How do I turn off 3G on the iPhone 4S?

No one said that the function is not within iOS 5.0.1. I can do a screen print from my iPhone 4 where is does work on my Infineon chip. What we are saying is that the switch does nothing with a Qualcomm chip. You are showing us cosmetics and that switch is specifically designed to enable 3G on an Infineon chip. Even if the feature was within the Qualcomm chip it would need different software to actually call to the function. And if you do the same thing you are referring to with a iPhone 4s it will also show that same screen and switch but as has been pointed out several times there is no such function within the CDMA world.

I have it working on BOTH my 4Ss now. See screenshot above. Switch restored. I flip it off.. and I get an E... flip it on.. and I get a 3G

I'm on ATT lol.. so I don't really care if the this doesn't work on non GSM phones. I'm just saying I got it to work with ATT (a GSM carrier)

And when I go to EDGE.. data is SLOW.. Ive done bandwith tests... when I go "3G" , I get full ATT 3G+ speeds. So yes... it works. The functionality is in the iOS. It's just removed.

You are now arguing against yourself. And no, I've seen a 4s fall back from a 3G signal to EDGE. If you are in an area where it goes to no service that indicates a problem with the equipment on the cell tower and should be reported. Yes, I have seen Siri on EDGE and I agree with you.

deggie wrote:

You are now arguing against yourself. And no, I've seen a 4s fall back from a 3G signal to EDGE. If you are in an area where it goes to no service that indicates a problem with the equipment on the cell tower and should be reported. Yes, I have seen Siri on EDGE and I agree with you.

NOt really. I'm not contradicting myself

1) I restored the switch

2) I tested the switch changes the phone from 3G to E

3) I've tested the data rates at each to make sure the switch is working and confirmed data rates are proper for manual E setting and manual 3G setting.

4) Placed phone calls with switch on and off

Aside from that, I called ATT & Apple. Both confirmed the phone has to "give" up for quite some time on 3G if it detects a 3G tower before it will do E. ATT blames apple for not switching it over to E sooner and not a tower issue. Apple of course blames ATT 🙂

Before I restored the switch, the only way to get E was to be in an E ONLY area. Otherwise I'd go into places in my house and get 1 bar 3G and sometimes no service. On E, I get 4 bars. So apple needs to add logical that says if 3G drops to 1 bar, switch to edge or something like that...

Both my iphone 4Ss and all my friend's 4Ss behave this way... so it's not a defective phone, attenna, etc, nor a bad tower as I've seen this in a 50 mile radius as I drive all over all the time.

transmogrification wrote:

If you research CDMA technology, you will discover that toggling 3G off is not possible for the same reason CDMA (outside of SV-DO) can't surf and talk at the same time over cell radio. There is only one radio. GSM 3G (UMTS-HSPA) phones have two radios that allow for talk and surf as well as a 3G toggle down to 2G (EDGE) if available. If you disable 3G on a CDMA radio, you lose voice, because there is only one radio.

Correct about CDMA.. but when the phone is on a GSM network, then there should be no reason why you can't toggle 3G on and off.

So Apple just needs to do this:

On CDMA phones, no switch

On GSM phones, leave the switch on

.. and that's EASILY done by editing various operating system files.

Hey if you can do it and it is software switchable on the Quallcomm more power to you. And all those here who want it should keep sending in those feedback requests.

Next, I'll YouTube my 4S doing it then send it to cnet. Cnet will light a file under apple

Be sure you show them a step-by-step procedure with the youtube or they won't use it. Also, I would include a speedtest check in the video with 3G and on E.

I wouldn't count on it exactly lighting a fire under Apple they usually play close to the vest (like they won't comment on it not being included on the 4s) and don't generally react to much in the way of outside pressure. I did find a brief reference from the UK that stated they were told by "sources within Apple" (whatever that means) that failure to enable 3G on the GSM side causes instability with the new antenna system.

"I have the full , hi res file for any one who wants to see it along with all the proper info in the pic file (time, location, device it was taken on, etc etc)"

If we are to assume this screen grab is from an iPhone 4S, why would you need to provide device info? Maybe because it's from a 3Gs or iPhone 4? Especially since the descriptor for "Data Roaming" in your provided screen grab is totally different than the "Data Roaming" descriptor iPhone 4S currently with iOS 5.0.1. I call scam, obviously.

Why not wait until he does his YouTube video and submits to CNET before making any decision either way?

@TallBearNC: You will post here when CNET has a link for your work? This should not be a violation of the ToU if you just state they have it on their site (I get their RSS feed and should see it anyway).

The phone is designed to work on GSM networks by just inserting a SIM card. How would you propose this happening? The phone OS is platform agnostic. Unfortunately, in the US, the official CDMA carriers will only activate an iPhone 4S purchased from them, and the SIM card is SIM locked, meaning it can't be used with domestic GSM carriers. The practicality of a platform agnostic OS is lost on carrier lock down here. No practical use domestically for a hybrid chipset, only if you plan on roaming internationally, where the use of GSM becomes more practical, though not for CDMA.

Trans I'm on 5.1 beta. What u see is what my screenshot was. personally idk if u believe me or not

As you can see the text is IDENTICLE compared to my prev post... and here u see siri.. so it's a 4S

next time... think before you call someone a liar

(I'm also on iOS 5.1)

[Aside from that, I called ATT & Apple. Both confirmed the phone has to "give" up for quite some time on 3G if it detects a 3G tower before it will do E. ATT blames apple for not switching it over to E sooner and not a tower issue. Apple of course blames ATT 🙂

Before I restored the switch, the only way to get E was to be in an E ONLY area. Otherwise I'd go into places in my house and get 1 bar 3G and sometimes no service. On E, I get 4 bars. So apple needs to add logical that says if 3G drops to 1 bar, switch to edge or something like that...]

This is all true, I'm in Ireland and I often get 1-2 bars 3G with the phone stil saying no internet or data, then getting stuck on Searching... or No Service.

I'm tired of it, as my friends on other phones and iPhone 4's have full bars of EDGE while I'm stuck on No Service.

I've posted on my providers forums and still not received any feedback either.

It's certainly not a Signal Mast issue as they do not have the same problems.

I look forward to your vid, I hope you go step by step so I can get that switch back aswell.

I don't care about Siri as it doesn't do locations or businesses in Ireland, I just want a working smartphone.

TallBearNC,

Why don't you post the instructions to DSLreports. They will allow everything/anything (well almost) and it is free !!!

Here is the link to the correct forum on DSLreports to use for your post. All things Macintosh

I don't have 3G tower problems but I would prefer to put my phone on "E" to conserve battery and all this hype over "Siri" for me is just silly. She was fun to play with at first but now it is the next day and the beer has warn off, if you get my drift. Anything I can do with Siri I can do with Google Voice except I don't get the smart arse answers when Google doesn't understand what I am saying. Oh - and it really troubles me that Siri goes out and uses 3G data and extra battery to access the Siri server to come up with the wise-guy answers.