Automatic 2g/3g switching

[kisbys]

Can anybody tell me out there why there is no option on any smartphone to automatically switch between 2g and 3g. It would be a great battery saving addition so the phone only went into 3g for applications that need 3g like browser and maps.

I know it would make getting into browser slightly slower while the phone switches but surely the improvement in battery life would be amazing and it could be an option.

 

[oakie]

the constant switching and resulting ~30 seconds to reestablish itself on the network would drive me nuts. just manually switch it from 3G to 2G and measure the time it takes to reestablish a 2G connection, then back to a 3G connection and then imagine that pause every time you opened the browser or an app.

 

[kisbys]

I agree but for weekends away or when the battery was running low I would love it.

I know it takes its time im not proposing that you should use it all the time but just when you need to maximise battery... and 3g on/off is miles down in the menu system.

 

[Interstella5555]

How is this at all more practical than just turning off 3G? It would drive me up the the wall if my phone functioned like this, especially since most Internet/map queeries are done in just a few seconds. if I wanted to do what you're describing I never would have upgraded to 3G, I'd just use 2g and wifi.

 

[Interstella5555]

I agree but for weekends away or when the battery was running low I would love it.

I know it takes its time im not proposing that you should use it all the time but just when you need to maximise battery... and 3g on/off is miles down in the menu system.

3 taps to get there, people are getting too lazy for their own good these days. Do you complain about the 10 feet it takes you to walk to the bathroom?