Network issues?
The team at iPhonewzealand use Telecom XT for our iPhones, so this has gone under the radar for us until now, but a can of worms has been opened for Vodafone over at Geekzone. Site moderator sbiddle opened a thread in which he described the issues he is currently experiencing with data sessions on his Nokia E71 stalling, SMS messages neither being delivered nor received and voice calls going straight to voicemail. According to his posts and blog, Vodafone CSRs refused to accept that this was a real issue, so sbiddle turned to Geekzone to see if anybody else was experiencing the same issues. Boy did the floodgates open…
The thread is now chock-full of Geekzoners who had noticed the same behaviours across multiple devices, but many of whom had thought it was their own device causing the problems. Some very well-known and informed members of the site have joined the throng including the site owner himself, Mauricio Freitas, Ben Gracewood (formerly of TV1′s Breakfast and operator of ben.geek.nz), and many more who really do know what they’re talking about.
The only remedy, it would seem, is to reboot or go into and out of airplane mode. This causes the current data session to terminate and then restart. Some say this happens a few times a week, others report having to do this several times a day. “Happens once or twice a week,” says user kingjj. “Data session stalls (usually when I’ve got it idle in the background), phone stops receiving texts and calls and starts to get really hot!! Usually I notice when my pocket starts burning. A quick reboot and she’s hunky dory!”
Many users reported that they have experienced the issue on various models of iPhone including the 3GS and 4. User Peppery reported experiencing the issues “multiple times daily in Auckland CBD on an iPhone 4″ and called it “frustrating.” But curiously many report only experiencing it since the update to iOS 4.1, leading some to conclude that the issue is a bug in that firmware. Well, we can confirm that we have never once had any issues like the ones described in this thread on our iPhones running iOS 4.1 on Telecom XT so we can only point to an issue affecting the Vodafone network if these issues are real (which now seems beyond doubt.)
A Vodafone employee jumped into the fray to ask people to log faults so that the issue could be looked into. He advised that Vodafone customers should call 0800 921 021 to log a fault. Obviously the more examples of this behavior that are reported to Vodafone the easier it becomes for them to identify and isolate the problem.
Incidentally, this isn’t the first time that such issues have been reported on Geekzone. Back in March a similar thread reported issues on the network in Wellington, but the (now former) Head of Communications, Paul Brislen, dismissed it as Geekzone users “getting carried away” and quite flippantly suggested that “At certain times of the day there’s a lot of congestion … What happens in Wellington is they come out of a meeting and all switch on their iPhones at the same time and find it’s congested.”
Riiiight… so it is the iPhone’s fault!
Are you on Vodafone? Are you experiencing issues? Have you tried to log a fault? Let us know of your experiences in the comments!
The only problem I have is extremely low(or no at all) 3G reception in Mt Roskill area, near grammar school. Vodafone says it is a dead spot and they can do nothing about it…
(Maxim has made 11 comments)
I have started (this month) having issues with me my network as the 3G keeps cutting out randomly. Also it sometimes takes a while for my 3G to start working – especially after I go rom WiFi to 3G. I have an iPhone 4 on Vodafone.
(Theo Tsiolas has made 2 comments)
I have this issue ENDLESSLY on my iPhone 4, it is exceptionally annoying. Vodafone has just Been a huge failure as far as iPhone 4 goes.
(jonootto has made 1 comment)
I used to get this all the time on my original 3G. As soon as my contract expired, moved over to 2degrees prepay. I pay about half what I used to, and no more connection problems.
(kermit has made 3 comments)
Weird, I am not experiencing any issues atall, infact DATA is astonishingly quick and reliable right now………….. Oh wait that’s right, I run all my iDevices on XT …………That explains that.
I’m amazed at the level the issue needs to be at before Vodafone acknowledge there is an issue, we have around 25 iPhones at work on Vodafone, a few weeks ago none of them would receive data, when we contacted Vodafone they simply refused to admit there was any issue. Only 4 hours later when the phones were still not receiving data did they decide to look into it and come back to us informing us of an issue,
and we are a supposed valued business customer with dedicated support and business rep, what chance has your average consumer got.
