Iphone 4S - reception

jas72

jas72

jas72

Soldato
Joined
31 Jul 2006
Posts
10,276
Location
Belgium land of chocolate
Well one week into my new phone and I'm quite disappointed with the reception.

The reception bars on the phone seem to dance around from 2 bars to 3 bars mostly.

My wife phoned me yesterday from home and we got cut off twice with call failed message.

I will point out I don't really use my mobile often but my old Nokia 7200 never had any reception problems at work.

I thought they fixed the antenna problems with the 4S or is there something else I should / should not be doing to make the reception better.

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/9166/iphone030.png

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/5371/iphone031.png

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/8329/img0033c.png



These three photos are taken from the same position I haven't moved from my seat.
 
Last edited:
If you really think it has a problem then you have to take it to an Apple Store.

But from my experience of my iP4 i've always had signal where others haven't so *shrug*.

Variability isn't an issue tho. The weather, local interference, etc can all make it go up and down. The display method, etc will also differ from phone to phone.
 
Been reading up and some people have had a fix by getting a new sim card. My operator just cut my card to make it fit but apparently the micro sims are new versions which work better. Going to hop out and get a proper micro sim see if that helps.
 
Your old phone might well have showed more bars if it wasn't a 3G phone. 3G signal doesn't propagate as far as 2G, especially inside buildings.
 
Not talking about the data reception but the actual transmitter reception for making calls.

It's very strange that it jumps from 3 bars to 1 bar while sitting still is this normal? If so why?

What can cause the signal to become poorer when the phone isn't moving.

it's either

a) the phone that's bad

b) the service provider has a shoddy transmitter.

However I've been with the same provider for 5 years now and my old nokia phone never had any problems so the answer must be A.

I've even tried switching off celluar data but it doesn't make any difference to the reception. :(
 
jas72 said:
Been reading up and some people have had a fix by getting a new sim card. My operator just cut my card to make it fit but apparently the micro sims are new versions which work better. Going to hop out and get a proper micro sim see if that helps.
Click to expand...

either the simm card works or it does not... the aireal on the phone gives reception and probably some chip on the phone help isolate the signal from noise...

saying a different sim will help is like saying a bandage on your head will help your broken leg...

its a way to fob you off for a bit with the hopes you decide to jsut live with it...

(obviously a different network sim may help since it may connect to a different mast at different frequency)
 
jas72 said:
What can cause the signal to become poorer when the phone isn't moving.

it's either

a) the phone that's bad

b) the service provider has a shoddy transmitter.

. :(
Click to expand...

c) atmospheric conditions
d) electrical noise / interferance
e) physical obstcutions moving / comming into place
f) possibly snapping from one mast to another for some reason (im assuming this may happen)
 
edscdk said:
c) atmospheric conditions
d) electrical noise / interferance
e) physical obstcutions moving / comming into place
f) possibly snapping from one mast to another for some reason (im assuming this may happen)
Click to expand...

f) is possible, especially with the 4S and it's dual transmitter design.

It isn't inconceivable that they both would be connected to a different transmitter.
 
jas72 said:
Not talking about the data reception but the actual transmitter reception for making calls.
Click to expand...

If the phone shows '3G' then it's connected to a 3G transmitter for both calls and data. Turning off cellular data won't change that. If your old phone wasn't 3G and you want to compare the signal levels directly, you need to switch off 3G.
 
I think I'll ask apple to have a look at it.

Just had lunch with an iphone 3GS user and he is on the same network as me

He was showing 4 bars and mine was showing no service

However when I tried to phone someone it "snapped" back to 3 bars.

On hanging up it went slowly from 3 bars to 1 bar while sitting on the table and then back to no service.... :confused:
 
jas72 said:
He was showing 4 bars and mine was showing no service

However when I tried to phone someone it "snapped" back to 3 bars.

On hanging up it went slowly from 3 bars to 1 bar while sitting on the table and then back to no service.... :confused:
Click to expand...

Yeah, that definitely sounds dodgy - take it in.
 
Mattus said:
If the phone shows '3G' then it's connected to a 3G transmitter for both calls and data. Turning off cellular data won't change that. If your old phone wasn't 3G and you want to compare the signal levels directly, you need to switch off 3G.
Click to expand...

Ahh this might explain it... so I must be with a service provider that has poor 3G coverage?

Yes you are right just switched it off and now I'm getting 4 bars.....

Thanks Mattus :D


So what should I do then only switch on 3G when i want to use the net and then switch it off again?
 
TBH I'd still be tempted to take it to the Apple store based on the behaviour you described above. Even if the 3G coverage isn't that good, it still sounds a bit strange for the signal to vary so much when you're not even holding it, especially if another iPhone on the same network didn't do it.
 
I was disappointed with the signal strength on the iPhone 4S I can drop 1 to 2 bars of strength holding it normally and cause it to lose signal altogether if bars are only at 2. Putting it in a case solves the issue but clearly even with the new antenna design having your aerial on the outside where holding it will affect signal wasn't a good idea.
Apart from that and push email not working properly love the phone though.
 
Me too I love it.

I tbh I can live with poor 3G reception at work since I have a PC anyway.

Reception outside the building is 3-4 bars on 3G and at home when not on wifi I'm getting a great reception. Must just be my building. If I switch 3G off I get a solid 4 bars (not dropping out)

I've been reading since and Belgium doesn't seem to have a great 3G coverage at the best of times.

Thanks for the replies guys.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom