Hi All,

I bought an Iphone 4 (on O2) a while back and am having problems with coverage, often have no coverage showing, in settings it was set to Automatic for the network, Is it a good idea to change this to o2? if not, why not?

Also, even when I do have 3 "dots" of coverage showing, I still can't send a text. Do the dots only refer to Voice coverage rahter than Text?

TIA

Chris

On Tue, 30 Oct 2012 05:04:40 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

I bought an Iphone 4 (on O2) a while back and am having problems with coverage, often have no coverage showing, in settings it was set to Automatic for the network, Is it a good idea to change this to o2? if not, why not?

Have it set on your contracted network (O2) for if you don't, and it
keeps connecting via other networks you'll get charged for roaming.
Roaming is fine if that's what you want and don't mind the costs.

On Tue, 30 Oct 2012 05:04:40 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Also, even when I do have 3 "dots" of coverage showing, I still can't
send a text. Do the dots only refer to Voice coverage rahter than
Text?

It's an iPhone, get used to it. They are designer poser objects rather
than a practical, functional, communications tool.

Is that the model where the natural way to hold it covers up the ariel?

Auto/O2 shouldn't make any difference. It should (but remember this is an
iPhone) find it's "home" O2 network then roam to other networks when it
can't. AFAIK in this country there are no other networks that will allow
O2 phones to roam onto.

--
Cheers
Dave.

"Grimly Curmudgeon" wrote in message
...

On Tue, 30 Oct 2012 05:04:40 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

I bought an Iphone 4 (on O2) a while back and am having problems with
coverage, often have no coverage showing, in settings it was set to
Automatic for the network, Is it a good idea to change this to o2? if
not, why not?

Have it set on your contracted network (O2) for if you don't, and it
keeps connecting via other networks you'll get charged for roaming.
Roaming is fine if that's what you want and don't mind the costs.

Sorry to disagree but it won't roam to another network unless you leave the
country. It will then roam but only to those networks with a reciprocal
agreement with O2. However you might find you get better battery life with
it locked to 02 as its not forever searching for a better signal.

Call roaming only incurs cost if you make or receive a call on the foreign
network. You can prevent data roaming by switching it off in
settings/general/network. I leave mine switched off, only switching it on if
I need to pick up emails whilst overseas and don't have access to free
wi-fi. Picking up about ten emails and replying to three this way whilst in
New Zealand cost me £11.75 !!!!

If your area does not have 3G try switching that off. I also find that my
iPhone performs badly in sending texts when the signal is poor. So often I
send when I have a signal showing only for the signal to disappear
immediately. This is worse when 3G is unavailable and improved slightly in
those areas by switching 3G off in Settings/general/network once more.

Mike

Erm how could it make any difference, after all you are still only sending
data whether its speech text or whatever. The connection has to be there
for it to work. Of course if you have a wobbly coverage, then its not going
to be reliable. My thoughts are to go where the signal is as good as it
gets, if it won't work its bust!
I seem to recall many of these devices had poorly sighted aerials that were
detuned when you actually tried to use them.

Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
wrote in message
...
Hi All,

I bought an Iphone 4 (on O2) a while back and am having problems with
coverage, often have no coverage showing, in settings it was set to
Automatic for the network, Is it a good idea to change this to o2? if
not, why not?

Also, even when I do have 3 "dots" of coverage showing, I still can't send
a text. Do the dots only refer to Voice coverage rahter than Text?

TIA

Chris

On Tue, 30 Oct 2012 05:04:40 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Hi All,

I bought an Iphone 4 (on O2) a while back and am having problems with coverage, often have no coverage showing, in settings it was set to Automatic for the network, Is it a good idea to change this to o2? if not, why not?

Also, even when I do have 3 "dots" of coverage showing, I still can't send a text. Do the dots only refer to Voice coverage rahter than Text?

In the UK there is no need to have it set to anything other than your own
carrier

Text messages tend to get through where signal levels are marginal, but three
dots could mean anything, its an iPhOne FFS, Just accept that it is an expensive
toy that can occasionally make phone calls if you can manage to hold it
correctly for long enough.

