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Details of iPhone 2.0.2 Firmware 3G Connectivity Improvements?

I got my iPhone 3G late July. Loved the phone and never really had any problems. Updated to 2.01, still no problems. Not the best reception in terms of bars but did have 3g and that worked just fine.

Over the past week I have been dropping more calls, have more call failures and "missed" calls than ever before. I waited to update to 2.0.2 because of all the complaints but just now bit the bullet. I have compiled some data and will see what I get after two weeks of using the phone with the new update.

It will be interesting to compare to some other users because I'm traveling to New York so will be able to compare reception and 3G coverage/dropage to my area which has far fewer iPhone users.

Update just completed and at least initially, I have 2 more bars phone sitting in the exact same spot.
 
East bay

bluenoise said:
:)

Interesting...That's right near where I live and I was always dropping calls along that stretch (right after getting onto 680 SB at Stone Valley) with my Blackjack II and Moto Q9h. My iPhone isn't dropping there, though, but I have 3G turned off unless I need it.
Click to expand...

I was up visiting family in that area. The coverage is just painful there. I was in Austin for a couple of days before-hand and the coverage there is AMAZING! No less than 4 bars of 3g the entire time.
 
I'll update when they fix the issue of my battery going from 100% to dead in a few hours while the phone sits idle. It happened just after upgrading to 2.0.2, so I downgraded back to 2.0.1. No more problems with the battery. I just reinstalled 2.0.2 to try it again, thinking maybe the first time was a fluke. Did complete restore. Same problem. So it's back to 2.0.1 again.

Even under 2.0.2, I drop calls left and right.

I loved my original iPhone, despite AT&T crappy netowrk, but this is worse and isn't worth it.
 
load on network

So if it's a possible load issue on the 3G network coupled with an algorithm problem in the earlier versions of firmware, are users with issues of connectivity/dropped calls seeing different call success throughout the day and night? In other words, more problems during business hours versus 4:00AM (when load might be expected to be less)?
 
Sorry, Apple. Ain't gonna do it.

I have 2.0.1 and I've had very few problems with the iPhone 3G. 3G with less than two bars is iffy and it will drop down to EDGE more than half the time with a weak 3G signal, but I can live with that. A few times the bars drop to zero and AT&T is replaced by NO CARRIER, only for it to come back again in about 20 seconds. I'm a little more troubled by that, but again, I'll cut it some slack. Overall, I haven't had any dropped calls and voice quality is solid. Data transfer with 3G seems about as peppy as I expected it to be, especially when compared to EDGE.

That being said, if Apple thinks that I'm going to upgrade to 2.0.2 after reading scads of reports on how it takes the good iPhone experience and completely ruins it, they are sorely mistaken. I'm supposed to do this because AT&T's base stations can't provide enough power for everyone, so I give up some of mine so that other users' experiences are enhanced? Hell no. NOT MY PROBLEM, APPLE. Get with AT&T. Upgrade the firmware on your base stations. Don't destroy what for me has been good service from my iPhone and AT&T's network (which, I'll admit to say, I'm pleasantly surprised with) by forcing this crap on me so that others might benefit.

Lest somebody flame me for looking after my own needs and not thinking of 'the common good', this is purely a problem of engineering and physics, not politics or hunger or thirst. There are many ways they could solve this problem and I know they're working on it. I am an RF software engineer, though not in the cell phone business, and base stations' firmware, software and FPGAs and modern-day mobile device/radio chipsets can almost be completely reconfigured in the field through software these days. I am not paying over $80 a month after taxes and fees to suffer a frustrating, substandard mobile device experience. I'll be sticking with 2.0.1, thank you very much.
 
skiphunt said:
What are the chances that all of this is simply software/app related? ... What are the chances that most of these problems have more to do with poorly written 3rd party apps? AND perhaps some bug in iTunes during install?
Click to expand...

