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Signal discussion with ATT Chat.. OMG Comical

A

Andru1313

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 6, 2008
180
0
Ok the Data issue is driving me NUTS!!! I logged in and I am chatting with Tech support. This is not a joke this is the actual conversation. Just blanked out personal info.

Please wait while I transfer you to a representative at AT&T BDS.

Chat InformationYou are now chatting with 'Chris' at AT&T BDS.

Chris: Thank you for contacting Business Data Support. My name is Chris. Before we begin, can I confirm the wireless number that we will be working with is ###-###-####?

Andrew: Hello Chris

Andrew: yes

Andrew: ###-###-####

Chris: Thank you. I understand you're getting weak 3G signal on your iPhone 4, is that correct?

Andrew: it doesn't show as being weak

Andrew: that is the tricky part

Andrew: showing 4-5 bars

Andrew: and 3g

Andrew: but pages don;'t load

Andrew: and email times out

Andrew: or connection error

Chris: I'll be more than happy to assist you, one moment please.

Chris: What is the address of that location?

Andrew: ...........................

Chris: Thank you. I'll be a few minutes.

Andrew: But I have this issue at my house as well

Andrew: been going on for the past few days

Chris: Alright.

Chris: Is it .......... street, ave, drive, etc?

Andrew: ........... street

Chris: Is there a building number?

Andrew: ........ St.

Chris: Thank you.

Chris: Are any other AT&T devices having similar issues?

Chris: Have you tried setting the iPhone 4 on a flat surface and then try to browse?
Andrew: yes..

Andrew: it works if I don't move around with it

Andrew: but yesterday nothing worked

Andrew: I rebooted the phone

Andrew: pulled the sim

Andrew: reset network connections

Andrew: results the same

Chris: And now it only works if you set it down?

Andrew: at this moment yet

Andrew: yes
Chris: Alright. I'll be a few minutes.

Andrew: please don't' tell me I have to keep it flat to surf the web

Andrew: I am having issue swallowing the don't' hold it in my left hand issue...

Chris: I'd hate to do that. I'll be a few minutes while I look into other solutions.

Andrew: ok thanks Chris..
Chris: Yeah.

Chris: No problem.

Chris: I'm going to check with a tier II representative to see if they have any good ideas. I'm thinking that they will say to master reset it, and if issues persist restore the firmware without restoring from a backup and see if you continue having the same problem.

Chris: I'll be a few minutes while I check with them.

Andrew: Ok I have done a reset and a restore by the way. I am all to familiar with the iPhone process

Chris: So you did the restore without doing the backup and had the same problem?

Andrew: yes no resolve

Chris: When you did the reset, did you do the one that erases all content and data?

Andrew: yes

Andrew: restored phone to factory settings

Chris: Alright. I'm waiting on a response from the tier II data support representative right now.

Andrew: you guys getting any other data issue calls?

Chris: Yes, but this clearly isn't a data issue. It's more of a device issue.

Chris: Where are you holding the iPhone?

Andrew: LOL.. Are you joking?

Andrew: I have tried to hold it different ways

Andrew: same result
Andrew: i have a bumper on it as well

Chris: Just make sure you're not holding it at the problem area which is at the lower left corner.

Chris: Let me know if it's still not working while holding it in a position where your hand doesn't cover the lower left corner.

Andrew: yah doesn't matter where I hold it

Andrew: i know when i hold it at the bottom i see signal drop

Andrew: i have full bars when I try

Chris: Ok.

Chris: It sounds like the problem is with the device, other people aren't having issues in the same area, so our only option is to have you contact Apple.

Andrew: sigh. I have an appt tonight to have the phone looked at

Chris: You've tried everything we would've had you try already.

Chris: I apologize for the inconvenience.
Chris: Do you have Apple's contact information?

Andrew: Yes I have a genius appt tonight

Andrew: i am worried even if they exchange i will have same issue with the new hardware

Andrew: guess its my only option

Andrew: thanks chris for your help

Chris: No problem. Do you have any other questionstoday?
 
The guy seems very helpful to me. Why would you phone at&t if you had an appointment to see a genius?
 
and the point of this was..... ????

