3G

Do you hate when your iPhone doesn't automatically switch to 3G if your Wi-Fi connection is too slow? A new feature in iOS 6 will solve this problem. The new option called "Wi-Fi Plus Cellular" allows your iPhone to automatically switch to a cellular connection when Wi-Fi isn't doing the job. iPhone owners can also manage their data usage by toggling specific services on and off. As you can see from the picture below, the cellular option allows you to turn off access to iCloud Documents, iTunes, FaceTime, Passbook Updates and Reading List.

The "Wi-Fi Plus Cellular" option was discovered within the Settings menu in the latest iOS 6 beta by AppAdvice. The blog also discovered a toggle for Shared Calendar Alerts within the beta. When enabled, the new feature will notify you whenever the shared calendar is modified.

There's word that Sprint plans to deploy its own 4G LTE network next year to compete with Verizon and AT&T, but right now everyone is talking about 3G speed problems on the iPhone 4S. Unfortunately for Sprint the carrier seems to be experiencing the same woes that plagued AT&T after its record iPhone launches of days past. Support forums are full of people asking questions and wondering why their iPhone 4S is so slow compared to other devices on the same network.

Now reports indicate Apple has stepped in and the problem could be a software issue affecting Sprint iPhone customers nationwide. CNET reports that an internal memo was leaked explaining just that, and a fix for the problem is in the works. Apple made no official statement regarding the issue.

The iPhone 4S is not the "highly-anticipated" iPhone Apple fans were waiting for. It's safe to assume many fanboys were disappointed by Tim Cook's announcement, but Apple is sticking to its claim that this is the "most amazing iPhone yet." It didn't deliver a new "teardrop" design, or many of the other features we were promised, but it does have the rumored 8 megapixel camera and A5 chip. Hate it, love it or just don't care, here's a list of all the specifications and features for the new iPhone 4S.

Even though jailbreaking is more accessible to iPhone users than ever before, some may question whether or not apps developed outside the App Store are really necessary. The fact is that Apple limits some functionality for security and other reasons. Here are two great apps that make it possible to do more with your 3G connection if your iPhone is jailbroken.

Auto3G switches your iPhone's 3G cellular data connection to EDGE (2G) automatically every time you lock your device. Why not stay connected to the 3G network when the iPhone is locked? Battery life, that's why. Your battery life can be extended when the 3G network is only used when necessary.

In a move said to be preparation for the iPad release, Apple has doubled the App Store size limit on 3G cellular network downloads to 20MB. Previously users were prompted to use a Wi-Fi connection or iTunes to download applications larger than 10MB.

The change could put more bandwidth pressure on the AT&T network, however the company has been frantically working to improve speeds and capacity nationwide ahead of the iPad and 4G iPhone releases later this year.

How about making iPhone calls on your own personal cell tower? AT&T has test launched its femtocell solution for individual users, dubbed the MicroCell. This device is compatible with the iPhone 3G and 3GS.

MicroCell data speeds will be slower than the 7.2 Mbps the iPhone 3GS is capable of delivering, however they will achieve 3.2 Mbps, matching standard 3G speeds. The device allows users to make calls and send text messages using a 5,000 square foot local 3G network.

With the MMS debacle ongoing, iPhone users are desperately looking for reasons to like AT&T. The company has started its 850MHz spectrum upgrade, which should improve signal strength in buildings and overall quality.

iPhone users in some urban areas are already reporting improved 3G reception and performance. AT&T has confirmed upgrades in Atlanta, Las Vegas, San Diego, Fresno and Stockton CA. Atlanta, for example, is in the process of getting 540 new 850 MHz cell sites next to the existing 1900 MHz towers.

The AT&T network is about to get faster. Twice as fast as current 3G speeds, using HSPA 7.2 3G wireless technology. This in-progress upgrade to the AT&T network will make speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps possible later this year.

Apple has reportedly designed the next generation iPhone 3.0 to take advantage of these network upgrades when it is released this summer, making the new device twice as fast as current models. LTE technology, otherwise known as 4G, is in the works for future upgrades at AT&T but won't be widely available until 2011.

AT&T, the exclusive carrier for Apple's iPhone, is currently field testing base station software upgrades that will double the speed of its 3G network. The upgrades should increase speeds over high-speed packet access (HSPA) to 7.2 megabits per second (Mbps), up from the current 3.6 Mbps.

The company is also upgrading its network backbone to accommodate increasing data traffic. The release of a new iPhone model in June is expected to generate ten times the current demands on bandwidth.

Interested in your own personal cell tower? AT&T is poised to release its femtocell solution for individual users, dubbed the MicroCell. iPhone users rejoice, you have not been forgotten. iTunes has started delivering a carrier update that will support the use of 3G iPhones with the MicroCell device.

Carrier updates are files that include settings which tell the iPhone how to connect to the cellular network and where to look for data such as maps, stocks, and weather. The AT&T MicroCell will require a broadband Internet connection, GPS reception, and will provide support for up to ten 3G mobile devices (even if they're not iPhones).