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Ask HN: Why is there a Default to 4G?

1 points by zahirbmirza ↗ HN
There is a toggle within the iOS Mobile data settings that allows you to select 4G or 5G.

4G that is at one bar of reception can be inferior, in some regards, for example when making calls, than 3G which may profer a stronger signal in a particular location.

Both Apple, and my mobile network deny removing the toggle to select 3G as a forced choice. It is frustrating, as the algos will latch on to a poorer 4G signal in preference to a good 3G or even GPRS etc signal.

Sometimes, all I want the iPhone to do is to actually make a call.

Does anyone in HN know who may be responsible for this elimination of an iPhone user's choice?

3 comments

[ 4.2 ms ] story [ 20.8 ms ] thread
eimrine
My provider used to remove 3G this summer. Now I have some struggle watching Youtube inside of forest (in winters 4g is great), but 2G still does the thing for me. Probably nobody wants to support semi-obsoleted infrastructure on the both ends - feeders on the base stations and chip space on the client side. Apple seems to have balls for removing some hardware standards.

BTW, 4g is really ubiquitos, it is very hard to find a place where 2G works and 4G is not. The real advantage of 3G was battery consumption for client device. I believe 2G will live forever because of energy counters and bank terminals, but 3G has no that important clients who can not migrate.

PS. Good-bye old Symbian devices, having internets on my laptop via 3G + BT was very enegry-efficient way to have internets while backpacking.

zahirbmirza
My phone provider denies they removed the option from iOS (even though the infrastructure exists) and Apple denies it is them.
eimrine
Keep using non-FOSS, they will feed you with even more lies.