O2 are owned by the Spanish, run on a shoestring so will always be a ****
carrier to be on, but the others are not much better.

So, worst phone, worst carrier

If you need a mobile phone, then a ten year old Nokia 6210 or 6310 will give you
about two weeks standby and enough talk time to fry your brain. The receiver is
sensitive enough to be usable in the arse end of nowhere, where an iPhOne will
show zero coverage.

HTH


--

"Dave Liquorice" wrote:
On Tue, 30 Oct 2012 05:04:40 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Also, even when I do have 3 "dots" of coverage showing, I still can't
send a text. Do the dots only refer to Voice coverage rahter than
Text?

It's an iPhone, get used to it. They are designer poser objects rather
than a practical, functional, communications tool.

More ********.

Is that the model where the natural way to hold it covers up the ariel?

Aerial. And in two years of use of my iPhone that has never been a problem.
Usual press over-hyped crap.

Go on explain to the nice man why, if as you claim it's the grip if death
causing a problem that he gets three bars on the signal strength. The
symptom of grip of death was no bars on the display.

Auto/O2 shouldn't make any difference. It should (but remember this is an
iPhone)

Remember that Dave Liquorice is biased and blinkered.

find it's "home" O2 network then roam to other networks when it
can't. AFAIK in this country there are no other networks that will allow
O2 phones to roam onto.

And remember that O2 are ****e.

--
€¢DarWin|
_/ _/

wrote:
Hi All,

I bought an Iphone 4 (on O2) a while back and am having problems with
coverage, often have no coverage showing, in settings it was set to
Automatic for the network, Is it a good idea to change this to o2? if not, why not?

It won't make any difference but will stop you from roaming abroad unless
you change back to automatic.

Also, even when I do have 3 "dots" of coverage showing, I still can't
send a text. Do the dots only refer to Voice coverage rahter than Text?

The answer is that O2 are ****e and have poor network coverage. In many
parts of the country they converted analogue cellphone masts to digital and
didn't spend the money on filling in the gaps between base stations. Almost
any other provider - OK Vodafone are also crap - provides better 3G
coverage.

FWIW I can send and receive texts on this iPhone 4 with only one bar for
signal strength. But I wouldn't touch O2 with yours.

--
€¢DarWin|
_/ _/

On Tue, 30 Oct 2012 13:40:57 -0000, "Muddymike"
wrote:

"Grimly Curmudgeon" wrote in message
.. .

On Tue, 30 Oct 2012 05:04:40 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

I bought an Iphone 4 (on O2) a while back and am having problems with
coverage, often have no coverage showing, in settings it was set to
Automatic for the network, Is it a good idea to change this to o2? if
not, why not?

Have it set on your contracted network (O2) for if you don't, and it
keeps connecting via other networks you'll get charged for roaming.
Roaming is fine if that's what you want and don't mind the costs.

Sorry to disagree but it won't roam to another network unless you leave the
country. It will then roam but only to those networks with a reciprocal
agreement with O2. However you might find you get better battery life with
it locked to 02 as its not forever searching for a better signal.

I was uncertain of the current situation in the main body of the UK,
but here, in Ireland if you live near the NI border your phone is
constantly hopping from one to another and you used to get stung
dreadfully for roaming costs. Having been subject to that as I drove
through the area, I've always made sure my phone is hard-set to my own
provider.
Roaming charges in the EU have been tamed somewhat, but it's still a
bit of a nasty surprise, especially if you're unaware of what's going
on in the background.

Call roaming only incurs cost if you make or receive a call on the foreign
network. You can prevent data roaming by switching it off in
settings/general/network. I leave mine switched off, only switching it on if
I need to pick up emails whilst overseas and don't have access to free
wi-fi. Picking up about ten emails and replying to three this way whilst in
New Zealand cost me £11.75 !!!!

Ouch!
Rapacious *******s.

If your area does not have 3G try switching that off. I also find that my
iPhone performs badly in sending texts when the signal is poor. So often I
send when I have a signal showing only for the signal to disappear
immediately. This is worse when 3G is unavailable and improved slightly in
those areas by switching 3G off in Settings/general/network once more.

