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Does the iPhone 2.01 update lower 3G reception

  • Yes, definitely down a bar or more

    Votes: 45 21.6%
  • No, no change in signal strength

    Votes: 100 48.1%
  • No, my reception is actually better

    Votes: 38 18.3%
  • I do not know because there is no 3G where I am

    Votes: 25 12.0%

  • Total voters
    208
  • Poll closed .
My goodness, there is NOTHING IN THE SOFTWARE TO MAKE YOUR (insert word here because I can't think of it) LOWER!

EDIT: reception was the word hahaha.
Then explain to me how that before the update I would get 2-3 bars at my office and after the update I get nothing, no service. Now what?
 
Let me also add that by changing the algorithm for 3G v Edge (if that was done), another by-product will be *improved battery life* as a result of the phone dropping an unusable 3G signal and switching to and holding Edge sooner.
3G power draw > Edge power draw.
 
finally side-by-side comparison

I give you a link that shows what everyone has been saying:
safari seems to load faster with the new 2.01 but the 3G signal strength has decreased.
Thus it is a tick-for-tac.
Those of you with great signal strength will want to update. Those of you who only got 1 bar 3G may want to pass on this and wait until the next update.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec63VkJejiI

the 2.01 is on the left.
 
3G and GPS no longer work for me...

wait didn't i sell my old iphone and get the new one because it had 3G and GPS??

i am so close to blowing the dust of my blackberry and switching my sim over until 2.1 or 2.02 is out..!
 
I was getting 1-2 bars on 3G inside my house.

After installing 2.0.1 I had No Service inside my house.

I then turned 3G ON and did a reset, and I now get up to 3 bars inside my house, and 5 bars outside my house. Not only that, but I did a speed test and it's now faster than when I first got the phone.

Try doing a reset with the 3G and GPS turns ON to see if that helps.
 
Wow. This thread is a great example of how stupid people can be. I would quote, but there's too many to pick from. Of course the update can effect signal strength and edge/3g switching. Why would anyone think that it couldn't, and accuse people actually experiencing the issue of being paranoid, on drugs, etc? Oh yeah, because they're incredibly stupid. That's why.
 
I was getting 1-2 bars on 3G inside my house.

After installing 2.0.1 I had No Service inside my house.

I then turned 3G ON and did a reset, and I now get up to 3 bars inside my house, and 5 bars outside my house. Not only that, but I did a speed test and it's now faster than when I first got the phone.

Try doing a reset with the 3G and GPS turns ON to see if that helps.

Did a reset and got 4 bars... but they are now Edge not 3G
Does anyone know how to go back to 2.00???
 
Wow. This thread is a great example of how stupid people can be. I would quote, but there's too many to pick from. Of course the update can effect signal strength and edge/3g switching. Why would anyone think that it couldn't, and accuse people actually experiencing the issue of being paranoid, on drugs, etc? Oh yeah, because they're incredibly stupid. That's why.

Applauding you for seeing the light. :D:D
 
Applauding you for seeing the light. :D:D

Not seeing the light my friend, I'm seeing an "E" where "3G" used to be. These two screenshots were taken in exactly the same spot -- in my kitchen, sitting in front of my computer. The screenshot on the left is from tonight (2.01), the screenshot on the right is from July 31 (2.0). As you can see, they both were taken at approx. the same time of day.

Now, before the jackasses start flaming me, saying I should be happy that the update changed my crappy 3G signal to a decent Edge signal, let me state that this is not the point. The point is that the 2.01 software update did alter the phone's reception. So everyone who says that the update couldn't possible do that should admit they were wrong and then go away.
 

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3G doesn't work anymore in my home although I can see "3G" sign with five bars..

It's almost as if the software fakes the bars. I had to do a soft reset on mine and while restarting, all the bars popped up, then dropped down. Mine has been acting strange since the update. 5 bars, 2 minutes later 1 bar.:confused::confused:
 
I have lost almost all 3G service now. I went from having 2 bars to none now. I can't believe I gave up my old iPhone for this one and ended up paying so much more a month for nothing at all.

Honestly, it seems to me like Apple probably tried to save some battery life by lowering the antenna gain.
 
I updated earlier this morning and I noticed all day that I haven't had 3G at all. If so it was only 1 bar and lasted all of 2 or 3 minutes. I only have 5 bars on EDGE now.

Going to go back to firmware 2.0 and see what happens.
 
One interesting thing to note.

Of the people who have some type of 3G coverage it seems that 60% have no change, 20% see improvement of coverage and 20% see worse coverage but of the people who respond with a comment, it seems that 90% see worse coverage.
 
