I'm stuck in signal strength testing mode -- is this bad?

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Level 1

5 points

I'm stuck in signal strength testing mode -- is this bad?

Hey, a couple of days ago I punched in the number for testing the signal strength ( 3001#12345#) and now I can't seem to get out of testing mode. That is, I always have the dB number in the upper LH corner rather than bars.

I've tried passing my finger down over the dB number, which used to get me back to bars but this is no longer working. The dB numbers abide when I power down or even do the full hold-down-power-and-home-buttons-until-the-apple-disappears trick.

I'm actually OK with this (bars seem to be pretty much meaningless anyway) unless it's draining the battery or causing some other unanticipated consequence.

So... is it OK to leave the phone in dB test mode? If not, how can one get out of test mode when the obvious ways don't work?

Posted on Sep 17, 2008 6:58 PM

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Answer 1

Sep 17, 2008 8:00 PM in response to Venable

If you go to Settings >> General >> Settings >> Reset All Settings it should restore you to normal at the expense of ridding all your settings.

It's strange that tapping the db doesn't return you to bars. I haven't experienced that and my phone has been on field test for over two weeks.

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Answer 2

modular747

Level 6

19,674 points

Sep 17, 2008 9:12 PM in response to Dong Shen

It really isn't clear whether retaining the bars/dBM meter after pressing the home button for 5 seconds while in field test mode means that the phone is still in field test mode or just has a new meter option. When in actual field test mode, the phone can't do anything besides getting the test readings. However, there are no docs I can find that discuss it. There still could be adverse effects on battery drain or other iPhone functions.

Oh, Its actually Settings >> General >> Reset >> Reset All Settings

Message was edited by: modular747

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Answer 3

Sep 18, 2008 9:54 AM in response to modular747

I tried the field test o'meter the day I installed 2.1, and I've had the field test bars enabled ever since. Not one problem making calls or receving them, texts, or any internet/push services during that time. If you want to make the numbers go away, you have to slide your finger up towards the top edge of the iPhone; sliding your finger down does nothing.

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