Swedish researcher claims iPhone 3G's sensitivity is poor
A Swedish researcher said he thinks he's discovered why the iPhone 3G has a hard time connecting to 3G networks.
(Credit: Josh Lowensohn/CNET)Updated 3:15pm with some clarifications due to language issues.
A wireless researcher in Sweden claims to have identified the issue causing iPhone 3G reception problems around the world.
Ny Teknik, a Swedish tech newspaper, has published the account of a scientist at the University of Gälve who investigated the iPhone 3G and discovered that the phone is not as sensitive to 3G signals as other phones. Claes Beckman is claiming that the iPhone 3G's nominal sensitivity is below that of published standards for 3G phones, meaning the phone drops the connection with a 3G tower more quickly than other 3G phones as it moves away from the tower and averages slower data speeds when connected.
UPDATED 3:15pm - Ny Teknik wishes to make clear that Claes Beckman was not the researcher who originally discovered the sensitivity issues. That person wishes to remain anonymous for fear of being fired for testing the iPhone 3G on his organization's equipment. Ny Teknik contacted Beckman and the university to confirm the credibility of the research, which he did "without hesitating," according to the author of the article.
Beckman The researcher told Ny Teknik that such an issue would have been easily discovered in the certification process for the iPhone 3G in the various countries in which it is now available, implying that a manufacturing problem is to blame. Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai, is believed to be the manufacturer of the iPhone 3G, and reportedly increased production of the unit at the beginning of this month.
On Wednesday, Vodafone Australia joined the ranks of carriers blaming Apple for the reception issues with the iPhone 3G. T-Mobile Netherlands is telling its customers that either a hardware or software issue is to blame, and a financial analyst has also gone on record predicting problems with the iPhone's 3G chipset. Apple has been silent on the issue, and AT&T has denied that there are widespread issues with the iPhone 3G.
I put in requests to researchers at Stanford University's Microwave Integrated Circuits Laboratory, as well as the University of California's Berkeley Wireless Research Center to see if they'd be willing to duplicate the findings. I'll let you know if they respond.
As an aside, thanks to everyone who has been sending in their iPhone 3G stories, but I have a new request. If you have tried to return your iPhone 3G anytime after Sunday at an Apple store, and you'd be willing to answer a few questions, please send me an e-mail (tom.krazit@cnet.com).
Tom Krazit writes about the ever-expanding world of Internet search, including Google, Yahoo, online advertising, and portals, as well as the evolution of mobile computing. He has written about traditional PC companies, chip manufacturers, and mobile computers, spending the last three years covering Apple. E-mail Tom. 
It's refreshing to see this level of detail in researching a story. Tom's credit has just gone up a notch for me.
Apple would be better off stating there is problem with a batch of iPhones instead of keep going "No comments" to the public. When I XBox 360 died with a Red Ring of Death, I swore off of MS hardwares forever, but Microsoft's swift response of free exchange to another unit and extending warranty to 3 years was what gained my trust back.
I do not know what the problem is with some iPhones and why Tom Krazit has religiously embraced the assumption there is one, but I propose you check the following: enter field testing mode (dial *3001#12345#* on the phone) and notice the number top left (it's probably a SNR measurement of the 3G signal in decibel). I have noticed that the signal quality drops (the number increases) by 20db when I embrace the phone with my hand relative to holding it from an edge. I doubt it is a manufacturing error that my hand absorbs signal power. However (and I am not an electrical engineer) I am willing to assume that the iPhone's firmware has some flaw in interpreting the signal's in standby and thus assuming whether a connection is good or not. In fact, given that 3G is CDMA, not TDMA, the quality of the useful signal cannot be interpreted just by the strength of the signal. So it could be that the firmware does not interpret the signal quality correctly rather than some kind of component or hardware design false.
Which makes me wonder again what this guy in Sweden was supposed to have measured.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W-CDMA
That is not a fair response! I am a FanBoy too (been working on macs since 1984) but think about it outside of the Apple space: If you buy a Weber grill, or KitchenAid blender and it gives you nothing but headaches - ARE YOU GOING TO BUY IT AGAIN NEXT TIME?
We are all consumers and measure brand affinity by experience. If the experience sucks, why should he buy from Apple again? Instead of yelling at him, why don't iPhone 3g users come together and demand a satisfactory response from Apple.
I, myself, am glad I didn't rush to buy one. My 1st gen iPhone works like a charm.
Good luck to all, and bigmc: get a life.
Fix mobileme!!
No wonder the Mac section at Frys never has any foot traffic
Just this weekend I was fishing and the kids were watching Star Wars Lego videos on You Tube. They did do some fishing, just got tired and wanted to sit in the car!! :) Anyways, no other service even works in this remote part of Texas, I was very impressed. I could look at my emails every morning and surf through local newspapers and television station websites.
Of course this is all relative to where you are. I suppose I am blessed with my geographical location! I love the GPS, Pandora is just incredible and the games are great time killers. Pandora is like having satellite radio. Living in a city with tons of traffic I just pop on the map and see in realtime where the hot spots are.
I have had a couple of dropped calls, but who dosen't . The major negative is that at least once a week I have to reset the phone because I stop recieving emails.
Overall as you can see I am happy with the phone. I do not doubt others they have problems, like I say I thik it has to do with where you are.
I am an iphone 3G user in Canada - a rogers customer. I have also been experiencing loss of wireless 3G service, call failures very frequently, especially when i am traveling. The problem started surfacing 2 weeks after i purchased the iphone 3G! Also, on some occasions, my iphone freezes when i do an upgrade on some of my APPS that i downloded from APP store.
thanks,
mohsin
- by DOGBERT6412 August 17, 2008 6:31 AM PDT
- Till they own up to the problems and fix them they are going to tick people off and they will not buy the Iphone. Sorry Apple you should have gone with anouther Carrier. Old mother ATT is just that old and forgotten. And for you Apple you should have come to the plate sooner that later regarding the 3G issues. The are about 300 people that I have surveyed and they all say till it is on a stable platform and there are decent business apps out there rather that kiddie toy programs you can kiss their money goodby and they will go elsewhere. I totaly agree. I am a firm believer that HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY.
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