I guess I should also note that I got my iPhone through All Phones in Wollongong NSW, receptions was pathetic, had the SIM replaced, still pathetic, spoke with Optus to check the data permissioning etc etc. Still no go. Asked All Phones to swap out the phone and they wanted to send it away before replacing it. Told them where to go. Ended up taking it to the Apple store in Sydney as I work up here and after a tech going over the phone (Might add it had 2 bars in my office and wouldn't you know it, full reception in the Apple Store). He kindly swapped it on the spot for me.

Took it back to the office and got 2-3 bars (Middle of Sydney city). Caught the train home and constantly checked the signal. It varied greatly from spot to spot. Got it home and the signal is still the same as the old phone with 3G.

I've come to the conclusion after trying nearly everything under the sun and seeing the difference in reception going through suburbs on a train with a 3G Blackberry next to the iPhone, that the iPhone is very particular about location to a tower and the objects in between. eg. You could be inside you house surrounded by walls and get 1 bar, walk outside and get 3 bars. Apple store 100%, walk 2 streets to work with some high risers in between and get 30%.

Anyone else gone to the lengths of checking in different locations, suburbs close by to your own etc???

I've driven around my local area a fair bit. Everywhere in town is supposed to have good coverage, according to Optus' website.

I drive around with a Nokia 6110 and the iPhone, both on the 3G network.
The Nokia never goes below 6/7 "bars", and the iPhone usually has 1-2 "bars."

I wish I could get my Nokia into a field test mode as well, to see what -db readings it's getting. However I can't find out how to do this. The iPhone usually has -107, -105, -103. -97 db's.

Again I'm actually happy with the phone's call quality at 1 "bar" and it's just the fact that the iPhone will fall back to 2G or show "no signal" in areas where there should be 3G coverage (and IS coverage using another phone on the same network.)

I only notice this problem because at a cafe I go to for lunch (in the middle of town) I used to get FULL 7/7 bar 3G reception on the Nokia, and on the iPhone I'm "airplane mode on, airplane mode off" over and over again, hoping to get 1 measly bar of 3G.

I think it's a signal/range problem with the iPhone, and that a lot of other reported "issues" stem from the range issue.
ie. lack of range = changing back to 2G more often than it should = more dropped calls.
lack of range = slower download speeds
lack of range = slow to pick up service after "no service" and to pick up 3G again

I have to make up my mind tomorrow if I'm sending the phone back or not.

If my last nokia went out of 3g reception I never remember noticing a gradual reduction in bars. The bars would stay the same however the 3g icon would dissapear. Now with the iPhone you see no bars, then it switchs to the GSM network and shows full bars and the GPRS Icon.

So it seems the nokias bars are only indicative of the strength of the GSM Network.
Where as the iPhone splits these up.

Does this make sense?

I can't be certain as my last phone was on telstra wheras my iPhone is on optus.

It's just crazy though how unreliable this combination of iPhone and Optus 3g network has been in the last 2 days i've been using it!

this guy wants to know if you are having problems -

Http://www.fixmy3giphone.com

feel free to leave your comments there also. the more coverage the better

called Optus today. My iPhone is going back under the Optus coverage guarentee.

it was a not surprisingly painful experience, dealing with customer support. i got put on hold for several 10-15min stretches.

one thing that was interesting however was that when talking to customer service they were reluctant to cancel my contract, saying that i would have to pay "massive termination fees!" i explained the Optus coverage guarentee to them and was transferred to someone else.

next customer service person was much more receptive, as soon as i said "returning iphone under coverage guarentee" he said "oh, ok then, the last CSR didn't mention it was an iPhone... thats fine, ill process that now."

honestly it felt like he had an internal optus memo in front of him stating not to hassle iphone returning clients. i might be reading too much into it (probably!) but the difference between the two CSR's was quite strange.

I still love the iPhone as a platform/device, it just wasn't performing well enough for me, in my location.
I'll have another go at some point, if Apple/Optus are to rectify what I still believe are problems. (Or I'll eat crow as they say and move to telstra - who's business plans, to be fair, are actually pretty decent.)

Will be keeping a close watch on this thread and others, to see what eventuates, but to everyone who thinks they have a problem, don't keep the phone just cause its flashy and we all love it. Return it if you honestly think there is an issue, don't settle for a device that is 70% great. (It's not the Apple way!)

It could be to do with the ambitious unique antenna design.

Apple - iPhone - Features - 3G

Although I would expect at least reasonable reception given that it gives four times the radiation output of the N95. The N95 definitely gave better reception.

My hand is always on the metal screen bezel, I can't hold it any other way. Maybe I need to use tongs.

Thanks Vandozza! I registered here just to post my site per your reccomnedation.

All you other guys check it out and log your problem!

Http://www.fixmy3giphone.com


Van, where is your survey, or is this it? If not, give me an address and I'll log my issue!

survey is now down, as i used a free host that allows 100 replies. it's now up to 109 replies... so i dont know exactly what was going on there. it was also fairly australian orientated, although we had 2 "other" replies, and 1 person from japan help us out!

if you, or anyone else wants a copy of the results to have a look at just let me know. (given that it's anonymous, and the only personal info is our postcodes, i don't think the respondants will mind people having a look.)

hay vandozza do you know if VODA have that coverage guarantee as well? i'm not sure?. really not happy with the reception at all mate i work in Brunswick in Melbourne lucky to get two bars, I also have a 6110 nav no probs with that phone but the iphone..... geezers!.

no idea about Voda's services sorry, i suppose you can check their website and/or give them a call. in brunswick, melbourne you should be getting a decent signal! it's so central! (lived in north carlton for 5 years, it was awesome, between lygon and nicholson st.)

i too had the 6110 and will be moving back to it over the next few days, whenever optus picks up the iPhone from me.

________

in other news someone on the apple discussion forums claims that the iPhone 3G is already had it's 3rd internal "redesign"/tweak/adjustment, in the hopes of fixing any issues.
the suggestion was also that iphones built after week 30 have little, or no recepiton problems.
***Please keep in mind that this is just a guy on a forum posting, and likely KNOWS LITTLE MORE than we do. it's all speculation, although interesting.***

to check your iphone build date, have a look at your serial number -
mine – 85827 (Week 27)
model – mb489x

apparently –
Digits 1 to 3 = Year / Batch code
Digits 4 to 5 = Week of manufacture
Digits 6 to 8 (XZY) = Unique identifier part of the S/N
Digits 9 to 11 = model

if you want, post your -
PROVIDER -
RECEPTION ISSUES - (yes/no)
WEEK NUMBER -
MODEL NUMBER -

Provider- Vodafone
Reception Issues- YES
Week Number- 28
Model Number- MB489X

week 27 here. Travelling from gold coast to melb by car so will see how I go. But in Byron bay it's working fine even with low signal.

Provider- OPTUS
Reception Issues- No
Week Number- 27
Model Number- MB496X

Telstra NextG 16Gb White

Fantastic Service allways full bars and very fast downloads, and i live in the bush!

Provider- Telstra
Reception Issues- No
Week- 29
Model- A1241

Provider - OPTUS
Reception Issues - YES
Week Number - 28
Model Number - MB496X