Quite so. I only enable 3G when I'm actually wanting to do any data
transfer anyway, as most of the time it's hooked into one wifi net or
another for that.

Steve Firth wrote:
"Dave Liquorice" wrote:
On Tue, 30 Oct 2012 05:04:40 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Also, even when I do have 3 "dots" of coverage showing, I still can't
send a text. Do the dots only refer to Voice coverage rahter than
Text?

It's an iPhone, get used to it. They are designer poser objects rather
than a practical, functional, communications tool.

More ********.

Not totally. Few folk would argue that when it comes to basic signal
reception, they're pretty crap compared to most other phones (or at least
older Nokias).

Tim

wrote in message
...
Hi All,

I bought an Iphone 4 (on O2) a while back and am having problems with
coverage, often have no coverage showing, in settings it was set to
Automatic for the network, Is it a good idea to change this to o2? if
not, why not?

Also, even when I do have 3 "dots" of coverage showing, I still can't send
a text. Do the dots only refer to Voice coverage rahter than Text?

Is this a permanent problem or intermittent? O2 have had a couple of
breakdowns recently.

Try Googling what the Iphone settings should be for O2 text messaging, and
change them if needed. If you've got a signal and can make/receive voice
calls but not send texts, then it's your phone settings that's cocked up.
Assuming your contract has texts included, of course.

Tim+ wrote:
Steve Firth wrote:
"Dave Liquorice" wrote:
On Tue, 30 Oct 2012 05:04:40 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Also, even when I do have 3 "dots" of coverage showing, I still can't
send a text. Do the dots only refer to Voice coverage rahter than
Text?

It's an iPhone, get used to it. They are designer poser objects rather
than a practical, functional, communications tool.

More ********.

Not totally. Few folk would argue that when it comes to basic signal
reception, they're pretty crap compared to most other phones (or at least
older Nokias).

I take it you mean "few folk who have never used one". Because I get as
good a signal on mine as with my old Samsung and Nokia phones on the same
network.

Or are you by any chance comparing 3G with GSM while inside a steel framed
building?

--
€¢DarWin|
_/ _/

I was uncertain of the current situation in the main body of the UK,
but here, in Ireland if you live near the NI border your phone is
constantly hopping from one to another and you used to get stung
dreadfully for roaming costs. Having been subject to that as I drove
through the area, I've always made sure my phone is hard-set to my own
provider.

Several places around here (Folkestone) that I get the "Welcome to France"
text reminding me of my roaming costs... great reminder that I've forgotten
to turn it off :-)

I know a couple of people who have received calls while wandering around
Samphire Hoe and had a nasty surprise when the bill arrived!

Darren

In article ,
Steve Firth wrote:

Not totally. Few folk would argue that when it comes to basic signal
reception, they're pretty crap compared to most other phones (or at least
older Nokias).

I take it you mean "few folk who have never used one". Because I get as
good a signal on mine as with my old Samsung and Nokia phones on the same
network.

I've used many iphones (all the existing models except the 5 infact) and
as much as I love them, they are crap for phonecalls compared to my old
nokias...

I don't really care, as it's rare I make voice calls, but none of the smart
phones are as good as some of the older nokias IME.

Darren

In article ,
Steve Firth wrote:
wrote:

The answer is that O2 are ****e and have poor network coverage. In many
parts of the country they converted analogue cellphone masts to digital and
didn't spend the money on filling in the gaps between base stations. Almost
any other provider - OK Vodafone are also crap - provides better 3G
coverage.

Interesting comment. I switched from O2 to Voda, and have used T-mobile
and Orange in the past. Vodafone is streets ahead of the others for
coverage everywhere I go around here except my parents house where only
O2 works, and only if you stand in the front garden :-)


FWIW I can send and receive texts on this iPhone 4 with only one bar for
signal strength. But I wouldn't touch O2 with yours.

One thought for the OP - the iPhone isn't trying to send the msg as an
iMessage is it (ie, it knows the recipient also has an iPhone?).

