After the initial frenzy and excitement following the release of the iPhone 3G has died down, there are now many customers emerging on Apple’s official message board complaining about 3G coverage — or lack thereof — on their new handset.
While some users have been complaining that the handset drops calls, others report patchy or non-existent 3G coverage and claim they have had to switch to EDGE to get functionality from their new iPhone.
Complaints about the next-gen iPhone’s functionality also range from extremely slow web browsing to the signal fluctuating continually between 3G and EDGE requiring the handset to be reset.
“In places, my first-gen iPhone performs perfectly, my wife’s 3G iPhone drops calls. What is frustrating is that her phone shows full bars,” reports one Apple forum visitor.
Another says: “I am on my third iPhone and still do not have a functional 3G phone.
“I have the desired SIM card, I have had AT&T reset my phone and verified its settings match my phone,” he complains.
The same iPhone customer claims that strange anomalies have occurred where users have reported having great 3G service which disappears after they travel aboard and vice versa where patchy 3G coverage is kickstarted after roaming on another country.
Apple has reportedly acknowledged and responded to these complaints according to MacRumours.com. A reader has claimed that Steve Jobs sent this email response: “We are working on some bugs which affect around 2pc of the iPhones shipped, and hope to have a software update soon.”
Further to the discussion on the official Apple forum, Jason O’Grady of ZDNet reports that a poll run on his blog last week resulted in 64pc of participants acknowledging “problems with their iPhone 3G data reception”.
However Apple has not as yet officially commented on these 3G connectivity issues.
By Marie Boran
