For me, this just started happening, also. UGH! WTF!
Only, this started happening for me, yesterday, on Valentines Day.
I would fire up a match in Server Browser and it would freeze a second or 2 after I deploy. 3-times in a row!
I tried everything I possibly could from searching & searching on the Internet for a 'fix'. There wasn't one.
It is FINE on my xBox 360, tho! I played a couple hours tonight, but then tried again on my playstation 3 console and BAMM! Happened again!
After doubting the ps3 optical drive, I tried Borderlands 2 and played for an hour. Then, I even tried another DICE game, Medal of Honor 1 and played just-fine! Online & all! (I actually kicked some arse, too! HA!) So, it couldn't be the disc! Right?
Then, I tried BF3 *again* and NOPE! Froze-up, locked-up, or whatever you want to call it, right-after I deployed (spawned).
I have had the game since it came out in October 2011 and have played it regularly ever since.
NO SCRATCHES on the disc! NO SMUDGES, either.
NOTE: I have Premium on both xBox & ps3 with *all* DLC installed on where ever it goes.
Also, I should add that I played Modern Warfare 2 for the 1st time in over a year on the ps3 *&* xBox right-before this started happening. One time, on the ps3, I was in thee-most-hacked room I have ever seen in my life. My friend became a non-prestige 70 level whatchacall afterwards and during the experience, the whole room was whacked! I was floating up and down without touching the controller. WE BOTH "quit game" and reluctantly returned for more, but did not experience a room like that, since. I'm not sure if being hacked had anything to do with it, but figured I should add-this to my complaint for BF3 locking up.