HTC Incredible S :: Latest Android Version Messed Up Signal/SMS?

Since the last android update I have 3 problems, possibly connected: -

1) I lose reception and do not re-acquire a signal until I reboot or turn on/off airplane mode.

2) Calls to me go straight to voicemail even when I have reception.

3) SMS message take up to hours to get to me

So, I've done the usual thing and read all over the internet and I see several people with same/similar issues.

I seem to have 'resolved' the issue with a workaround: I change the network mode from "GSM/WCDMA auto" to "WCDMA only" or "GSM only". Of course this is NOT acceptable - in 3G mode I have bad coverage and in 2G mode I have bad data speed - that's why the auto mode is there!

Of course, when I contact support they give all sorts of (already tried) testing measures culminating in a hard reset, which I *really* do *not* want to do, and then the ultimate threat of 'sending it for repair' which I also don't want to do since it probably isn't broken and just needs a software patch and I don't want to spend ages without it and go around in circles with refurbished/new phones.

Can anyone out there reassure me that they know what the issue is and what I really need to do, not just guess at it and offer unpleasant testing measures?