iPhone 3G not so 3G

[cpljwlusmc]

Today, I purchased a 16GB iPhone 3G. I live in Tampa, Florida, which has full 3G reception, according to AT&T. However, I have almost no reception in 3G. The Apple genius told me that I should call my provider and tell them to provision my account for 3G. Has anyone been told this? What can I do to get my full reception in an area that has it? My parents have 3G enabled phones, and they get full bars. Why not me?

I'm posting this from my new iPhone, which is currently on EDGE.

[crazyyankeefan]

Today, I purchased a 16GB iPhone 3G. I live in Tampa, Florida, which has full 3G reception, according to AT&T. However, I have almost no reception in 3G. The Apple genius told me that I should call my provider and tell them to provision my account for 3G. Has anyone been told this? What can I do to get my full reception in an area that has it? My parents have 3G enabled phones, and they get full bars. Why not me?

I'm posting this from my new iPhone, which is currently on EDGE.

Don't pay too much attention to how many bars you have when on 3G. I'm in Sacramento, CA with very strong 3G coverage, but I constantly get around 2-3 bars, only 4 bars occasionally, never get 5 bars. However, I still get very good call quality.

[cpljwlusmc]

I've been getting about 2-3 bars. But I don't understand why it randomly switches from near full to none without me even getting out of bed.

[cpljwlusmc]

I guess my phone decided to work with 3G. This was in the same small town I live in. Wow. Full 3G in Brandon, FL. Can anyone verify?

[bluenoise]

Can anyone verify?

It sounds like you already have. Have you tried a speed test to see what kind of data rates you get?

[cpljwlusmc]

I just did the test, I don't know to upload my screenshot. But my result on 3G was 447.9 kbps. I think that's good.

[Chaszmyr]

Boulder is not a particularly big city (about 5 miles across, for the main part of the city), and the whole city shows 3G coverage on AT&T's coverage map, yet my 3G reception ranges from no bars to full bars depending on my location within the city.

I just did the test, I don't know to upload my screenshot. But my result on 3G was 447.9 kbps. I think that's good.

Yes, that's good. I did a test earlier in a location with full bars, and got 361 kbps.

[cpljwlusmc]

I get full to moderate 3G reception in Brandon. Unfortunately, the only place I don't get ANY 3G is my neighborhood. I do, however, get full EDGE.