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Grrr... 3G affecting Edge Signal

A

atlken77

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 15, 2008
48
0
Okay -- seriously, this new phone is really starting to aggravate me. So much so I have resorted to turning off the 3G all together. I may turn it on if I need to surf somewhere -- so I suppose I am tossing $30 out the window..

Heres the problem, I don't get 3G coverage in my apartment (I am on the 23rd floor of high rise ) and thats ok. But when the 3G switch is on, I get 1/2 to 1 bars of Edge service. Turning the 3G off jacks the signal up to 2 or 3 bars of edge service. WTF? 3G eating EDGE signals? huh?

I am desperately hoping this is a software issue, and not a hardware issue, and something than can be fixed via a firmware upgrade.
 
When you switch on 3G you're using 3G not EDGE. That happens to me too, EDGE gets all bars, but 3G gets only a few bars.

Have you tested the calling quality on both 3G on and off? I have read that it takes only a few bars of 3G to get the same/better quality than full bars on EDGE.
 
In any case, 2 to 3 bars of service is still good service. You do not need 4 bars of service all the time.

3G will always give you a more conservative estimate. It's using a different technology, and so the bars actually take on a different meaning.

If you're getting good speeds and not dropping calls, then don't sweat the number of bars you have.
 
I dont get 3G in my condo -- it shows up as [E] in the screen, not [3G]

Yeah, the calls usually do NOT get through in the 3G mode, and 100% get through in EDGE mode.
 
scaredpoet said:
In any case, 2 to 3 bars of service is still good service. You do not need 4 bars of service all the time.

3G will always give you a more conservative estimate. It's using a different technology, and so the bars actually take on a different meaning.

If you're getting good speeds and not dropping calls, then don't sweat the number of bars you have.
Click to expand...

Thats 2-3 bars of EDGE service (but only AFTER turning off 3G in settings). with 3G on in the settings I get maybe 1 bar of EDGE service. with the 3G on - calls don't come through, or get dropped. 3G off, calls come through and stay through...
 
I didn't see that you didn't get 3G in your apartment when I read your 1st post. I haven't heard of keeping 3G on affecting EDGE.

Though, if you don't get 3G service at home, you should turn it off to save battery life and also, in your case to improve calling quality. I turn off Wi-Fi when I go to work since I can't access Wi-fi here.
 
soberbrain said:
I didn't see that you didn't get 3G in your apartment when I read your 1st post. I haven't heard of keeping 3G on affecting EDGE.

Though, if you don't get 3G service at home, you should turn it off to save battery life and also, in your case to improve calling quality. I turn off Wi-Fi when I go to work since I can't access Wi-fi here.
Click to expand...


I do turn off the 3G -- but I shouldn't HAVE to.... I am hoping this is NOT an attenna problem..... *sigh*

I paid for 3G and should expect MUCH better 3G service in Atlanta (which, BTW is home of ATT Mobility -- and has solid 3G coverage. (just as a side note - I don't live in the sticks of Atlanta -- I live less than 2 miles from the ATT Mobility HQ in Buckhead)
 
I too wondered this, but it tends to be in reverse.

When I have 3G enabled and 3G is unavailable it tends to be better 2G GSM signal than if I had 3G disabled. I'm not sure why or what's going on with it, but, surely thats wrong? Because if 3G is unavailable it doesn't make the 2G signal stronger OR weaker..
 
my 3g gets NO service!

i just got my 3g today in place of my old iPhone... now in my apartment, where I used to get FULL service, i get NONE! I tried turning off 3G, no dice.

anyone experience this?
 
atlken77 said:
I do turn off the 3G -- but I shouldn't HAVE to.... I am hoping this is NOT an attenna problem..... *sigh*

I paid for 3G and should expect MUCH better 3G service in Atlanta (which, BTW is home of ATT Mobility -- and has solid 3G coverage. (just as a side note - I don't live in the sticks of Atlanta -- I live less than 2 miles from the ATT Mobility HQ in Buckhead)
Click to expand...

Well...I live in the "sticks" of Atlanta and my 3G is great. Maybe all those new highrises downtown and midtown is messing with your signal. That's the only thing I can think of.
 
atlken77 said:
when the 3G switch is on, I get 1/2 to 1 bars of Edge service. Turning the 3G off jacks the signal up to 2 or 3 bars of edge service.
Click to expand...

I've experienced the exact same thing. Except for me, I've never had less than 3 bars of EDGE. My EDGE signal varies between 3 to 5 bars, and the actual data connection speed supports this data. I live in California.

atlken77 said:
Thats 2-3 bars of EDGE service (but only AFTER turning off 3G in settings). with 3G on in the settings I get maybe 1 bar of EDGE service. with the 3G on - calls don't come through, or get dropped. 3G off, calls come through and stay through...
Click to expand...

I've also noticed that when I'm in an area where the 3G signal is very weak, I actually get better service if I turn 3G off - because the phone isn't constantly juggling the two. If 3G signal doesn't exist at all, it doesn't matter because my phone switches to Edge and doesn't try to juggle the two.
Voice service (calls) seem to be completely independent of the data connection. And that makes sense, since voice uses a different network; GSM, whereas the EDGE and 3G networks use GPRS/UMTS.

atlken77 said:
I do turn off the 3G -- but I shouldn't HAVE to.
Click to expand...
I TOTALLY AGREE ! AT&T AND APPLE NEED TO FIX THIS !
.
 
fixed!

ok I went to the apple store and they replaced my phone entirely! It turns out I had a bad entenna so that's that!!
 
IPHONE 3G owners (San Francisco Downtown/ POST VAN NESS)

Holy ****, I thought I was the only one dealing with this. I’ve had crappy service here in SF. Especially around the VAN NESS and POST area / City Hall. What frusterated me is at my GYM on POST and VAN NESS always had 3G service since 3G came out. Starting since late JUNE my Gym has EDGE only and SUPPPPPPPPEEERRRRR DAMN slow. I have the IPHONE 3GS and was getting pissed that this was happening. I called two different times to 611 and they checked and said everything is fine in that area. I told them to put a damn service ticket and check the damn towers, LOL. I said there is a Verizon store right across the street and might be tampering with them, LOL. Anyhow……hopefully it gets resolved ASAP!

Anybody else getting this too?
 
I will say this is Apple design problem not an ATT problem.

I have a 3g LG phone. 3G being on or Off does not effect the edge signal. The location I am at It is 3 bar Edge area. 3g on 3-4 Bars, 3g off still 3-4 bars.
3g here will grab 0-1 bars at time but normally drops down to the edge.

The Edge signal strength matches a non 3G phone and been this way since edge came out.

Short answer this is an apple iPhone problem.
 
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