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Is it possible to turn off 3G in iOS 8?

M

Matt7993

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 2, 2014
12
0
Hallo I would like to ask if it is possible to turn off 3G in ios 8 because since u updated my iphone 5 do ios 7.1 (which brings updated carrier settings in t-mobile carrier) I cannot turn off 3G only LTE. I live in area which has poor 3G signal so my phone is still switching from 3G to 2G and sometimes I became out of reach .. cannot receive messages of calls (sometimes) for about half an hour ... I am sure I am not the only one with this problem and I really dont understand why apple didnt come with any improvements. if this isnt fixed id ios 8 is there something we can do about it? Can some third party app bring this switch do ios 8? What doyou think? Or maybe if enough developers will report this issue apple will do something about it. Thanks for all the answers. And by the way english isnt my native language as you probably already fount out :)
 
That's a carrier specific setting and not really an iOS setting. Some carriers have that so you can, others do not.
 
Yes I know that but I am asking if apple adds something which for example nokia phones has already ... od android of course. I mean they could add option to choose connectivity like "2g only" "enable 3G" "enable LTE" or "auto" do you think it would not be possible?
 
Some carriers do not want people on their 2G or 3G networks. Apple must comply with those carriers to still be able to sell the iPhone on those carriers. The carriers are the ones that set what can and cannot be turned on on their networks. If you want to complain to someone, complain to your carrier. They're in control of it, not Apple.
 
My carrier says its the Apple which have to add this feature and they can do nothing about it. And I will be forced to buy another phone because this one is useless most of the time. Because of low signal I got missing calls and nobody can reach my number ... thats extremly frustrating
 
Apple may add the feature, but they will give carriers the option of allowing it to be set or not. This is why your carrier is the company you should be expressing your discontent with.
 
Intell said:
Apple may add the feature, but they will give carriers the option of allowing it to be set or not. This is why your carrier is the company you should be expressing your discontent with.
Click to expand...

But he just said his carrier says they can't do anything without Apple implementing. Presumably they seem happy with that option, if it was available. Pressuring the carrier is only effective indirectly as they may in turn pressure Apple. Pressuring Apple directly is a perfectly reasonable step to take though.

---

I've never see them offer 2 toggles on iOS 7, someone please correct me if I'm mistaken. Only one for 3G or 4G or LTE.

To answer your question OP, many people are finding those settings are buggy on iOS 8, with the labels changing from 3G to 4G to LTE or missing completely. However, in all this bugginess (that I experienced too) I've not seen two levels of choice (e.g. 3G and LTE toggles).

There could be the possibility that they have added a second option, but that it relies on a carrier update which won't be released till nearer release time. But I personally doubt it.
 
If Apple writes the ability into iOS, his carrier will ultimately decide if that are accessible to the end user. Just like carriers have control over whether or not iOS shows a switch to turn off 3G.
 
When i was with O2 in the UK there as an option to allow me to turn 3G off. Since i moved to 3 which doesnt have a 2G network that option was never there. Since they started their 4G network however a carrier update came through which enabled a 4G setting that i can turn on and off and i currently have this set to off as 4G is not available in my town.

My understanding that the 3G\4G switches were carrier settings whilst the Data Roaming\Mobile Data switches in that same menu were Apple offerings.
 
bransoj said:
My understanding that the 3G\4G switches were carrier settings whilst the Data Roaming\Mobile Data switches in that same menu were Apple offerings.
Click to expand...

My understanding was that Apple allowed for up to one switch. Examples: For 2G+3G carriers, the carrier could allow a 3G switch. For 3G only, no switch. For (2G+)3G+4G/LTE, a 4G/LTE switch.

So whilst it is partly down to the carrier and dependent on their services, I don't think Apple have ever allowed the option for two switches, but I could be wrong. I would love to be proved wrong in fact!

This would mean a carrier offering 2G+3G+4G/LTE could have a 3G switch and 4G/LTE switch. :)
 
snappyfool said:
My understanding was that Apple allowed for up to one switch. Examples: For 2G+3G carriers, the carrier could allow a 3G switch. For 3G only, no switch. For (2G+)3G+4G/LTE, a 4G/LTE switch.

So whilst it is partly down to the carrier and dependent on their services, I don't think Apple have ever allowed the option for two switches, but I could be wrong. I would love to be proved wrong in fact!

This would mean a carrier offering 2G+3G+4G/LTE could have a 3G switch and 4G/LTE switch. :)
Click to expand...

To clarify on 3 i only have one switch now which allows me to turn on\off 4G. Prior to that i had nothing as there was no point turning 3G off on 3 as its all they had! Previously on O2 i only had the option to turn off 3G as it was pre 4G. I suspect now its just an option to turn 3g and 4G off with them.
 
bransoj said:
I suspect now its just an option to turn 3g and 4G off with them.
Click to expand...

And I suspect their single switch has turned from 3G to 4G when they introduced 4G. That's what I keep saying about there only being one switch. Can't find anything on the internet saying otherwise, unfortunately.

I'm with 3 btw, I understand what you're saying about them. But I believe for all carriers, there is only a switch, and it's for the latest gen (or they have no switch at all).

see: http://community.giffgaff.com/t5/He...acing-with-3G-4G-Forced-carrier/td-p/12191976
 
Last edited:
Can confirm that the ability to choose either 3g only or both 3g and 4g rests at the carrier. In some instances when the carrier doesnt have 4g yet they just lock the LTE setting and you cannot even turn it on.
 
Same problem here. The battery drains incredibly faster on 3G and in here (Turkey) we don't have 4G or LTE thats why I use primarly Edge but when I need speed I open the 3G but now it is always on 3G and the signal level is very low. Any Help ?
 
But the switch has always been in iOS. Turn off mobile data and it drops off the 3G network completely. So you can toggle between no data (3G on and off) and 4G. If you don't have that switch then it's the carrier that's disabled it.
 
zerolight said:
But the switch has always been in iOS. Turn off mobile data and it drops off the 3G network completely. So you can toggle between no data (3G on and off) and 4G. If you don't have that switch then it's the carrier that's disabled it.
Click to expand...

It does not drop off 3g when you switch mobile data off, why should it? It stays on same network (3g in this case) and continues to use it for voice calls/ sms only.
 
I also got the same problem with iOS 8, I can't turn off 3G, as i use to do with iOS 7.x.
I can only choose to turn on/off 4G. :(
 
I have the same issue with spotty 3 G coverage and would rather just switch it off when I'm around this area to stop it trying to connect to the network whenever it detects a signal.

I've read up on this before and seen people claim it's carrier specific, never once seen anyone actually provide proof though. So until they do I'll continue blaming Apple for being pig headed and trying to push 4G on the newer handsets.
 
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