Comments on: Apple, AT&T mum on iPhone 3G issues

A month after the launch of the iPhone 3G, reception problems continue to plague owners with dropped calls, poor networking speeds, and frustrating customer service experiences.

[TGlatt]

I had the 3G issues while traveling in both Las Vegas and Charlotte. My phone showed full bars, but repeatedly gave a "call failed" message. 3G network speeds seemed much slower than EDGE based on the speed with which data loaded in the phone (not a scientific test). I went to my local AT&T store when I returned home (no Apple store in my town), and the rep on site told me to call 800-my-iphone. I called the number and was told that in order to have a new phone sent to me I would have to have a hold placed on my credit card for the full retail price of the phone AND pay $29.95 for the "repair' - not that they acknowledged that anything was wrong with the phone. I opted not to do that, but I did send a message to AT&T yesterday afternoon. I am waiting for a response. I am running EDGE only because I do not have 3G where I live so it will be hard to tell if any fix works until I travel again in a few weeks.

[jsdoyle]

This is not an issue limited to 3G / Edge. I am seeing the same issue with WiFi / Edge. I have a wireless access point at home and can be standing next to the router and my 1st gen iPhone (no 3G) will choose the Edge connection 9 times out of 10. I can't keep a persistent WiFi connection.

This all seemed to start with the roll out of the 2.0 software.

So!!! Please fix Apple. Otherwise what a sweet phone/computer!

[explorer5]

Sounds like the experience that almost every Nextel user on the IDEN network has.. Dropped calls, fluctuating bars while in one location.. I just chalk it up to an inferior network which doesnt suprise me for AT&T - they do everything on the cheap compared to Verizon.

As every day goes by I feel better and better by not buying an iPhone by all the negative news - cracked cases, bad reception, slow user interface, slow webbrowsing (even on 3G), crashing phons. Wow. And everyone said that Windows Mobile was bad!

Apple's PR machine is extraordinary, but whenever there is a problem - they never admit it until the lawsuits start coming in, and even then try to minimize it. Ugh. So unfortunate.

[donsmith]

I live inside the inner loop around Dallas (near the Hi-Five). Five bars on Edge, no bars or one bar on 3G. Dropped calls on 3G and extensive battery drain. My iPhone 3G has the latest firmware. I have 3G disabled so that my battery will last through the day and my calls are more reliable.

[mutantxgene]

I'm in the NYC/NJ area. Luckily, I'm not having any issues that most are reporting. The software does need some refining though. Over all I'm pretty happy with my iPhone. Yes, you need to manage the battery but you can't compare the iPhone to any other device out there. My old Razor would last a week, but then again I wasn't surfing the web, reading books, watching videos, listening to music, playing games and making phone calls with it. Is it perfect- no. But it works for me.

[erg208]

What is this with iPhone 3G "instant gratification???'" You all know that any new device and any new technology a company releases will have problems. Enough with the blame game with Apple and AT&T. They are great companies that continue to please its customers. Why do you think Apple released the 2.0.1 update so quickly? Good luck if you get the same customer service response with Verizon and Sprint.

[vasquja]

I get a weak 3G signal in my apartment in NYC, but a very strong EDGE signal. So if I'm moving around in my apartment and there's a switch from 3G to EDGE, the call drops sometimes. I experienced this with an AT&T Tilt and now with my iPhone.

Otherwise, they both work great with full 3G signal.

[drex--2008]

I live and operate in a rural area of Australia and use the Telstra Network.

I am very surprised how good the reception is and am very impressed with the clarity and speed.

I had many drop-outs with my previous Palm Treo.

Some of my family members have different 3G phones and in many locations they don't receive any reception yet I am able to make calls and use the internet etc on my iphone 3G.

I think the 3G iphone is fantastic.

[oneoclock]

In our office there are 3 folks with an iPhone 3G (including myself) and I know two other guys who have one. We do not have any GSM nor any EDGE anywhere in Japan, there is only 3G and two older systems which the iPhone does not support. I had a Nokia 3G phone before and after using that for 2+ years, I know the dead spots that the Nokia didn't get any service. The iPhone 3G gets service in those spots which the Nokia didn't, with the exception of one place (a pub which is located in a basement).