I’m wondering if this issue is simply down to the (lets face it) massive increase in data hungry devices and the Vodafone network simply can’t cope with the increase in traffic. In the last 5 months alone we have had iPhone 4, iPad, a multitude of Android Smartphone’s, now Windows 7 devices and soon to be Android tablets devices. The requirement for data could very well be taking it’s toll on the network.
(Paul has made 323 comments)
Personally I have had no issues at all on VF 3G in Hamilton.
Ill go over to the GZ website and post this as well
(Psychrn has made 131 comments)
I think VFNZ just wrote it off as an iPhone problem. Combine that with the way they handled the iPhone launch here I think there’s zero respect for iDevices at VFNZ, which is pretty daft when you consider how many of them they sell…
It’s great they’re offering 3GB of free data to use on iPhone plans at present, but at dial-up speeds (in Wgtn CBD) it’s like offering someone a Ferrari indefinitely, but with no engine.
(JimmyC has made 54 comments)
A family members new iPhone4 on Vodafone just “decided” to de-activate last friday … now it doesn’t work. Vodafone told him to phone Apple “it’s their problem”. Funny then how my XT sim works fine in his phone. Very glad I switched mine to XT!
(silverfox has made 6 comments)
yeah i get crappy service and 3G speeds – i had to move from XT due to work and now at home barely any coverage in Ilam and continuously having to reboot phone to get message send… I wish we could use XT again
(s.p.w has made 41 comments)
I have an iPhone 3Gs and have been having txt issues for a couple of weeks. Every now and then a txt won’t send even though the VF signal is fine – if I restart the phone it fixes the problem. I have also noted – but less frequently – that data sessions freeze.
Glad to hear i’m not the only one.
(bob234 has made 14 comments)
I’ve been having issues with anything related to the cellular network…
Problems with SMS: sometimes get multiple txt messages (duplicates). Other people I know have the same issue. Sometimes there is a massive delay in sending and receiving txts too.
Problems with data: several times a day the data will just stall. I have learnt to quickly toggle airplane mode on and off to fix this. browsers/apps/email all stop working during this window. unfortunately for someone relying on push email to work – this is not terribly ideal.
Problems with dropped calls: Has anyone here actually managed to drive through Kingsland and not drop a call these days? Seriously – the phone would drop the call, then completely freeze up and refuse to hang up on the dead call. Then refuse to call out to the person I was just talking to only to leave me with SMS messages featuring missed calls from the aforementioned person and the obligatory voicemail SMS. Geez thats right – visual voicemail isn’t available yet (nor do I see it working in the near future), and yeah it does cost $0.20 every time I check my voicemail. What about the overseas calls that are capped at $2 for 60min that I have to make multiple times cos of drop outs?
I thought it was my iPhone 3GS that was defective – but after speaking with a few other people that have had similar experiences, I’d like to suggest that it is Vodafone that is the issue.
(rohan has made 6 comments)
Same issues with me. 3G randomly cuts out on me even though I live in central Auckland. I’ve even had a case where I’ve been 30 metres from a cell tower and not been able to get any data to my phone.
You’re a winner Vodafone… a real winner.
(riggz has made 4 comments)
I have been experiencing this issue to point of frustration not just in auckland cbd but out west as well. I shall find the time to call and report it…
(Nordy has made 46 comments)
Wow, I thought that the network problems I’ve been having (sending texts, receiving calls, using data) was related to damage after our earthquake. But perhaps not!
(Bebe has made 12 comments)
If it werent for most of my friends being on Vodafone I would have left loooooong ago. Exorbitant data prices, poor data connection quality (Auckland CBD), and random texts not going through with no notification of failure. I used to live in Namibia in Africa (3rd world country) and the network wasn’t this bad. It’s shocking.
(skyler has made 1 comment)
I have had ongoing issues with my 3GS for months on the VF network. Text messages not being able to be sent, messages sent to me being delivered hours or even days after sending, and issues with the data connection. I also often couldn’t make calls (it would just plain not connect to the network) and wouldn’t be able to take calls and speak for longer than maybe 30 seconds. When we got to the point of the phone not even ringing when someone tried to contact me, and then the voicemail would be held up somehow for over a day – well, it was time for a switch! And yes, I was one of those people re-starting the 3GS a number of times per day – not really a stable business solution by any stretch of the imagination!
