iPhone 4S unable to turn off 3G?!

Allan Sampson wrote:

Provide the reference that indicates this - with the chip being available in any other cell phone that includes the option to turn 3G access off.

I'll have to find my reference about the CDMA chip not including the option, which the CDMA iPhone 4 does not include.

@Allan,

My sources include the following:

• the UBS TechInsights teardown. They decapped the chip to see what was inside.
• the iFixit teardown, that revealed it's an MDM6610
• Brian Klug's insightful analysis (at Anandtech).
• the GSM and UMTS specs from 3PP
• personal experience developing GSM handsets

Industry intel indicates that to date, the Qualcomm MDM6610 has only been made available to Apple. Thus, I can't cite aren't any cellphones from other vendors that provide the option to turn 3G mode off using a 6610 design. The only proof point I know of currently is the iPhone 4S itself, per recent posting from TallBear who found a clever way to restore the Enable/Disable toggle on his/her iP4S.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3385464?answerId=16867109022#16867109022

You are quite right that the CDMA iPhone4 (Verizon model) did not have the option to disable 3G. There would be little benefit in doing so, due to the nature of the CDMA air interface and network deployments. The compelling reason for the option is on GSM/UMTS networks. The "2G" mode (GSM/EDGE) is quite different from "3G" mode (UMTS) -- different radio, potentially different frequencies depending on region, higher data rates, and the bugaboo of higher power consumption.

It's clear the the MDM6610 chip in the iP4S can operate in "2G" mode on a GSM/UMTS network. The phone can and will automatically fall back from 3G to EDGE if there is no 3G network available (or if the 3G signal level is really weak). I think the key question is if the chipset can be forced into "2G" mode via firmware control (i.e. at request of the user, by flipping an enable/disable toggle) even if a 3G network is present. If you find your reference that states that the 6610 chip is unable to do so, I'd be interested to see it.

Didn't work for me!

This did not work for me. I attempted it twice. Did it really work for you? Would you mind posting a picture?

Did you get your toggle switch back by restoring from a back-up with 3G turned off? Or some other way...because that didn't work for me.

Yes! Don't let us disatisfy to Apple products! You know what!? Samsung Galaxy is catching up iPhone! Don't let them make a laugh to iPhone4S

I'm more than a little hacked off by this problem. Wish I hadn't bought the 4s. I was going to buy the missus one too. but not now. Think I'll sell the 4s as it's no use to me without this feature.

Me either, I am planning to sell my new iP4S soon because I found the Mobile Signal transmitter MDM6610 may not able to turn 3G model off to use EDGE to save some battery power. Does anyone know more about the MDM6610 chipset capable to turn off 3G model physically.

Qualcomm Chipset information

The MDM6610 chipset from Qualcomm is an iteration of the MDM6600 and a member of their Gobi line of connectivity solutions. Much like the MDM6600 that was first used in the CDMA version of the Apple iPhone 4 that was released late in 2010, this chipset features multi-mode - supporting GSM/GPRS/EDGE, CDMA, HSDPA and HSPA+,as well as the 1x EV-DO standard. The MDM6610 really is a single chip, which was evident to see once we decapped the device. Doing so revealed the baseband and transceiver on separate dies.

here is the reference link http://www.ubmtechinsights.com/teardowns/apple-iphone-4s-teardown/?pi_campaign_i d=9895

This is my last hope to iP4S , studying to buy a 4G version as I just swapped from iP first gen.

Really frustrating, emailed Apple and asked them point blank if they're gonna bring this 3g toggle back.

No one can answer this question. The point for me is- as a user I'll want my purchase to be 'fit for purpose'

If they're gonna put this function back, I dun mind waiting, if not- I'll wanna get rid of this junk asap.

I've decided not to be a sucker and got myself a Samsumg S2. Not entirely perfect, but beat the crap outta this 4****.

