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iPhone reception question/problem
- Thread starter aristobrat
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In regards to switching towers and dropped calls. AFAICT GSM doesn't support soft handoff, which (supposedly) reduces the chance of dropping a call when your cell phone switches towers.
I am not sure if hard handoffs are the main cause (other than fringe signal and tower hopping), but it iwas something interesting I learned.
I am not sure if hard handoffs are the main cause (other than fringe signal and tower hopping), but it iwas something interesting I learned.
Why is AT&T so cheap with thier technology? I never had any sort of problems like this when I was on T-mobile. I never had dropped calls, text messages always sent correctly. Switching to ATT was a step backward functionality-wise. But hey! My new phone is shinier. Thats a plus, I guess...
Why is AT&T so cheap with thier technology? I never had any sort of problems like this when I was on T-mobile. I never had dropped calls, text messages always sent correctly. Switching to ATT was a step backward functionality-wise. But hey! My new phone is shinier. Thats a plus, I guess...
This is even a step back for me, who had Cingular before. I dont know whats going on but service with Cingular was much better then ATT.
i had a similar result... this is with 2 iphones, recently purchased. out of 30 calls over 2 days, over 25% of the calls went to voicemail. several times it was in areas with full bars, and were within a mile of 3 ATT towers. i also had many dropped calls, where the signal cut out in the middle of the conversation. And a good number of the calls that did go through were breaking up, really poor call quality. So, out of all the calls made over the 3 days, on 2 different copies, less than half were ok.
I wonder how common this is? my friends all love their iphones, but when i've asked them, they've been admitting that the phone part 'isn't great'. i really need a dependable mobile, so the phones had to go back. it was hard to return them, cuz they're great devices in every other way!
I posted that video on Youtube. That was two phones ago for me - I have since exchanged twice and experienced the same problem. I also got a new SIM from AT&T. I'm now convinced it is an iPhone problem, as my Blackjack never had these problems in the same location.
I also left feedback for Apple after every software update telling them the problem is still there. It doesn't seem like it will ever be fixed, as I expect it would have been already.
I CAN'T believe this wasn't caught and fixed during design and beta testing.
Working with AT&T on my iPhone reception troubles
I've had the phone for months and get no reception in my home/office where I need it 90% of the time. I was previously a Cingular customer and had no issues. I'm in the strongest possible coverage according to maps and ATT. This is the third phone and 2nd SIM card. I'm finally at Level 2 tech support and have probably spent at least 10 hours and counting, trying to get a resolution.
They think the problem is that I'm equidistant from 3 close towers. Crazy - my iPhone doesn't work because I'm in a great location. I think the iPhone was not tested for a large enough range of network variables.
ATT customer support has been great. They've given me $ credit because they see I barely make a call on the iPhone unless I'm staying elsewhere. If they can't come up with some fix I definitely want out of the contract with no cancellation fee. Apple support for iPhone problems is not only non-existent, its insulting. The last genius I talked to said: sorry - the iPhone is not guaranteed to work indoors. I feel kinda bad for them because they have no power to escalate or offer any help beyond comments like: do you have trees?
I'd like to keep the iPhone cause I love it, but don't really have time to get into the issues of unlocking, etc. I'm supposed to have another resolution callback within a few days. I think ATT is doing something because for 6 hours yesterday I had 3 bars - first time since I got the iPhone last fall. I had to re-connect my Verizon landline and long distance service and nobody will call me on my iPhone cause the reception sucks so bad...so I don't know how much better it was..but I had bars. They're gone now.
I haven't given up, but regret not returning the iPhone right away. I've always had such great support for all my Apple products that I just assumed there would be a firmware upgrade to resolve this problem. When I feel like just giving up and sucking it up - I think of $60+ contract for 24 months and that keeps me on it. This forum had the best info and I'll post my results.
