Intel antenna vs Qualcomm antenna on AT&T

[Applejuiced]

Geez... you are being intentionally obtuse...

Nothing's being blown out of proportion when I have an iPhone 6 (the phone I have used without issue for two years) sitting next to my iPhone 7, connecting to same network for the same carrier, and my old phone works and the new one does not... and this is after two weeks of me simply dealing with the issues, dismissing them myself as you are now...

I am seeing now, that the results of these tests are being picked up by both Forbes and Fortune... put me in the plus one category I guess. And I guess you can continue your debate with Cellular Insights, who's seeing the same as I am.

From your claims that you didn't even go to Apple to diagnose or replace the device who knows if you had an faulty device or not.
You're claiming that the millions of iPhone 7 devices sold are all inferior to their older models sold?
I highly doubt it but believe what you want.

 

[kozmic]

From your claims that you didn't even go to Apple to diagnose or replace the device who knows if you had an faulty device or not.
You're claiming that the millions of iPhone 7 devices sold are all inferior to their older models sold?
I highly doubt it but believe what you want.

Admittedly, I was not able to have the HW swapped due to timing of invalidating my ability to return the phone altogether, but it appears from the Cellular Insights report that they did indeed try multiple phones with same results. So there's that... but okay, you believe what you want... too... 😉

In the end, I assume most people will not take issue, unless they are in the same situation as myself (needing to use the phone regularly in high congestion areas), but who knows... and perhaps we see a recall by Apple (doubtful). I am gonna err on the side of caution and maybe try a newer version of the iPhone after this bug has been worked out...

 

[Applejuiced]

Admittedly, I was not able to have the HW swapped due to timing of invalidating my ability to return the phone altogether, but it appears from the Cellular Insights report that they did indeed try multiple phones with same results. So there's that... but okay, you believe what you want... too... 😉

In the end, I assume most people will not take issue, unless they are in the same situation as myself, but who knows... perhaps we see a recall by Apple (doubtful). I am gonna err on the side of caution.

That is your choice how you handle your device situation.
I'm sure if it's a real issue that effects every device then it will be very hard to deny or dispute.
But I agree with what you said, that a recall is highly doubtful

 

[Pinkstiletto66]

So I figured I would update everyone. I was still having issues, people telling me I was dropping in and out. So then I noticed how the bars would fluctuate in the same spot from 1-4, 3 being average, its when it just randomly went to no service I decided to take it more serious than before. After the update of 10.1 I started experiencing timing out when browsing the basic websites. Plenty of refreshing was happening, and I started to get more frustrated. Considered downgrading to 10.0.1 because at least with that version I felt the internet speed was fine, and the call quality was so so.

So today I called Apple to trouble shoot. I reset the network settings, and then we did a reset to as new. The customer service guy did test calls and realize the problem was still there. So he gave me a case number and I decided since I was available to head down to Apple. They gave me a new phone, and I have not been able to really test it out because the problem is it's mostly the people hearing me breaking up if the call is long enough, and not so much me being able to hear the breaking up.

A two minute call might not be enough time to talk so a call where both parties are really conversing, is where I could get feedback. I was able to listen on the previous phone, while on hold listening to an automated system and that was good way for me to check the quality (in and out). So found a way to show DB, and my new phone fluctuates from -76 (best) to about a -97. -95 (weak, dropping calls) is about average for me. You can google what is ideal for more details but a number between -40 and -85 (normal) is where a person would want to be. As long as when Im on the phone and there is no in and out, I wouldn't care where those numbers fall.

In short, unless something changes in an update, it is hardware in my case. So for now I will make more test calls since I don't really have many people to test call because people (my friends and associates) just seem to text more. If the reception is still crappy I will update. I honestly wouldn't know what to do phone wise. I'm wondering if the new design just doesn't work for Tmobile in my area? Just hoping theres a fix or this phone is great and I'm a happy camper.

 

[horatiub]

So I figured I would update everyone. I was still having issues, people telling me I was dropping in and out. So then I noticed how the bars would fluctuate in the same spot from 1-4, 3 being average, its when it just randomly went to no service I decided to take it more serious than before. After the update of 10.1 I started experiencing timing out when browsing the basic websites. Plenty of refreshing was happening, and I started to get more frustrated. Considered downgrading to 10.0.1 because at least with that version I felt the internet speed was fine, and the call quality was so so.

