iOS 8.1 brings back the option to switch to 2G, 3G or LTE

There have been quite a few problems with iOS 8, which haven’t been fixed in iOS 8.0.2.

Our readers in India and other countries where there is still poor 3G coverage in some places were annoyed with the lack of an option to disable 3G. iOS 8 only came with an option to disable LTE.

Since there are still quite a few areas in India and other countries that have poor 3G coverage, iPhone users who lived in such areas used to disable 3G to extend their iPhone’s battery life, and relied on the slower 2G connection.

So they were annoyed when the option to disable 3G was not present in iOS 8. The fact that the carriers or Apple’s support staff couldn’t address the issue immediately left users frustrated.

The good news is that Apple is indeed listening to feedback and complaints, as iOS 8.1 which was seeded to developers two days back, will give users the option to either select LTE, 3G or 2G, which should address these concerns.

iOS 8 vs iOS 8.1 Cellular Settings
Cellular Settings in iOS 8.0 (left), Cellular Settings in iOS 8.1 (right)

As you can see below, in iOS 8.1, users will be able to switch to LTE, 3G or 2G via the new Voice & Data settings in the Settings app (Settings > Cellular/Mobile > Voice & Data).

iOS 8.1 Cellular Settings

You would however have to wait for some more time, as we expect iOS 8.1 to be released alongside the new iPads later this month. This issue also highlights the need for carriers to get their act together and improve 3G coverage. Forcing users to use the iPhone on a 2G connection in 2014 is just unacceptable.

Thanks a lot Kabali for the tip and the screenshots!

Related:

What’s new in iOS 8.1

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  • Ram4ever

    I think what he meant is ” Devices like Iphone 5s and 5c which had Enable LTE as default during 7.1.2 will still get the same in 8.1 Beta” conversely if your device (iphone 5, 4s) had Enable 3g option during 7.1.2 then ios 8.1 beta will provide the above options(2g/3g/lte)”….

    My woes:
    I have a Iphone 5s and from the day I bought it(dec 2013) I have been having only Enable LTE button , I jailbroke the device to apply commcenter patch to fix this and Now I am in 8.1 Beta with only Enable LTE option with call drops and various other issues that makes my smartphone just a device to browse and play, with a lot of dropped calls. I have visited the authorized apple service center in my place(Hyderabad) and Apple Geniuses there have no clue how to get back 3g(lucky for people in other places where service center came to the rescue)
    . Hope this clarifies

    • Sandeep Roy

      Visit Apple Forums – there are 2 solutions available for you, without jb, to select 2G or 3G. Some users have posted links for 3rd party Apps. One is Russian & the other is Chinese, if i remember correctly. You can also Google search. I downgraded in time to 7x.

  • Ram4ever

    Gautam, Can you tell us the device you are using as I am using a 5s(iphone6,2) and with 8.1 beta I am still not getting 2g/3g/lte option.. Thanks

  • Marek Zakrzewski

    We need an option to force specific 3G band like 900 MHz only, 2100 MHz only or 900/2100 MHz

    • winwinsituation

      Android much?

      • Marek Zakrzewski

        900 MHz emits less radiation and has much better coverage, but iPhone is still staying on 2100 MHz even on -120 dBm…

  • Ramit Kapur

    sanjay ji pls post a screen shot of your ios

  • Ramit Kapur

    bhai 8.0.2 is diffrent then 8.2 which will be coming out later

  • Sandeep Roy

    Cool. If something conflicts or breaks, inform within apple forums.

  • Aleksa

    I believew it’s due to developers of that applications… There are numerous photo apps which create separate albums in iphone photo app.

  • michael

    It did not 🙁 just upgraded and was so hoping that it would !!

  • ayush

    Even im not getting that when using airtel, but I am getting it while using other carriers !!

  • Arpit

    Same issue wid me 🙁

  • Bajrang Giria

    I am on ios 8.1 bt i am still getting only lte option

  • Bajrang Giria

    Hey gautam it means that if i use a vodafone sim then i wl be able to switch between 2g and 3g?

    • Milin Garga

      I am able to toggle between 2g and 3g on airtel. What I am doing is I turn off lte and then select network manually . By doing it it switches to 2g. To enable 3g again just turn on lte

  • Gue Deu

    But Voice over LTE is hardly used. Currently it is pretty much only launched in the United States and South Korea. Other countries are only in the planning stage and won’t launch it until 2015.

  • Akash

    Yes the same problem is with my iphone6

    • jim litton

      Update to 8.1.1 u can switch back to 2g in iPhone 6

      • Yatin Dhawan

        It’s not working

  • billskg

    i think it depends on your carrier i am on ios 8.1 iphone 6 one carrier offers the option to switch to 2g and another carrier does not support this option just like the hotspot option pitty 🙁

  • Milin Garga

    I am able to toggle between 2g and 3g on airtel. What I am doing is I turn off lte and then select network manually . By doing it it switches to 2g. To enable 3g again just turn on lte

    • Gautam

      That’s interesting. Was it a nano SIM or you cut it to fit into your iPhone?

      • Milin Garga

        Micro converted to nano using sim cutter..

        • Gautam

          That is probably the reason, as people with a regular nano SIM don’t seem to be getting the option.

          Thanks for sharing your experience.

  • stephen

    ive got an iphone 6 plus and i’ve got ios 8.1 and it doesn’t show and i don’t know why can someone explain to me why it isn’t showing