I've had the phone for months and get no reception in my home/office where I need it 90% of the time. I was previously a Cingular customer and had no issues. I'm in the strongest possible coverage according to maps and ATT. This is the third phone and 2nd SIM card. I'm finally at Level 2 tech support and have probably spent at least 10 hours and counting, trying to get a resolution.
They think the problem is that I'm equidistant from 3 close towers. Crazy - my iPhone doesn't work because I'm in a great location. I think the iPhone was not tested for a large enough range of network variables.
ATT customer support has been great. They've given me $ credit because they see I barely make a call on the iPhone unless I'm staying elsewhere. If they can't come up with some fix I definitely want out of the contract with no cancellation fee. Apple support for iPhone problems is not only non-existent, its insulting. The last genius I talked to said: sorry - the iPhone is not guaranteed to work indoors. I feel kinda bad for them because they have no power to escalate or offer any help beyond comments like: do you have trees?
I'd like to keep the iPhone cause I love it, but don't really have time to get into the issues of unlocking, etc. I'm supposed to have another resolution callback within a few days. I think ATT is doing something because for 6 hours yesterday I had 3 bars - first time since I got the iPhone last fall. I had to re-connect my Verizon landline and long distance service and nobody will call me on my iPhone cause the reception sucks so bad...so I don't know how much better it was..but I had bars. They're gone now.
I haven't given up, but regret not returning the iPhone right away. I've always had such great support for all my Apple products that I just assumed there would be a firmware upgrade to resolve this problem. When I feel like just giving up and sucking it up - I think of $60+ contract for 24 months and that keeps me on it. This forum had the best info and I'll post my results.
NO WaY
my brother had cingular and got no bars as soon as they combined with att hes been getting 5 bars every where. when i got the iphone i got 5 to 4 bars everywhere i go except underground (basements, subways etc.) but do u live in an apartment building its could be that theres too much interference
my brother had cingular and got no bars as soon as they combined with att hes been getting 5 bars every where. when i got the iphone i got 5 to 4 bars everywhere i go except underground (basements, subways etc.) but do u live in an apartment building its could be that theres too much interference
I think Level II AT&T support is working on my problem
No, I live in an ordinary house on an ordinary street. ATT is working on it I believe. Today I had hours of 3-4 bars, intermittent "No Edge" - but now its back to no bars. Its encouraging that its possible to get service.
No, I live in an ordinary house on an ordinary street. ATT is working on it I believe. Today I had hours of 3-4 bars, intermittent "No Edge" - but now its back to no bars. Its encouraging that its possible to get service.
AT&T resolution to my iPhone reception problem
It was not the answer that I hoped for - that they could improve my reception. They were honest - my neighborhood just happens to be in an overlap/dead zone and the iPhone can't handle it. They also said they are working on fixing the reception problem in my neighborhood but gave no time frame for improvement. They gave me credit against my balance. It was good that the Level 2 support manager called me on my iPhone and of course neither of us could get through, so she had to call me back on my land line. She told me to contact the retention dept. about options I have re: my contract.
I called retention and they offered to give me a Nokia phone that supposedly best handles my kind of reception problem, and then I can just switch the SIM card in and out so that I have cell phone service in my home/office which is where I need it 90% of the time. A PITA, but a generous offer. I requested they overnight it and I should get it today. I've been given credit on my bill since I had no phone service for months. Overall, I think they've been extremely fair and they've been really wonderful and responsive to me. My iPhone is 4+ months old and I probably can't return it anyway, and don't really want to because I love it.
Hopefully the Nokia works here, I'll know soon. But my biggest hope is that AT&T does something soon to fix my neighborhood reception trouble. If you find yourself in my position, get a case going with AT&T and just keep asking and following up.
It was not the answer that I hoped for - that they could improve my reception. They were honest - my neighborhood just happens to be in an overlap/dead zone and the iPhone can't handle it. They also said they are working on fixing the reception problem in my neighborhood but gave no time frame for improvement. They gave me credit against my balance. It was good that the Level 2 support manager called me on my iPhone and of course neither of us could get through, so she had to call me back on my land line. She told me to contact the retention dept. about options I have re: my contract.
