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How to turn off 3G on 4S

J

J-Bone

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 11, 2011
21
0
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A334 Safari/7534.48.3)

Hey guys I got my 4S today and was looking around and I can't seem to find a way to turn 3G off to go to the EDGE network (for battery life purposes) I went into Settings>Genral>Network and nothing was there just curious where it went to.
 
J-Bone said:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A334 Safari/7534.48.3)

Hey guys I got my 4S today and was looking around and I can't seem to find a way to turn 3G off to go to the EDGE network (for battery life purposes) I went into Settings>Genral>Network and nothing was there just curious where it went to.
Click to expand...

There should be a "Enable 3G" switch?
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A334 Safari/7534.48.3)

Nope just a Celluar Data Switch
 
I'm trying to figure out the same thing. I will be pissed if its a ploy just to get us to use up more data over 3G. Maybe it has to do with their supposed system being overloaded with so many activations today or whatever their excuse was.
 
This sucks!

I really pray that ATT or even other carriers as a whole allow this feature to come back because personally I leave my phone on Edge all the time and only uses 3G when surfing the web when I'm not near WIFI. 3G is not only a battery drainer but I also do not receiver 3G coverage everywhere I go (I'm with ATT). If I had known this feature would not be on the 4S I may have not decided to upgrade from my 3GS.

And before someone tries to rip me a new one, I was NOT one of the people who cared about having 4G on the Iphone. I really dont even care about 3G.
 
Nikefn2 said:
I really pray that ATT or even other carriers as a whole allow this feature to come back because personally I leave my phone on Edge all the time and only uses 3G when surfing the web when I'm not near WIFI. 3G is not only a battery drainer but I also do not receiver 3G coverage everywhere I go (I'm with ATT). If I had known this feature would not be on the 4S I may have not decided to upgrade from my 3GS.

And before someone tries to rip me a new one, I was NOT one of the people who cared about having 4G on the Iphone. I really dont even care about 3G.
Click to expand...

Thats' the same problem I've been having as well. I can't believe this was not even mentioned. There's barely any reception in my area much less 3G, especially within the last year, and every time I've been calling over the last few months and to see when it's going to improve they don't seem to give a ******.
 
I'm not sure if this is what you are looking for, but when I go to Setting, then General, then Network, I can choose Cellular Data and turn off the cellular data to restrict all data to wi-fi.
 
Bytemebb said:
I'm not sure if this is what you are looking for, but when I go to Setting, then General, then Network, I can choose Cellular Data and turn off the cellular data to restrict all data to wi-fi.
Click to expand...

Previously you could choose EDGE data or 3G data.
 
Bytemebb said:
I'm not sure if this is what you are looking for, but when I go to Setting, then General, then Network, I can choose Cellular Data and turn off the cellular data to restrict all data to wi-fi.
Click to expand...

Previously you could turn the 3G option off and an E for Edge would appear next to your carrier's name
 
Is the absence of the Edge/3g toggle a result of iOS 5? or is it only an iphone 4S thing?

I personally like leaving the phone on Edge myself, for battery concerns as well.
 
Still there on the iPhone 4 under iOS5, so it's a 4S-specific thing.

Being the magnanimous soul that I am, I will sacrifice my 3G-switchable 32GB iPhone 4 and trade it to anyone who has a 64GB White 4S. I'll even throw in $100. I'll sacrifice the ability myself, so that you can rest easier knowing you are able to confine yourself to EDGE.

No need to thank me, that's how I roll ;)
 
Verizon iPhone never had that option. I assume it has something to do with the new qualcomm chipset.
 
seanfranklin said:
Still there on the iPhone 4 under iOS5, so it's a 4S-specific thing.

Being the magnanimous soul that I am, I will sacrifice my 3G-switchable 32GB iPhone 4 and trade it to anyone who has a 64GB White 4S. I'll even throw in $100. I'll sacrifice the ability myself, so that you can rest easier knowing you are able to confine yourself to EDGE.

No need to thank me, that's how I roll ;)
Click to expand...

Lol
 
seanfranklin said:
Still there on the iPhone 4 under iOS5, so it's a 4S-specific thing.

Being the magnanimous soul that I am, I will sacrifice my 3G-switchable 32GB iPhone 4 and trade it to anyone who has a 64GB White 4S. I'll even throw in $100. I'll sacrifice the ability myself, so that you can rest easier knowing you are able to confine yourself to EDGE.

No need to thank me, that's how I roll ;)
Click to expand...

Cool, thanks, good to know :D
 
May very well be a limitation of the baseband. From what I understand, Qualcomm has always been primarily a CDMA company, so it wouldn't surprise me if their GSM baseband is somewhat qwirky compared to the ones we've been used to.
 
LivingLarge said:
Is the absence of the Edge/3g toggle a result of iOS 5? or is it only an iphone 4S thing?

I personally like leaving the phone on Edge myself, for battery concerns as well.
Click to expand...

I upgraded my 3Gs to iOS5 yesterday and the option to turn 3G on and off was still an option so it seems as though iOS5 is not the cause
 
seanfranklin said:
Verizon never really had 3G. There was nothing to "Fall back" to, their whole network is 2.5G
Click to expand...

Not quite, Verizon along with Sprint can fallback to CDMA data (get the o as a data icon, with speeds about as fast as GPRS (slower than EDGE)). 3G on CDMA networks id EV-DO. I actually have the "o" icon right now because I'm roaming onto a local carrier's network. However, the VzW iPhone 4 never has been able to switch off 3G data as it is a subscriber modification to force switch a data network not a phone choice option.
 
Last edited:
Spoke to Apple Care and they said the reason EDGE is not on the 4S is bc it helps improve battery life by not having to constantly search for an EDGE signal, as opposed to when it connected to 3G "it doesn't have to search.. it's just there.." Hmm.... ok.
 
I'm confused....are you saying that EDGE isn't supported on the 4S? Because the spec sheet says it is.
 
agtwashington said:
Not quite, Verizon along with Sprint can fallback to CDMA data (get the o as a data icon, with speeds about as fast as GPRS (slower than EDGE)). 3G on CDMA networks is EV-DO.
Click to expand...

True, but as I understand it Verizon has upgraded every tower to EVDO so they don't have any CMDA-only locations (whereas AT&T still has towers that support EDGE but not HSPA). That's what I meant by Verizon not "needing" the ability to switch it off, because if you get a Verizon signal - you get EVDO.

I could see the benefit if you're roaming, though. Hadn't considered that.
 
EDGE deifnitely works on the 4S, as I have seen it switch over on certain occasions, but it would certainly be nice to be able to disable 3G data when both are available. For example, at work, I constantly show 3G availability, but data simply does not work. Every command while on 3G in the building results in the "Could not activate the cellular data network." error. It does, however, work with EDGE, and slow data is better than no data. Hopefully, the option to diable 3G will come back with the 5.0.1 update. Otherwise, this 4S may have to go back to the store.
 
I think it's the new "auto switching" antennas. That's why there is no 3G on/off. Also because of the battery remember the new iPhone has an improved antenna (Were I used to get 2 bars, now I get 4-5 bars :D)
 
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