Even though the iPhone 3G sports access to the much faster 3G network (over the older EDGE network), many users are still unable to experience the faster data transfer. One obvious problem is that 3G is not available in all areas. So even with your brand new 3G phone, you may still be stuck with EDGE. 
Another problem is that users seem to only be able to connect to the 3G network for a few minutes a time before being dropped off and switched over to the EDGE Network. Poor reception is also a commonly reported problem.
And it seems like AT&T is merely pointing fingers at Apple, claiming it must be the phones that are causing this dodgy reception. It is still unclear what exactly is to blame but an AT&T spokesperson is steadfast in reassuring users that the 3G network is “performing great.”
[via Gadget Lab at Wired.com]
who is it really?
both?
No problems like that reported here in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale/Boca Raton area. 3G and iPhone works perfectly.
Really bad reception in Houston Texas, I have had more dropped calls in 14 days with at&t than in 3 years with t mobile
Great reception in PA. No dropped calls yet!
not bad here in los angeles (silverlake). i live in the hills and even though 3g works, at times i switch to edge for better reception.
so the 3G coverage map says i have excellent 3G coverage in my home neighborhood, but i still only get 1-2 bars of crappy EDGE, just like on my 1st gen iPhone.(the edge map says my neighborhood has moderate to good EDGE) I spoke with an AT&T rep and her only advice was to restart the phone to see if it could connect to 3G. No dice. Out driving around, within the areas the map says have 3G still yield low 3G to mid EDGE.
BTW, i live in the East San Francisco Bay Area.
not happy so far :(
It’s AT&T, not the iPhone. I had an AT&T Laptop card for like 3 days before I returned it cause it was slow, didn’t have 3G in most areas.
We have been running tests with over 240 iPhones in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area. 75% of the issue is AT&T’s flawed (slow nation-wide) 3G implementation; they should sell out to the Japanese and let the Japanese put up a real 3G network.
25% at fault is the FCC in not allowing cellular companies to use the same broad spectrums, and wattages, that the rest of the world utilize for true 3G. 3G in the US is a pale copy of the real thing.
I have the same problem with 3G I have only 2 barsor enev 1 bar, and when I am on the phone my calls drooped all the time
I have this problem with my Blackjack that is with AT&T.
@drawde – The Japanese would FAIL at trying to implement such an infrastructure over such a vast amount of land.
145,840 square miles – JAPAN
3,537,441 square miles – USA
Based on this very long thread on the Apple site (http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1602608&tstart=0), the problem appears to be with the phones, not AT&T. People all over the world are reporting issues using different networks, and people on the AT&T 3G network are putting the iPhone side-by-side with other 3G devises and seeing much weaker signals on the iPhone.
i thought it was just me i had 46 dropped calls since july 11 and my 3g only works for a milli second and im in downtown chicago
maybe some of us are just lucky and got good phones. i live in seattle and in this area i haven’t had problems with 3g at all, even on long bus rides. usually 5 bars. zero dropped calls.
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