To my absolute amazement the switch to XT was quick and easy and from the moment I switched, my phone behaved completely differently. VF weren’t interested in the issues and I couldn’t really find any similar problems when looking online, so I had assumed the hardware was failing – but it appears it really was a network issue.
I also have to admit that the coverage on XT has been to date much better. Of course that I’ve know about for some time – my husband has the same phone but has always been on XT, and it was remarkable how we could stand next to each other (in Wellington CBD or in our living room in north Wellington) and the two phones’ performance would in each case be remarkably different!
(threebadcats has made 1 comment)
I’ve been having issues with this problem since about a week after I purchased the iPhone 4. I’m now on my 4 th iPhone 4 and my 5th sim. And until about a week ago thought I was going mad as was getting the standard line about not having seen the issue before. I have “stalls” about five or six times a day and live on my phone as an it consultant. So obviously this is bad. Have been right up to tier one support and complaints and although initially was told it’s the phone or firmware. They now seem to be listening which is great. Although Ive had problems and have been unhappy the vf people I have dealt with have been great and now, even though I’m moving to xt they are still great. Hope this issue gets resolved as this is not good for anyone. Cheers.
(paulfrancis27 has made 3 comments)
I have the same issues as everyone else and got off my backside today and tried to log a fault call.
So, my data drops, my txt sending stalls, people get my voicemail without my phone ringing, txts come late, sloooooow data connection, etc. Probably notice it about four times per day on average. But could be more. Push mail fails reasonably frequently.
Resetting the phone (ip4) seems to fix it.
I tried to log a call through the website. Fail. Told me something was wrong with my entry and then refused to do anything else.
I called 777 and got a lady who was totally confused. She tried to reset my voicemail (which I just stopped her doing in time) and told me to reset my phone. I pointed out that I was tired of resetting the phone and wanted to know if there was an issue with the network. Long story short, I get shuffled off to another 0800 number. What is it about Vodafone? There is the 777, an 0800 technical number they wanted me to ring, and if that didnt work an iphone helpdesk number as well. Seamless customer service zero.
The tech called me by another name, nice touch, and told me that I had to take my sim and phone into a vodafone shop to see if they were working. I told him I wouldn’t, it was clear there was an issue with the network and all I wanted to do was log a call as such, figuring if everyone does then they have to listen right?
Not a fault with the network he says, a fault with all iphone 4′s. Oh I said, then send me a new phone please. Can’t do that, it’s Apple’s fault (or words to that affect). I bought it from you, I pointed out, so send me one that works, I don’t have time to go to a shop and swap things around.
Handily, at that point, the call dropped (can I get a lol). He rang me back and I logged a complaint.
It seems clear that Vodafone are not at all willing to admit anything is wrong so I am going to go down the getting a credit back on my account route. If I get substandard service, I should pay less, right?
(iapperley has made 1 comment)
YES! I had a 3G for a year on xt, no problemo. If there was reception, there was data. Been on vodafone with my 4g for about 45 days and exactly this problem has happened since day one. Maybe every 2nd day it will say there is reception but no data services will load (maps, safari, other applications). Oddly, emails still sometimes work. A restart seems to help usually, but this is not acceptable. The whole point to an iPhone is to check your email and be done in 15s flat.
I have taken screen shots each time it has happened thinking it was an error with the phone. Was just about to take it back. Like an old router I had that would do the same thing, had to be restarted to work again. But if this problem is vodafone wide, WTF!
On telecom I went probably 6 months without turning off my iPhone 3G once!
Come on vodafone!
(sxz has made 2 comments)
I have ben experiencing issues as previously stated since being with VF for about 11months now of my 24month contract. Certainly getting worse in the last few months. Toggle airplane modes fixes it and is quicker than soft reset. Has occurred with 3GS and v4 phone so clearly is a vf network problem. Can I just ask..everyone talks about ditching and switching VF as if it is easy? Are you all out of contract? I would go in a second but still have 13 painful months left. What are your secrets? Thanks
(adamhollingworth has made 8 comments)