Hello, I own an iPhone 3G since September 2008, bought it on contract from Swisscom the main operator in Switzerland. The problems I been facing with my iPhone 3G are mainly related to EDGE 3G and reception.
To describe my problem, my iPhone 3G seems to be unable to interact or hit the EDGE 3G signals properly. For example sometimes when I am using cellular data services the connection uses EDGE then switches to 3G then either back to 3G or will display 'No Service'. This happens on a frequent basis. It feels like the iPhone has a very loose grip with the cellular network data, it just gives up and goes on 'No Service'. Sometimes the network will still be up but neither EDGE or 3G will be displayed, until either one is displayed again.
Also recently during a call all of a sudden there is a blackout with the sound, I can't hear the other party, and either have to hang up and call back, or the sound recovers within 10-15 seconds. When I have to hang up and call back, the phone freezes on the ending call for about 30 seconds.
I have compared the performance with my friends iPhone 3G on more than one occasion and found that his phone has no trouble with EDGE 3G and reception. Last time during lunch at the restaurant in my school, my friend's iPhone 3G and mine's were both on the table on standby, I grabbed both and hit the sleep button to wake them, to my surprise, mine said 'No Service' and his was on 2 bars EDGE. Frustration.
Attempted solutions
I headed off to the local Swisscom shop where I live. I explained my problem and gave my iPhone 3G. I was given a temporary mobile phone (not an iPhone) to use during my iPhone is being fixed. So when my iPhone was finally repaired, I was called to come and pick it up. I went to pick up my iPhone 3G and the agent at the shop said it was a new iPhone 3G. When I got hold of my iPhone I noticed the same scratch I had on my original phone. I didn't say anything at the point, took my phone and continued to use it. Then I had the same problem again, and went back to the Swisscom shop. Explained my situation. The agent said that apple usually replace the insides of the phone but the cover remains the same. I honestly was surprised to hear this, and right now I think its a load of bull. The agent offered me a brand new SIM card, she said it could be the solution to my problem. Here I am now with a new SIM card and still continue to face the same issues. Today my iPhone went on 'No Service' for over 10 minutes. Apart from poor cellular data activity and blackouts during phone calls. I called the apple support line twice, to my shock the line dropped twice during I was explaining my issue, no one bothered to call back either.
Sorry for the long post, but I am completely lost and paranoid, my iPhone 3G is a great device but it has the mentioned deficiencies making it a very poor device. What does the IMEI number represent, because I fetched the original paper of my contract, and compared the IMEI number on it with the current IMEI number on my iPhone and it was the same. Does IMEI change when apple supplies a new iPhone or that is irrelevant?
I will definitely go back to my Apple store, but I need your advice and support on the issues I mentioned, regarding the replacement of my iphone, and what I should do in this situation.
iPhone 3G version: 2.2.1 (5H11)
Carrier: Swisscom 2.9
Model: MB500FD
Modem Firmware: 02.30.03
(iPhone 100% legit, never hacked or cracked, activated via iTunes online)
Thank you very much for reading this long post!
To describe my problem, my iPhone 3G seems to be unable to interact or hit the EDGE 3G signals properly. For example sometimes when I am using cellular data services the connection uses EDGE then switches to 3G then either back to 3G or will display 'No Service'. This happens on a frequent basis. It feels like the iPhone has a very loose grip with the cellular network data, it just gives up and goes on 'No Service'. Sometimes the network will still be up but neither EDGE or 3G will be displayed, until either one is displayed again.
Also recently during a call all of a sudden there is a blackout with the sound, I can't hear the other party, and either have to hang up and call back, or the sound recovers within 10-15 seconds. When I have to hang up and call back, the phone freezes on the ending call for about 30 seconds.
I have compared the performance with my friends iPhone 3G on more than one occasion and found that his phone has no trouble with EDGE 3G and reception. Last time during lunch at the restaurant in my school, my friend's iPhone 3G and mine's were both on the table on standby, I grabbed both and hit the sleep button to wake them, to my surprise, mine said 'No Service' and his was on 2 bars EDGE. Frustration.
Attempted solutions
I headed off to the local Swisscom shop where I live. I explained my problem and gave my iPhone 3G. I was given a temporary mobile phone (not an iPhone) to use during my iPhone is being fixed. So when my iPhone was finally repaired, I was called to come and pick it up. I went to pick up my iPhone 3G and the agent at the shop said it was a new iPhone 3G. When I got hold of my iPhone I noticed the same scratch I had on my original phone. I didn't say anything at the point, took my phone and continued to use it. Then I had the same problem again, and went back to the Swisscom shop. Explained my situation. The agent said that apple usually replace the insides of the phone but the cover remains the same. I honestly was surprised to hear this, and right now I think its a load of bull. The agent offered me a brand new SIM card, she said it could be the solution to my problem. Here I am now with a new SIM card and still continue to face the same issues. Today my iPhone went on 'No Service' for over 10 minutes. Apart from poor cellular data activity and blackouts during phone calls. I called the apple support line twice, to my shock the line dropped twice during I was explaining my issue, no one bothered to call back either.
Sorry for the long post, but I am completely lost and paranoid, my iPhone 3G is a great device but it has the mentioned deficiencies making it a very poor device. What does the IMEI number represent, because I fetched the original paper of my contract, and compared the IMEI number on it with the current IMEI number on my iPhone and it was the same. Does IMEI change when apple supplies a new iPhone or that is irrelevant?
I will definitely go back to my Apple store, but I need your advice and support on the issues I mentioned, regarding the replacement of my iphone, and what I should do in this situation.
iPhone 3G version: 2.2.1 (5H11)
Carrier: Swisscom 2.9
Model: MB500FD
Modem Firmware: 02.30.03
(iPhone 100% legit, never hacked or cracked, activated via iTunes online)
Thank you very much for reading this long post!
