My iPhone 4 signal issues are gone...

[Plutonius]

Just finished spending about an hour on this method using Scotch packaging tape, a surgical scalpel, and steady hands to completely insulate all 4 corners of the sim card.

Replaced the sim card, powered it on...didn't even use the death grip...only used my one thumb and I went from 5 bars to zero just like before.

Use electrical tape....

 

[-aggie-]

I've been saying since day one (June 23rd), my iPhone4 does not have reception issues. For the sake of comparison, here is a pic of my SIM, not touching.

I re-did it to shoot some photos, go ahead and post them if need be.
On the super close up photo of the contact side, the very edge of it is the brassed area ( about 1/64th ) where the contact has been touching the tray...just barely.

It seems to be working fine for me again...

I’ve been trying to go through all the pics, since I went to bed, but this thread has really taken off. It would help if people who post pics, try to get as much detail as the pics I quoted. The first pic was most interesting, since it seems to be centered.

BTW, I never received a response from sjobs (I always laugh when this gets corrected to snobs)

 

[Braunmann]

Breaking gold contact with sim tray.

I put in a small strip of electrical tape between the gold contact that was touching the sim tray... and it had ZERO effect on the signal problem. Still went down to one or no bars, when I hold the phone in my left hand.

 

[dagomike]

Has anyone ever had two iPhones, one working one not?

It would be interesting to swap those SIMs.

Anyway, for fun I swapped the SIM from my iPad. Signal still dropped.

I even tried using the SIM tray from the IPad (doesn't really fit, but enough to connect) and it still dropped.

 

[2SwiFt29]

For people who had a 3G/3GS phone, the box should include a Sim card ejector pin. I'm not too sure about the iPhone 4 box since it's at my house and I'm not home to check, but you can use the ejector pin to eject the sim card.

 

[RodChester]

For people who had a 3G/3GS phone, the box should include a Sim card ejector pin. I'm not too sure about the iPhone 4 box since it's at my house and I'm not home to check, but you can use the ejector pin to eject the sim card.

No sim ejector tool with the iPhone 4.

 

[jav6454]

No sim ejector tool with the iPhone 4.

US iPhones do not come with it. Use the one from your old 3G or 3GS.

 

[Ferris23]

I already did, it's a previous page.

Hmm, don't see it. Can you relink it please?

 

[cdd543]

Has anyone ever had two iPhones, one working one not?

It would be interesting to swap those SIMs.

Anyway, for fun I swapped the SIM from my iPad. Signal still dropped.

I even tried using the SIM tray from the IPad (doesn't really fit, but enough to connect) and it still dropped.

Good info..I was going to try that when I got home. Oh well.

 

[jav6454]

Hmm, don't see it. Can you relink it please?

Click Me

 

[seeny]

i've tried but it didn't work

my sim is from o2 in the uk and looks like this:

 

[Cmjkxa]

I would just like to say that I've tried the suggested fix and it did not work. I took all the tape off and have a bare sim card but now my reception seems to be doing far worse than when I first got my phone. Lol. I'm sorta laughing and upset at the same time for trying something to fix the issue but having it just end up nearly making my phone unusable. . *sigh. Maybe ill try getting another sim and seeing if that solves the issue.

 

[tigres]

I'm casting my vote on this official fix that is not coming in form of firmware.

I am a believer it is the SIM and only the SIM. Reason being is that I do not have the problem with signal, however when messing with it (I.E. taking it out) really jacks up the phone for a considerable period of time. Resets VVM, messes up data connections (3G) and the like. Sometimes the phone says NO SIM, requiring another reboot.

Might have missed this, but who has gone to AT&T with the problem, and tried different SIMS until one worked?

 

[kyrow123]

Do you have a pic of the phone with sim in it and no sim tray? I would like to see how it fits in the phone...

I am at work, will take some pics of the phone when at home of the SIM in the slot without the tray. It seems to fit in there fine and does provide me with the full 5 bars of 3G signal and I was able to call my work phone and browse in Safari without any issues. However, as I bridge the 2 antenna the signal drops to zero. So my theory is that it has nothing to do with the SIM card, but I will post some pictures up later tonight for you all to have a look.

(FYI...don't try this unless you feel like sticking something in the SIM card slot to pry out the card when you want to put back in the tray itself as the SIM card does fit quite snug.)

 

[Absent]

Tried this with no results. Signal drops exactly as it has from the beginning.

 

[murdercitydevil]

same here, did nothing for me

 

[Bodycalming]

US iPhones do not come with it. Use the one from your old 3G or 3GS.

Now I know why we pay more in the UK, we get a Sim ejector tool with the iPhone4.

 

[opurtunity]

Well, i have mixed results. My sim was def making contact with the tray so i cut the top and slanted edge and moved the sim up so there was no contact whatsoever. I then proceeded to do what everyone else did, 20 min, out, off, etc.. and upon powering back up, i have noticed that my reception is exponentially better. I have been getting service where i wasnt before and now have 5 bars most of the time which is fantastic. However, if i still do the death/power grip, the bars do decline over a short period of time. Thanks for the post though OP!

 

[chaos86]

For what it's worth, I gave it a shot (both taping the edge of the sim where the contacts come close to the tray, and reseating it a few times with the phone off), and it has made a huge difference for me.

Here at my workplace, my phone spends most of the day at 5 bars, sometimes dropping to 4, just depending on the surface it's on, the mood of the RF gods, etc. Touching the antenna join with just one finger I was able to drop the signal from 4 or 5 down to 1 bar. Cupping the phone in that area to make and even better connection between the two antennae caused calls to drop.

After following the procedures mentioned in this thread (I don't want to call it a "fix" just yet) it works much better. I get 4-5 bars when it's on my desk like before, dropping to 4 bars when in hand, no matter how I hold it. I haven't seen 3, 2, or 1 since.

 

[Ferris23]

Click Me

You're barely bridging the gap.


A video to prove this would be to specifically cover the left seam, that's it.

 

[tradiac]

1/2 helped so far

I just removed and reseated the SIM card and now my speed tests(speedtest.net APP) are much much better. I am still having the issue when holding the phone. I might try the electrical tape.

Before i was getting between 4-~400 down and 1200 - 1500 up. On my last test i got >1200 down and 1400 up.

MUCH faster then my 3g phone.

 

[jav6454]

You're barely bridging the gap.


A video to prove this would be to specifically cover the left seam, that's it.

My entire right palm is on the seem bridging it, it can't get more clearer than that.

 

[kicko]

This thread is almost painful to read, no should have to go though this stuff just to get the phone to work. Do yourself a favor and return it. Apple will get the hint when they see all of these phones coming back. I have yet to upgrade and i really dont think i will at this point. I dont care how bad i want it and how cool it is of a phone, if it doesnt function well as a phone then i dont want it.


Its ok to be a fanboy, i know we are in some ways but dont be a foolboy!

 

[DaffyDuck]

My entire right palm is on the seem bridging it, it can't get more clearer than that.

Yep. I just want to point out your video is mirrored. That may have led to confusion.

 

[krUnIzZlE]

This thread is almost painful to read, no should have to go though this stuff just to get the phone to work. Do yourself a favor and return it. Apple will get the hint when they see all of these phones coming back. I have yet to upgrade and i really dont think i will at this point. I dont care how bad i want it and how cool it is of a phone, if it doesnt function well as a phone then i dont want it.


Its ok to be a fanboy, i know we are in some ways but dont be a foolboy!

I second you on this man, i agree with you 100%
I will wait it out to see what happens otherwise ill become a Nokia N8 fanboy LOL.