What's missing without 3G?

[rye9]

So I don't know why but I feel that my battery on my iPhone drains fairly quickly... so I've turned everything off.. Wi-Fi (unless I'm using it), Location Services (can't think of why it should be on), etc... my only question is in regards to 3G. What do I lose out on if I don't have that enabled? Basically, when I'm using my phone without internet purposes, should 3G be left on as a cellular network?

Also, let's say I get a voicemail while under EDGE, can I enable 3G and then I'll have the option for visual voicemail?

 

[fireshot91]

you have Visual Voicemail over the EDGE network also. You really only need 3G if your actually surfing the web, GPS will work fine without 3G enabled also.

 

[rye9]

Really? So I'll always have visual voicemail, considering I'm not in the middle of nowhere? I thought it was only 3G... well, that's good to know.

So then I should only have 3G enabled if I want to access the internet and don't have available Wi-Fi access?

And Location Services can be disabled 'safely' too, right?

 

[fireshot91]

yupp, my 1st gen EDGE iPhone has visual voicemail, so I'm guessing that your's should have it without the use of 3G enabled. And, yes Location Services can be disabled, if you don't have the 2.1 update, every time you go into a app that requires the use of Location Serivices, It will prompt you to turn it on for the use of that app. If you have 2.1, It will take you into settings for you to enable it.

 

[kobefan234]

why does 3G take battery when it is not being used ?

 

[dranakin]

Voice/call quality is much better on 3G than on EDGE.

 

[greggov]

I also like to keep 3G on (when I'm in a 3G area) for simultaneous voice/data. I believe over Edge, only one can be active at a time, so if you're browsing the web and actively loading a page, a call will be sent to voicemail. Over 3G, you can be on a call and get email, browse the web, etc...

at least thats my understanding, and how it seems to work for. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.