iPhone 5 coverage problems

Mimikyu

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flyguy

I'm on Vodafone and my experience is the reception is the same or better with my iPhone 5 than with my 4. I suspect a fault with the phone. I assume you're not using a cover/bumper on it (I often use an aluminium bumper case and it badly affects the wifi/3G reception).
I've read (and experienced) an improvement in wifi reception after doing a reset (hold sleep+home button until phone restarts) but haven't heard/read it works for cellular reception (worth a try though).

guil

I went from iPhone 4 to 5 and found the signal better on the 5. Getting 3G in places where previously I only get edge

nightster1

Captain Morgan wrote: »

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Sounds like a faulty iphone 5. My rec improved when i went from a 4S to a 5

Mimikyu

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jenno86

Go directly to Apple, cut out the middle man. They are excellent and very quick with repairs.

flyguy

If under warranty I would always go through apple, bad stories about the repair places some providers use (some aren't even approved by apple). apple will sent you a new phone for a small fee and then you sent this one back or -if you don't want to pay anything- your phone will be collected, you wait a day or 2 for apple to investigate and a replacment will be sent to you. If your phone is unlocked you should get an unlocked one back.

Mimikyu

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mtierney5

Hi,

Just wondering if you had any joy with this? I changed from the 4s to the 5 about 3 weeks ago and similar to you my reception at home was never great but since I changed to the 5 my heart is broke. dropping calls constantly and struggling to keep one bar signal!!!

Iv googled iphone 5 reception problems and now its throwing up a lot of stuff.....

Seems to be a trend setting in????

Now when im in around the city etc its perfect but without a doubt my reception is way down at home since I changed.??

Thanks

Harcrid

I have been seeing the same behaviour on my 5. My house is in an area with good O2 coverage but it has poor 3G coverage so it is constantly flicking between one bar of 3G or 5 bars with Edge. In my opinion this is causing the phone to go to No Service very often. Wife has no problems with her O2 Blackberry so its clearly an iphone issue.

mtierney5

Agreed, I often have friends here with blackberries and galaxy s3's etc all on Vodafone and they have no problem either!

And my wife is on Vodafone and has a iphone 4s and standing side by side her reception is always a lot better!

mtierney5

Ok just to update everyone so we have a conclusion!

Have been onto Apple and Vodafone in relation to the reception problems Im having. Turns out the iphone 5 has no 2g antenna. Only 3g and 4g. Where im living has bad 3g coverage so on the iphone 4s I was relying on the 2g network. Not that I have the iphone 5, and bad 3g coverage my reception is brutal!!!!

Vodafone tell me there updating the south west soon, in the next few months... To full 3g. Until them im goosed!!! Not impressed!!!!!

guil

mtierney5 wrote: »

Ok just to update everyone so we have a conclusion!

Have been onto Apple and Vodafone in relation to the reception problems Im having. Turns out the iphone 5 has no 2g antenna. Only 3g and 4g. Where im living has bad 3g coverage so on the iphone 4s I was relying on the 2g network. Not that I have the iphone 5, and bad 3g coverage my reception is brutal!!!!

Vodafone tell me there updating the south west soon, in the next few months... To full 3g. Until them im goosed!!! Not impressed!!!!!

Whoever told you the iPhone 5 has no EDGE antenna is talking pure bollox.

mtierney5

guil wrote: »

Whoever told you the iPhone 5 has no EDGE antenna is talking pure bollox.

Both Vodafone and apple told me today that the iPhone 5 has no 2g antenna....

brophs

mtierney5 wrote: »

Both Vodafone and apple told me today that the iPhone 5 has no 2g antenna....

Are they suggesting the iPhone 5 can't use 2G data? Because that's clearly wrong. I was using it 10 mins ago.

mtierney5

brophs wrote: »

Are they suggesting the iPhone 5 can't use 2G data? Because that's clearly wrong. I was using it 10 mins ago.

All I know is what I was told, it doesn't have a 2g antenna...

Mimikyu

This post has been deleted.

guil

mtierney5 wrote: »

Both Vodafone and apple told me today that the iPhone 5 has no 2g antenna....

