iPhone 4S unable to turn off 3G?!

Did you read the whole thread?

The option is available with the iPhone 3G, 3GS, and iPhone 4 GSM.

The option is not available with the CDMA iPhone 4.

Once again - the iPhone 4S is a "world" phone which includes a combination GSM/CDMA chip and the CDMA iPhone 4 does not include the option.

Knot plus knot equals double knot.

And disabling 3G is not the only way to make an iPhone 4S activated with a GSM carrier usable. If 3G network access is not available, the 4S will switch to EDGE or GPRS autoamatically.

Sorry, no I have not yet read the whole thread. There's an awful lot of information and misinformation to weed through. I'll get there eventually. 🙂

Obviously not or the option would be available with the 4S as is avaialble with the iPhone 3G, 3GS, and iPhone 4.

@Allan Sampson

I understand the "world" phone concept and that does make sense, but I would think that it's still technically possible to toggle on/off one or the other (CDMA/GSM).

I also understand the part about the 4S switching to edge or GPRS automatically if no signal is available. The problem is that in many cases the signal is great, but no bandwidth to do anything. There are some areas where I can have full signal, but the phone cannot make or receive calls or transfer data. This is where turning off 3G was most useful.

Apparently it is not possible with the combination GSM/CDMA chip or it would be available. This wasn't removed by some whim when it is available with the 3GS and iPhone 4 GSM running iOS 5.

I have not experienced the same as you are describing - not once.

Well, that's not much of an answer. Just because a feature or control isn't there doesn't make it not technically possible. 🙂

We experience that kind of thing often enough in Colorado (4 iPhones in our family - 4 generations), and I've experienced it in other places too, such as Atlanta and San Francisco. Reading through this thread it appears that we aren't the only ones, and that those who have never experienced it somehow dismiss the notion.

Once again, the option is not avaiable with the CDMA iPhone 4.

The iPhone 4S has a combination GSM/CDMA chip.

If it were technically possible with the combination chip, the option would be available with the 4S as is avaiable with the 3GS and iPhone 4 GSM running iOS 5.

Ummmm, so the iPhone 4 is a CDMA phone???? I think I am getting a little bit confused about all of this now..... :-S

There are two versions of the iPhone 4 - GSM and CDMA.

The iPhone 4S includes a combination GSM/CDMA chip.

There are not two versions for the iPhone 4S.

Someone who activates an iPhone 4S with Verizon or Sprint can request the GSM portion be unlocked so the iPhone can be used with a GSM carrier's SIM card when traveling outside of the country.

The CDMA 2000 technology used in North America by Verizon and Sprint is licensed by Qualcomm who owns the patent on the technology. It is not compatible with the GSM standard and it's evolutionary technologies, such as UMTS (known as W-CDMA),HSPA and EDGE. CDMA 2000 networks, for the most part, can't utilize a the 3G/2G toggle. The only two iPhones made that will work on Verizon or Sprint is the specially manufactured "CDMA iPhone 4" which doesn't contain a GSM compatible cell radio and the iPhone 4S which is hybrid cell radio that is designed to work on both technologies.

I hope that clears things up.

Noelly_13, it's not about separating bands, it's about CDMA using one radio for both voice and data, unlike UMTS/HSPA.

If you disable the 3G you disable the radio. CDMA phones can disable data, but not 3G.

Correction: Noelly_13, it's not about separating bands, it's about CDMA using one radio for both voice and data, unlike UMTS/HSPA/EDGE.

If you disable the 3G you disable the radio. CDMA phones can disable data, but not 3G.

I think it's disgraceful that the iphone4s is not as capable as the iphone4. This feature is very important outside of US. Where I live and work 3G is very patchy, but even if it was full on everywhere I wouldn't want it on all the time. I want the option when I choose. Most of the time I want 2g for calls and wifi for data. I feel like I've been mis-sold this product. I think my 3g was a better phone in this regard. Very hacked off.

Ader42, I share you sentiments.

Yesterday was a disaster for my phone.

It kept hanging on to 1bar of 3G, and didn't want to auto swap to EDGE which is always near full strength.

I didn't get any messages, emails or calls the entire day until about 11PM when the phone lost the 3G signal and went for EDGE.

I had 6 missed calls, over 20 messages and 34 emails suddenly start pouring in.

The phone is a mess at the moment, and it's not only annoying me but also others that contact me.

This is supposed to be a Smartphone, yet it seems if you're outside the US no one gives a ****.

Either they manage to bring back that manual 3G switch, or they drastically need to upgrade the software used for prioritizing and selecting the best signal to use.