I'll wait for IP5- this one will wait until the major bugs are resolved before paying

i perfectly agree... apple should let customer choose whatever connection they prefer.. in my area as well (and i'm writing from italy) 3G connection are not well covered (especially living outside big cities) therefore battery usage is increase because this iOS5 keeps changing for signal from 2G to 3G mode and viceversa....

here in mumbai, the 3g coverage is also very poor and iP4s stays on 1/2 signal bars for the most of my day... need the 3g toggle option ASAP APPLE!

@esma1981,

Apple doesn't follow these discussions. If you want to see the 3G toggle restored ASAP, you should post feedback directly at http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html

Ditto for all your friends, and all the iP4S users in Mumbai...

@toiu,

Not only does all the switching back-and-forth consume power, but when the iP4S is in a weak 3G signal area, it boosts its transmit power so that the uplink signal can be received by the distant cell tower. This can have a significant impact on battery life as the iPhone struggles to maintain a viable radio connection (since 3G transmission is more power-hungry than GSM/EDGE).

This is a serious issue that Apple has completely overlooked.

To have manual over-ride on whether to use 3G or 3G is very important for many people. OK, so the 3G signal is better (for me anyway) but it MUST be draining more battery than 2G. Also, when I`m at home and connected to my wifi there is NO NEED to be connected to 3G.

I agree the chipset is different (better in many ways) but surely there must be a software modification that can be made to allow a manual over-ride. or at least a simple logic function in the firware to say 'if connected to wifi, then disable 3G and operate 2G/EDGE`. It should even be possible to add the 3G on/off toggle as previous versions of the iphone.

I can not believe Apple have made this error. They have totally mis-researched the impact of this change on many of the population (especially those with poor 3G coverage).

Can anyone who reads this thread, please leave feedback on the feedback form (as per previous post). It doesn`t take 2 minutes and requires no additional registration.

APPLE MUST SORT THIS OUT

I very nearly returned my phone, but I`m hoping Apple will resolve this issue SOON. I love the iphone but this issue has made a very big and impact on my impression of this company.

I have submitted feedback twice, called Applecare and returned my phone because of this. It's all fine and dandy to have a smart phone that can do many things but when it comes down to it, it's a PHONE. A phone should be able to make phone calls without having lost coverage, static, garble and dropped calls.

My parents had the first of the 3G iPhones and were way overdue for new ones. My dad's screen was cracked. After educating them on my personal experience and my returning the 4s and having them read reviews and this forum for themselves, they decided to upgrade to the 4 which is what I went back to.

I hope everyone is voicing their opinion to Apple. It's the only way we'll see a change.

Ok so the iphone 4S has mixed chip: GSM and CDMA. Some here are saying that the reason for the missing 3G Switch is this one. Well now let me ask you some things, anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong:

1.) If the 4S's chip is not able to disable the 3G how come you can use the EDGE network where there is no 3G coverage at all, but it was so hard to enable the switch manually?

2.) It doesn't matter what 3G means on CDMA networks or standard GSM networks, if Apple decided to make a dual-phone like the 4S, they should have implemented into the iOS the capability of detecting what kind of network are you using and by that Hide or Show the 3G Toggle: I believe everyone agrees this with me.

It is not a reason for not having the 3G Toggle the fact that the 4S has both GSM and CDMA support. If the phone can work on EDGE where 3G signal is missing, it is perfectly able to switch the 3G off manually. Why is this not happening? We do not know for sure if this is indeed something inside the iOS or somthing only in the Carrier Settings file (.ipcc) that disables the 3G toggle when a 4S is synchronized.

It's simple, when the Apple server pushes the Carrier update to your phone, and your phone is a 4S, it pushes it without that toggle visible. I wish this could be it, and not another issue that we won't see it fixed pretty soon.

If this is a Carrier stuff, blame Apple for not telling and blame your operator for the same reason.

I have the same problem. Please fix this Apple! I have problems with 3G coverage.