Interesting. Do we have some correlation between the amount of apps installed and the problems occuring? I read somewhere that once an app is started there is no "quit" function other than phone restart. What if all those applications use too much processor power and if they are internet related too much bandwidth (I am not a tech person as you might have noticed). Do people with less or no apps have less problems. I have 4 or 5 on my 1st gen iPhone and no problems. :confused:
 
gri said:
Interesting. Do we have some correlation between the amount of apps installed and the problems occuring? I read somewhere that once an app is started there is no "quit" function other than phone restart. What if all those applications use too much processor power and if they are internet related too much bandwidth (I am not a tech person as you might have noticed). Do people with less or no apps have less problems. I have 4 or 5 on my 1st gen iPhone and no problems. :confused:
Click to expand...


thanks for noticing! ;-)

Seriously, I think there's something wrong with the software in general. Some apps are causing problems system wide.... and there's an issue with itunes updating/downloading/restoring/etc. There is likely an ATT problem as well, but I'm betting the crux of the problem lay squarely with Apple's itunes app.... some of the App Store's Apps... AND ATT's lack of solid data network implementation.

This is just a wild guess.... but I'd bet money that Apple's next combo... firmware update and likely itunes update.... will take care of 90% of the problems. Anyone want any of that action? ;-) Why Apple hasn't just come clean and admitted it... is beyond me. NOT the "Apple" I've been loyal to since my first Apple machine 18 years ago. Very disappointed with how my beloved Apple has handled this whole debacle.
 
If you don't need Flash then if you aren't either a sports fan (AKA FanBoy) or you don't advertise to the masses.

Flash is as popular for Advertisers as PhotoShop is to Apple Boys.

Apple is pulling a Microsoft and holding out on Adobe and we are the fallout.

Steve, Get off your high horsre and show the rest of the open programming world you can play.

If I can't play anything but Apple MP3's or QuickTime Video then it's not the Interent.

How much video is out now that with WM Or RealMedia that we can't access.
Along with countless other video formats.

YouTube kissed Steve's Ass and we see a portion of YouTube that has been converted for the iPhone.

Safari is a way better browser than we get on the iPhone and the competition is Verizon (which by the way has better 3G than AT&T).

Steve, get off your ass and do something or hire someone that can.
 
Mindflux said:
Did you bother to read the rest of the thread? One of the new AT&T Blackberry models is experiencing the same issues. Surely Apple doesn't help RIM with their software, unless you want to continue along the whole conspiracy theorist route.
Click to expand...

My angle has nothing to do with conspiracy theories. Rather, it has to do with the fact that neither Apple nor AT&T have the *real* fix to what is going on and instead are blaming each other and blaming the customer. That's all I'm saying and I am not meaning to turn this into an argument one way or the other.

And I highly doubt Blackberry phones are experiencing the same issues. SMS lag? Apps crashing? Battery depletion? Or are you talking explicably about the 3G drops? Because Apple hasn't fixed any of the just mentioned problems after 2 updates (and after 2 claims of doing so). Like I said, Apple has no idea what is going on so I guess using the "tower power" excuse is better than saying "We don't know how to fix it."
 
I agree with those who are calling BS on Apple and ATT. For those who get tired of reading the fully detailed rant, just skip to the bottom to the paragraph in italics.

---------------------------------

The problem stems from calling a critical firmware update "bug fixes." They were in fact trying to correct a problem with the network. A bug fix doesn't (1.) fail to fix any bugs on an individual phone; (2.) reduce network performance and cause new problems on phones that are perfectly fine; and (3.) require a certain proportion of people to install it to stabilize performance for the entire group of people who have those phones. What they needed to do was (1.) admit some type of serious error in the basic construction of the firmware, the stability of the 3G network, or both; and (2.) required people to update or, if Apple couldn't do that, to bring their phone back to the store for a mandatory service recall.

Apple and ATT over-sold ATT's network, not in fringe areas of their network, but right in the places where the density of users is the highest. Neither of them will admit to any kind of error, and that's a mistake. The reason Windows XP users, for instance, willingly perform "critical security fixes" and updates is because (1.) MS announces it widely throughout the media; and (2.) because it shows up on our computer screens when we turn on the computer. That's it. MS doesn't force those updates, but because they accept responsibility and provide basic information (i.e., not release a "bug fixes" patch that fixes no actual bugs), people believe them and act accordingly. And occasionally, MS does inform you of a critical update that requires installation and reboot ASAP. People may bash MS all the while, and it leads to Apple folks acting all superior, but in those cases, MS is at least acting responsibly and trying to get real information and solutions to users ASAP.

Here, on the other hand, we have Apple: no actual information, no official acknowledgment of the problem; and ATT: no direct response to the problem, excuses and promises with no definite time frame and no reimbursement plan over lost services. They did not act intelligently, effectively, or responsibly. Their attempt to "update" the phone, which seems a lot like throttling the network, in fact DID NOT WORK. By the time ATT and Apple released that BS text message, there were HUNDREDS OF TESTIMONIES about how that very update BREAKS YOUR PHONE.


