G1 won't 'return' to 3G if it loses it at all.

[neoprimal]

Here's a summary beforehand in case you don't feel like reading my wall of text:

Problem is: G1 is not recovering from loss of 3G. That means that if the phone has to switch to Edge for any reason, for eg a weak 3G signal/no 3G signal, Wifi got turned on and off, etc. it does not properly re-register into 3G.

What I've tried:
Tried selecting each T-Mobile service I see under mobile networks, as well as select Auto.
I called T-mobile.
I removed some apps, just in case they may have been the culprits (locale, ring control).
I switched to a different data plan (Was on Tmo Unl. Internet)
I did a hard reset.

General Info:
The temporary remedy/workaround is to switch airplane mode on and then off.
I am def. in a 3G area.
I am on RC30.
I noticed the problem about a week ago, but it could have been happening earlier.
I am on the G1 plan.

Now for the details:

If the phone is receiving 3G and then temporarily the 3G signal is weak (or non-existent) and then switches to Edge - upon being able to or perhaps detecting a stronger 3G signal it then loses Edge completely, but doesn't go back to 3G at all, ever, so I'm left with only a voice only cell phone. The Edge and then 3G icon pops back for about a second and then goes away forever.

As a test, if I purposely switch the phone into 2G mode, then Edge will stay on forever. But once I disable 2G mode, 3G will not recover. It will never come back, nor will Edge service remain on the phone. Same thing happens where the Edge icon comes back, switches to 3G and then goes away completely and the phone has no data connectivity after that. This also happens if I turn Wifi on and then off.

I have to manually switch the phone to Airplane Mode and then off of airplane mode to get 3G back - it's either that or reboot the phone, those are the only remedies.

I've tried turning the phone off and back on. I've tried turning the phone off and removing the battery for a bit. I've even done a hard reset. Nothing seems to work permanently.

So, if I walk through a part of my home or drive through an area where 3G is weak and phone happens to switch to Edge...I'm screwed, because if I don't realize it then my phone simply loses all data connection until I do notice it....which means I'm missing emails, messages, etc. It's immensely annoying at this point.

Is anyone else at all having this problem?

I've obliterated all 'user error' through the process of elimination, which ultimately was the hard reset but involved removing Tmo Unl. Internet and picking up the G1 only data plan, and also putting a call in to Tmobile which was of 0 help whatsoever....all she said is that some engineers would look at my account.

The problem only started up about a week or so ago, or perhaps sooner but NOT before RC30. Definitely after RC30 (though I'm not sure if this is coincidence). I know for sure because things were perfect on RC29 as far as I could tell, I'd been watching the phone like a hawk for RC30. I only realized it was happening because one morning I woke up and looked at the phone and had 0 emails or texts (super rare), then I tried to make a call and had no contacts.

I'd really appreciate some insight or advice on what could be happening or what you all think I should do. I'm hoping to hear from people with similar circumstances.

IF you don't mind doing a little test, then I'd love if you could go ahead and try it. Just switch to 2G only mode for a bit and once you're receiving Edge switch back to 3G - or use the phone on wifi for a while and then pay attention to whether your 3G comes back or not.

Thanks.


UPDATE:

As of 2am this morning (Dec. 2), the phone is working fine. I can now fire up wifi and then turning it off, and turning 2G mode on and then off, and it almost instantly picks up 3G again. So it was def. the network, and they've done something to fix it.

[simms22]

i tried ... i even stayed on edge for 10 min . ( i never realized how fast edge is on this phone , i got speeds of 180 - 220 kbps ) . when i switched back 3g came back in like 6 seconds . i have rc30 and a phone from the original batch of pre-order . sorry

[jayroam]

It happened to me a few weeks ago over the span of a couple of days, but after a restart, it's been fine since.

[neoprimal]

Well just to update, I called tmobile and we went through some more detailed things.

We did a reset using the buttons on the phone vs. the typical reset and we also switched me on to a 'newer' Sim card.

It still happens - so they're sending me another phone. I'm going to a tmobile store tomorrow though to mess around and see if I get different results. If it really is just my G1, then I am completely and utterly stumped and frankly, I'll be paranoid of it happening again.

I mean, no damage to my phone whatsoever - what could have possibly started this? I'll be monitoring the phone until I get the replacement to see if there's any change.

[andonnguyen]

Its normal. If edge signal is stronger than 3G, it will automatically go to edge, and vice versa. I am 1 mile away from a 3G tower, but about 50 feet from an edge tower, so my phone automatically switches to edge because it has a stronger signal. But when I drive closer to the 3G tower, it switches to 3G.

[neoprimal]

I don't think you read my entire post or even the points.
I know that it switches to Edge when the signal is weak and that it should switch back - it has been doing fine since Oct. 21, my problem is that after it switches to Edge or if I use wifi or anything happens that makes it so 3G stops, it never comes back. Edge doesn't even come back either, I basically lose all data connection until I manually do a workaround, which currently is to switch Airplane mode on and then off.