It's official: iPhone 3G doesn't work on Rogers/Fido 3G network

Question

I have been experiencing missing calls since I got the phone but it's getting ridiculous lately. Now about 90% of the calls go directly to voice-mail while on 3G. It's been 2.1 will fix it, then 2.2 will fix it. Reset your phone, reset your settings, get a new phone, and now the official recommendation from Fido tech support and apple geniuses seems to be to run your phone on EDGE if you want to receive calls.

Answer 1

Mr. Cribb,
Toronto Star
Thanks for your column, I enjoy reading your work often. An ongoing issue has forced me to write in the hope that you could think of either making a difference as a side-effect of writing about this or from shining light directly on it with your popular column.
The success of the iPhone is ongoing and well-deserved. My wife and I both have iPhones and love the product. We’re also reluctant Rogers customers. The issue is that Rogers is aggressively selling Apple iPhones 3Gs and other 3G based phones and fully aware that their 3G network can not support the traffic. The problem is only getting worse.
Please visit: http://thisyear.ca/2008/11/01/rogers-iphone-3g-missed-and-dropped-calls/
As of about 4 weeks ago I began to experience regularly dropped and missed calls. I thought that perhaps my phone was at fault, then discovered that my wife and others I know with the same phone had some experiences. I called Rogers and was told that this was an unknown issue. I spent some time researching this issue online and discovered the forum above where I found people with exactly the same problem as me. People on the forum describe their experience with Rogers in hopes of resolving the issue of dropped and missing calls. The issue is so predictable and ongoing that over 50% of calls in some areas across the country either end prematurely, are not connected or are missed and go directly to voicemail. Rogers’ answer is to turn off 3G. Many people have been told by Rogers’ CSRs that they’ve never heard of the issue. Some are told that the issue is a manufacturer’s problem and iPhones are replaced regularly only to end up with the same result. The only remedy that actually solves the problem - consistently, is turning off the 3G network on the phone.
Not only are Canadians paying more than 95% of the rest of the world for voice and data plans on the iPhone through Rogers. Not only are Canadians forced to sign 3-year contracts for a higher subsidy price/cost that everyone else gets with only a two year contract. Not only are we expected to lock ourselves in to a contract that is one year longer than the contract Rogers has with Apple - implications unknown. But now, Rogers does not have the capacity to support their existing subscribers. They know the issue exists and continue to make matters worse for their existing customers by selling more phones with no warnings to the droves of people who unknowingly buy the phone on a daily basis. This issue is beyond the control of any customer and there is no clear remedy that we can take without expensive penalties or early contract cancellation fees.
Any advice or effort would be greatly appreciated and thank you in advance,