Iphone 3g service issue...frustrating

TenaciousT · 10-14-2009, 01:55 PM

Hello,

I have searched high and low through the tubes of the internet to no avail, and I come to you for help.

I have an Iphone 3g ~1yr old that is having no service about 99% of the time. I tried all of the fixes that were posted on other help forums and even on here: reset all network settings, get a new sim card, turn off 3g, did a restore, updated to the new 3.1.2 software (which the apple genius said should fix the problems), etc.

Nothing works.

This being my first post, I don't expect a surge of eager folks to come rushing to my aide, but possibly pointing me in the right direction would be awesome. If I have left anything out that might help, let me know

Again, any help is appreciated!

macgirl · 10-14-2009, 02:24 PM

I take it that it HAS worked before without any problems? If so, when did this problem start? Have there been any AT&T network changes in your area? Can you get service reliably with your iPhone's SIM card in another phone (if you have one to try this with)?

If everything still points to the iPhone as the source of the problem, I don't think there's anything you can do beyond what you've tried already. There may be just something wrong with it internally that requires repair.

TenaciousT · 10-14-2009, 02:40 PM

Yes, the phone was working well up until about a week ago. I live in western north carolina, so ATT service is spotty at best, but it was solid in my apartment and at school. Now I'm lucky if I can get one bar.

I travelled back to CA this past week and was able to get 3g service off and on, but again it was super sporadic. My sister has the same phone and side by side my phone had little to no service while hers had full 3g.

I would doubt it's a SIM issue since I got it replaced, but it is possible. I don't have another phone available to me, but I can try and find one of my friends.

llrickman · 10-14-2009, 03:20 PM

Is it over a year old yet? if not id be calling apple asap and get it replaced

Have you restored it as a new phone and not from a backup? i see you have reset network settings etc...

thats all i can think of atm that could fix it

TenaciousT · 10-14-2009, 03:24 PM

According to the rep I called the other night, I am approx. 14 days outside of my "warranty" and I wasn't aware when I bought the phone that I could have purchased apple care (cue pity music)

If I do a restore as a new phone, would I be able to save all of my contact/etc., or would I be looking at a huge task of putting everything back on the phone?

computerfox · 10-14-2009, 04:04 PM

Originally Posted by TenaciousT

Hello,

I have searched high and low through the tubes of the internet to no avail, and I come to you for help.

I have an Iphone 3g ~1yr old that is having no service about 99% of the time. I tried all of the fixes that were posted on other help forums and even on here: reset all network settings, get a new sim card, turn off 3g, did a restore, updated to the new 3.1.2 software (which the apple genius said should fix the problems), etc.

Nothing works.

This being my first post, I don't expect a surge of eager folks to come rushing to my aide, but possibly pointing me in the right direction would be awesome. If I have left anything out that might help, let me know

Again, any help is appreciated!

usually a new sim should make it work. try your sim with another phone. if it works then i would suggest going back to where you got it from and try to get a replacement.

computerfox · 10-14-2009, 04:06 PM

Originally Posted by TenaciousT

According to the rep I called the other night, I am approx. 14 days outside of my "warranty" and I wasn't aware when I bought the phone that I could have purchased apple care (cue pity music)

If I do a restore as a new phone, would I be able to save all of my contact/etc., or would I be looking at a huge task of putting everything back on the phone?

contacts should either be on the sim or on your computer. if they're not then it will be a big hassle putting them back on.

your apps and music and other stuff like that should sync with itunes and should bring the phone back to how you had it from the backup.

dturner · 10-14-2009, 05:35 PM

Originally Posted by computerfox

contacts should either be on the sim or on your computer.

Contacts aren't stored on the sim. Make sure they are on the computer and you can retrieve them from there after the restore.

Krunk83 · 10-14-2009, 07:53 PM

Yeah, they are not on the sim. Back them up when you sync your phone to itunes and they will be placed back on the phone after a restore to new. You will still have to set up some of your settings and such like ringtones, and some others. But you will still have your contacts.

TenaciousT · 10-21-2009, 02:23 PM

Update:

Tried my sim in another phone, works fine (since it's brand new)

Figured I'd try and replace the antenna, which I did, and it still doesn't work. Everything else does though: the speaker, the screen, the wi-fi, the camera, everything

This is really beginning to baffle me.