iPhone decision: return or keep

Hi all,

I got my iPhone last Sunday. Let me say that I think this is a great phone
but for 2 things (for me at least). The worst one is this. I live in an
area where my Pearl gets 2 to 3 bars all the time and my wife's Razr gets
the same. The iPhone fluctuates from 2 to 3 bars to no service. When it is
at one bar it will not send or receive calls. I spent countless time with
ATT support and Apple support to try and find the cause but to no avail. Is
it that the iPhone just doesn't hold a signal as well as other phones?
Could this be addressed in future firmware updates? How do I find out?
Apple support really doesn't know. Neither does ATT.

The other minor issue is that you cannot send MMS texts. No biggy but a bit
disappointing.

Opinions welcome!

James Ellis wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I got my iPhone last Sunday. Let me say that I think this is a great phone
> but for 2 things (for me at least). The worst one is this. I live in an
> area where my Pearl gets 2 to 3 bars all the time and my wife's Razr gets
> the same. The iPhone fluctuates from 2 to 3 bars to no service. When it is
> at one bar it will not send or receive calls. I spent countless time with
> ATT support and Apple support to try and find the cause but to no avail. Is
> it that the iPhone just doesn't hold a signal as well as other phones?
> Could this be addressed in future firmware updates? How do I find out?
> Apple support really doesn't know. Neither does ATT.
>
> The other minor issue is that you cannot send MMS texts. No biggy but a bit
> disappointing.

I'd at least request a replacement phone and 15 days to evaluate the new
phone. RF related circuits are really nit-picky and quality control is
laughable across the entire industry. If the transmitter in your phone
is weak/mistuned the phone will show bars until it 'unregisters' from
the tower site, at which time it'll show signal until it successfully
re-registers.

Good luck!

On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:46:03 GMT, "James Ellis"
<racer8297@verizon.net> wrote:

>Hi all,
>
>I got my iPhone last Sunday. Let me say that I think this is a great phone
>but for 2 things (for me at least). The worst one is this. I live in an
>area where my Pearl gets 2 to 3 bars all the time and my wife's Razr gets
>the same. The iPhone fluctuates from 2 to 3 bars to no service. When it is
>at one bar it will not send or receive calls. I spent countless time with
>ATT support and Apple support to try and find the cause but to no avail. Is
>it that the iPhone just doesn't hold a signal as well as other phones?
>Could this be addressed in future firmware updates? How do I find out?
>Apple support really doesn't know. Neither does ATT.
>
>The other minor issue is that you cannot send MMS texts. No biggy but a bit
>disappointing.
>
>Opinions welcome!
>

You need to ask for a replacement phone, and if that wont get a
signal, then there is a design defect that warrants a full refund.

Thanks folks. I'll see if the ATT store will swap this phone out. If not,
I will return it.

Thanks again!

<karlkrandall@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:bt4s93tkha3t7p17027alsehggqklhrv17@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:46:03 GMT, "James Ellis"
> <racer8297@verizon.net> wrote:
>
>>Hi all,
>>
>>I got my iPhone last Sunday. Let me say that I think this is a great
>>phone
>>but for 2 things (for me at least). The worst one is this. I live in an
>>area where my Pearl gets 2 to 3 bars all the time and my wife's Razr gets
>>the same. The iPhone fluctuates from 2 to 3 bars to no service. When it
>>is
>>at one bar it will not send or receive calls. I spent countless time with
>>ATT support and Apple support to try and find the cause but to no avail.
>>Is
>>it that the iPhone just doesn't hold a signal as well as other phones?
>>Could this be addressed in future firmware updates? How do I find out?
>>Apple support really doesn't know. Neither does ATT.
>>
>>The other minor issue is that you cannot send MMS texts. No biggy but a
>>bit
>>disappointing.
>>
>>Opinions welcome!
>>
>
> You need to ask for a replacement phone, and if that wont get a
> signal, then there is a design defect that warrants a full refund.

"balsofsteele@gmail.com" <balsofsteele@gmail.com> wrote:

> I'd at least request a replacement phone and 15 days to evaluate the new
> phone. RF related circuits are really nit-picky and quality control is
> laughable across the entire industry. If the transmitter in your phone
> is weak/mistuned the phone will show bars until it 'unregisters' from
> the tower site, at which time it'll show signal until it successfully
> re-registers.

another phone isn't going to matter, apple's quality control for the
iphone is far beyond any other cell maker, so it's the location of this
user, not the phone. (that is unless you added an antenna) and haven't
seen a way to do this as of yet.

On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 06:59:45 -0500, "balsofsteele@gmail.com"
<balsofsteele@gmail.com> wrote in
<Vgnni.1520$D82.175@fe39.usenetserver.com>:

>I'd at least request a replacement phone and 15 days to evaluate the new
>phone. RF related circuits are really nit-picky and quality control is
>laughable across the entire industry. ...

