How to turn on/off 3G & EDGE on iPhone 3GS???

Just got an iPhone 3Gs. It is great.

Since I use it most of the time in wi-fi networks, I will keep my data plan under control (150 MB/mo).

One of the ways to be sure I am not downloading when I do not want is to go to Settings -> General -> Network and then set "Enable 3G" to OFF.

I thought that would do the trick.

However, when I am distant from any wi-fi network I continue to be connected, with an "E" icon just on the top bar of the screen, which I believe is representing EDGE connection.

And of course this keeps eating bytes from my lightweight plan.

I cannot believe that there is no way to turn off EDGE using the iPhone configurations! That would be too sinister!

I do not want to waste time on "evil telecom" conspiracy theories, so I was browsing the forum and googling around for a solution.

The only thing I found was an App called BossPrefs, but that would require me to jailbreak the phone, and I do not want to do that. I want to either use the iPhone factory Settings tools or an official App.

Is there any way to do that?

jsviper96 said:

To clarify your question, you want to turn off both 3G and Edge connections, but use wi-fi, correct? Here's how to do it: Turn on Airplane Mode (this will shut off all cellular AND wi-fi connections) then manually turn on wi-fi. This will keep the iPhone is Airplane mode but allow wi-fi connections.

Click to expand...

Sir, you are absolutely brilliant!

The only drawback I see in this method is that I also lose telephone line (cannot receive or make calls), but that is not a big issue since I am not really a phone person

(I got this piece with the purpose of having an "iPod touch with 3G connection" that sometimes makes calls)

Someone mentioned that OS 4.0 may include this on the software? That would be much welcome (particularly if I can keep my phone and not have to buy a new one)

h4ck said:

1.) jailbreak your iphone (http://spiritjb.com/)
2.) install SBSettings from Cydia
3.) enable edge data toggle
4.) turn edge off

Click to expand...

Thanks, Hack, but at this time I'd rather not jailbreak the phone.

h4ck said:

why anyone would want to limit themselves (especially when there is a clear solution) is beyond me. but to each is own i suppose. good luck with turning airplane mode on as a solution to disabling data.

Click to expand...

I recently had a smartphone with Windows Mobile.

It sucked big time, because my OS was old. The hardware was amazing, but the software made it useless (couldn't even use the basic functions of the phone such as wifi)

The advice I got was to upgrade and hack the system, which at the end resulted in a bricked phone.

Now that I have an iPhone, I am satisfied to play by the rules. I know there are hundreds of thousands of people with jailbroken iPhones which work. But there is always the small chance that somehow things will go bad in the process and I simply do not want to spend mental energy or any minute of my life browsing around forums and googling solutions in case it goes wrong.

That's what I like in Apple: turn the switch on, and use. No need to think. I am a final user who wants a turnkey solution

If I was a computer passionate person looking forward to get the very best of the iPhone with maximum freedom, then I would be happy to be jailbreaking, installing apps etc.