I have asked all the other iPhone users I know (four people) and they don't have any network issues either. The only network problem I have (but nobody else seems to have) is that I can't use the email account that the operator (Softbank) provides. The notification works, but when I try to fetch the mail I have been notified about it says the connection to the mail server failed. That would be Softbank's fault though, not the iPhone's.

Looking at the reports about dropped calls in the US, I venture to suspect that this might be linked to switching between 3G and GSM. Here in Japan we have no such switching because there is no GSM, the iPhone will always be on 3G and 3G only. There have been plenty of issues with handoff between GSM and 3G in the early years of 3G rollout in Europe, this is apparently a weak spot of GSM and 3G technology. Apple and AT&T should be able to fine tune that over time, though.

[mwieland11]

I'm in NYC and have been using my iPhone 3G very heavily for over a month now and can safely say I've had absolutely NO connectivity issues. In fact, since switching from Sprint, my network signal, call quality and connectivity have all improved dramatically. I've also travelled well out of the city and still have had no problems with calls dropping out or anything.

I feel bad for the folks having problems but that hasn't been my experience at all.

[vasquja]

I don't think it's iPhone related. I experienced dropped calls with another 3G phone in my apartment, which has spotty 3G reception. Perhaps the culprit is on the infrastructure side.

[runger1234]

I'll spare the long story and provide a link to the blog post:

http://tinyurl.com/6x23n8

I'm now on my 3rd 3G iPhone, which still carries the same problem: The phone will arbitrarily--as far as I can tell--stop polling email. On previous phones this happened several times a day, but my latest version it is happening as few as 1 times per day, at the moment.

It seems that wifi access can sometimes hang, as well, and shutting it off and resuming 3G brings down email, but when the 3G email polling stops, it's a reset of the phone or the network settings.

This is pretty sad considering this is a device I primarily use for the data services. Unfortunately, I've been treated pretty poorly throughout the process, as well, with current Customer Service Reps giving up on me and/or lying about the number of times that I am being called. It was much easier to lie about calls being made back when we didn't have digital records to back everything up, I suppose--and you think they'd know that by now.

Truly unfortunate.

[close5828]

Works fine for me (Los Angeles). On 3G, I avg anywhere from 1.0-1.7Mbps on the 3G network, depending on the time of day.

[kpkobza]

The Mobile Me fiasco was just really hard to take and the lack of transparency, or even just empathy, was not very bright, let alone a demonstration of very poor business judgement.

[technewsjunkie]

Never sya never.
There is no doubt whatsoever that they will resolve this issue shortly.

Nice try Apple maysayer.

[patch991]

I thought it was Microsoft that has all the problems ... and Apple can do no wrong.
Yea, it's probably AT&T's 3G network ... yea, that's it.

[rdwalton]

I used to have the same problems with 3G service on my iPhone. However, I now use the phone without the 3G service on. Since I always get the "no service" message when it's on, I just turn it off and save my battery life a little longer.

Hell, I should have just bought the old version.

[fguv]

Having dropped calls regularly in Minneapolis, MN. Although I am an apple fan and so I would prefer to believe that this is not an issue with the phone but rather with the network, I don't think this is the case because both my wife and I (2 Iphone 3Gs) are having the same problem... Please apple fix this problem before we decide to return this phone (which we otherwise love!)

[Shawn Lane]

This is nothing new to AT&T. I have been having this issue with my Blackjack for the last 2 years. Same goes for others that have the Blackjack. Just check out the user forums on AT&T. You will see the same complaints. I can be in my house and have full 3G service and it will drop to no bars. Or it will switch to the Edge network. I have spoke to AT&T customer service about this. I was told along with others that which ever signal is stronger where you live is the one the phone will try to use. I was told that my house was on the edge of 3G. That is why mine drops calls or switches to Edge. I just force my phone to use 3G only and to never switch to Edge.

This issue is not the phone. This has to do with AT&T and like I said if you look in the forums on there website you will see this issue with other 3G phones. You will also see that AT&T customer service will give you different answers. Usually they will say you need a new sim card or they are going to send an update to your phone. Others have tried this and still experience the same problems.

Come on AT&T fix the problem.

[rdwalton]

I just love it when the rotten-apple fanboys try to pin blame on everyone else, but where the blame actually lies...with apple. And that's what they do, lie. It's the phone!!!! Not the network.