Is switching 3G/4G off to save power a cheap trick? Since UMTS is a lot fast than EDGE, data transfers via UMTS take less time.
When downloading the same file, it would take longer to be downloaded via EDGE.


Doesn't the difference in transfer time (partly) kill the advantage of saving power as the antenna pulls power for longer to end the transfer?
If you still want to be downloading stuff, then probably yes, switching off 3G probably won't save you much power / battery life. However, when my battery is running low, switching off 3G can make the difference between the battery making it until I get to a charger or not. Obviously in those conditions I stop surfing or doing anything data-related as well, but even just for being in standby and receiving or making calls, 3G uses a lot more power than GPRS / EDGE / UMTS.