That can take ages on a crap data signal (ie, the standard O2 one in my
experience) before it falls back to sending an SMS

Darren

Steve Firth wrote:

The answer is that O2 are ****e and have poor network coverage. In many
parts of the country they converted analogue cellphone masts to digital and
didn't spend the money on filling in the gaps between base stations. Almost
any other provider - OK Vodafone are also crap - provides better 3G
coverage.

FWIW I can send and receive texts on this iPhone 4 with only one bar for
signal strength. But I wouldn't touch O2 with yours.

--
€¢DarWin|
_/ _/

I am wondering if your bad experience with O2 and Vodafone is because
they use a lower frequency carrier - half that of the other providers.
If your phone has a short aerial to suit the latter, it will not get
the benefit of better coverage expected with lower frequency.
--
Dave W

Steve Firth wrote:
Tim+ wrote:
Steve Firth wrote:
"Dave Liquorice" wrote:
On Tue, 30 Oct 2012 05:04:40 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Also, even when I do have 3 "dots" of coverage showing, I still can't
send a text. Do the dots only refer to Voice coverage rahter than
Text?

It's an iPhone, get used to it. They are designer poser objects rather
than a practical, functional, communications tool.

More ********.

Not totally. Few folk would argue that when it comes to basic signal
reception, they're pretty crap compared to most other phones (or at least
older Nokias).

I take it you mean "few folk who have never used one". Because I get as
good a signal on mine as with my old Samsung and Nokia phones on the same
network.

Nope, I mean my wife and myself who, when on the same network can get a
good usable signal on an old Nokia and "No signal" on an iPhone. Not an
isolated instance either. A repeated observation. Don't have to look far
on the net to find that this is a common phenomenon.

Tim

On 30 Oct, 22:06, Tim+ wrote:
Steve Firth wrote:
Tim+ wrote:
Steve Firth wrote:
"Dave Liquorice" wrote:
On Tue, 30 Oct 2012 05:04:40 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Also, even when I do have 3 "dots" of coverage showing, I still can't
send a text. *Do the dots only refer to Voice coverage rahter than
Text?

It's an iPhone, get used to it. They are designer poser objects rather
than a practical, functional, communications tool.

More ********.

Not totally. Few folk would argue that when it comes to basic signal
reception, they're pretty crap compared to most other phones (or at least
older Nokias).

I take it you mean "few folk who have never used one". Because I get as
good a signal on mine as with my old Samsung and Nokia phones on the same
network.

Nope, I mean my wife and myself who, when on the same network can get a
good usable signal on an old Nokia and "No signal" on an iPhone. Not an
isolated instance either. A repeated observation. *Don't have to look far
on the net to find that this is a common phenomenon.

Tim- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thanks for all the replies, I tried setting it to o2, but it didn't
seem to make any odds except it occasionally came up with a message
saying it couldn't find my chosen network (mostly when going through a
train tunnel) annoying if you're trying to watch a downloaded Iplayer
programme.

I have turned off 3G and I think it may have improved matters, but as
my daughter is at home at the moment, i'm not doing that much texting
from home (which is the main problem area).. As an aside, downlading
emails doesn't appear to be much slower with 3G turned off. Though
accessing uk.d-i-y (Google groups) does :=(( FWIW I just upgraded
from a Nokia (5140? (The rubberised one)), it had similar issues with
coverage, and was no good for email or web access at all!

On 30/10/2012 22:06, Tim+ wrote:
Nope, I mean my wife and myself who, when on the same network can get a
good usable signal on an old Nokia and "No signal" on an iPhone. Not an
isolated instance either. A repeated observation. Don't have to look far
on the net to find that this is a common phenomenon.

Try holding the iPhone in the other hand.

Really. It looks as though Apple QA don't have any left-handed people.

Andy

Andy Champ wrote:
On 30/10/2012 22:06, Tim+ wrote:
Nope, I mean my wife and myself who, when on the same network can get a
good usable signal on an old Nokia and "No signal" on an iPhone. Not an
isolated instance either. A repeated observation. Don't have to look far
on the net to find that this is a common phenomenon.

Try holding the iPhone in the other hand.

Really. It looks as though Apple QA don't have any left-handed people.

Andy

Nothing to do with shorting out the aerial. Same lack of reception seen
with a iPhone 3GS and a 4S.

Tim