iOS 4.2 lightens the load on cellular networks
In addition to the functional changes like AirPlay and AirPrint that we already know about in iOS 4.2, there are also under-the-skin changes that impact the way iPhones interact with cellular networks. The results of tests run at Nokia Siemens' Smart Lab in Espoo, Finland indicate that Apple has implemented a new control strategy that complies with the 3rd Generation Partnership Project's (3GPP) Release 8 specifications. The new fast dormancy feature in iOS 4.2 is said to significantly reduce signaling traffic between phones and the networks they operate on.
The way previous iPhones communicated with networks has been a topic of discussion for some time. Specifically, it was claimed that the way Apple's phone is controlled causes a lot more network traffic than other phones. Smartphone designers used an earlier version of fast dormancy that frequently shut down and restarted data connections to the network in order to preserve battery life. However, each time the connection changed state, signals were exchanged between the phone and network. The new protocol is controlled by the network rather than the phone, allowing operators to manage network traffic by slowing down the switching rate when things get busy. It's not known what impact this will have on phone battery life, but given that the phones were designed to optimize it with the old approach, it will probably be a bit worse when operating on busy networks. The change only applies to the iPhone 4, but any relief will probably be welcome on our increasingly crowded cell networks.
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In addition to the functional changes like AirPlay and AirPrint that we already know about in iOS 4.2, there are also under-the-skin...
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I would imagine this is a baseband upgrade, so if you think you are getting this on a jailbroken and UNLOCKED 4.2.1, think again. The unlock for 4.2.1 requires the baseband from an iPad 3.2.2, so those users will be out of luck. So glad I didn't do that unlock!! BB FWs are NOT downgradeable, and the iPads is higher numbered than that for the iPhones!
December 02 2010 at 6:13 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replyuh, wouldn't it be at&t's responsibility to expand their service to fit OUR needs? they seem to have no trouble signing us all up--wouldn't it be nice if their expansion actually kept pace with the number of subscribers?
it seems a bit odd to me that smartphones increasingly use more and more data with each new iteration--but the providers are stumped when their networks clog up and slow down.
at&t's voice service is dismal--i lost count of how many dropped calls i had yesterday (including 4 to the same number) and their data service is right behind. i will be watching the verizon iphone rollout with interest.
"The technology does, however, require that Nokia Siemens' network equipment be used in order for the improvements to be possible, and it is unclear which regions and carriers have embraced the company's products. For example, AT&T noted earlier this year that upload issues being experienced by iPhone users were caused by software problems in network equipment from Nokia Siemens competitors Alcatel-Lucent. Alcatel-Lucent and Ericsson have also been selected to provide equipment for AT&T's next-generation LTE (4G) network."
-Macrumors
You missed something important here... iOS 4.2 uses better technology to interact with the cellular network, but it only really applies if Nokia Siemens hardware is used on the other end. AT&T (likely) uses mostly Alcatel-Lucent equipment for their network.
December 02 2010 at 8:28 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI'll take the brunt of negative comments for my fellow heavy data users here, I want my streaming of Netflix and other apps to continue to hog the bandwidth though!
I hate that it plays for two or three min, then stops for a min or so then plays again for 2-3 min. I want to watch Married With Children without interuptions, especially with the visual quality so low. I could understand if I was jailbroken with My3G going or something, but I'm not, it looks like blurs moving on my iPhone and iPad screens.
My internet connection is intermittent now that I've upgraded to 4.2. No one at Rogers I spoke with guessed that there might an OS upgrade cause to my frustration. This clue makes me want to go back to an earlier version of the OS. Terribly frustrating to have to wait, wait, wait for a page to load. And I just bought iPhone 4. My iPhone3GS with the earlier OS worked better.
December 02 2010 at 8:43 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI was in Canada during the summer, but I kept my iPhone off then. Yet I was there last Christmas and it seemed to work ok, so I'm thinking the OS upgrade did effect your performance.
December 02 2010 at 8:52 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyAccording to reports found elsewhere, battery life will improve with this change. The way it used to work, the reestablishing of connections was done at the maximum frequency; with this change, the worst case scenario is a too light a network making it act like in the old way. A busy network should decrease battery usage.
December 02 2010 at 7:42 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplySo why is the picture of an iPad?
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