilla]

Surely this cannot be software related? I have to say that they lack of the 3g isn't really holding me back. I'm using wifi more and more, but it does feel like a step backwards (in terms of connectivity) coming from an N95 on three. I've only just discovered how limited the bluetooth function is on the iphone, so the 3g implementation comes as no surprise. 3g also encourages voip apps which AT&T don't want, so the rest of the world suffers.

[Hands0n]

Yes, it can be a software issue if they have not correctly set up the 3G chipset's receiver sensitivity. It would only take for Apple to get the setting wrong by a few Db for the 3G to be as unusable as it currently is. It is a fine balance that Apple has to make, set the sensitivity too high and battery life will suffer. Set it too low and the end users will not be able to access the 3G network. Ooooh look! We can't :D

This is not an O2 problem in whole because the iPhone 3G issues are being reported globally.

I've only just discovered how limited the bluetooth function is

RTFM before you buy! Seriously, that is so vital.

3g also encourages voip apps which AT&T don't want, so the rest of the world suffers.

Truphone have their iPhone VOIP app available on Apple's App Store for free download. Even if you cannot use it across 3G it works fine over WiFi and so when travelling you will be able to call for a fraction of the price that AT&T and other rip-off Mobile Ops will have you pay. I'm loading this up the next time I travel anywhere....

[gorilla]

I've posted this in another thread, but it should be here!


Apple, which has refused to acknowledge there is a problem with the iPhone's performance, declined to comment for this story. AT&T issued a statement saying, "Overall, the new iPhone is performing just great on our 3G network."
Traffic Spikes

One source says the problem lies squarely with Infineon's technology, which is fairly new and untested in high volumes outside a lab setting. Not only is the iPhone shipping in much higher volumes than other handsets, it's also gobbling up far more 3G minutes as owners use it to surf the Web, watch YouTube (GOOG) videos, and utilize other bandwidth-hogging services.

As much as the chip may be the chief problem, glitches may also stem from Apple's software or the AT&T network. Part of the role of the Infineon chip is to check whether there's enough 3G bandwidth available in a given area. If 3G isn't available or there isn't enough bandwidth, the iPhone will be shifted to a slower network. One source says Apple programmed the Infineon chip to demand a more powerful 3G signal than the iPhone really requires. So if too many people try to make a call or go on the Internet in a given area, some of the devices will decide there's insufficient power and switch to the slower network—even if there is enough 3G bandwidth available.

Business Week (http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/aug2008/tc20080813_430402_page_2.htm)

[gorilla]

Well I phoned O2 with a few queries.
The first being, why was I receiving a paper bill and not an e-bill like I have on my other O2 account?
They said I should never get a paper bill as I was on the iphone tariff which is e-bill only.

The second getting my online account set up. Previous O2 (cancelled) accounts are still active online and were interfering with the iphone account.

The first two were solved there and then.

The third query was in relation to the 3g coverage in my area.
I was told that I live in a very strong 3g, HSDPA area so I should not have any problems.
I got the usual info, is it a new sim etc. I was told to reset the network settings under settings>general>reset>reset network settings.
I would have been surprised if this did anything, and it didn't.
I was also told to keep wifi switched off as it would interfere with the 3g signal (?). Finally I was told to try the sim in another 3g handset (my N95 would do as its an O2 supplied phone) which I've already done and do get a marginally better 3g reception.

I was told that if none of the above works and the sim works better in the N95 then it was a handset issue and I should contact either carphone warehouse (where I bought the handset) if I was within the 28 day period or Apple who would replace the handset.

My question to you lot:

Is it worth it? I mean, we all know the problems this particular handset is having with regard to 3g, so is a new handset going to make a difference? Or should I do it to reinforce to Apple that the 3g chipset in the iphone is not up to the job?

Is 3g that important? Yes it is!!!

[Ben]

No, it's not worth it. Everyone's in the same boat at the moment - and there's a 12 month warranty so there's no harm in waiting to see what solutions Apple come up with. If other handsets really do get better 3G reception than the iPhone then I'm sure Apple will come up with some software trickery to improve the situation. If they don't, then large numbers of us will be requesting replacements - but for the next month or so I'm happy to give them the benefit of the doubt and believe that they're working on a fix.

[gorilla]

That's what my thoughts are. I would probably use 3g more if I had it (I used it a lot on the N95 even when I had wifi close by) but if I'm forced to use wifi, then so be it.

I was quite pleased by the O2 CS. There was not much of a wait (only slightly longer than three!) and the iphone team seemed to be relatively clued up. Having said that, the call quality could have been better. Very grainy and a lot of background noise.

[Ben]

My experience of O2 CS is best summed up by: Attentive but ineffective.

