iPhone 5 3G signal vs 4

[Glock26]

Went from an iPhone 4 to an iPhone 5, on MTN.
My house is on the border of 3G signal....goes from 3G to Edge and back. But usually can get 3G ok.

So I give the iPhone 4 to my gf, as surely the 5 must be better, right?
Hmm..maybe not. Now I get to sit there and watch my phone sit firmly with an Edge signal, while my gf puts her phone next to mine with a good 3G signal.
Have tried everything. All settings are ok, no covers on. Tried all the usual tricks..but unless I am in a solid 3G area, it defaults to Edge. And of course, as everyone knows, having Edge is like having no internet at all.

Yes..I can firmly state from a side by side comparisson...all other factors being equal...that the iPhone 5 3G signal sucks compared to the 4.

So now what? Do I just accept that and sit with a sucky signal for 2 years? MTN/Apple aren't going to care since the phone is capable of 3G and does get 3G when in a better area. So my loss, right? And my gf's gain.

Not happy at all.

G26

 

[Mutiny]

Went from an iPhone 4 to an iPhone 5, on MTN.
My house is on the border of 3G signal....goes from 3G to Edge and back. But usually can get 3G ok.

So I give the iPhone 4 to my gf, as surely the 5 must be better, right?
Hmm..maybe not. Now I get to sit there and watch my phone sit firmly with an Edge signal, while my gf puts her phone next to mine with a good 3G signal.
Have tried everything. All settings are ok, no covers on. Tried all the usual tricks..but unless I am in a solid 3G area, it defaults to Edge. And of course, as everyone knows, having Edge is like having no internet at all.

Yes..I can firmly state from a side by side comparisson...all other factors being equal...that the iPhone 5 3G signal sucks compared to the 4.

So now what? Do I just accept that and sit with a sucky signal for 2 years? MTN/Apple aren't going to care since the phone is capable of 3G and does get 3G when in a better area. So my loss, right? And my gf's gain.

Not happy at all.

G26

Just a quick question, is your girlfriend also on MTN? i did the same, went from a 4 to a 5 on MTN. i did not notice the 5 being any worse than the 4 but often people around me on vodacom and cell c have fine 3g connection and i have edge. so i currently think the problem is with MTN and not the iphone.

 

[Glock26]

No..she's on MTN too. Exactly the same connections...I can put the 2 phones next to each other, and hers will show 3G and mine will show Edge. ALL settings are the same. It is the phone...no doubt.

G26

 

[Cassady]

Eish. That sucks. Wife is due an upgrade. With her iPad, it kind of makes sense for her to drop her BB, and go for the iPhone 5. Thing is, the more I'm reading about signal issues, the more unsure I'm getting. She lives on her phone - uses it extensively for work etc. - so whereas it will no doubt be more reliable than her BB, not much point in that if it hardly ever has good signal...

Decisions, decisions...

 

[Glock26]

I'll elaborate that I have no voice signal issues at all. Hardly ever drops a call...I have no issues with that at all. My only issue is with data, so if that is important then think twice.
Frankly, at home I have it connected through wifi most of the time, and away from home I get ok 3G if in a decent 3G area.
My point is strictly a compassion between the 4 and the 5 in an area on the border of 3G/Edge.
It is frustrating, but I still do love my iPhone.
Wish I knew if this was an isolated case and I need to get my phone checked, or if it really is a case of the 4 getting better 3G than the 5.

G26

 

[Cassady]

I'll elaborate that I have no voice signal issues at all. Hardly ever drops a call...I have no issues with that at all. My only issue is with data, so if that is important then think twice.
Frankly, at home I have it connected through wifi most of the time, and away from home I get ok 3G if in a decent 3G area.
My point is strictly a compassion between the 4 and the 5 in an area on the border of 3G/Edge.
It is frustrating, but I still do love my iPhone.
Wish I knew if this was an isolated case and I need to get my phone checked, or if it really is a case of the 4 getting better 3G than the 5.

G26

Aah - thanks for clarifying. And silly of me to confuse the two! Not dropping calls most NB - also run of wireless at home, so hopefully this shouldn't be an issue. Hope you hear from a few more, who might be able to give you clarity!

 

[PAYBACK]

I've done a side by side comparison of the Wifi and 3G signal of an old 3GS I had lying around and my 5 and the 3GS wins every time. I'm also in a bad MTN 3G area very erratic. But who we kidding MTN data just plain sucks! God forbid we get LTE on MTN it will make them look silly!

 

[Looney]

LTE was just released for MTN. Go update carrier settings