Can't say the batteries any better, but the ability to make calls has improved Just made a call with very marginal coverage (1 bar of GSM, not even GPRS) and it went through and held for the conversation, I haven't had a 'call failed' since I did the upgrade, and I was getting them pretty regularly.

They've definately tweeked the bars, 5 bars is pretty constant for 3G coverage, but I think it's purely cosmetic, my network / internet access is really no different - randmonly works/doesn't work, fast/slow. I blame Optus .

after a few days i'm still finding 2.1 to deliver much improved reception (not in the form of greater db's, but better behaviour.)

previously when getting the phone out of my pocket, there was a 2/10 chance that it would be on 3G. now i find it's already on 3G about 8/10 times.

i'm getting a usable 3G signal in a few areas where it was borderline previously (used to pick up a 3G signal, but quickly drop back to 2G when you tried to do anything.)

i havn't had any dropped calls yet, although since 2.0.2 this issue was resolved for me.

optus keeps extending my deadline to return the phone, and when 2.1 was announced they suggested i keep the phone for a "few more weeks" to see how it goes.

if I was previously only about 60% happy with the iphone experience, then now i'm probably 90% happy.

anyone else with similar or different experiences?

My 2.1 is still dropping out!!!

I must say I think my phone might be better - but only slightly. Today I was standing next to the bus stop and I had GSM only. Yesterday in the same spot I had full 3G. Logic has left the building. It dropped a couple of calls today, and just failed to ring a few more times. On the bus on the way home I tried for 5 minutes to pull up two webpages - and gave up! I looked at my mate, and he looked at me, and in chorus we said "That is shite".

I'm afraid with Optus my expectations are no where near being met. It's just not very apple at all To be honest, I can only presume that despite being an inner city dweller I am in an Optus black spot (ie the whole of north brisbane). I'm cancelling the contract and going back to the big T. I told them on Saturday they could keep it so I'm hoping they give me the call tomorrow and we can get it underway. I've had enough.

+1

Optus dumps Wireless Fusion, but will Virgin dump Broadband at Home?
This article I feel can be directly related to using an iPhone on the Optus 3G network.
See my comment there too, I'm Jason.

So sick of reception! 1 bar of gprs, and receive sms messages an hour after they are sent to me!

And a week goes by without word from them despite assurances that I would hear from them in 3-5 days. So I ring to find out what is happening. I was informed that the due to the iPhone thaw coverage guarantee team was unusually busy and there was a long line. They thought I would get a call next week. LOL.

After returning my phone because of all of the 3G turmoils as well as apparent hardware failure, waiting two weeks for the replacement (Warning, never buy from Telechoice in Karingal, Victoria. They will sell you Paris and treat you like a King, but the second you've got a problem, you're not worth talking to,) waiting a further three days for the new unlock to come through (btw, anyone know how to find out if it worked or not?), then updating to the new 2.1 fw, I am still suffering all of the same issues. All to a lesser degree yes, but they are still there. Perhaps it is like an Optus Techie perhaps "jokingly" said "they're making it seem like they've fixed the problem to keep us busy while they try to figure out what the problem actually is."

Tho I have to say, so far I have received better customer support in the past two months than I have in the past 5 years, and if everything keeps going as it is, with Optus constantly knocking more and more off my bill out of "good will", by the end of my contract I will have paid of less than half of the original estimated expense!

After upgrading to 2.1 everything seemed to be fine. But then my phone wouldn't connect to wifi anymore. It would see the network (even put the tick beside it), but refuse to show the wifi symbol and connect to it. Then yesterday I tried to make a call out, it rang the other end, but I couldn't hear a ring tone and when they picked up I couldn't hear them. They tried to call me back, but my phone wouldn't even ring, and at their end the call would just fail.
Optus has graciously agreed to send a replacement phone to my local Telechoice. I then send the old phone back by registered post. They're also refunding me my last two bills, giving me $105 for the pre paid sims that I bought while testing the phone from other providors. And are giving me a further $100 to cover the postage of the original phone I had sent to Apple and the phone that I'll be sending to them.
All I can say, is that I'm thankful that I'm dealing with Optus and not Telstra (sure it took a formal complaint in writing from the TIO to get action with Optus), While I didn't push for any money back from calls that I had made, the guy assured me that it was a good will compensation for all the running around I did and for being caught between Apple telling me that it was Optus' network and Optus telling me it was Apples problem.

There's always a silver lining, I just hope the new phone works this time.

Well it's now fourteen business days. Despite many offers to call me back (which never happen) today I raised a complaint with the TIO. I rang the special secret optus TIO line and spoke to an Australian chap who seemed very keen to get something sorted.

In other news I was with a fellow iPhone user in my building today. He was on Telstra and had full signal. I was next to him and my phone gave up on 3g and was roaming on gsm