So today I called Apple to trouble shoot. I reset the network settings, and then we did a reset to as new. The customer service guy did test calls and realize the problem was still there. So he gave me a case number and I decided since I was available to head down to Apple. They gave me a new phone, and I have not been able to really test it out because the problem is it's mostly the people hearing me breaking up if the call is long enough, and not so much me being able to hear the breaking up.

A two minute call might not be enough time to talk so a call where both parties are really conversing, is where I could get feedback. I was able to listen on the previous phone, while on hold listening to an automated system and that was good way for me to check the quality (in and out). So found a way to show DB, and my new phone fluctuates from -76 (best) to about a -97. -95 (weak, dropping calls) is about average for me. You can google what is ideal for more details but a number between -40 and -85 (normal) is where a person would want to be. As long as when Im on the phone and there is no in and out, I wouldn't care where those numbers fall.

In short, unless something changes in an update, it is hardware in my case. So for now I will make more test calls since I don't really have many people to test call because people (my friends and associates) just seem to text more. If the reception is still crappy I will update. I honestly wouldn't know what to do phone wise. I'm wondering if the new design just doesn't work for Tmobile in my area? Just hoping theres a fix or this phone is great and I'm a happy camper.

Which phone are you using? SIM Free with Qualcomm?

 

[Pinkstiletto66]

Which phone are you using? SIM Free with Qualcomm?

Verizon phone on Tmobile.

 

[fryrice]

So if I travel to Asia often I should get the Qualcomm version for At&t

 

[George Knighton]

After having my 7+ AT&T intel phone for a week now, I can say I have never experienced better reception. I'm coming from a Galaxy Note 7, which I believe was a Qualcomm modem. On my drive to work in the morning I'm usually on the phone, and places where the call would drop on my Note 7 I'm not experiencing any disruption on my 7+. So I'm definitely happy with it.

I think it's those of us who own or have owned both the GSM 6S and 6S Plus, and now the 7 and 7 Plus, who are complaining the most.

There very well might be a solid improvement form the Note 7 to the iPhone 7.

I'm absolutely sure that my GSM 6S Plus got better reception than my GSM 7 Plus...absolutely sure.

But here I am, still using it. Although I am very disappointed that Apple didn't spot something that some of us would spot after we were in the field with it, the fact is that the 7 Plus is *so* very powerful a device overall that I will frequently not take my MacBook to work with me.

So, I'm still here, Tim.

But I'm damned pissed when I can't hold a call with the 7 Plus in the exact same place the 6S Plus had an HD Voice call.

🙂
[doublepost=1478788743][/doublepost]

...the times I am seeing issues, is right about the -107 db level (or worse) of connectivity (which in terms of bars is about 2 or less bars/balls on the iPhone).

This is also my experience with holding a good sounding phone call in the car.

I'm a little less worried about data than most people. While realizing that you can prove the Intel is a problem, it's still quick enough for my uses in almost all cases.

I'd still want it to work better, but the data has less tragic consequences for me than to have to call back a social or political superior.

 

[kozmic]

Update from my situation...

I received my "new" iPhone 6S on Thursday, and thus far now have the data and voice connectivity that I had before (even during the same heavily congested Friday night football game as before...), meaning... I now am able to use my phone just as I had with the iPhone 6 before trying to switch to the iPhone 7. So i am a happy customer again. 🙂

Just to recap...
- Was using the iPhone 6 with AT&T for two years... I could find a few places where coverage was spotty, but over all no major complaints about dropping calls or being able to access data networks.
- I upgraded to the iPhone 7 (still with AT&T), started seeing all kinds of call drops and data transmission failures (not just slow, but failing to connect to servers) - even though the LTE connection showed one or two bars (i.e., the connection did not say "no connection").
- I dismissed the issues for two weeks, thinking that it was just poor service coverage, etc.
- Third week I started testing/comparing my old iPhone 6 side-by-side (my wife now uses that phone with AT&T, so I still had access to the phone), and anytime I was having issues with the iPhone 7, my old iPhone 6 would still work.
- I requested a return of the iPhone 7 and placed order for an iPhone 6S, which I received this past Thursday.
- Since receiving the new iPhone 6S, I have not experienced the issues that I was seeing with the iPhone 7.

please note - I did not try to simply swap the iPhone 7 for another iPhone 7, because doing so was going to put me past the first 30 days, when I could simply return altogether (AT&T buyers remorse return for any reason), and I did not want to risk having to then fight with them for downgrading me, being past that date.

