Not So Hot 3G Network

The 3G network that ATT and Apple have been boasting about is not stacking up to the hype. Any user of the new 3G iPhone can tell you that they are experiencing more than just dropped calls. Often, iPhone users are unable to place calls, along with having their current conversations “fail.” The current speculation is that there are not enough satellites to hold the larger than anticipated 3G network of users. At times, it can be so bad that iPhone 3G users are not able to place calls for periods of up to 30 minutes. At first I thought it might be a regional issue. However, I experienced the problems initially in St. Louis, my friends in Chicago are having the same problems, and during my trip to the San Francisco Bay area and Phoenix, the issues were still present. I’ve had my phone looked at by the Genius Bar, and completed all necessary updates. Hopefully this problem will be addressed soon. Otherwise, I would expect ATT and Apple to get a lot of angry customers most likely resulting in discounted monthly statements. I was unable to find any sources discussing ATT’s plans to beef-up the 3G network. Hopefully they have a plan to address the recent problems. I’ll continue to look for reliable information about the current issues and hopefully get some insight as to when the problems will be fixed and we can continue to use our 3G iPhones without major service interruption.

If any readers feel these statements are false, or exaggerated, please comment on your experience.

iPhone Application: Bloomberg

This is the first application I put on my iPhone 3G. Bloomberg provides financial information and is a great resource for investors, financial professionals, and anyone interested in the capital markets, or related news. The Bloomberg App lets you pick stocks you want to watch and gives you current quote information, related news, and performance charts. You also have access to international equity, bond, currency, bond, and commodity markets/indices.

The Bloomberg app would not make much sense for someone who didn't have a strong need or desire to be informed of current market conditions on more than a daily basis. This is where the iPhone can really compete with the Blackberry's that business people have been set on since their creation. As far as I know, no other phone has anything close to this informative for financial information, and therefore, would make the iPhone 3G a great option. The Bloomberg application for the iPhone is free as well.