I called retention and they offered to give me a Nokia phone that supposedly best handles my kind of reception problem, and then I can just switch the SIM card in and out so that I have cell phone service in my home/office which is where I need it 90% of the time. A PITA, but a generous offer. I requested they overnight it and I should get it today. I've been given credit on my bill since I had no phone service for months. Overall, I think they've been extremely fair and they've been really wonderful and responsive to me. My iPhone is 4+ months old and I probably can't return it anyway, and don't really want to because I love it.
Hopefully the Nokia works here, I'll know soon. But my biggest hope is that AT&T does something soon to fix my neighborhood reception trouble. If you find yourself in my position, get a case going with AT&T and just keep asking and following up.
Same Ole Problem
Might as well beat a dead horse:
I live right outside Washington DC and can literally stand at the end of my street and see the Washington Monument but some reason this "rural" area must be hard to provide coverage...
I have had the normal problem where I am in a fixed location all day with the iPhone in the dock not moving and it will oscilate from no service back to 4 bars or so. The lovely thing is it will sometimes drop to no service but only when I go to actually make a call and that always tends to be when it is something important like a conference call.
Drive 5-10 blocks away and powercycle the phone and it will sometimes wakeup. It does not matter if I am in my front yard or my office... same results. BTW within 50 miles of me is pretty much full service on the AT&T map.
My ordeal with apple + ATT = 12 calls!
Call:
1-3 was having them restart the phone, updates, returninging it.
4-6 more restarting of the phone, resetting network settings, replaced it second time, borrowed a Razr for a week and it had no problems in my house with the same SIMM as my iPhone.
7-10 supposedly pairing me with a stronger tower in my neighborhood? replacing the SIMM card, more restarting of the phone.
11+ said they updated the phone more and more resetting of the properties and replaced it a third time.
Moral of the story.. Apple wants your money and AT&T will gladly take the boost the iPhone gave to their customer numbers while investing nothing in their infrastructure which includes their gaps. Their tech support wants to bounce you to apple where they will bounce you back after restarting the phone or asking you to return it. Then you get someone back at apple who is confused where this falls into their script and the whole time you wish a heart attack would come your way and end it at all early... maybe not the end part but it needed some dramatic effect.
Working on data and voice networks for a living; I know algorithms are used to determine which cell is best choice for your location and for me it seems their selection is bouncing between two towers: one with no service and one that is fine. If I explain this, the other side of the phone goes dead and I wonder who the hell I am talking to if I am not talking to an "iPhone Specialist"? Pedro from the cleaning crew?
Hope this gets addressed or Steve Jobs comes down with Alzheimer's and is convinced to be a spokesman for Microsoft.
Might as well beat a dead horse:
I live right outside Washington DC and can literally stand at the end of my street and see the Washington Monument but some reason this "rural" area must be hard to provide coverage...
I have had the normal problem where I am in a fixed location all day with the iPhone in the dock not moving and it will oscilate from no service back to 4 bars or so. The lovely thing is it will sometimes drop to no service but only when I go to actually make a call and that always tends to be when it is something important like a conference call.
Drive 5-10 blocks away and powercycle the phone and it will sometimes wakeup. It does not matter if I am in my front yard or my office... same results. BTW within 50 miles of me is pretty much full service on the AT&T map.
My ordeal with apple + ATT = 12 calls!
Call:
1-3 was having them restart the phone, updates, returninging it.
4-6 more restarting of the phone, resetting network settings, replaced it second time, borrowed a Razr for a week and it had no problems in my house with the same SIMM as my iPhone.
7-10 supposedly pairing me with a stronger tower in my neighborhood? replacing the SIMM card, more restarting of the phone.