Sounds like the CSR followed the script. Just like any CSR who want to keep his or her job is going to do.
 
Hey, OP....can you please followup on here or PM me after your appt with the Genius Bar tonight? I'm having the EXACT same issue, and I have an appt tomorrow (which i'm debating canceling). I'm just curious what they will tell you and how they will resolve this (and if they give you a new phone that doesn't have this issue). Thanks! :)
 
IDK in the past I have been bounced around from apple to ATT so wanted to cover my bases. I thought it was funny that they were eluding to leaving it flat on the table to get it to work.
 
Love how people keep saying "It's a hardware issue" or "it's AT&T's issue". Guess what, lots of customers are having the issue, and since AT&T and Apple are in a (currently) exclusive relationship, it's an issue for both. I have heard through many threads that it may be firmware, microsim, the way the iphone communicates with the towers, and that ATT may be still updating towers to work with the way the iphone works.

Who knows, but they both have to work together to figure it out. And the only way they will is if we keep calling/scheduling appts.
 
i love how people talk to CSRs like they actually know anything.. they literally sit in front of a computer and type what you say into a database and it tells them how to respond..
 
I had a similar experience with my phone 4 today.

I was at a very major intersection where a highway intersects a major street. There are several cell towers very close, though I don't to whom they belong.

I was trying to mess with my phone while my kids got haircuts. I had 5 full bars the entire time (3G). I couldn't place a call. I couldn't use data. I tried to fetch my e-mail first, and that failed. I tried a speed test and that completed with some terrible 0.04 Mb/s down / 0.02 up or something like that.

The phone got extremely hot. I finally powered it down, then powered it back up. Perhaps I should have done a network reset but I figured the power down would do the trick. Unfortunately the phone got hot again as soon as it powered back up.

After leaving the place I tried a call from the car and everything was fine. The signal bounced between 4 and 5 and things worked perfectly. The phone also cooled down.

I'm not 100% sure what happened. Possibly I had apps cycling and heating the CPU while they experienced data failures? At any rate, it's pretty strange behavior since at home I can force the bars to nothing with the nifty trick but data is fine and I never drop a call (from my basement even).
 
brentsg said:
I had a similar experience with my phone 4 today.

I was at a very major intersection where a highway intersects a major street. There are several cell towers very close, though I don't to whom they belong.

I was trying to mess with my phone while my kids got haircuts. I had 5 full bars the entire time (3G). I couldn't place a call. I couldn't use data. I tried to fetch my e-mail first, and that failed. I tried a speed test and that completed with some terrible 0.04 Mb/s down / 0.02 up or something like that.

The phone got extremely hot. I finally powered it down, then powered it back up. Perhaps I should have done a network reset but I figured the power down would do the trick. Unfortunately the phone got hot again as soon as it powered back up.

After leaving the place I tried a call from the car and everything was fine. The signal bounced between 4 and 5 and things worked perfectly. The phone also cooled down.

I'm not 100% sure what happened. Possibly I had apps cycling and heating the CPU while they experienced data failures? At any rate, it's pretty strange behavior since at home I can force the bars to nothing with the nifty trick but data is fine and I never drop a call (from my basement even).
Click to expand...

I had this same issue today. I've never felt the phone this hot. With a metal phone, it was kind of interesting.
 
insidmal said:
i love how people talk to CSRs like they actually know anything.. they literally sit in front of a computer and type what you say into a database and it tells them how to respond..
Click to expand...

That's how it works. The database has the current information and the CSR knows (reads) it. This is how a company gets information to you.
 
I had the same type phone call in to AT&T, but they got an AppleCare tech on the line who went further.

Two things we tried that I had not heard before were:

1. toggling 3G on and off for 20 seconds, ending with it on

2. toggling airplane mode on and off for 20 seconds, ending with it off

After each try the tech called me on my cell phone.

After the 3G toggle trick, my call quality seemed to improve a good bit even though bars were low

After the airplane mode toggle trick, I didn't notice a difference.

Give it a try.

Oh yeah, also reset network settings after the 3G toggle trick.
 
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