Those users who haven't updated their phones either don't know what the hell is going on BECAUSE THEY HAVE A WORKING, UNUPDATED PHONE, or BECAUSE THEY READ THE FORUMS including APPLE'S OWN SUPPORT FORUM. Those who tried to seek information about update 2.0.2 have every reason not to update, have more than enough evidence that updating breaks their working phone, and will remain completely suspicious of every other firmware update from now on, with perfectly good reason.

I, for one, lost functional 3G network connectivity after 2.0.2 for almost a week, and I still notice network drop outs and crashed apps that are trying to access the network -- the other apps seem to be strangely immune to crashes -- I have to frequently hard reset my phone to regain network access, and my music streaming apps which worked perfectly now crash frequently.

It wouldn't surprise me that the increasing number of iPhone 3Gs on the crap ATT network plus the popularity of the Pandora Radio app and other music streaming apps (Simplify Media, Tuner, LastFM, AOL Radio) caused Apple and ATT to freak out on each other. Apple probably blamed ATT for not having promised network resources or not having the ability to monitor their own network resources; ATT probably blamed Apple for making a 3G device that actually makes full use of the "unlimited" "$30 per month" "3G" data plan that we were all forced to get. It's even plausible that Apple has legal grounds for terminating the exclusivity agreement with ATT -- or, vice versa: the iPhone 3G is "too powerful"? "powerful"? come on -- but they both know that that would result in tons of lost revenue. It took someone from Newsweek to get them to cooperate to the extent that they could release one text message -- how bizarre is that?

Since neither of them will address the matter directly or openly, instead we get this BS insider report as our explanation to the problem, and we're all over it. This "close to the source" explanation is a load of BS, not because it's definitely not true, but because (1.) it indirectly SHIFTS BLAME to the users who haven't updated; and (2.) we debate its accuracy or plausibility PRECISELY BECAUSE WE STILL NEED AN EXPLANATION BUT DON'T HAVE AN OFFICIAL ONE.


This is all a lot of crap management and as a result, users are turning on each other FOR NO GOOD REASON. I for one will avoid buying apps, tunes or videos from the iTunes store, watch the Android release and T-Mobile 3G roll-out, and as soon as I can switch, I'll evaluate the situation and possibly pay my ETF and ditch ATT and the iPhone. There is a lot of money at stake here, and one has to be careful how one gets invested in these newly available mobile services.

-----------------------------

Listen, all I'm saying is, Mommy and Daddy are having a fight. Mommy wants us to have everything she never had, but Daddy doesn't have the resources to keep it up. Just because Mommy and Daddy are fighting but don't want to look bad in front of us or the neighbors, don't let's start picking on each other and stuff. Let's go out and make some noise and have fun instead. That's the benefit of being a kid in a dysfunctional family. As soon as I'm old enough and have the dough, I'm out of here anyway.

Just my two cents.
 
skiphunt said:
thanks for noticing! ;-)

Seriously, I think there's something wrong with the software in general. Some apps are causing problems system wide.... and there's an issue with itunes updating/downloading/restoring/etc. There is likely an ATT problem as well, but I'm betting the crux of the problem lay squarely with Apple's itunes app.... some of the App Store's Apps... AND ATT's lack of solid data network implementation.

This is just a wild guess.... but I'd bet money that Apple's next combo... firmware update and likely itunes update.... will take care of 90% of the problems. Anyone want any of that action? ;-) Why Apple hasn't just come clean and admitted it... is beyond me. NOT the "Apple" I've been loyal to since my first Apple machine 18 years ago. Very disappointed with how my beloved Apple has handled this whole debacle.
Click to expand...

I'll second your hunch that an itunes update will be with 2.1. However, until at&t grows their 3G out, placing it on new towers, not just bolting it to Edge towers there will be issues. The growth aint slowing down despite all people with issues.

Apple has learned from this. People who get bent out of shape over the "secrecy" stuff should use other products. It's never going to change.

No question Apple is having some problems with it's explosive growth. They will have it together on their end by the end of Sept. Can't speak for at&t.
However people should have known prior to their purchases that at&t's 3g is pale in comparison to Verizon.

