Iphone/Ipad WIFI / GPRS/3G problems

[IO540]

I wonder if anybody has seen this in the UK.

We have an Iphone4 (brand new, after being replaced by Apple after GSM stopped working on incoming calls) and a brand new Ipad2/3G.

On both devices, and also the original Iphone4, we have persistently found

1) Poor transition between GPRS/3G and WIFI. It is not good in making up its mind which to use, so often there is no connectivity at all. I strongly suspect that Apple are up to their (admitted) trick of showing the GSM signal level higher than it actually is, and anything below 3 bars does not actually deliver GPRS/3G connectivity, but it does cause the phone to not use WIFI.

2) Lockup of WIFI if there are two access points in close range, one being WPA/PSK and the other WEP, both encrypted and both configured on the phone. Individually it can use them OK, but if both are on, the phone sees neither, and sees nothing even when the WEP one is turned off, until you turn it off and on again and having turned off the WEP one, and then it again works on the WPA one. The WEP is a Linksys WRT54GC and the WPA one is a Draytek 2900G.

3) Sometimes there is no GPRS/3G connectivity despite a "full" signal. I am talking about T-Mobile, middle of Brighton.

I can find clues to the above issues on google but never to any depth or a result. All the Apple forums and newsgroups have resident Apple church devotees who slag off anybody posting on this stuff, but it is real enough.

I have never seen such issues with any other device, and I have a whole pile of this junk - except a recently bought £50 Netgear WIFI to ethernet bridge which does not work with the Draytek WIFI at all.

Incidentally, the Ipad2 GPS is crap for airborne use. It picks up a signal OK if powered on while already at ~140kt (which not every GPS does) but it is also liable to just lose it, and the rubbishy dumbed-down/crippled Iphone version of Memory Map (why are IOS versions of these otherwise usable apps so crippled?) gives you no indication that this has happened - until it becomes obvious that you have not moved for a while :) An external (bluetooth) GPS is definitely called for... but most of the existing standard NMEA ones don't work with Apple devices.

[spannersatcx]

I am talking about T-Mobile, middle of Brighton.

There's your problem, ;)

[IO540]

Can you elaborate? T-M shows a full signal in all metropolitan areas of the UK, IME. And I am on T-M also, on a Nokia E51, with no problems.

Actually my GF's Iphone4 is on Virgin, but they run on the back of T-M.

[crewmeal]

I have the same problem with '3' I have a full signal plus 3G showing at the top of the iphone 4 and nothing happens. It usually drops to 'searching' then comes back to 1 bar and a small circle. Totally useless in the centre of Birmingham.

Wasn't there a report recently saying the standard phone with text only operates much better than smartphones?

[mixture]

Everyone knows that T-Mobile coverage in the UK is about the worst of all network operators. Even in right in the middle of Central London I know people on T-Mobile who are unable to get coverage.

Top of the coverage list is Vodafone, then 3 .... and then the recently merged Orange/T-Mobile behemoth (once they get their act together and finish integrating their networks, things may improve, but for now they're about as good as each other).

[OFSO]

We have an Iphone4

There's the problem right there. Should have gone to Mr. Android.

[IO540]

No; I am describing a situation where there is a strong signal indicated, where a Nokia phone works fine, but where an Iphone does not get GPRS/3G connectivity.

So T-M's geographical coverage is nothing to do with it. They are not as good as premium-priced-Voda, but they are much better than Orange (known as Zero Range :) ).

Wasn't there a report recently saying the standard phone with text only operates much better than smartphones?

Well, yes, a normal phone is a better phone than most smartphones. But that's a side issue. They should all actually function as described.

The Iphone is seemingly capable of acquiring a fault condition whereby it shows a strong signal yet incoming calls do not ring. That was the problem with the last one; the Apple shop replaced it after we demonstrated it right there in the shop.

[ex_matelot]

I think it's an Iphone's internal aerial problem. I have a 3GS, in my office I cannot receive 3G. My oppo however, who has an Iphone 4 can. My wife has an Iphone 4. In the same room she receives a different signal to mine, sometimes better, sometimes worse.

I also find that when I do have 3G it sometimes disconnects and takes nearly a minute searching for a network again.

I have read that switching to airplane mode for 30 seconds then reverting can solve certain connectivity problems. I have tried this and it does appear to work!


Edit: I'm with T-mobile.