Sure they did.

flyguy

Agree with others; iphone 5 definitely supports 2g, just google iPhone 5 network specs to find the answer. Also if it would not support 2G why can you switch off 3G in settings? Finally this would mean that if you have reception you always should have the 3G icon displayed next to the network name (not always the case on mine).

drunkmonkey

Apple could be calling 2G, 3G. They've already taken liberty with the use of 4G. Seen an S4 with full bars 4G last week, one that came from the states, it was actually displaying 3's 3G as 4G, Those crazy american.

mtierney5

flyguy wrote: »

Agree with others; iphone 5 definitely supports 2g, just google iPhone 5 network specs to find the answer. Also if it would not support 2G why can you switch off 3G in settings? Finally this would mean that if you have reception you always should have the 3G icon displayed next to the network name (not always the case on mine).

I understand all that, but it makes no sense then why I have such bad reception! It was perfect on the 4s??? Vodafone shop today said they have loads of complaints from people living in rural areas about the iphone 5. Just to be clear, I have little or no 3G coverage here. I had to get rid of my broadband dongle cos of it. So what they were telling me made sense to me! I know nothing technical about phones etc.... So what's the problem?? Because there is one. My wife is on Vodafone, she has the 4s and when someone rings now and the call is dropping and breaking up all the time I just tell them ring me on her phone. And it's perfect! So annoying!!!

drunkmonkey

When you have s group of phones in the same place, some have better coverage than others, turn them all off and then turn on the 5 by itself, it's probably fine but not now when there's others around.

mtierney5

drunkmonkey wrote: »

When you have s group of phones in the same place, some have better coverage than others, turn them all off and then turn on the 5 by itself, it's probably fine but not now when there's others around.

Ah no, it's only me and the wife. I spend hours here on my own and the phone is the same. I have it 4 weeks now and the difference in reception was instant when I changed to the 5.

drunkmonkey

Do you know anyone else with a 5 that could drop round just to prove it's not your phone, i've had them all 3,4,5 and I think the 5 is the best so far for reception.

guil

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Do you know anyone else with a 5 that could drop round just to prove it's not your phone, i've had them all 3,4,5 and I think the 5 is the best so far for reception.

Have to agree there, much better reception for me on the 5 compared to the 4.

Becky4Clonmel

Glad to see someone else is having coverage problems with the iphone5. Live in the southwest also. Had an iPhone4 before this. Reception where I live was never great but now with the iphone5 it's brutal. Constantly searching for network or no signal. Drops calls regularly. Wife has iphone4 in the same house with no such issues. Very frustrating!

mtierney5

Becky4Clonmel wrote: »

Glad to see someone else is having coverage problems with the iphone5. Live in the southwest also. Had an iPhone4 before this. Reception where I live was never great but now with the iphone5 it's brutal. Constantly searching for network or no signal. Drops calls regularly. Wife has iphone4 in the same house with no such issues. Very frustrating!

Thank god someone agrees with me!! Was starting to crack up! It's a nightmare at this stage. Can I ask, are u on Vodafone?

Becky4Clonmel

mtierney5 wrote: »

Thank god someone agrees with me!! Was starting to crack up! It's a nightmare at this stage. Can I ask, are u on Vodafone?

Yep! Vodafone too! I find that anywhere that I had no 3G coverage before with the iPhone 4, I have little or no reception at all now with the iPhone 5.

mtierney5

Becky4Clonmel wrote: »

Yep! Vodafone too! I find that anywhere that I had no 3G coverage before with the iPhone 4, I have little or no reception at all now with the iPhone 5.

Exactly!!! I just sat outside on top of my front pier trying to have a conversation, and I ended up hanging up! On the 4s I could sit inside the kitchen and no problem! But what now????

Migworks

Hmm read this with interest as I have a similiar problem since switching from 4s to 5, but I'm on O2 with their 3G mast on the hill opposite me.

Always on E (edge) until I climb up onto the roof and the extra 15 feet gives me 3G!