I've been a Mac Evangelist since 94. I joined here in 07 for one response. I'm giving them a break not because I'm a "fan-man" (too old to be a fan-boy.)

A person in my office has a brother who is a VP at Apple. This person has been working 13 hr days 6 days a week since July 12th, and canceled a vacation to Paris last week to see this through with the rest of their "team."

No one at Apple is sitting on their ass. Even if they don't tell you everything that you perceive you have a "right" to know.

Just make sure you actually understand Apple prior to making the move. Many in here with Aug 08 registrations obviously don't.

Rant finished.
 
Glideslope said:
I'll second your hunch that an itunes update will be with 2.1. However, until at&t grows their 3G out, placing it on new towers, not just bolting it to Edge towers there will be issues. The growth aint slowing down despite all people with issues.

Apple has learned from this. People who get bent out of shape over the "secrecy" stuff should use other products. It's never going to change.

No question Apple is having some problems with it's explosive growth. They will have it together on their end by the end of Sept. Can't speak for at&t.
However people should have known prior to their purchases that at&t's 3g is pale in comparison to Verizon.

I've been a Mac Evangelist since 94. I joined here in 07 for one response. I'm giving them a break not because I'm a "fan-man" (too old to be a fan-boy.)

A person in my office has a brother who is a VP at Apple. This person has been working 13 hr days 6 days a week since July 12th, and canceled a vacation to Paris last week to see this through with the rest of their "team."

No one at Apple is sitting on their ass. Even if they don't tell you everything that you perceive you have a "right" to know.

Just make sure you actually understand Apple prior to making the move. Many in here with Aug 08 registrations obviously don't.

Rant finished.
Click to expand...

What a line of Bull Crap.

Give Apple a break because we don't know the company. If Apple pulled programming resources off other projects (like they did for the iPhone) and had them work on the problem and not put out more products I'd give them a break.

This is poor management at it's best and I'm glad I'm still in my 30 day trial period.

Apple Fans are all over Microsoft because of Vista. Apple has become Microsoft. I'm hoping Android or better yet a proven phone manufacturer RIM will have a winner with Thunder.

As far as Apple not putting out public announcements is BS and poor management as well. If they did then the message boards wouldn't be full of rumors and hopes.

Apple is obviously more suited to it's original FanBoy base that expects this. I'm not a FanBoy and thinks it's Poor Management and Poor use of it's own Employee's programming time so they can push out the next great product and Rape your pockets again.

Steve you are a paranoid ego maniac that better get your **** together.

Wait... You'll just pull a Steve Rant and Rave and Fire the Board if they speak out against you or Apple.
 
Did Apple change the whole networking protocol?

Serious new question.

Has anyone noticed similar problems with wifi? It seems like the signal strength and data throughput go only in one direction: down.

I think something is getting pwned and tethered pretty soon.

There's one way I can think of for users to contribute to our own needs. To constantly stress the network. It's already affecting other ATT phones. It will either drive the problem out into the open, or force ATT to speed it up.

If I had to choose between Mom (Apple) and Dad (ATT) in a custody dispute, I for one would side with Mom. Dad is kind of a prick anyway.

Again, my two cents.
 
I totally agree with the quote below. I don't care if they are working 24/7. They need to fix this sh$t ASAP
It is totally poor management on both ends and they should come out apologize for putting out a crappy network product and offer to buy it back if there is no solution or give us a free solution. Instead all we get is Steve emails claiming BS fixes are on the way. Jesus how long do we have to wait? Why has AT&T not switched the majority if there 3 G towers to the lower spectrum? That should have been done before the release not after.
WindowsGuy said:
What a line of Bull Crap.

Give Apple a break because we don't know the company. If Apple pulled programming resources off other projects (like they did for the iPhone) and had them work on the problem and not put out more products I'd give them a break.

This is poor management at it's best and I'm glad I'm still in my 30 day trial period.

Apple Fans are all over Microsoft because of Vista. Apple has become Microsoft. I'm hoping Android or better yet a proven phone manufacturer RIM will have a winner with Thunder.

As far as Apple not putting out public announcements is BS and poor management as well. If they did then the message boards wouldn't be full of rumors and hopes.

Apple is obviously more suited to it's original FanBoy base that expects this. I'm not a FanBoy and thinks it's Poor Management and Poor use of it's own Employee's programming time so they can push out the next great product and Rape your pockets again.

