iPhone 4S new iOS update 4G using A LOT of DATA?!?!

Ever since the new update about a week ago, my phone ALWAYS says 4G now. It also seems to burn up data faster! Is this true? Is there a way to only limit it to 3G?

Responses

Accepted Solution

Official Solution

Your connection to the wireless network did not change with the upgrade. They just re-badged the HSPA+ as 4G. You had it before but is showed as 3G. You may be getting a faster signal if your network area was recently updated with a faster backbone so you might be getting a more fuller signal when you are watching videos?

On the 4S, you do not have the option to only use 3G. You can turn off cellular data but that has consequences.

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jaeb0922

Tutor

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6 Messages

12 years ago

Thanx for the reply! Useful info!

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anton697

Scholar

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121 Messages

12 years ago

Of course with the higher/faster speeds that come with 4G, there is the possibility for a user to selectively choose to download/view higher-quality video and/or webpages--e.g., you probably would not choose to view a HQ Youtube video over 3G but might consider doing so over 4G since it offers higher bandwidth and speeds...and it would go without saying that viewing a HQ video would use up more data than viewing a non-HQ version of the same video.

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youngjm

Master

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7.1K Messages

12 years ago

Some services judge the quality of the connection. That determines how much they compress what you see or hear.

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BadBadLeroyBrown

Guru

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682 Messages

12 years ago

There are no higher/faster speeds on the iPhone. The iOS update didn't suddenly change the way iPhones connect to the network. It just rebadged what used to be called 3G on the iPhone as 4G, since the ITU (Int'l Telecom Union) said that HSPA+ (which the iPhone has had) can be called 4G.

@anton697 wrote:
Of course with the higher/faster speeds that come with 4G, there is the possibility for a user to selectively choose to download/view higher-quality video and/or webpages--e.g., you probably would not choose to view a HQ Youtube video over 3G but might consider doing so over 4G since it offers higher bandwidth and speeds...and it would go without saying that viewing a HQ video would use up more data than viewing a non-HQ version of the same video.

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anton697

Scholar

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121 Messages

12 years ago

@BadBadLeroyBrown wrote:
There are no higher/faster speeds on the iPhone. The iOS update didn't suddenly change the way iPhones connect to the network. It just rebadged what used to be called 3G on the iPhone as 4G, since the ITU (Int'l Telecom Union) said that HSPA+ (which the iPhone has had) can be called 4G.

@anton697 wrote:
Of course with the higher/faster speeds that come with 4G, there is the possibility for a user to selectively choose to download/view higher-quality video and/or webpages--e.g., you probably would not choose to view a HQ Youtube video over 3G but might consider doing so over 4G since it offers higher bandwidth and speeds...and it would go without saying that viewing a HQ video would use up more data than viewing a non-HQ version of the same video.

So you're saying that HSPA+ is the same as 3G, as far as speeds are concerned? Guess all those iPhone 4S folks must have been lying when they said that they observed much faster speeds (when on a HSPA+ network) compared to when they're on a 3G (or even EDGE)? If one of the primary benefits/advantages of being on HSPA+ isn't faster speeds, then what is the benefit of HSPA+ compared to 3G?

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BadBadLeroyBrown

Guru

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682 Messages

12 years ago

HSPA+ IS 3G. It's simply an extension of the capabilities of regular HSPA, which itself was an incremental "upgrade" over the base WCDMA/UMTS air interface. It's all marketing. Nothing about the update will make anyone's phones any faster than they were before the update.

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tcktdarg

Contributor

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1 Message

10 years ago

I know this isn't exactly the same thing as what y'all are talking about but I am freaking out and can't find help anywhere! I have an iPhone 4S and of course I try to call apple and they want u to pay $20 just to get help one time! Anyway so I can't figure out how to turn on 3G or 4g! In my settings I don't have a network, only cellular data and that doesn't show any 3G anything! And I've been threw all my settings! I've even reset my network settings, still nothing! Please help someone! Thanks!!

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ATTDmitriyCM

Former Community Manager

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10.4K Messages

10 years ago

Hi @tcktdarg

Are you using an AT&T iPhone? 3G or 4G should connect automatically whenever it's available. It can also indicate an availability of cellular data, do you have a data plan?

Thanks,

Dmitriy

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