11+ said they updated the phone more and more resetting of the properties and replaced it a third time.
Moral of the story.. Apple wants your money and AT&T will gladly take the boost the iPhone gave to their customer numbers while investing nothing in their infrastructure which includes their gaps. Their tech support wants to bounce you to apple where they will bounce you back after restarting the phone or asking you to return it. Then you get someone back at apple who is confused where this falls into their script and the whole time you wish a heart attack would come your way and end it at all early... maybe not the end part but it needed some dramatic effect.
Working on data and voice networks for a living; I know algorithms are used to determine which cell is best choice for your location and for me it seems their selection is bouncing between two towers: one with no service and one that is fine. If I explain this, the other side of the phone goes dead and I wonder who the hell I am talking to if I am not talking to an "iPhone Specialist"? Pedro from the cleaning crew?
Hope this gets addressed or Steve Jobs comes down with Alzheimer's and is convinced to be a spokesman for Microsoft.
Me, Too!
Just recently purchased two 16gb iPhones, one for my wife and one for myself. We've been a customer of ATT/Cingular/ATT now for 14 years. NEVER had reception problems with any of our phones.
Now, my phone rarely gets more than one bar, while my wife's will be at four. I've called ATT, Applecare, etc. ATT replaced the SIM, Apple replaced the phone, but still only one bar.
I use my phone for business, so this is really hurting me. I have to go outside and walk down the street to get anything near a reasonable signal. Which is a problem if it's raining, noisy, etc. VERY frustrating.
Been looking at cell boosters for the house. Anybody tried one? Does it work? and if so, which one did you get?
Thanks!
MH
Just recently purchased two 16gb iPhones, one for my wife and one for myself. We've been a customer of ATT/Cingular/ATT now for 14 years. NEVER had reception problems with any of our phones.
Now, my phone rarely gets more than one bar, while my wife's will be at four. I've called ATT, Applecare, etc. ATT replaced the SIM, Apple replaced the phone, but still only one bar.
I use my phone for business, so this is really hurting me. I have to go outside and walk down the street to get anything near a reasonable signal. Which is a problem if it's raining, noisy, etc. VERY frustrating.
Been looking at cell boosters for the house. Anybody tried one? Does it work? and if so, which one did you get?
Thanks!
MH
I'm having the exact same problem. It goes from full signal to no service to one bar in minutes. I contacted ATT they said I am in the best signal area they have. I went to Apple and without question they gave me a new phone (the gal at apple said she had the same problem as well). Now I'm on my 3rd iPhone and yet again having the exact same problem, except this is even worse now. I can't get a good signal for anything now. Now I'm also getting a 'cant connect to edge network" pop up now. Guess its back to Apple again, but they need a fix for this ASAP. I've had my phone side by side with another iphone, it had full signal, I had none. Extremely frustrated.
Worst phone as far as reception goes that I've ever had. I was already a Cingular/AT&T customer before getting the iphone and got great reception. I hardly get two bars and the voice quality is garbled. Calls are constantly dropped. I've restored the phone, replaced the sim card and called Applecare who acts like I have a hole in my head for suggesting the iphone gets poor reception. I hate to waste $600 but I need a phone that works and this one is getting replaced by a non Apple phone.
From Edge to 3G: anyone resolve their home "no iPhone signal" problem?
To recap - I've had the iPhone for 9 months. I get good signal everywhere - except where I live, and I work from home. I'm in dark orange coverage but AT&T tells me I'm in a dead spot because I'm in between towers. It was pretty much "too bad - you're just unlucky" although they pretended to do a lot for me. A tech who came out said I'd probably have a great signal with 3G.
So, once I resolved 6 hours of being bricked with 2.0, and since I've been paying AT&T for 9 months but can't use the iPhone where I am most of the time - I ran right over to the ATT store to ask about the 3G.