Steve you are a paranoid ego maniac that better get your **** together.

Wait... You'll just pull a Steve Rant and Rave and Fire the Board if they speak out against you or Apple.
Click to expand...
 
I wouldn't update to 2.02 if I were you...

Dropped calls are WORSE under 2.0.2, not better. Never been worse, and I've had AT&T since June 2007. This is a bit ridiculous.
 
I live in a town where in the summer months the population jumps 4-5x on the weekends. I can tell you that during the week I usually have 3G, but as soon as Friday afternoon comes my phone is on edge at least 50% of the time throughout the weekend. I've suspected that this is is related to a substantial increase in the # of iPhones in the area on the weekends.
 
Gamoe said:
If this is true, then Apple should be handing out this update for free.
Click to expand...

Free updates won't be a problem. The real problem will be getting all these networking apps to function the way they're supposed to. Just keep in mind, we didn't sign a contract with Apple.

badmac78 said:
From what I could glean from the paper, it seems to be that apple would be adjusting to compensate for AT&Ts bad 3G towers.
Click to expand...

Nice find.

I'm sure both Apple and ATT are somehow mututally at fault. But, Apple wants to offer us features, while ATT wants to limit our ability to use them. Apple wants to sell apps. ATT wants to build a new 3G network that actually doesn't suck. ATT is just a cellular provider, there's never any reason to express loyalty to a cellular provider that lies about its ability to provide promised services we are paying for.

Any cellular company that
1. engages in a massive roll out to facilitate millions of new subscribers;
2. tacks on an SMS fee to functionally increase the cost of the upgraded 3G unlimited data plan;
3. states that it has 'no means of' monitoring their network;
4. appeals to your sympathy by explaining how hard it is to
A. have one of the largest networks in the country; and
B. place new 3G cell towers close enough to facilitate millions of new subscribers (it turns out);
5. explains that it will spend 35 gazillion dollars on extending the network even further;
6. reportedly does not give service credits for 3G data problems on the iPhone as a management policy; and
7. leaks information to USA Today that shifts blame to Apple and USERS OF THE IPHONE 3G.....

has clearly oversold their network and probably views the iPhone 3G and its users primarily as a way of funding the expansion of their 3G network. These are decisions by one corporation against and in relation to others. By leaking a story to USA Today, they are informing other entities in the marketplace and their own corporate partners -- they aren't trying to inform us of anything. ATT treats the users of the iPhone 3G with the same attitude that it treats Apple, Inc.

More than that, they
1. didn't properly predict their ability to offer network resources prior to the iPhone's release;
2. approved of firmware 2.0 in some way to facilitate its release;
3. benefited tremendously by signing up millions of new subscribers;
4. couldn't properly monitor their own network in relation to said millions of new subscribers;
5. weren't able to provide 3G network resources for millions of music streaming, data streaming iPhones;
6. are trying to cover it up now, naturally.

The best thing that could happen to the iPhone 3G is to release Apple from its exclusivity arrangement with ATT. They signed that thing way in advance of the 3G network being functional. Apps will travel with the hardware -- actually, with the iTunes user ID. The sooner the iPhone has multiple competitors for calling and data plans, the better for the platform and for users invested in the platform.
 
My 2.0.2 still dropping calls

I upgraded when 2.0.2 came out and STILL have problems with dropped calls here in Baltimore, despite having strong signals, often. That explanation sounds like a lot of hooie.
 
like the other guy mentioned the only way most people will update is if they are forced to do so.

i think it should be automatic let it happen in the background if it can or only happen while its charging and display a message phone is being updated do not turn off or something like that to keep people from corrupting the data.

but automatic updates is the way to be if your waiting on people to update it isn't very likely to happen. you now how many people are driving around cars with recalls that are affecting them and still dont know any better to take them in and get them fixed for free.

the plain and simple is the majority of the people are not gona update their phones unless forced to do so or if it happens without intervention from them.
 
If this leak is meant for one thing, it's just to differentiate the iPhone 3G from the Blackberry Bold. That's all. "The iPhone 3G may be having problems, but it's just the iPhone. The Blackberry Bold will be great," said ATT.

I wonder if iTunes 8.0 will have something to do with emergency firmware updates. The way iTunes is set up now, there's no way you would know that there is a firmware update available at all without doing something.
 
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