status - waiting for 2.1 to see if that helps. coverage guarantee return still approved, optus extended the decision deadline till Friday. if it's no better with 2.1 then it's going back.

i'm still convinced it's a phone/software issue, rather than just the network. i can drive to in the direction of the 3g tower, and it won't change up to 3g unless i toggle airplane mode, or cycle power. i believe the software making the decisions regarding which signal to use is a bit dodgy.

lucky people on next arent going to experience this much, given the nextg signal is "everywhere".

Well after THREE weeks for a pre-approved by Apple iphone exchange I ended up making a scene in the Optus shop and walked out with a new iphone - week 34 build.

We'll see if it makes any difference. So far I'm not feeling optimistic. It's sitting next to me on my desk on a hill 7k north of the brisbane CBD and it's roaming back and forth on 3g to gsm.

Hmmm... had it for 24 hours and no difference If 2.1 doesn't help then I have to hand it back. Having however much data and a million calls is no good if you can't use the thing. I tried 4 times to get a call out at my house this morning.

I have asked for a priority unlock so I'll try my wifes Telstra SIM and if the phone is usable. If it is I'll suck it down and switch back

Well I have had the phone unlocked and I have just put a telstra sim in it. In my home on optus I have little or no 3g signal and the phone constantly ranges to GSM. When making calls I often have to try multiple times to get out and when on I get laggy calls and dropouts. With the Telstra SIM I have between 3/4 and full signal with crystal clear calls. You could knock me down with a feather

I don't think I have a choice - I've got to switch back or give up the iphone.

I haven't dropped below 2 bars of 3g signal since I got my phone. Can't comment on it dropping out while going back too gsm. I am on telstra and live on the gold coast

go over to the dark-side Luke


you didn't consider moving house, just to get away from telstra?? dude, I thought you were a fanatic...

I'd rather give up the iPhone, personally, but you have to do what you have to do. Is it worth paying so much more? Maybe to some, but not to me. When I swap the Optus SIM into a E71 it works great too.

Well my personal iPhone hell goes on. After a chat to Telstra I found a deal I could live with but I have to own the phone. Unfortunately it isn't possible to buy a 16gb outright anymore. Aaaaaarrrrgggghhhhh......

If you don't mind me asking Kevin, what Fuel do you put in that nice expensive car you drive?

Firstly, it's no more expensive (and very much more economical) than my previous Telst...er sorry... Territory. I put whatever's going in ... I don't go for the Premium Unleaded anymore after the technicians at MB said not to bother as the car will run just as well on (what's it called? e10?).

But, instead of 14 litres per 100 klms I now get 7.0 lpk.

AppleInsider | iPod 2.1 offers promise for Friday's 'big' iPhone software update

as we all probably already know, new firmware tomorrow (sat for us?)
will be interesting to see if anyone sees improvement.
steve jobs suggested during the keynote that it should help fix dropped call issues.

@IIe2PB - what deal did you find on Telstra that sounds suitable? none of them seem particularly good at the moment. if you could get a cap plan then it would be a different matter.

A guy at work got a new Blackberry Bold on Optus 3G.

His complaint? Poor battery life and bad coverage.

Anybody know what time of day Apple starts doing releases? I have a plane to catch at midday tomorrow and I'd like to have done my upgrade beforehand.

Tomorrow is Friday, it comes out Sat here.

I think it's coming out Friday night (US time), so it'd be Saturday morning here.... from memory.

There are some business plans that are ok if you own the phone. You could take the 20 or the 30 + the datapack. You pay extra for your calls, but if you call telstra mobiles they are like 20c untimed. Even calls to other phones are at very competitive rates.

Unfortunately the cheapest business plan that you can get a iphone with is the 55. By the time you get the data pack that's too steep for me I'm afraid. Since no one will now sell a 16gb outright the cheaper options aren't options anymore.

It looks like the only Telstra option for me is the 30 or 40 consumer plans with the data pack. You still have to pay 300/400 upfront, and if you actually have to ring anyone you're screwed. I think they are both nearly a buck a minute and you get $25 or $35 in calls. So, if you talk on your phone for more than ten minutes a week you are getting a big bill. I maintain I don't really us my mobile much, but with Telstra plans you don't have to be to be a big spender.

I have enjoyed the optus cap plan in that you can afford to ring someone and have a chat which i've never been able to do before. Before I bought the phone I knew that optus wouldn't be a great network for anywhere outside the highly populated southeast of QLD. I had decided that I could live with that as I thought it would work well in all the populated areas where I am 99% of the time. However the network is so poor in all the inner city areas that I get around in that it has left me astonished. It doesn't work in my city office building, at my home 7k north of the CBD, at my sisters 6k west of the CBD, or where I fly 17 north of the CBD. I can only surmise that the optus people must be intrinsically cheap, or that they don't know any better than the service they receive.

Here's hoping 2.1 makes a big difference. I can't see it will though.