For example, I needed a VAT invoice. No bill suitable for the purposes of VAT is available via the O2 online interface by default (WHY). O2 said they would enable it on my account for the next billing cycle (again WHY isn't it there by default) and send me out a paper VAT bill for the first month.

I received a print out from my own online account by post, which clearly read "THIS IS NOT A VAT INVOICE".

*yawn* :) I can't be bothered.

[gorilla]

I really try not to speak to CS reps, as most of the time I already know the answer! Thankfully I've had very little trouble in all the years I've owned a mobile, so have never had much to complain about. Yes, I know that will surprise many, but it's true ;)

[Ben]

Oh I totally agree, I could count the number of times I've had to call Vodafone about my personal phone on one hand. Sometimes network and subscriber just get along :D

[Hands0n]

Talk on the forums and established rumour mills that Apple are working on another firmware update to resolve the 3G issues that are being reported globally on all networks.

Either they have to fix it or perform a product recall for 10,000,000 handsets (the number that is quoted as being manufactured ahead of the release). Market indications are that some 4,700,000 have been solve since 11 July. That is an awful lot of handsets to recall and dispose of ecologically.

The new update is speculated for release end August or during September. It can't come soon enough in my opinion. If I were Steve Jobs I would halt all iPhone development outside of getting the 3G issue/s resolved. It is their single most impacting issue across the board, and has a very high profile globally.

Apple's silence in all of this smacks of folly.

[Ben]

See, I don't think that many people are being negatively affected. I certainly don't think it'd justify stopping production or sales of the current model. If there was a hardware issue, it will be silently resolved. Software improvements will help existing customers, and those worst affected will be given a new replacement by Apple. That's just the way it has to work.

It's said that many MBP's (inc mine and yours, Hands0n) feature faulty nVidia GPU's that have a higher failure rate. Thus far no manufacturer has issued a recall, and selected ones have released bios updates to increase fan speeds. Apple will probably do something similar. Units that do fail will be replaced as-and-when, but like the iPhone issue this isn't something that's mission critical or a risk of fire or danger so, really, things will carry on as normal.

Of course we have no hard facts at all about the 3G issue other than the symptoms recorded. Only time will reveal the answers!

[Hands0n]

I know that the forums are not entirely representative, but the media has picked up that the problem with 3G reception on iPhone 3G is a very definite problem. I can only speak from direct personal experience, and that of [all of] the iPhone 3G owners in my office (now some 12 on my floor alone). They've all switched off 3G because of precisely the issues being reported everywhere.

That said, Apple will of course do what it can in software to resolve. But if there is indeed a hardware issue that cannot be resolved in software then the picture will likely be very different. I do not believe that such a large number of affected users will quietly put up with 3G handsets that will not work on 3G networks!

We'll have to await the iPhone 3G unlock and jailbreak to see if the problem carries across to other networks - although globally the iPhone 3G is on all of our known networks collectively, and with reported identical problems across the board.

[gorilla]

There's no chance on a product recall. Lets be honest here, we are (among iphone owners) that little bit more interested in the device. Others who use similar forums will be likewise. The total amount of these dissatisfied users will not be more than a few thousand. Even if its 100,000 globally, its still not enough to force a recall. In any case, we all know that Apple are pretty good when hardware fails, so those who will take an active approach to Apple will more than likely get a replacement handset.

All I can say is, roll on the new firmware!

[Hands0n]

Yea, but the trouble is the silent majority. They'll quietly walk away and never touch Apple product again.

[a_ukboy]

Has anyone tried getting there phone replaced with Apple? Although I have the poor network issues mine also freezes alot, got mine from the Apple store but on the 13th July so now had it for more then 28days! Not sure what apples policy is for replacing thing!

[Ben]

There's a 1 year warranty, and with the iPhone 3G it's highly likely the iPod Bar would do a straight swap.

However, I don't think you'll achieve anything by swapping now. Wait for the software update.

What is the nature of your freezes?

[a_ukboy]

It's a bit wierd really, it likes to freeze up when playing ipod, also at least once a day the phone just won't come out of standby, I mean pushing the home button won't bring the slide bar up to unlock it, Sometimes When it does that I will then work again after a few mins, or I have to wait until I get a call or text then it seems to bring the screen back to life! Was getting this a few times a day, but now I switch the phone off a couple of times a day and that's helped, only does this about once a day! It was also like this before the software update.
I have reset everything, and reinstalled via iTunes which hasn't made any difference, I don't think it should be doing this so would like it replaced, I bet when I go to the Apple store the phone won't play up! LOL

[Ben]

Hmm, maybe you should try for a replacement now then. I wouldn't expect it to help with 3G reception, but it may help with the other bits as your issues do seem rather extreme.