That's not the issue though, mine is the wifi, not picking it up in certain places around the house like I used to with the 4s, keeps dropping wifi regularly even though I'm 10 ft away from the box! And I got the wife a 4s when I upgraded and she has much better coverage with the wifi!

It's def a 5 issue, btw when I'm in an urban area with much stronger signal hitting it there are no problems!

Been meaning to contact apple must do so......

mtierney5

Migworks wrote: »

Hmm read this with interest as I have a similiar problem since switching from 4s to 5, but I'm on O2 with their 3G mast on the hill opposite me.

Always on E (edge) until I climb up onto the roof and the extra 15 feet gives me 3G!

That's not the issue though, mine is the wifi, not picking it up in certain places around the house like I used to with the 4s, keeps dropping wifi regularly even though I'm 10 ft away from the box! And I got the wife a 4s when I upgraded and she has much better coverage with the wifi!

It's def a 5 issue, btw when I'm in an urban area with much stronger signal hitting it there are no problems!

Been meaning to contact apple must do so......

I haven't even mentioned the wifi yet, but yes, my wifi drops regularly too around the house! It never dropped on the 4s...

Iv been onto apple loads of times, tried restoring the phone, they made me get a new SIM card in case it was faulty etc. all no good! I'm sending it back now but I'm not hopefull! Iv since been in touch with one man who has the same problem and 3 times he has sent the phone back to apple. Every time they send it back saying there is nothing wrong with it!

I'm starting to think is it just a poor quality antenna in the phone or something like that! I'm at my wits end at this stage with it!

Migworks

mtierney5 wrote: »

I haven't even mentioned the wifi yet, but yes, my wifi drops regularly too around the house! It never dropped on the 4s...

Iv been onto apple loads of times, tried restoring the phone, they made me get a new SIM card in case it was faulty etc. all no good! I'm sending it back now but I'm not hopefull! Iv since been in touch with one man who has the same problem and 3 times he has sent the phone back to apple. Every time they send it back saying there is nothing wrong with it!

I'm starting to think is it just a poor quality antenna in the phone or something like that! I'm at my wits end at this stage with it!

That's exactly the reason I've been reluctant to phone apple! These huge companies have forgotten how to deal with individuals and make so much money from their products they don't seem to care. I've had a guts full of all the excuses from Three who I have my home broadband with, not one will put up their hands and admit they give crap coverage to rural areas because the profit is in the urban areas.
Rant over lol...

Harcrid

I went through 2 new 4S phones with this problem along with my current 5 and its still an issue. I have given up trying to get it fixed right now.

mtierney5

Im just sick of it at this stage! Iv just been to the Vodafone store, (on the advice of Apple), to get a new sim card. Still the same! Im on ready to go, so iv paid a lot of money for this phone and to have this issue is just not acceptable!

mtierney5

Just had apple on the phone again. poor girl she rang me on my iphone 5 and I kept her on the phone for 5 minutes with it constantly breaking up and me shouting down the phone "can you hear me". eventually I gave her my wifes number after about 5 attempts and she rang me on that. when I answered I said, "that's my problem". she was genuinely in shock that it was so bad. I then had a full 10 minute conversation with her on my wifes 4s and never broke up once. Just to clarify, were both on Vodafone ready to go.

At least she got to experience my problem first hand and the phone is now going back for repair. I'll keep updates on a regular as I have them.

flyguy

Migworks wrote: »

That's not the issue though, mine is the wifi, not picking it up in certain places around the house like I used to with the 4s, keeps dropping wifi regularly even though I'm 10 ft away from the box! And I got the wife a 4s when I upgraded and she has much better coverage with the wifi!

I won't go into the 2G/3G again, like others said I think -unless there's something wrong- the reception should be better. With regards to wifi reception; few people (including myself) have noticed better reception on wifi after resetting the phone.

mtierney5

Just realised I never updated this! They sent me a brand new phone and it's perfect since. I rang back to find out what the actual problem was but she couldn't tell me, only to say, the technician felt it best to replace the phone over repair it!!