I respectfully disagree -- cell phone quality is as good or better than
other consumer electronic devices, as evidenced by the low return rate.

--
Best regards, FAQ FOR CINGULAR WIRELESS:
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cingular_Wireless_FAQ>

On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 18:43:06 GMT, John Navas
<spamfilter1@navasgroup.com> wrote:

>I respectfully disagree -- cell phone quality is as good or better than
>other consumer electronic devices, as evidenced by the low return rate.

The return rate is artificially low because Store employees throw up
barrier to returns.

"They all do that"

or

"You just need a new SIM"

or

"New towers are coming soon"

On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 18:50:20 GMT, karlkrandall@sbcglobal.net wrote in
<35os939qr8t0d34vgae6fpqvonab6cpeop@4ax.com>:

>On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 18:43:06 GMT, John Navas
><spamfilter1@navasgroup.com> wrote:
>
>>I respectfully disagree -- cell phone quality is as good or better than
>>other consumer electronic devices, as evidenced by the low return rate.
>
>The return rate is artificially low because Store employees throw up
>barrier to returns.
>
>"They all do that"
>
>or
>
>"You just need a new SIM"
>
>or
>
>"New towers are coming soon"

No more so than for other consumer products.

--
Best regards, FAQ FOR CINGULAR WIRELESS:
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cingular_Wireless_FAQ>

We are not comparing the QC to "other consumer products". Each
industry/company stands alone on the QC issue. And on the customer service
issue also.

From what I gather it's a mixed bag. Some say exhange it and see what
happens. Others say that they are all the same. I feel that if 3 million
of anything are made, a certain percentage will be different than the vast
majority.

So, I will try to exchange it at the ATT store. If not, maybe a run to the
Apple store this weekend. Otherwise, this phone goes back to ATT before the
15 days run out and I'll wait for the next generation.

Oh well.

"John Navas" <spamfilter1@navasgroup.com> wrote in message
news:i2ps939ib5vbjmpo0dm7c95l1r6jkkbora@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 18:50:20 GMT, karlkrandall@sbcglobal.net wrote in
> <35os939qr8t0d34vgae6fpqvonab6cpeop@4ax.com>:
>
>>On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 18:43:06 GMT, John Navas
>><spamfilter1@navasgroup.com> wrote:
>>
>>>I respectfully disagree -- cell phone quality is as good or better than
>>>other consumer electronic devices, as evidenced by the low return rate.
>>
>>The return rate is artificially low because Store employees throw up
>>barrier to returns.
>>
>>"They all do that"
>>
>>or
>>
>>"You just need a new SIM"
>>
>>or
>>
>>"New towers are coming soon"
>
> No more so than for other consumer products.
>
> --
> Best regards, FAQ FOR CINGULAR WIRELESS:
> John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cingular_Wireless_FAQ>

i had the same problem with mine, its bars are lower than my razr

On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 19:05:17 GMT, John Navas
<spamfilter1@navasgroup.com> wrote:

>On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 18:50:20 GMT, karlkrandall@sbcglobal.net wrote in
><35os939qr8t0d34vgae6fpqvonab6cpeop@4ax.com>:
>
>>On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 18:43:06 GMT, John Navas
>><spamfilter1@navasgroup.com> wrote:
>>
>>>I respectfully disagree -- cell phone quality is as good or better than
>>>other consumer electronic devices, as evidenced by the low return rate.
>>
>>The return rate is artificially low because Store employees throw up
>>barrier to returns.
>>
>>"They all do that"
>>
>>or
>>
>>"You just need a new SIM"
>>
>>or
>>
>>"New towers are coming soon"
>
>No more so than for other consumer products.


NOT TRUE. CELL PHONES rank second only to used cars in percentage and
number of complaints to FTC and other Government organization
overseeing consumer rights.

On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 16:20:19 -0400, velveteenrevolver
<velveteenrevolver.2txq2c@no-mx.wirelessforums.org> wrote:

>
>i had the same problem with mine, its bars are lower than my razr
>
>

A few years back Cell phone manufacturers recalibrated all their
phones.

Cellular carriers found they got fewer complaints (which they liked)
even with poor reception if a user got say 4 bars instead of 2.

However the OP here is complaining about real reduced reception.

On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 22:53:44 GMT, karlkrandall@sbcglobal.net wrote in
<sd6t939p4fj4bh3muceto00j1002h434qd@4ax.com>:

>On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 19:05:17 GMT, John Navas
><spamfilter1@navasgroup.com> wrote:

>>No more so than for other consumer products.
>
>NOT TRUE. CELL PHONES rank second only to used cars in percentage and
>number of complaints to FTC and other Government organization
>overseeing consumer rights.

Proof?

--
Best regards, FAQ FOR CINGULAR WIRELESS:
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cingular_Wireless_FAQ>