The people in the ATT store gave me the following options: 1) get someone with a 3G iPhone to come to your house so you can test it, 2) buy a 3G, sign a contract, go home (5 min from store), test the signal and if you have none you can come right back and return it and pay a re-stocking fee.
I asked if they could make an exception to the re-stocking fee since I was one of the "unlucky" ones and I could come back immediately! Nope. They acted like I was crazy to even ask.
So I know others on this board are also the "unlucky" like me. Anyone get a 3G iPhone and resolve their home "no iPhone signal" problem?
Let me state again: I live in an ordinary house on an ordinary street with ordinary trees. Dark orange on the Edge Map. According to AT&T - close to towers and probably getting overlap. I tried 3 iPhones, 2 sim cards and lost count of hours to ATT tech support. I have 6,000 rollover minutes - 1/2 bar at most and no incoming or outgoing calls with my iPhone unless I run down the street.
To recap - I've had the iPhone for 9 months. I get good signal everywhere - except where I live, and I work from home. I'm in dark orange coverage but AT&T tells me I'm in a dead spot because I'm in between towers. It was pretty much "too bad - you're just unlucky" although they pretended to do a lot for me. A tech who came out said I'd probably have a great signal with 3G.
So, once I resolved 6 hours of being bricked with 2.0, and since I've been paying AT&T for 9 months but can't use the iPhone where I am most of the time - I ran right over to the ATT store to ask about the 3G.
The people in the ATT store gave me the following options: 1) get someone with a 3G iPhone to come to your house so you can test it, 2) buy a 3G, sign a contract, go home (5 min from store), test the signal and if you have none you can come right back and return it and pay a re-stocking fee.
I asked if they could make an exception to the re-stocking fee since I was one of the "unlucky" ones and I could come back immediately! Nope. They acted like I was crazy to even ask.
So I know others on this board are also the "unlucky" like me. Anyone get a 3G iPhone and resolve their home "no iPhone signal" problem?
Let me state again: I live in an ordinary house on an ordinary street with ordinary trees. Dark orange on the Edge Map. According to AT&T - close to towers and probably getting overlap. I tried 3 iPhones, 2 sim cards and lost count of hours to ATT tech support. I have 6,000 rollover minutes - 1/2 bar at most and no incoming or outgoing calls with my iPhone unless I run down the street.
iphone reception
I hope the new 3G phone has a better reception than the first version, I've had to revert back to my old tried and tested NOKIA this past 6 months because my iphone had now reception at work, The old Nokia has a steady 2 bars. I live in Northern Ireland so 3G should be good, however I'm wondering should I upgrade and be disappointed again.
I hope the new 3G phone has a better reception than the first version, I've had to revert back to my old tried and tested NOKIA this past 6 months because my iphone had now reception at work, The old Nokia has a steady 2 bars. I live in Northern Ireland so 3G should be good, however I'm wondering should I upgrade and be disappointed again.
The 3G definitely has better reception all round. My 1st gen often dropped O2 signal in my house, while the new one is constantly fine (0-1 bars, but it never drops, which is a big improvement).
Wi-Fi reception is also much better in certain parts of my house and garden - again, before I had 0-1 bars, and now, in exactly the same place, I consistently have 1-2 bars. Good job Apple.
My son got the 3G iPhone and when I tried it in my home/office - same as Edge - 1 bar max. Some have said that bars don't necessarily matter but that's not been my experience. I'm pretty bummed out - was hoping the 3G iPhone would be the resolution I've been waiting for.
Telia (Sweden) reception comparison: iPhone 3G V's HTC S710
I'm a bit worried about my iPhone 3G's reception too.
In front of me here, I have both the iPhone 3G and the HTC S710 together on the desk. Both are on the same Telia network.
The iPhone shows 1 bar or No Service. The HTC shows 3 or 4 bars (of 5).
Occasionally the iPhone will show 3 bars for a while, then go back to No Service.
I'm a bit worried about my iPhone 3G's reception too.
