IPhone 3G - Need Help.

[Charlyee]

"Yesterday in the early afternoon my contractor's iPhone 3G had an interesting problem. It showed full bars & his phone would ring but he couldn't hear the caller or the caller him. He has had problems before with dropped calls specially when traveling in and out of 3G & had his phone replaced. He still gets dropped calls but not as much as before. He does have the latest firmware.

Yesterday was very frustrating for him, can someone shed some light on it?


Palm850/v0100 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11)

[viewfly]

Originally Posted by Charlyee Yesterday in the early afternoon my contractor's iPhone 3G had an interesting problem. It showed full bars & his phone would ring but he couldn't hear the caller or the caller him. He has had problems before with dropped calls specially when traveling in and out of 3G & had his phone replaced. He still gets dropped calls but not as much as before. He does have the latest firmware. Yesterday was very frustrating for him, can someone shed some light on it? Palm850/v0100 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11)

You need to get yourself a better phone Charlyee. You double posted with that darn Treo of yours. I've never managed that before. But you will probably correct it before anyone knows.

Can't shed any light there, but it likely a confused network problem.

In Kuwait this week. The iPhone is working fine, roaming around.

[Charlyee]

Originally Posted by viewfly You need to get yourself a better phone Charlyee. You double posted with that darn Treo of yours. I've never managed that before. But you will probably correct it before anyone knows. Can't shed any light there, but it likely a confused network problem. In Kuwait this week. The iPhone is working fine, roaming around.

What double post viewfly? Are you seeing things?

That is actually an *operator error*, I can make any of my devices including my laptop, do that.

I don't think we can blame the network this time. All our AT&T phones were working fine during that time, and for sure none of my 3G phones have dropped a call switching between 2G & 2G. I wish I could help him, he likes everything about it except the actual phone part.

Palm850/v0100 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11)

[viewfly]

Originally Posted by Charlyee What double post viewfly? Are you seeing things? That is actually an *operator error*, I can make any of my devices including my laptop, do that. I don't think we can blame the network this time. All our AT&T phones were working fine during that time, and for sure none of my 3G phones have dropped a call switching between 2G & 2G. I wish I could help him, he likes everything about it except the actual phone part. Palm850/v0100 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11)

Sure you can blame the network. Each call is an individual experience. Ever pick up the phone to dial your friend and there they were? Things happen, and because it didn't happen to the person next to you, doesn't relate the other person's problem all the time.

You describe two problems. i thought the problem was full bars and the phone rings and no one can hear each other? I've had that once on my iPhone in the past year; also had it happen with my Nokia 6131. Dial again and no problem. Now, if this particular problem is happening consistently, it certainly would deserve a call to ATT and also to Apple, although I don't hear his problem commonly reported among iPhone users.

Sorry I can't help, but I have next to no experience with that problem. I also don't live in an area where I switch routinely between 3 and 2G

[Charlyee]

viewfly, sorry for the confusion, there are two problems:

1. The full bars, phone ringing but not useable was temporary for about 2 hours and was the first time.

2. The call dropping happens everyday & atleast twice a day. His previous one did it 6+ times a day & Apple replaced it.

The second is more serious since it happens consistantly. He lives in a solid 3G area but his work takes to many 2G areas.

Thanks


Palm850/v0100 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11)

[viewfly]

Originally Posted by Charlyee viewfly, sorry for the confusion, there are two problems: 1. The full bars, phone ringing but not useable was temporary for about 2 hours and was the first time. 2. The call dropping happens everyday & atleast twice a day. His previous one did it 6+ times a day & Apple replaced it. The second is more serious since it happens consistantly. He lives in a solid 3G area but his work takes to many 2G areas. Thanks Palm850/v0100 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11)

I see. Well if it was me (after calling ATT, etc), I would just switch to 2G for a few days and see how that goes. If it fixes the problem(s), I'd report that back to ATT/apple. That goes a long way to helping them figure things out. If he must have 3G data, he can switch for that, and then back, but 2 or 3 days in 2G shouldn't kill him, and give a good diagnostic for him and the techs.
Besides, tell him that in 2G (as with all phones) he double his talk time. That should be good bait.

Good luck, sorry that he is having problems.

[Charlyee]

Originally Posted by viewfly I see. Well if it was me (after calling ATT, etc), I would just switch to 2G for a few days and see how that goes. If it fixes the problem(s), I'd report that back to ATT/apple. That goes a long way to helping them figure things out. If he must have 3G data, he can switch for that, and then back, but 2 or 3 days in 2G shouldn't kill him, and give a good diagnostic for him and the techs. Besides, tell him that in 2G (as with all phones) he double his talk time. That should be good bait. Good luck, sorry that he is having problems.

Thanks much viewfly, unfortunately he did all of that & the result was his first replacement. He is a techie himself & uses Macs, which is probably one of the main reasons he got the iPhone.

It is dropping calls less than his first one but it is stil happening nonetheless.

Ofcourse he needs 3G for data, how else is going to quicly find the nearest bar in a strange town. . He also uses it for quickly looking up part numbers from job locations. Infact he has been toying with the idea of getting a second line for his Moto Vxx & leaving the iPhone for data usage only.

Palm850/v0100 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11)

[viewfly]

Originally Posted by Charlyee Thanks much viewfly, unfortunately he did all of that & the result was his first replacement. He is a techie himself & uses Macs, which is probably one of the main reasons he got the iPhone. It is dropping calls less than his first one but it is stil happening nonetheless. Ofcourse he needs 3G for data, how else is going to quicly find the nearest bar in a strange town. . He also uses it for quickly looking up part numbers from job locations. Infact he has been toying with the idea of getting a second line for his Moto Vxx & leaving the iPhone for data usage only. Palm850/v0100 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11)

Hi Charlyee,

So If I read between the lines:

1. on 2G only, he has no dropped calls
2. on 3G he has multiple dropped calls
3. and those dropped call are only or mainly when his phone is switching between 2G and 3G, or 3G to 2G or both?
3. he doesn't have problems with Data interrupts while switching between the two, or he does?

And another phone (treo,etc) is switching okay and no dropped calls?
What signal levels on his phone does 3G in his area have?

[Charlyee]

Originally Posted by viewfly Hi Charlyee, So If I read between the lines: 1. on 2G only, he has no dropped calls 2. on 3G he has multiple dropped calls 3. and those dropped call are only or mainly when his phone is switching between 2G and 3G, or 3G to 2G or both? 43. he doesn't have problems with Data interrupts while switching between the two, or he does? And another phone (treo,etc) is switching okay and no dropped calls? What signal levels on his phone does 3G in his area have?

viewfly I spun this out from Scrumhalf's thread since I had hijacked it. I had to edit some of your posts to align with it, hope you don't mind.

As to your questions:
1. True
2. True
3. Mostly when switching but not always
4. I don't know but since he has never mentioned this as an issue so I am presuming that either it didn't happen or the sutuation has not come up.

Yes other 3G phones including my Treo switch fine between 3G and 2G areas. Ofcourse they may not all be exactly at the exact same spot. This is is a very strong AT&T area with solid coverage 2G or 3G, so calls very rarely get dropped.

Thanks for all your help.