You, like me, probably pay a lot of money each month for your iPhone. You, like me, expect your iPhone to be blessed with the fact that Apple products “just work” (generally). You, like me, do not expect calls to randomly go straight to voicemail without even ringing.
For a phone, especially an expensive phone, this is very bad indeed.
The iPhone is an amazing converged multimedia device. But its primary function is that people are able to contact me. They are able to do so via SMS, MMS, email and good old voice. I wouldn’t say that the voice element is the main way I use my iPhone, but it is a very important element of my mobile.
But sometimes people just can’t call me. They try, but they get a busy tone, and the call goes straight to my voicemail. Usually, not even a missed call shows up in my log. Nothing. It’s as if my iPhone was turned off or out of coverage. This shouldn’t be the case as the 3G standard was designed to handle a simultaneous voice and data connection. I should be able to surf away while I’m chatting on the phone.
So why am I missing calls?
There are two possible causes:
- 3G network coverage is poor
- The iPhone’s firmware is flaky when it comes to 3G connections
Network Coverage
If the coverage or network is poor, then the phone won’t be able to find a signal, and the call will route to voicemail. I’ve in the middle of Reading, which is fairly built-up area, and coverage is generally quite good.
There’s one way to rule this out: try the SIM in a non-iPhone. I done this with a couple of different phones (Nokia and SonyEricsson), started using a data connection, and called the phone. Every time I tested it, the call went through fine, plus I was able to continue happily surfing the web. Based on this and other anecdotal evidence from friends, I think I can safely rule out O2’s network being the issue. That leaves the iPhone itself.
The iPhone’s poor connectivity
I had exactly the same problem with my first generation iPhone. I know the iPhone doesn’t pick up the 3G network as well as other phones, but this is not an issue of finding and connecting to a nearby cell. Following lots of testing and support calls with O2 & Apple, we figured out that whenever I was using a data connection, calls would go straight to voicemail. This is annoying, but understandable. GPRS/EDGE does not allow concurrent voice and data – although the correct response from the phone should be that the data connection is dropped when a call comes in. Bad Apple.
I thought that upgrading to a 3G iPhone would solve these problems, and for a while it did. I could surf the web, calls would come in, and both connections would remain active. It was fine until firmware 2.2, when the old problem of missed calls returned, and it has become more pronounced since upgrading to 2.2.1.
Now, whenever I’m using any sort of mobile data connection (everything except wifi), calls will route to voicemail.
This isn’t just me – there are forum postings from other O2 customers, and also from AT&T customers in the US, and Rogers Wireless customers in Canada. There’s also a long post at Apple Discussions.
What’s the solution?
The only workaround is to delete your carrier’s APN details, which disables the cellular data connection. This leaves just wifi for data, so it’s not an acceptable fix. All I can do is call O2 and ask for a reduction in my monthly tariff.
This is very poor. I think it is a symptom of Apple’s inexperience in finessing cellular connectivity, which is not straightforward. They’ve produced a superb device that does many things very well, but in this basic telephony function it often fails. I love my iPhone, but the poor quality of the phone part of it really detracts from the overall experience.
Once again, I’m left hoping that the next version of iPhone OS will sort it all out.
Funny, while typing this reply on my iPhone safari web browser it was interrupted by a call from my g/f. I ended the call then carried on with this and posted what you’re Reading now. I’m glad it’s not all iPhones affected and that mine seems to be working fine so far *knocks on wood*
Was that on Wifi or 3G Iain?
Mine gets this too – and its completely random, sometimes it will last an hour or two – I asked mr o2 twitter dude, and he didn’t know of an issue!
Didn’t know? Maybe the O2 marketingdroids on Twitter don’t know, but O2 Customer Services certainly do. Last time around I was given credit on my account for the inconvenience. I’d recommend giving them a call if you want to claw some cash back.
Works fine on the Swisscom network in Switzerland. Never had this problem…
Glad to hear it’s working fine for you François. It seems to be an intermittent problem, but there are plenty of reports from users on different carriers, so there’s something not right…
I was on 3G at the time Matt – in the North East of the UK, to be honest apart from first getting the 3G I haven’t had any complaints with my service from o2 and they’re a million times better than the rip-offs at Orange
Oh Hell yeah, I would fill this page with a 20 A4 sheet rant about how much better O2 are than Three, in fact seriously impressed by O2 over and over – shame as 3 should be far better value… (please, if your ever tempted by 3, be aware frequently you don’t get what you think you ordered, and in addition once switched on, they think your bound by that contract)
@ Matt – cheers, will try and give them a call tomorrow, oddly it happend today just before I read your article! I have to say though in this flat, Orange and 3 both get no reception – not sure if it is O2 or the iPhone that has much better reception! Nationally, the phone seems to get great reception!
I am an iphone 3g user in Sweden on Telia network and I have exactly the same problem. I use iphone for exchange push email and at home office I have always connected to wifi so this “dropped” calls is never an issue.
When I am travelling (in Sweden and abroad) and using GPRS for push mail, I receive a lot of dropped calls. I woudl say 10% at least on a bad day of calls go straight to voice mail.
If I wasn’t really enjoying the phone in general, then I woudl have definately got rid of it.
Had the same problem.
Tried SIM in a different phone, random calls went to voicemail.
Got a new SIM,was ok for a day then started happening again.
Tried all of the suggested fixes. Turn off 3G, turn off Wifi, deleted all mail accounts, turn of PUSH for my mail accounts.
Restored phone through iTunes. All fixes lasted a day and then the problem re-surfaced.
iPhone great gadget, bad phone.
Took it back to the 02 store to get a termination of contract under the 14 day allowance…they were not happy , with the manager saying that I had exceeded the 14 days by 1 hour…had to go via Customer support who then phoned the store and escalated the issue.
Until Apple / 02 find a fix I am happy with my Nokia pay and go contract for £20 / month less…I can actually recieve calls which is novel for a phone!!!!!!!!
The manager said you exceeded the termination period by 1 hour! Unbelievable! The Sales of Goods Act would also have helped you out there – “not fit for purpose”.
I’m not sure how widespread these problems are, but there’s certainly plenty of anecdoctal reports to show that all is not well with the phone part of the iPhone.
Rob Follis contacted me to highlight his site http://o2sucks.wordpress.com/
He’s cataloguing his problems with O2, so may well be worth checking out if you’re getting good service.
Interesting information which I can use for my current research on phone history. Adam
I have now been through 5 iphones since lasy July. 1st 2 had hardware faults but last 2 had call faults. iphone no 3 kept failing to connect calls at all. 4th handset would connect but no one could hear me! Did the usual rest/full reset/restore etc but never worked. I even obtained a new sim but made no difference. 02 gave me 1 months service free for the inconveniance-wow! Each handset had to end up with a trip to the Apple store. I now have a brand new handset as all the others bar my first were refurbs and I insisted on a brand new one. So far so good with no 5.
I think you’ve had a string of bad luck there, but saying that, I ended up changing my original iPhone twice as a result of technical failures.
Glad to hear it’s working now