In front of me here, I have both the iPhone 3G and the HTC S710 together on the desk. Both are on the same Telia network.
The iPhone shows 1 bar or No Service. The HTC shows 3 or 4 bars (of 5).
Occasionally the iPhone will show 3 bars for a while, then go back to No Service.
Lousy reception on 2G iPhone!
I have had my iPhone since February and I have 1-5 bars without moving an inch at home or away. The AT&T coverage map shows my house as having the next to the best coverage yet I have dropped calls and "no service" quite often. At work I have an AT&T cell about 100 feet above me in the hospital I work at and I have the least bars of everyone with an AT&T phone. IPHONE sucks. Sorry I'm a Mac guy but it's a phone first and it fails miserably as a phone. 2G fails too. Yeah I know, 2G is supposed to be slow but Geez not this slow. I understand that I am not alone and that the 3G isn't any better. They are selling a flawed product. I expect Mac stuff to work. Steve, you let us down.
I have had my iPhone since February and I have 1-5 bars without moving an inch at home or away. The AT&T coverage map shows my house as having the next to the best coverage yet I have dropped calls and "no service" quite often. At work I have an AT&T cell about 100 feet above me in the hospital I work at and I have the least bars of everyone with an AT&T phone. IPHONE sucks. Sorry I'm a Mac guy but it's a phone first and it fails miserably as a phone. 2G fails too. Yeah I know, 2G is supposed to be slow but Geez not this slow. I understand that I am not alone and that the 3G isn't any better. They are selling a flawed product. I expect Mac stuff to work. Steve, you let us down.
Now on 11th month of paying ATT service for a 2G iPhone that is not a usable phone for my home/office. I'm supposedly in a great coverage area, but actually in a dead spot.
I hoped the 3G would work here. The AT&T store 5 minutes away would not allow me to bring a 3g iPhone to my house to try it. I would have to buy it, run home, and if it did not work run back and pay a re-stocking fee...which possibly, ATT would refund me. Knowing what that would take in terms of time and trouble I hate them even more.
So I waited till my son got his 3G. He brought it over - no different from my 2G. Like mine, walk around the corner and get 5 bars. I must have 10,000 minutes accrued because I rarely need a phone when I'm not where I live/work.
So business is slow and I can't afford to keep my Verizon landline any longer while my iPhone sits on my desk unused. I just read about this new booster and I'm thinking of trying it.
Cell Ranger PORT USB Cell Phone Signal Booster
http://www.amazon.com/Cell-Ranger-Phone-Signal-Booster/dp/B001ASV7RQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1221406504&sr=8-1
I've Googled for reviews - there's not a lot of them out there but some say its a good product for iPhone. Who knows if that's true? But they do guarantee 30-day refund so I may give it a shot. 2 months of a Verizon bill pays for it.
Anyone try this or anything like it?
I hoped the 3G would work here. The AT&T store 5 minutes away would not allow me to bring a 3g iPhone to my house to try it. I would have to buy it, run home, and if it did not work run back and pay a re-stocking fee...which possibly, ATT would refund me. Knowing what that would take in terms of time and trouble I hate them even more.
So I waited till my son got his 3G. He brought it over - no different from my 2G. Like mine, walk around the corner and get 5 bars. I must have 10,000 minutes accrued because I rarely need a phone when I'm not where I live/work.
So business is slow and I can't afford to keep my Verizon landline any longer while my iPhone sits on my desk unused. I just read about this new booster and I'm thinking of trying it.
Cell Ranger PORT USB Cell Phone Signal Booster
http://www.amazon.com/Cell-Ranger-Phone-Signal-Booster/dp/B001ASV7RQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1221406504&sr=8-1
I've Googled for reviews - there's not a lot of them out there but some say its a good product for iPhone. Who knows if that's true? But they do guarantee 30-day refund so I may give it a shot. 2 months of a Verizon bill pays for it.
Anyone try this or anything like it?
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