iPhone 3G falls back to GPRS? No more! How to force iPhone to use 3G only

Forums › Apple iOS and devices › iPhone 3G falls back to GPRS? No more! How to force iPhone to use 3G only

harrylin

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#33661 8-May-2009 21:56

I think lots people experience this every single day. This is not the networks problem. It's the problem of your own iPhone's radio chip! So don't blame Vodafone for poor signal strength and coverage! Don't sell your iPhone because this yet. I experience that every single time I try to browse Internet. If Mauricio can make this a sticky it will be nice :-D I'm writing this on my iPhone. Sorry for the format.

harrylin

342 posts

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#213582 8-May-2009 22:10

The below method will allow you to have the iPhone connect only on the UMTS bands. the iPhone will not see the none UMTS bands available.
This solves the problem of dropping to EDGE. however be advised, that if your reception drops below -107dbm you will drop a call and get no service.
Usually cell phone are able to conduct a conversion at -112dbm but the iphone's radio is limited.
In case the reception drops below -113dbm you will likely to get no service as it will not drop to EDGE.
Service will return as reception gets better.

Here is how to do this:

1) Jailbreak your phone
2) install SSH
3) login as root
4) go do /var/preferences/
5) open the file csidata
Inside csidata you will find the following line: GsmRegistrationModel::fRatSelection=0x1
The following values apply: 0x0(EDGE ONLY), 0x1(EDGE+3G), 0x2(3G ONLY).
6) Change to the desired value (0x2 in our case) and save the file
7) Reboot the phone. you are done.

Alternatively you can use an app called gtxtedit from cydia and edit that csidata file.

Please note that if you use the 3G/EDGE toggle within the iPhone menu, BossPrefs or SBSettings, you will lose the setting you just made above as those toggles can only toggle between edge only and 3g/edge mix and will overwrite the ctidata file.

All my other installed applications are working just fine.

Please note that this will not improve your reception, it will just make the iPhone work in UMTS only mode and will disable the phones ability to fall back to EDGE.

Your iPhone will NOT fall back to GPRS, so make sure you are in a area with strong 3g signal, otherwise you will not receive calls or use internet when you have only 1 bar of 3g signal. Because you say goodbye to 2G already. My iPhone gets speed max down 1050k, up 330k. So it's not bad! It works for me very well and I hope it will work for you

If you try this you are doing it at your own risk. this has worked for me however I take no responsibility.

Post your results and share your experience with us. Cheers! And enjoy your iPhone with forever 3G!

patdude

64 posts

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#215826 19-May-2009 08:50

It will be interesting to see if these problems continue when using an iPhone 3G on the XT network

martin308

226 posts

Master Geek

#215856 19-May-2009 11:27

Hmmm VF's 2100 3G coverage seems to be fairly small so what's the point? You'll get even less coverage!

harrylin

342 posts

Ultimate Geek
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#215865 19-May-2009 11:54

iPhone should work perfectly fine on xt network. But at the moment , this is the only way to get 3g to work on the iphone. The speed I get now are constantly around 900 to 1050kb, upload around 250 to 330kb, all the time now. Yes I know, 2100mhz is very limited coverage now on Voda. If I go to toilet it loses signal. If I put iPhone on the floor it loses signal. But if you want your iPhone to use data on Voda network and get consistent speed, there is no other way.

johnr

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#215871 19-May-2009 12:15

patdude: It will be interesting to see if these problems continue when using an iPhone 3G on the XT network

Thats a no brainer of course they won't with the Telecom XT network 850/2100

John

Sounddude

I fix stuff!
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#215872 19-May-2009 12:20

John: really? but the iphone is 3G 850Mhz capable.

Unless you are talking about the iphone3g being locked to Vodafone?

Dyson

Shop now for Dyson appliances (affiliate link).

johnr

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#215877 19-May-2009 12:30

Sounddude: John: really? but the iphone is 3G 850Mhz capable.

Unless you are talking about the iphone3g being locked to Vodafone?

I know the iphone 3G is 850/2100 WCDMA

The iphone 3G sold by Vodafone is not SIM locked

John

sbiddle

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#215882 19-May-2009 12:39

Easy problem is just to wait a few weeks until the new iPhone's presumably appear. Rumors tend to indicate their will be models with 2 different radio chipsets so a 900/2100 and 850/1900/2100 models will probably hit the shelves. Much like everybody ditching the original iPhone to get a 3G one I'm sure you'll see the same thing occuring.

Then again until any such new product appears they're nothing but rumors..

dncholas

1 post

Wannabe Geek

#218693 28-May-2009 14:09

This is simply a revision of harrylin's instructions and much simplier and specific and how I do it and I believe you will want to use if you plan on doing this easily and especially often when out of the 3g network..

intall gtxtedit from cydia
open gtxedit from icon
load /var/preferences/csidata
Inside csidata you will find the following line:

GsmRegistrationModel::fRatSelection=0x1
The following values apply: 0x0(EDGE ONLY), 0x1(EDGE+3G), 0x2(3G

ONLY).
select GsmRegistrationModel::fRatSelection=0x1 (little screwy because

the keyboard pops up blocking your view but hold finger on line and

use magnify glass popup)
Change 0x1 to 0x2 and save the file
save to /var/preferences/csidata when asked
Reboot the phone. you are done

best advice if you travel out of the 3g network often have these

instructions saved in your iphone to remember and just change the same

file back to 0x1 and save just the same way and remember its the 1st one on top of 0x2 and you are basically making both 0x2. I'm a long truck driver

and in a different state every day. This solves my problem of

switching on me when close enough to 3g and not lose it. I simply

change the next morning before i take off. Good luck and keep truckin'!