An internal source at AT&T discussed the problems fixed by the 2.0.2 update, explaining, in no uncomplicated terms, that the update controlled the UMTS power control in the phone. Each iPhone requires a small amount of power from the transmitter and that power is requested by the phone itself. If too many phones ask for too much power at once, the transmitter starts shutting down, resulting in dropped calls. The iPhone 3G was asking for too much power and, in 2.0.2, has been fixed to stop requesting that power so often.
The result is a net effect: if everyone upgraded, we’d all be OK. But since folks are slow to update, the problem persists. The only way to fix this once and for all would be to push an over the air update to the phones, something I’m not sure Apple can or will do.
LOL Cats are awesome.
Screw the cat.
Why doesn’t AT&T just fix the transmitter so it doesn’t lock people out for using infinitesimal amounts of “too much power”.
Thanks for the reminder. As soon as I get home, my Iphone completely drops the cellular signal. Personally I think it’s odd, as the cell signal drops as soon as my home wifi signal picks up on my Iphone.
I’m going to give the update a whirl. It did fix my wife’s bluetooth issues, which was good.
The last Iphone had no problems for me
This one, though, has yet to live up to the hype – aside from the app store, which rocks.
This is the only reason I have yet to upgrade my iPhone to the iPhone 3G…. if AT&T/Apple could figure out who and what is to blame for the 3G sucky service, then I’d happily upgrade… in fact, my wife wants an iPhone, but I refuse to upgrade her RAZR until something gets fixed on the 3G.
That was interesting topic. Can I hack into the API to dedicate a transmitter only for my request ? That would be great.
Umm… does this say “gaping security hole” to anyone else? So if a guy were to hack the iPhone to request a whole megaload of power, they could take out a cell tower, at least temporarily?
The cell tower should just cut-off the erratic phone.
Apple iPhone Problems will never Stop!
What a cute picture.
So far, I am loving my iPHONE.
Fairly large ignorance of how radios work here. Sure you could hack the phone and get lots o power but umm IT’S A RADIO FOOL they know who you are and where you are! And if someone could get their own private tower then they’d be tied to the service area of the tower. Just hope your private tower isn’t serving a busy freeway intersection or your going to spend you’re day getting on and off the freeway…
I’m beginning to questions wireless 3G’s reliability and the wireless providers. I bought an HTC TyTN about a year ago and had EXACTLY the same reception problems – I’d be on a call and blam! beep beep beep – the phone dropped out of 3G and dropped my call.
Similar thing now with my iPhone 3G – though not as bad. This leads me to believe that the wireless providers are at fault.
Rogers would be better off re-investing his profits in more towers than trying to bring the Bills to TO.
Yes I like the cat pic too. : )
Since upgrading, my 3G service has been far worse. The nice thing is I have full 3G reception where I didnt before. The bad part is I often cant make calls or use the internet. When its not dropping calls it just wont connect at.
I switched off ATT back in the day when they started pushing GSM. It took them 5 years to get it right. I expect the same for 3G.
People use their iPhone as a phone? I have only ever seen them playing with apps, playing games and showing other people how cool it is (a lot).
I think that is a cop out. The core problem is with the 3G chip, nothing a firmware can fix. I’m on my 2nd iPhone 3G and reception and dropped calls are still a major issue. Battery longevity is whole other topic.
All in all though I’d rather deal with these issues than go back to an inferior WM handset. It’s all about the UI.
IIRC, Danger (well, Microsoft now) have a bunch of patents on over-the-air updates so I’m not sure Apple would be able to implement that without licensing them. For what it’s worth, it took a lot of testing and trials before we got OTA updates working well at Danger.
It’s interesting that AT&T passed the 3G iPhone through their acceptance testing while it was making destructive network requests. I guess they’ll add that check to their tests for next time
I mitigated this issue by not having an iPhone.
So you’re telling me the phone can tell the tower what to do? That sounds like a terrible terrible security flaw. Can I create some rouge software request all the power and DoS towers completely? Why aren’t the towers simply ignoring the requests for more power passed a certain threshold?
Isn’t this the *exact* argument that Apple gave for denying apps on the iPhone in the first place? That you might release something that would take out the cell network.
So ironic, it burns.
I wonder if Sprint is having these issues with the revolutionary “Instinct”…
Nope. Working flawlessly since I bought it in June. I’ll never understand the iPhone owners.
BTW, I posted this from my Instinct.
Don’t bet on an OTA update unless Apple decides to release “updates” in packages smaller than 200MB. They’re replacing the entire firmware for even the smallest updates, so even over the “blazing fast 3G network” ::eyeroll:: OTA isn’t going to happen with the current update scheme.
UGH. I regret switching over and want to go get a Blackberry on Verizon. The reception problems and keyboard make all the pretty pieces not worth it.
In defense of Apple (ironically) I’ve had very similar problems with my 3G service when using my WM6 BlackJack. Full bars and 3G and a page won’t resolve. Also, the 3G drops phone call drops issue. Some weeks it’ll happen every day. Some weeks never. But certainly not reliable. I’ve been burned a few times when really needing the service. Btw, I’m not a “fanboy” of any company. I use what works for me, and would not be shy in using Apple products. My Nano works great. It was given to me. If someone gave me a IPhone I’d use it. ‘Tis solid hardware.
I totally dumbed down the explanation as I understood it but the assumption is that you can’t create a destructo-beam with your iPhone and take up all the bandwidth. While my understanding of the engineering isn’t so great I did consult for GSM telecoms back in the day so I KIND of understand this and it makes sense.
The 2.0.2 update to my 3G iPhone still doesn’t work for me at home. I get 3-4 bars of 2.5G service and zero to maybe one bar of 3G service. But turn on 3G, try making a call, and the call fails. Will not even ring, just “beep beep beep”, then “Call Failed”.
Apparently there’s enough signal to make the phone think it can use 3G, and enough to prevent it from automatically downgrading to 2.5G, but not enough signal available to actually make a call. Even totally failing to connect isn’t enough to convince it otherwise. The only solution is manually turn off 3G.
Maybe Apple should just add an option: “Automatically switch to 2.5G network when 3G signal falls below (X) bars” – where X is user specified…
Oh anyway does this mean that other phones (non-iPhones) on AT&T’s 3G network that happen to be connected to the same transmitter as one with many iPhones connected would also be affected (since “If too many phones ask for too much power at once, the transmitter starts shutting down”)? Or does it only shut off the offending device?
Iphone sucks, I bought a 1.gen Iphone some months back and the phone is nearly useless as poor/unstable reception makes it impossible to receive phone calls amd sms. I have upgraded with the latest firmware when available without success. It falls out of reception when the phone goes in “standby mode” or if it is placed on a table with back down or in a pocket/purse. Useless!!!!!
A few points:
– Power measurements are a key component of UMTS/CDMA. Both radios (phone & tower) optimize the amount of power by continually testing and tweaking. I don’t quite understand the nature of the problem they supposedly fixed, but it is surprising that acceptance testing didn’t uncover it.
– The firmware for the baseband is completely separate from the rest of the phone. No app writer is going to be able to alter it. It’s typically signed and the flash sequence is carefully laid out so that uploading rogue f/w is really, really difficult.
– Operators prioritize 3G in the search order for networks b/c A) this technology is more efficient at allocating resources (can support more calls per tower & per MHz of spectrum) and B) this is what they’re moving to (eventually GSM/EDGE will go away). So you may have strong GSM signal, but the phone may prefer to lock onto a relatively weaker 3G signal.
– Most 3G operators
I like super iphone, and iphone used my now is very snug.