Roaming with IPhone 4 in Canada

Vikingstad

Member
Jun 26, 2010
5
0
0
Visit site
Just a quick observation. Picked up an iPhone 4 yesterday. In Toronto for weekend, so roaming on Bell network. I tried to see if I still have the antenna issue. Haven't lost a bar the yet.

Note. I didn't see much of the issue in MI and usually have strong signal while Canada.

An AT&T issue?
 

Jellotime91

Well-known member
Jan 4, 2009
2,430
71
0
Visit site
The stronger the signal is, the less likely you are to have a signal drop.

Also, enjoying Bell's much faster HSPA network (in comparison to ATT)? Welcome to the unicorn world of the Canadian iPhone experience. haha
 

OTACORB

Well-known member
Jun 21, 2010
659
2
0
Visit site
An AT&T issue?

No, and iPhone 4 is issue! Though some have also reported similar behavior with the 3G or 3GS with iOS4. You stated you always have a rock solid signal. This is why you've not seen the issue. If you were to get further away from the tower, you could easily replicate it. Those in strong signal areas aren't seeing it, but just because you can't replicate it doesn't mean it isn't happening.

I personally think there are two issues going on one specific to the iPhone with the Aluminum Antenna Band and the other that Apple has admitted too is the signal indicator misrepresenting the actual signal strength. Again just my opinion! I wish an update to the software could fix the iPhone 4 issue, but I don't think so.
 
Last edited:

Jellotime91

Well-known member
Jan 4, 2009
2,430
71
0
Visit site
No, and iPhone 4 is issue! Though some have also reported similar behavior with the 3G or 3GS with iOS4. You stated you always have a rock solid signal. This is why you've not seen the issue. If you were to get further away from the tower, you could easily replicate it. Those in strong signal areas aren't seeing it, but just because you can't replicate it doesn't mean it isn't happening.

I personally think there are two issues going on one specific to the iPhone with the Aluminum Antenna Band and the other that Apple has admitted too is the signal indicator misrepresenting the actual signal strength. Again just my opinion! I wish an update to the software could fix the iPhone 4 issue, but I don't think so.

Judging by the fact that this issue has only arisen with the iPhone 3G and 3GS with iOS 4, if firmware can introduce this bug, why could firmware not fix it?
 

OTACORB

Well-known member
Jun 21, 2010
659
2
0
Visit site
Judging by the fact that this issue has only arisen with the iPhone 3G and 3GS with iOS 4, if firmware can introduce this bug, why could firmware not fix it?

I think that is likely the case on the 3G and 3GS. But we've been able to clearly show there is a hardware issue with the iPhone 4. Granted these two issues may intersect along with way. It is possible that changes they make with the firmware may improve iPhone 4 situation with those in fringe areas that are reporting no signal when their 3G or 3GS's show one even while using the bumper. So it is my belief that there are two issues in relation to the iPhone 4.

How can touching an aluminum antenna band cause a signal to go from full bars to no service by touching it and that be software?
 

Jellotime91

Well-known member
Jan 4, 2009
2,430
71
0
Visit site
I think that is likely the case on the 3G and 3GS. But we've been able to clearly show there is a hardware issue with the iPhone 4. Granted these two issues may intersect along with way. It is possible that changes they make with the firmware may improve iPhone 4 situation with those in fringe areas that are reporting no signal when their 3G or 3GS's show one even while using the bumper. So it is my belief that there are two issues in relation to the iPhone 4.

How can touching an aluminum antenna band cause a signal to go from full bars to no service by touching it and that be software?

The firmware is tied very closely to the phone's hardware, that's why it's firmware, not software.

It's difficult to say exactly how it can effect physical interaction, but all I'm saying is I can easily reproduce this issue on OS4 and I never had this happen on 3.1.3 on my 3GS. It's the same physical interaction.

And another reason I am fairly certain this is a bug is that in the advertisement the phone is being held this way... If Apple knew this was an issue, they wouldn't have made the ad like that. If they did, they deserve to be sued for false advertisement. So I think this is unexpected and firmware related.
 

OTACORB

Well-known member
Jun 21, 2010
659
2
0
Visit site
The firmware is tied very closely to the phone's hardware, that's why it's firmware, not software.

It's difficult to say exactly how it can effect physical interaction, but all I'm saying is I can easily reproduce this issue on OS4 and I never had this happen on 3.1.3 on my 3GS. It's the same physical interaction.

And another reason I am fairly certain this is a bug is that in the advertisement the phone is being held this way... If Apple knew this was an issue, they wouldn't have made the ad like that. If they did, they deserve to be sued for false advertisement. So I think this is unexpected and firmware related.

Well no offense to you, but there have been at least 2 RF engineers that have looked into this and they strongly disagree with you.

I understand your thinking on this as I initially had drawn the same conclusion. However, after the last two day of testing over 12 different iPhone 4's from different batches, along with some 3G and 3GS's I have to say again we are dealing with 2 issues here. But that is mere speculation because ONLY Apple knows their design and what they are doing in terms of RF and antenna etc.

No one would be more delighted if Apple could put out a firmware update that suddenly and miraculously fixed this issue. I think on the iPhone 4 they can make the issue better, but can they fix it?

Also Apple has never put out cases or bumpers for these phones. Suddenly this year they put out a bumper? Is that coincidental or because they knew? I'll let you and others decide that.

I would love nothing more than them to release iOS4.01 next week and this problem vanish on the iPhone 4, but I think they can only make it a little better and the rest will have to done by using bumpers or a case.

By the way I in no way feel this is detrimental or unsolvable. I just think there are going to be a lot of folks that are going to feel like saying use a case or bumpers as a means of resolving this isn't going to be acceptable. I always use a case and so for me it truly isn't an issue. But we like tinkering so we've taken this up for a challenge. We are done now and will just enjoy our phones.

Also I am not an RF engineer and to be honest I don't know much about it. I've been going by what others are saying. Hell for all I know you could be absolutely correct and Apple will release and update that totally fixes the issue. I hope it is so!
 
Last edited: