AT&T ANSWER ME THIS? Why can't we turn 3G or LTE off?

[MJB0188]

I would like a real answer please.  Why can't I turn off 3G or 4G LTE on any of your devices?  You allow 3G to be turned off on the iPhone 3GS and 4 but not 4S.   I feel that you want to decide which network customers should be using.  I find this to be very upsetting and frustrating to your customers.  I do not need 4G LTE if my phone sits in a drawer at work all day.  All that is doing is draining my battery.  Now if it was forced to 2G only then my battery would be great and I'd still be able to get calls and texts.

Please, please add this to your phones.  iOS 5.1 allows this, except when an AT&T sim is popped in!!!  Beyond frustrating.

[wingrider01 ACE - Expert]

---

MJB0188 wrote:

I would like a real answer please.  Why can't I turn off 3G or 4G LTE on any of your devices?  You allow 3G to be turned off on the iPhone 3GS and 4 but not 4S.   I feel that you want to decide which network customers should be using.  I find this to be very upsetting and frustrating to your customers.  I do not need 4G LTE if my phone sits in a drawer at work all day.  All that is doing is draining my battery.  Now if it was forced to 2G only then my battery would be great and I'd still be able to get calls and texts.

Please, please add this to your phones.  iOS 5.1 allows this, except when an AT&T sim is popped in!!!  Beyond frustrating.

---

since this is a peer to peer forum you wil not get a att answer as you want here.

Also crrently have a rogers sim in a unlocked Iphone 3gs with ios 5.1 - where are the settings to do what you state?

[MJB0188]

I'm aware I might not get an asnwer but the high ups at AT&T do browse these forums, thats a fact.

Go to settings, general, network, and then turn off 3G.  You have the option and the 3GS and 4 on AT&T have the option.  Its just every Android does NOT.  

[JFizDaWiz]

Its not an android feature is all

[MJB0188]

Correct, its a setting under mobile network for Android, yet AT&T branded phones do not have that setting.  

[wingrider01 ACE - Expert]

---

MJB0188 wrote:

Correct, its a setting under mobile network for Android, yet AT&T branded phones do not have that setting.  

---

make up your mind - are you complaining about androids or iphones? Your first post is about iphone then you switch to android, still must be missing it, do not see it on the 3GS

[MJB0188]

I am complaing about AT&T not giving customers the options to pick their choice of network.  (turning off 3G and 4G)

I mentioned the iPhone 3GS and 4 because those are the only two devices on AT&T that allow the customer to turn off 3G.  I'm saying that AT&T doesn't give any Android user the option (unless the user takes it into their own hands).

AT&T needs to make it an option to turn off 4G LTE and 3G so customers don't have to take it into their own hands!!!

[fiercefire]

---

JFizDaWiz wrote:
Its not an android feature is all

---

Bull,

My stock Nexus One running Gingerbread has a Data toggle.

[JFizDaWiz]

I run source code bulit Android on every device and most, not all but most don't have this feature. And some of the ones that do it doesn't even work

[MJB0188]

All of T-Mobile's Android phones have this option. All of Roger's phones have this option.  AT&T just doesn't like the customer to choose which network they want to be on simple as that.  

[wingrider01 ACE - Expert]

---

MJB0188 wrote:

All of T-Mobile's Android phones have this option. All of Roger's phones have this option.  AT&T just doesn't like the customer to choose which network they want to be on simple as that.  

---

If something is that important then maybe a change of carriers is indicated as it appears it is not going ot happen in the near future. ROI may just not be there to justify it

[skyics]

You, can shut off Mobile data all together. So you can use just wifi.

Settings, Wireless and Network, Mobile networks, Use Packet Data uncheck and its off.

[MJB0188]

Oh my god, you people just don't get it.  Whatever.  

[wingrider01 ACE - Expert]

---

MJB0188 wrote:

Oh my god, you people just don't get it.  Whatever.  

---

I get it, just cannot see the ROI advantage for even having it, the majority user - Joe/Jane Sixpack user will not even understand what it gets them and it will do, it just some code that the minority of the end users even care about - the ROI just does not make any sense ot put it there, or even unlock it Now if 95 percent ofthe users asked for it then it might be something to consider as long as the technology it drops it back to will bave around for a about 10 years. On a priority scale of 1 to 10, it is about a 3, maybe a 2.5

[MJB0188]

The point is, every other GSM carrier in the world allows it.  AT&T specifically took it out of iOS 5.1 for the iPhone 4S only.  Rogers the largest Canadian carrier allows it on all their 3G and 4G LTE devices.  The point is it should be there, and 95% wouldn't even touch it, yes, but it would still be an option for the 5% who relies on it.  

At least we have the option to "take things into our own hands" with Android.

[wingrider01 ACE - Expert]

---

MJB0188 wrote:

The point is, every other GSM carrier in the world allows it.  AT&T specifically took it out of iOS 5.1 for the iPhone 4S only.  Rogers the largest Canadian carrier allows it on all their 3G and 4G LTE devices.  The point is it should be there, and 95% wouldn't even touch it, yes, but it would still be an option for the 5% who relies on it.  

At least we have the option to "take things into our own hands" with Android.

---

here that comment every day, and not only from the developers still does not make a difference, no effective ROI, no work done on the project, we do not do creeping featurism in our development

[MJB0188]

I beg to differ, but we'll have to take that argument on another forum.

[dmapr ACE - Expert]

---

wingrider01 wrote:

---

MJB0188 wrote:

All of T-Mobile's Android phones have this option. All of Roger's phones have this option.  AT&T just doesn't like the customer to choose which network they want to be on simple as that.  

---

If something is that important then maybe a change of carriers is indicated as it appears it is not going ot happen in the near future. ROI may just not be there to justify it

---

You keep bringing up the ROI as if it'll take some investment to put it in. In fact, on every AT&T 3G-capable phone that I could compare AT&T firmware to a stock one, including non-smartphones, the AT&T version of the firmware had that capability disabled, while stock version had it available. That tells me there was some investment in the AT&T firmware to remove it, so they must see it as a money-making feature for them. How it is making them money I have no idea…

[wingrider01 ACE - Expert]

---

dmapr wrote:

---

wingrider01 wrote:

---

MJB0188 wrote:

All of T-Mobile's Android phones have this option. All of Roger's phones have this option.  AT&T just doesn't like the customer to choose which network they want to be on simple as that.  

---

If something is that important then maybe a change of carriers is indicated as it appears it is not going ot happen in the near future. ROI may just not be there to justify it

---

You keep bringing up the ROI as if it'll take some investment to put it in. In fact, on every AT&T 3G-capable phone that I could compare AT&T firmware to a stock one, including non-smartphones, the AT&T version of the firmware had that capability disabled, while stock version had it available. That tells me there was some investment in the AT&T firmware to remove it, so they must see it as a money-making feature for them. How it is making them money I have no idea…

---

Cannot understand why you would be campaigning to have a feature that actually reduces the capabilities of your device, the advantages it was true back in the late 90's and early 20xx, but the situation has changed tremendously in the infrastructure

[dmapr ACE - Expert]

---

wingrider01 wrote:

Cannot understand why you would be campaigning to have a feature that actually reduces the capabilities of your device, the advantages it was true back in the late 90's and early 20xx, but the situation has changed tremendously in the infrastructure

---

I can't speak for everyone, but for example if I want to stay on a call while going from home to work (as I occasionally have to) I absolutely need to turn the 3G off before I connect, otherwise it's guaranteed the call will be dropped when I go through a GSM/EDGE-only area midway.

[wingrider01 ACE - Expert]

---

dmapr wrote:

---

wingrider01 wrote:

Cannot understand why you would be campaigning to have a feature that actually reduces the capabilities of your device, the advantages it was true back in the late 90's and early 20xx, but the situation has changed tremendously in the infrastructure

---

I can't speak for everyone, but for example if I want to stay on a call while going from home to work (as I occasionally have to) I absolutely need to turn the 3G off before I connect, otherwise it's guaranteed the call will be dropped when I go through a GSM/EDGE-only area midway.

---

the technology is being phased out, so at that point the switch is useless

[MJB0188]

The 2G network actually gets me a much better signal at home and call quality is better.  AT&T doesn't get to decide which network I get to use which is why I take things into my own hands.  3G on the other hand is not being phased out any time soon and we should have an option to turn off 4G LTE so we can get a better signal with 3G.  

I can have 1 bar of 4G LTE and then turn it off and get five bars of HSPA+.  Go figure.

[dmapr ACE - Expert]

---

wingrider01 wrote:

the technology is being phased out, so at that point the switch is useless

---

I don't understand — are you suggesting that I should be getting used to dropped calls in anticipation of 2G being phased out? That can easily take another 3-4 years, why should I suffer dropped calls for all this time?

[MJB0188]

^ EXACTLY!!!!

[MJB0188]

I'm going to do everything in my power to keep this thread active.  I'm going to start calling AT&T technical support and have them log this.  I urge anyone that wants a network toggle to please call AT&T and complain.  The more people to do this the better!!!!

[wingrider01 ACE - Expert]

---

dmapr wrote:

---

wingrider01 wrote:

the technology is being phased out, so at that point the switch is useless

---

I don't understand — are you suggesting that I should be getting used to dropped calls in anticipation of 2G being phased out? That can easily take another 3-4 years, why should I suffer dropped calls for all this time?

---

Sooner then you think - there is a thread in the other forum about a customer that just got the notifcation that 2G was being shutdown in New York this month.

Due to upcoming network improvements, your current older-model 2G phone must be exchanged.

If you do not take action soon, you may not be able to send or receive calls, and you may experience degradation of your wireless service in certain areas.

However, AT&T is giving you the chance to save up to $100 on a new phone, without a new service commitment, if you act by May 15, 2012. This makes many popular smartphones free to you with no contract required!*


You must act now:

1.		Bring a printout of this email along with your current wireless phone to an AT&T company-owned store by May 15, 2012. Find a participating location in Metro NY, Northern NJ and CT at att.com/storelocator.
2.		An AT&T representative will ensure that your phone is the one associated with the mobile number ending in xxxx.
3.		Exchange your current 2G phone and save up to $100 on your choice of a new phone.

Visit your local AT&T company-owned store in Metro NY, Northern NJ and CT before May 15, 2012, to avoid service interruption. 

[MJB0188]

I don't believe they are shutting 2G down.  That would make zero sense.  AT&T is all about layers on the cake and axing 2G would make many customers very unhappy.  

If this WAS the case they wouldn't allow iPhone 3GS and 4 users to disable 3G.  Everyone seems to be ignoring the fact that AT&T allows it on those two iphones but NOT the 4S.  

[wingrider01 ACE - Expert]

---

MJB0188 wrote:

I don't believe they are shutting 2G down.  That would make zero sense.  AT&T is all about layers on the cake and axing 2G would make many customers very unhappy.  

If this WAS the case they wouldn't allow iPhone 3GS and 4 users to disable 3G.  Everyone seems to be ignoring the fact that AT&T allows it on those two iphones but NOT the 4S.  

---

MJB0188 wrote:

I don't believe they are shutting 2G down.  That would make zero sense.  AT&T is all about layers on the cake and axing 2G would make many customers very unhappy.  

If this WAS the case they wouldn't allow iPhone 3GS and 4 users to disable 3G.  Everyone seems to be ignoring the fact that AT&T allows it on those two iphones but NOT the 4S.  

---

You have the freedom to believe what you want to believe, but if you notice that is a copy of the document the the origianl poster made on the forum here and it is from ATT, kind of validates the theory.

 The simple fact that it is available to disable means nothing, they ability is there, but if the switch gets flipped and it does not work it does not work - flip it back to the side that it works on - only one inconvienced is the person that did that and all the posts made aboutr "wordt network in the world". Having the abiltiy to do something does not auomatic equate to it working at all. I have the ability to fuel my GT500 with regular instead of premium, does not automaticly equite that the engine will run right.

[dmapr ACE - Expert]

Well, I won't put too much stock in those letters. I've received a whole bunch of them last year when they were desperate to get me off my Blue plan, along with messages and phone calls. None of those threats came to be true.

Just as it was with sunset of TDMA it's very unlikely AT&T will not make a big announcement about it. Plus, take a look at AT&T coverage map out west — vast areas of 2G-only.

However, this is a moot point. There are many reasons why today someone might want to turn 3G/4G off — conserving battery, intermittent signal — whatever. So far I haven't seen any reasonable explanation of why AT&T would disable that ability.

[MJB0188]

@ wingrider01 So you've indicated but why is it an option for iPhone 3GS and 4 users. What if they're in areas where AT&T is shutting off EDGE? Don't say it's an Apple thing but Apple agreed to take the switch away for iPhone 4S users.