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3G speeds: It's definitely a hardware software network issue.

mcdj

mcdj

macrumors G3
Original poster
Jul 10, 2007
8,972
4,225
NYC
My previous 3G iPhone connected at 1100kbps once. Only once. The rest of the time it maxed at around 500kbps no matter where in NYC I went. Not terrible, or so I thought until I compared it to a neighbor's 3G iPhone. He was getting far better results.

I exchanged mine, for that and other issues. The replacement has been generally faster. I connected at 1500kbps last night outside my apt. Other tests are typically in the 600-900 range.

So slow 3G is definitely a hardware issue.

Except that earlier today, I couldn't connect at all. 3G just froze. So I toggled Airplane mode. Boom...back in business with snappy speeds.

So slow 3G is definitely a software issue.

Except that sometime after that, I lost 3G again. I toggled Airplane mode. Still no 3G. I rebooted. Still no 3G. I gave up. 30 min. later, I checked again. 3G was back, in full effect.

So slow 3G is definitely a network issue.

It seems to me that all the finger pointing between Apple and AT&T needs to stop. (and the constant armchair speculation, totally unscientifc speed tests, polls, anecdotes, etc, including those found in this post, could use a break too).

There will be software updates. There will be new 3G towers. There will be iPhones that need replacing. It's going to take a cocktail of all 3 before the roar dies down and people start to feel like they're getting what they pay for.

3G requires:

Reliable Gear.
Good signal strength
Good signal management via solid software.
 
It's not hardware.. It's the fact is that AT&T have crappy 3G network.. while O2 have brilliant network
 
I think you've hit the nail on the head. In the USA, at least, we have a 3G network that is still in its infancy (if not still in the freaking womb), a phone that was pushed out so fast and in such massive quantities that the quality is below par, and a provider that sucks at the best of times.

Maybe one day... In a perfect world... :eek:
 
Many (some) of the problems are certainly (maybe?) hardware, software, network, OS, user, back-end, GUI, QA issues.

But maybe not. (!)

Or, maybe yes. (?)
 
Nicholas.C said:
It's not hardware.. It's the fact is that AT&T have crappy 3G network.. while O2 have brilliant network
Click to expand...

Well I have had friends who used to have problems with their launch 3g iphones with the 3g network but when they traded the phones in they are now getting great 3g reception. I just got mine(week 33) last week on the 22nd and I have no problems for the most part with 3g. IMo it could be the firmware or chipsets of the phones.
 
abiyng87 said:
I think you've hit the nail on the head. In the USA, at least, we have a 3G network that is still in its infancy
Click to expand...
Somewhat.

When it comes to 3G, T-Mobile and AT&T are the ones struggling because of their infancy. Verizon and Sprint's 3G networks are way, way, way more mature (as they've been rolled out for longer).
 
theappleguy24 said:
Well I have had friends who used to have problems with their launch 3g iphones with the 3g network but when they traded the phones in they are now getting great 3g reception. I just got mine(week 33) last week on the 22nd and I have no problems for the most part with 3g. IMo it could be the firmware or chipsets of the phones.
Click to expand...

The reson you are having so many problems with your phone is.. everybody in the US is experiencing this..AT&T's network is immature..
 
Except that the phone has problems when 3G is not available, hunting back and forth for one service or the other which is especially frustrating while trying to get email. There needs to be a more efficient hand off from one service to the other incl from wi-fi to 3G to edge and back.
 
mcdj said:
Interesting. Doesn't seem quite so brilliant according to the map based on the Wired Poll.
Click to expand...

While I'm "ok" with this test (Canada came 2nd in speed!), it seems a little haphazard to me.

There's WAAY more test subjects in the US than anymore else, and users were just asked to submit their "findings" - lots (and lots) of room for error / mistake.

I wouldn't mind some globe-trotting 3rd party to do this same sort of thing, but under more controlled conditions.
 
wait 6 months...they'll all get better....
but yeah, iphone in this state is just a TOY, nothing more.... I like apple, I like gadgets, and I have deposable income, so who cares. But I wouldn't use 3G as my primary phone unless you're just a kid and don't have any serious biz to take care of other than texting your idiot friends.


Mobile me = unreliable (can't trust it, pushes mail whenever it feels like pushing)
Iphone = unreliable (can't trust it, random crashes, lock ups, losing network connection, unreliable battery)Locked up a week ago, I couldn't restore because I wasn't at home. I had no phone for 8 hours... How cool is that...

I don't think it's all software, network issue. As you said, there are some quality issues too....

I'll probably buy another one after christmas, I am sure it'll be built like a rock.....
 
mcdj said:
(and the constant armchair speculation, totally unscientifc speed tests, polls, anecdotes, etc, including those found in this post, could use a break too)
Click to expand...

And yet, you started another thread. :D I had to read your post twice before I "got" the content. Good post.

mcdj said:
the finger pointing between Apple and AT&T needs to stop.
Click to expand...

In all honesty, I didn't know the companies were doing the IT salute. AT&T is working on the issue and it sounds like Apple is too. The joys of being an early adopter... :(
 
aristobrat said:
Somewhat.

When it comes to 3G, T-Mobile and AT&T are the ones struggling because of their infancy. Verizon and Sprint's 3G networks are way, way, way more mature (as they've been rolled out for longer).
Click to expand...

That may very well be, but its irrelevant with respect to the iPhone.
 
Before the iPhone 3G came out, I was using various WinMo phones on the 3G network. My last phone was the Moto Q9h. While the browser was so slow it was useless (It took over 40 seconds to draw the Google page!), my speed tests were always fast. I'd regularly see better than 1.4 Mbps with that thing. After July 11, I read about how slow the iPhone 3G's network speed was and I thought, "Bummer!" as I was planning to get one. Well, I did a speed test with my Moto after July 11 and saw the same low speeds as I was seeing from iPhone users. Over the next week that I was still using that phone, I rarely broke 1.2 Mbps and usually got something closer to 600-800 kbps. Now that I'm on the iPhone 3G, my typical speeds range from about 400 to 1250 kbps, just like on my Moto.

So, my guess is AT&T's network got hammered with the new iPhone*.

* Or, there was so much 3G hype, that people were buying lots of new 3G phones in general.
 
Returning the phone?

How is the process for returning and exchanging the iPhone 3G? I'm having many issues including constantly dropped calls and the inability for my phone to send email on a daily basis.

I've heard Apple is great about exchanges, but AT&T gives you a hard time?
 
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