4S, Microcell and Battery Issues

[Jschmuck2]

I know there's the world's biggest thread going on about batteries right now but this is a pretty specific issue and I feel as though it might get lost in the fold over there.

To the point: my 4S seemingly drains *much* faster while connected to my Microcell than it does just the regular old 3G network.

I had a genius bar appt scheduled for tomorrow but I've rescheduled for next week. I hadn't really been away from my Microcell enough to notice the difference in drain but when I'm not connected to it, the drain is waaaaaaaaaaay slower. Night and day.

Anyone else with a similar situation?

 

[Jschmuck2]

?!?!

 

[ggmissmolly]

My 4s is attached to a microcell about 80% of the time and I see no issue with it. There is no reason I see that it should be an issue. The phone doesn't see a microcell as anything but a 3G signal. True it notifies you, but otherwise it's no different than attaching to a tower.

Are you attached to WiFi at the same you are attached to the microcell? I am and it wouldn't be unusual. Your phone might be doing some synching as a result.

 

[ZipZap]

Reset your Microsell and the network settings on the phone.

See if that helps, it helped me.

 

[MooneyFlyer]

I have a Microcell and have been having very bad batt life (in a different thread). Last night my phone dropped the Mcell connection and is on 2-3 bars of regular 3G. The battery held up much better.

I will try resetting this today and see what happens. Otherwise, I'll remove my # from the microcell and see if that helps.

 

[LapsangSouchong]

I'd have to say I agree. I didn't notice this with my 4, but do now. My phone's been sitting unused on my desk and is at 78% since 830am.

Also been having many more call failures with the microcell on the 4S. Never had ONE with the 4. Was doing a search for that, when I saw this thread.

 

[Nikhil72]

I've been noticing this more as well. At first I thought it was WiFi-related, but today I was temporarily using my iPhone 4 on iOS5 which suddenly began draining heavily while on M-Cell even though it had been fine all day. I just unplugged it and am back to using the 4S.

Yesterday, I was using the 4S all day and was actually happy with battery life until I got home in the evening, turned WiFi on, and noted pretty rapid standby drainage...I assumed it was WiFi-related, but I was also connected to the M-cell. Now that my iP4 on M-Cell with wifi off is showing rapid drainage too, the microcell connection might be the reason.

 

[pugnut]

I have noticed a higher drain rate on the battery when connect.

 

[mbpro108]

Same here

I connect to microcell at work. Batt drains fast. It will sit for an hour and have like 58 minutes of usage. When the phone sits at home the usage is only a few minutes. It seems the phone has to work to stay connected to the microcell.

 

[BiggAW]

I am able to get a day and a half of very light use on the M-Cell, and a day (no night) of heavy use without. I would conclude that I didn't have higher than normal battery drain, since I normally don't have the wifi on all the time like I do with the M-Cell. The only issue I had is that the iPhone 4S's antenna is so good that I had to death grip the phone near the floor to get it on the M-Cell, as it would get 2-3 bars of macro-cell. Still wanted the M-Cell though, as soon as I walk downstairs, the signal from macro is pretty useless, and down another floor and it's gone altogether.

 

[RZS]

I got both a 4S and a microcell for Christmas. I've had the 4S up and running since the 25th (with normal enough battery life) but just activated my microcell last night.

My phone was not plugged in last night and from when I went to sleep at 11:00 to when I woke up at 7:00 my battery decreased from 54% to 17%. In the hour between waking up and leaving my apartment for work it dropped to ~9% (I think I checked the weather, that was it).

This seemed like pretty signifcant battery drain, and it was the first time I'd seen anything like that. Based on this thread, I'm thinking it may not have been a coincidence that I installed the microcell last night.

Question is, where to go from here. I guess I'll just have to stay plugged in over night (which I usually do, but haven't been the last couple days to run the battery down the first few cycles).

 

[ZipZap]

You might want to restart all of your cell devices that access the Microcell. You should also watch the M-Cell connection on the phone and make sure its not dropping in and out.

If it is, you may have a defective MC or it may be in a back place and is loosing the satellite connection.

I have the MC and it does not impact my battery.

 

[Eager Beaver]

My 4s is attached to a microcell about 80% of the time and I see no issue with it.

Same for me, I am connected to my microcell most of the time, and I fortunately do NOT have any batt issues at all.
(I don't even charge my 4s night anymore)

 

[ZipZap]

If you're home you should see m-cell all the time. Unless you turn off the m-cell.

 

[MooneyFlyer]

If you're home you should see m-cell all the time. Unless you turn off the m-cell.

Yeah, that is great in theory but it isn't actually true. My phone will get off the M-Cell for a while each day for no reason that I can tell. My initial thought was that the phone picked up a relatively strong (3 bars) from an AT&T tower but that doesn't seem to be consistent. Sometimes after a long call it doesn't reconnect either.

The issue with the initial call failing each time seems to be gone recently though (without changes to iOS).

 

[BiggAW]

Yeah, that is great in theory but it isn't actually true. My phone will get off the M-Cell for a while each day for no reason that I can tell. My initial thought was that the phone picked up a relatively strong (3 bars) from an AT&T tower but that doesn't seem to be consistent. Sometimes after a long call it doesn't reconnect either.

The issue with the initial call failing each time seems to be gone recently though (without changes to iOS).

Yeah, they need to work on it. It's so annoying when the phone has a bar of 3G and won't switch to the M-Cell. I found that a little aluminum foil case shaped like the iPhone that I can put it into gets it on to the M-Cell pretty effectively, but I shouldn't have to be playing with aluminum foil to get my shiny new iPhone to behave.

 

[Vikinguy]

Yep...one of the many reasons I was forced to go with a different phone. My microcell sapped the battery big time. Wouldn't stay connected if I left the room...then would search for the regular ATT signal for up to a minute....it was a nightmare.

I've heard IOS5 and the att microcells don't play well together.


I ended up switching to sprint and got the epic 4g touch. I miss my iPhone but you have to be able to use the device as a phone in your own home...no matter how much you love apple products.