A simple code can give you access to hidden information your
iPhone, as well as allowing you to make changes to its private settings.
The iPhone's Field Mode is a largely hidden but useful tool
that allows you to see extra information about how your phone is connected to
the internet.
The tool is enabled by dialling *3001#12345#* and then
pressing the call button. Your phone will switch away onto a grey screen, after
which you'll see the extra information.
One of the most useful features is a more detailed signal
strength indicator which should appear in the top-left hand corner.
Anything above -80 is roughly equivalent with full bars on
the normal scale. Anything below -110 would be one or no bars and you are
unlikely to be able to easily make a phone call.
In practice, the maximum strength ever achieved is around
-40. No reception at all is around -120, though it goes all the way to -140.
If you want to keep that number in the corner, rather than
the usual dots, then hold down the power button. The message to turn the phone
off will appear, and then press the home button.
The feature should then be enabled. Users can switch between
the two ways of viewing the signal by pressing on where they display, in the
top-left hand corner.
There are a range of other codes that offer other
information.
Using *#33# will show the status of your call barring
settings. That tool can be turned on and off using *33*pin# and #33&pin#.
Swap PIN for your sim PIN.
Using *#43# will tell you whether or not call waiting is
turned on. That feature allows people to queue up when they ring you, so that
the phone can alert you if someone is trying to get through while you're
already on a call.
It can be turned on using *43# and turned off again with
#43#*#06# will bring up your IMEI identifier number. That's very
useful because it can be used to shut down your phone remotely if it stolen,
but it can also be accessed from the Settings app or on the phone's box.
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