Forcing 3G over 4G

[jasons6930]

Hi guys,

This may not be in the correct forum so please move if not!

Anyway, i have an Iphone12 and an 02 esim.

Thing is, i would like to force 3G on the esim, rather than defaulting to 4G (no 5G here at all yet).

What i have found is the phone keeps favouring a poor 4G connection rather than (when it does decide to change) a much better 3G signal.

I know with previous contracts and phones one could select 3G only in the data settings.

After having browsed the Apple forums, it seems i am not alone, and i think the consensus was, it was down to the carrier, and some where even of the opinion that many carriers are soon to be shutting down the 3G network, to allow more and better 4G coverage(?) and so are no longer 'officially' supporting selecting 3G only on phones.

Cheers guys.

[MI5]

@jasons6930 

It is set by the carrier profile which you cannot control.

If it's not available as a setting then unfortunately, you can not force it.

[jasons6930]

@MI5 

Ok thanks.

Is that just specific to a new 5G capable phone or just the newer contracts?

I have a standard Voda sim card as well, and that does not come 5G enabled but that wont allow switching either?

[MI5]

@jasons6930 

O2's carrier profile will be the same for all phones. I think the ability to force 2g only was disabled a long time ago and seem to recall that the 3g only option was also turned off a while back. 

The assumption is that the phone will deal with the settings automatically, but doesn't always work that way especially if you are on the edge of a 4g service (the phone will think that 4g is better than 3g always).

[jasons6930]

@MI5 

Ok cheers.

I have just checked my wifes Iphone X as i also upgraded her contract to the same as mine with a 5G sim ready for the future, and she still has the selectable 3G or 4G options in her settings, so it looks like it might also be iOS input as well.

[MI5]

Is she on the same carrier profile @jasons6930 ?

[jasons6930]

@MI5 

I will check in a while, as she is on a work call at the moment, and probably won't appreciate me yanking it off her to check.

[MI5]

[jasons6930]

@MI5  How do i check profiles?

[MI5]

@jasons6930 

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