Some have argued that perhaps my phone was just a bad one... that is a fair argument. But... (and while I did not know about the Intel switch before picking up the iPhone 7 and having all the issues) I can say that after reading up on the issues others are seeing with the iPhone 7 with the Intel LTE chip, I fully believe this to be the main factor of my woes. Obviously that is my limited troubleshooting opinion... ymmv

 

[George Knighton]

If anybody with T Mobile or AT&T is hesitating moving to the iPhone 7/7 Plus because of these issues, please note that the "SIM FREE" versions of the iPhone 7/7Plus are now available.

These versions cost the same as the AT&T and T Mobile versions, but they have the Qualcomm modem instead of the Intel modem.

 

[kozmic]

If anybody with T Mobile or AT&T is hesitating moving to the iPhone 7/7 Plus because of these issues, please note that the "SIM FREE" versions of the iPhone 7/7Plus are now available.

These versions cost the same as the AT&T and T Mobile versions, but they have the Qualcomm modem instead of the Intel modem.

Interesting and good info - would seem to indicate them admitting an issue if they've started offering the option, but I don't understand why ATT would continue to issue the Intel-based phone at all... and I just wish they would have offered this swap to me last week when I swapped back down to the 6S ! :/

Such is life!

 

[airjay75]

Interesting and good info - would seem to indicate them admitting an issue if they've started offering the option, but I don't understand why ATT would continue to issue the Intel-based phone at all... and I just wish they would have offered this swap to me last week when I swapped back down to the 6S ! :/

Such is life!

The sim-free iPhone 7s are Qualcomm model because they support GSM and CDMA, not because Apple is admitting any sort of problem with the Intel models. I have not heard of Apple doing swaps of Intel models for Qualcomm models. Maybe a few isolated incidents of Apple reps agreeing to do so, but I doubt it is widespread.

 

[Applejuiced]

Interesting and good info - would seem to indicate them admitting an issue if they've started offering the option, but I don't understand why ATT would continue to issue the Intel-based phone at all... and I just wish they would have offered this swap to me last week when I swapped back down to the 6S ! :/

Such is life!

They're not admitting or offering anything different.
What the poster above said is that the sim free version that works for both GSM and CDMA carriers has the qualcomm baseband.
The Intel version is GSM only.

 

[kozmic]

The sim-free iPhone 7s are Qualcomm model because they support GSM and CDMA, not because Apple is admitting any sort of problem with the Intel models. I have not heard of Apple doing swaps of Intel models for Qualcomm models. Maybe a few isolated incidents of Apple reps agreeing to do so, but I doubt it is widespread.

Ah - I misread the post above to mean ATT and T-Mobile were now offering the a choice of either phone... SIM or SIM-free (I see now that I was reading something into that post that wasn't there).

I just checked my ATT account, and see that there is no option to select a SIM-free version, so I assume by "These versions cost the same as the AT&T and T Mobile versions", the poster above is referring to full, no contract purchase price of the phone...

 

[Shadowbech]

I just checked my ATT account, and see that there is no option to select a SIM-free version, so I assume by "These versions cost the same as the AT&T and T Mobile versions", the poster above is referring to full, no contract purchase price of the phone...

Sim-Free can only be purchased at Apple Store or Apple Online store. Carrier store does not sell Sim-free models. But yes, it's essentially the same price.

 

[cc999]

Sim-Free can only be purchased at Apple Store or Apple Online store. Carrier store does not sell Sim-free models. But yes, it's essentially the same price.

Just FYI the Verizon version is the exact same version as the Sim Free.

CC

 

[Shadowbech]

Just FYI the Verizon version is the exact same version as the Sim Free.

CC

I already knew that. And I'm referring to the person I quoted that you can't buy a sim-free model at a carrier store or their online store.