It's almost as if the software fakes the bars. I had to do a soft reset on mine and while restarting, all the bars popped up, then dropped down. Mine has been acting strange since the update. 5 bars, 2 minutes later 1 bar.:confused::confused:

i am having same problems here in japan. i will have full bars (which i have never seen before) for like a split second and then back to one bar..... please fix my signal apple, if you do i will love you long time.
 
My reception is better, all over but especially in my house, where i was getting none-1 bar, and now am getting 5 on 3g, no exaggeration.

The new release is really great so far. I'm not saying that all of the bugs are worked out, but this is the firmware that should have been released when the phone launched.
 
What I'm wondering is how many people are basing their conclusions about reception purely on the number of bars shown? It's been widely reported that the signal strength bar display is purely an approximation - interpreted by the software on the phone, and often not accurate until you actually start using data or voice.

If you had 3G before but now don't, did you ever successfully USE 3G for an extended period of time? If it fluctuated when you did, and stalled repeatedly, then you didn't have as much signal as you thought you did.
 
I noticed this problem today and I'm really glad I'm not the only one thats experiencing this problem. I used to have 5 full bars and lightning fast 3G service in every place I went and now I have 1 bar or sometimes no service at all:(
 
What I'm wondering is how many people are basing their conclusions about reception purely on the number of bars shown? It's been widely reported that the signal strength bar display is purely an approximation - interpreted by the software on the phone, and often not accurate until you actually start using data or voice.

If you had 3G before but now don't, did you ever successfully USE 3G for an extended period of time? If it fluctuated when you did, and stalled repeatedly, then you didn't have as much signal as you thought you did.

Shhh. Your attempting to interject actual LOGIC here. Folks won't want to hear that!

But this is absolutely true. The meter on the phone is nothing more than a graphic approximation of the amount of usable signal. For whatever reason, the 3G side of the algorithm for the display *may* have been tweaked (most likely to prevent as many dropped calls). But the antenna in the iPhone didn't change. And if AT&T and/or Apple decided that the threshold for a usable 3G signal was too low and re-calibrated, then that's OK.

And FWIW, I have seen no change in the graphical representation of signal strength on my phone in areas I travel every day. But I can say I didn't drop a call today.

To all those who "can't believe they ditched their old phone for this," there is a perfect and obvious solution.
 
What I'm wondering is how many people are basing their conclusions about reception purely on the number of bars shown? It's been widely reported that the signal strength bar display is purely an approximation - interpreted by the software on the phone, and often not accurate until you actually start using data or voice.

If you had 3G before but now don't, did you ever successfully USE 3G for an extended period of time? If it fluctuated when you did, and stalled repeatedly, then you didn't have as much signal as you thought you did.


I went from usable 3G (no dropped calls, able to use Safari and email, etc, with no problems) to No Service. Not just down a bar or two. It said No Service and when I tried to connect to email or Safari or make a call, guess what, I couldn't because there was No Service and I'd get a little error message telling me so.

So no, this isn't something that was in my head or is some sort of delusional exaggeration. I went from usuable 3G to absolutely no 3G, so it's not a matter of the bars being recalibrated or something like that.
 
I guess the graphic that used to show 1-2 bars of 3G was a graphic and incorrect approximation. I guess all along it's been what it says now, E (for edge) and 5 bars. Damn my inability to conjure any logic or basic thought in my every day normal usage of electronics.
 
What I'm wondering is how many people are basing their conclusions about reception purely on the number of bars shown? It's been widely reported that the signal strength bar display is purely an approximation - interpreted by the software on the phone, and often not accurate until you actually start using data or voice.

If you had 3G before but now don't, did you ever successfully USE 3G for an extended period of time? If it fluctuated when you did, and stalled repeatedly, then you didn't have as much signal as you thought you did.

Well it makes a big difference in the data speeds. Sadly 1 bar 3G trumps 5 bars Edge and that is the point because that is the situation I am facing.
I want the 3G even at the expense of my battery life otherwise I would have just bought an old iphone.
 
It seems, after observing the changes to 3G since the update, that they simply lowered the threshold for switching from 3g back to edge. Before my phone tried to hang on to a very weak 3g. Now it just gives up and goes to 2g sooner.
Regarding the bars, I think that they only show an average of squitter bursts while the phone is idle.
The bars are more accurate during a phone call due to constant signal monitoring. (This is just a guess)
 
I haven't really noticed any difference with 3G reception on my phone. I'm on Rogers in Edmonton, Alberta. The signal read-out seems more erratic, but the performance has been the same.
 
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