Is Apple’s 3G Network Poisoning the iPhone 3G Experience?

Photo Courtesy Flickr User shareatt1

Photo Courtesy Flickr User shareatt1

Most everyone I know who has an iPhone is happy with it. Whether they own a 3G or original iPhone, iPhone users are generally in love with their device. I’m wondering however, if AT&T’s 3G network is doing okay under the new heavy load. According to CNet News.com, AT&T’s 3G network has been having major issues with dropped calls and data network drop-outs.

According to the news.com article, one iPhone user said:

“The phone was a disappointment from the standpoint that it couldn’t maintain a consistent connection with the 3G network…All the other features were fantastic,” said Shaw, a sales professional living in a Cleveland suburb. But those other features weren’t enough to prevent him from returning to Verizon and the BlackBerry after deciding the hassle just wasn’t worth it.”

*Ouch*. What a harsh statement for AT&T’s network. It’s clear the 3G network is causing its users to have trouble staying connected and making calls, even while in an area with a seemingly strong 3G footprint.

How has your iPhone 3G experience been? Is the network performing to your standards?

4 comments on “Is Apple’s 3G Network Poisoning the iPhone 3G Experience?
  1. When I was spending some quality time recently at the Genius Bar, trying to get my 2G iPhone fixed, there was a constant flow of people coming to complain about the 3G performance. What the geniuses were saying most of the time was, keep 3G turned off unless in a strong 3G reception area and wanting to use the internet.

  2. After using my new iPhone 3G on car trip on the US east coast on I-95 in cities with 3G coverage from Washington, DC to Miami, FL, and I-40 (the entire width of NC), I can testify about to the lousy coverage by AT&T.

    Over 50% of my voice calls drop. Frustrating. AT&T is not delivering even minimal quality and availability of service.

    Bad news for Apple and AT&T if this does not get fixed… quick!

    I gave up a reliable Verizon cell phone for this lousy service!

  3. I’d dispute this. I’ve used AT&T’s 3G and EDGE networks extensively – I had a 3G WinMo phone, then EDGE iPhone, now 3G iPhone, and I haven’t had any more or less network reliability problems recently than I had before.

    Sure, the network is probably being strained in places – that can happen when you add a couple million new data-hungry 3G devices to a not-very-old 3G network. I don’t doubt that people are having problems in some places.

    But “poisoning” the experience? Sorry, but I think that’s FUD. Where are the facts to back it up? Anything more than anecdotes?

    What is it they say about the squeaky wheel? That for every one person who complains or has a bad experience, there are X number of people who don’t have problems, but also don’t speak up to say “hey, things are going just like I expect over here!”? 🙂

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