iPhone loses 3G signal and never comes back

It does happen sometimes, yes. One workaround is to toggle Settings > Airplane Mode ON then back OFF.

I am having the same problem. 3G does not come back on after signal loss in the metro. I have been switching the airplane mode on and off after this happens and then 3G works again. However this is irritating! It has happed only since my last update (November?). Any permanent solution would be appreciated.

I´m having the same problem with my iphone 3G fw2.2. After going to a ´no service´ area and getting back to a service area my voice signal comes back but the ´3g´ signal and sign on the upper bar don´t come back, of course my internet doesn´t work. I´ve tryed turning airplane mode on then off but still no 3G. The only solution is rebooting which is a pretty lame solution. This didn´t happen with my old 2g iphone so it´s probably a problem in the device and not the network. Has anyone found a better solution for this problem? Is this problem ´big´ enough for my carrier to trade my iphone 3g for a new one?

I´m at Brazil, Campinas SP, I use TIM ( Brazil), and I never have 3G automaticly only Edge, if I know that I ´m in a 3G area, I must use the airplaine mode off/on or reboot the device to have 3G functioning.... but the others carrier VIVO/CLaro the users dont have this problem ,3G icons is everytinme ok...maybe the frequency used by TIM ( 2100MHZ) cam be the cause of this problem??? or the firmware 2.2 of the iphone...
I cannot use my 3G automaticle... that is crazy..

Olavo

I called my carrier TIM (brasil) yesterday and told them about my problem. My 3G signal doesn´t come back and I can only get it back by rebooting the device (airplane mode doesn´t work for me). They told this happens because of a ´partial 3G coverage´ in my area. It sounded kinda like BS to me. I then tryed turning 3G off. When only EDGE is on, I don´t lose internet connection when I get back from a ´no service´ area. The E icon reappears and I´m good to go. It seems strange I know. I´ll upgrade to 2.2.1 later (currently on 2.2) and see if it helps.

Yes I notice it also. Even with firmware 2.2 on a iphone 3G.

When I go from what I think is a 3G signal to a 2G signal area and back again, the phone stays locked on the 2G cell rather than re-finding the 3G cell. So it knows to roam from 3G to EDGE but possibly not back again. A restart of the phone or a aircraft mode toggle and back will get it to lock back to 3G.

Here in AU we have Telstra WCDMA 850, a shared Telstra/Hutchinson WCDMA 2100, a Telstra GSM/EDGE 900 and Telstra GSM/EDGE 1800 network. I think the phone should be able to freely roam back and forth between the different network cells without user intervention, which appears to be needed if you leave a 2G/EDGE cell and want to return to a 3G/WCDMA cell in the same location.

Now if there was a service mode like Nokia's monitor mode - we would be able to provide the extra detail from the screen of the phone of what happens.

The same thing is happening to me. Only now, my phone will just randomly lose both 3g and edge signals, and only keep the phone signal. I lose Internet connection I. The middle of a great 3g coverage location. The only way to get it back is to turn airplane mode on and off. This is incredibly frustrating. Please help.

Using iphone 3g with 2.2 software update

Well it is confirmed by various tries here. On occasions the iphone 3G with 2.2.1 software will switch from "Telstra mobile" ie 3G 850MHz, to "3TELSTRA" ie 3G 2100MHz but will NOT ever try reverting back to the 3G 850MHz band without toggling "aircraft" mode or restarting the phone. It's quite annoying.

It's NOT the same as switching from 3G to EDGE or GSM 2G or something else.

Here we have two 3G networks, 1 on 850MHz (the better coverage one) and 1 on 2100MHz and the iphone seems to occasionally get stuck on 2100 and not switch back to 850. Quite an annoyance sometimes because 2100MHz coverage at home is a bit weaker than the equivalent 850 (full strength).

Hope Apple can sort this behaviour out or provide some tips. I know I've got stuff all chance of Telstra sorting it out!

I can manually select Telstra mobile I guess - and with the latest merger of Hutch and Voda who knows whether the 3G 2100 network will stay with Telstra but on Auto mode it should still work surely?

I never lose the 3G icon but my internet gets cut off sometimes. Rebooting the phone fixes it. (Haven't thought of trying the airplane trick yet) What does Airplane Mode actually do? Is this a firmware issue, or is this a physical device issue. I really don't want to have to replace my iPhone regardless of warranty. I just got all my apps configured the way I want them, and a lot of them don't get their settings backed up by iTunes.

I have witnessed the same issue here. My iPhone will find 3G service fine when first powering on. When I go into the subway or otherwise lose 3G coverage it will go to EDGE and never come back to 3G. Only a full reboot really addresses the issue as I've experienced prolonged "No Service" when simply enabling/disabling 3G via the toggle. I'm running 2.2.1.

My wife had her phone replaced due to a bad Wifi chip (lost its MAC address). She has 2.2 and doesn't appear to have the problem. Both phones sitting right next to each other behave very differently. Her phone comes back to 3G service pretty reliably.

I've had this problem ever since I got my phone, starting with the original OS the 3G came with, all through every update. For me the airport switch doesn't work either, only a reboot does the trick. It's a very annoying bug, and I wish they would fix it already. Does Apple monitor this forum? Because this bug really shouldn't been addressed in the first batch of bug fixes.

Same problem here! Even with OS 3.0 THIS ******* ME OFF!!!
Could someone give a solution????

Message was edited by: JaderIvan

I experienced the same problem, and then I tried to reset all the settings. (Setting > General > Reset > Reset All Settings)

It works for me. Have a try.

I solved this problem doing what follows: on 3G, go to SETTINGS/CARRIER wait until the carriers show up. Then select YOUR carrier, unless AUTOMATIC. This will maintain your cell phone on your carrier and maintain the 3G signal wherever it is available. I hope this help. Thanks.

I solved this problem doing what follows: on 3G, go to SETTINGS/CARRIER wait until the carriers show up. Then select YOUR carrier, unless AUTOMATIC. This will maintain your cell phone on your carrier and maintain the 3G signal wherever it is available. I hope this help. Thanks.