At the beginning of this month, we gave you the heads up that the iPhone 4S would be launching in a further 13 countries, including: Albania, Armenia, Bulgaria, El Salvador, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Malta, Montenegro, New Zealand, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Romania and South Korea.
Now, however, we can reveal that this roll-out hasn’t gone exactly as Apple had originally planned it would.
Detailed in a variety of threads over on Apple Discussions, many users who are purchasing Apple’s iPhone 4S in these countries, (and indeed a number of other countries), are now reporting that they are experiencing the smartphone lose signal completely, (drop to no bars), just a few hours after it’s out of the box.
These reports are nothing to do with holding the device is a certain way, (like “antennagate”). Instead, the new issue is reported as happening quite “randomly,” with some users highlighting that they can have full signal one minute and just seconds later the smartphone simply drops the signal entirely, despite being in the same or similar location as to when they had signal before.
Stuart, who started one of the largest threads on the topic, wrote:
I’ve been using an iPhone 4 on a Vodafone contract for the past 16 months and just bought an iPhone 4S direct from Apple. It arrived on Friday morning and I got it set up correctly as far as I can tell.
When I first turn it on, it works lovely and exactly as I would expect, able to make calls, send texts and access the internet via the cellular network. However, at what appears to be random, the network will disappear (no bars of signal) stopping me making calls and texts, but still allowing me to access the internet. Sometimes, the internet goes, but I can still make calls and texts. Other times, everything is gone and I get “No Signal” where it normally says Vodafone UK.
So when trying to fix this problem after it’s noticed, I try putting it into Airplane mode and back out. The phone scans for a network and goes back to the same state as before I tried this fix. I have tried resetting network settings, but this doesn’t change anything. The only thing that actually fixes it temporarily is turning the phone right off and back on again.
Earlier on in the thread it was thought the issue could be software-related, user therealikt writes:
It’s not a hardware issue, it’s software. For some reason, iOS is cycling the radio on and off, I’m guessing something mixed up with SIM pin permissions. What I had to do was turn on SIM pin, then off, at which point it demanded the PUK code. I was able to get it online through my ATT account. After I entered that PUK, then went back into settings and turned SIM pin off, I haven’t had any problems.
For most, it seems turning SIM PIN “OFF” under Settings > Phone > SIM PIN > “OFF” is a reasonable – albeit slightly inconvenient – solution to the issues being experienced. Others, however, claim this method simply doesn’t work for them, and even with Apple’s latest software update (iOS 5.0.1) applied, the problem continues.
iPhone BD, writes:
Hi I am from Bangladesh.. i am having the same problem after I updated to iOS 5.0.1.. Cant send any txt and call… its ******** me off.. cant even contact apple properly.. they have all the weird rules.
Some, however, blame iOS 5.0.1 for causing the issue. IRock_, writes:
I think I have cracked it. I have read every post and comments and tried and every possible fix. Does not work. I’m using iPhone 4S 16gig bought from Melbourne, use in Cambodia carrier Mobitel.
Issue, no signal. 3G come and go. I have to on and off to get back signal sometime aeroplane mode on and off. My iPhone is useless. It was fine on 5.0 problem only exist after I update to 5.0.1.
I tried my GF sim card and everything works fine, signal is full. I switch back to old sim problem come back. Today I went to the carrier and get me a new sim (does not matter 32k or 128k, they only have 32k btw, same sim I used before) And now, its fine. Its been 3 hours now. Normal I have no signal every 15-20 min I have restart and attempt to call someone to get back signal. I think when 5.0.1 was installed, something in the OS messed up the sim card. However that sim card still works fine on iPhone 4/3GS and other phone.
I know some people have tried this and still have that issue. I know your frustration. If issue still persist, keep trying different sim cards. You will see the different. I hope it works for you. Now for me I am inclined to not update software without prior research on forums.
iPhone 4S from Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
It is so far unclear what is causing these issues, nor is it clear if these issues originate from a hardware issue pertaining to the iPhone 4S’s SIM region, or if the issue is simply software-related. Either way, Apple is yet to comment on the growing number of people seemingly affected by these signal issues.
Are you experiencing signal drop on your iPhone 4S? … Is your 4S randomly “Searching…” for a carrier? — Let us know in the comments below. With one of the Apple Support threads we featured 22-pages long, it is clear this issue spans a large part of the world already.
Exactly how widespread these issues are is yet to be determined, although, according to TUAW reader, Dušan, European carriers “cannot handle [the] amount of complaints.”
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[...] The only thing that actually fixes it temporarily is turning the phone right off and back on again.Razorian Fly reports that there is a temporary fix that has worked for some users, which is to turn off the [...]
[...] Razorian Fly reports there is a temporary fix that has worked for some users, which is to turn off the ‘SIM PIN’ feature within the Settings Phone menu. Because this often fixes the issue, it suggests it is a software bug rather than a hardware fault — as some users have been suspecting: It’s not a hardware issue, it’s software. For some reason, iOS is cycling the radio on and off, I’m guessing something mixed up with SIM pin permissions. What I had to do was turn on SIM pin, then off, at which point it demanded the PUK code. I was able to get it online through my ATT account. After I entered that PUK, then went back into settings and turned SIM pin off, I haven’t had any problems. [...]
[...] S-a constatat de către unii că ar fi vorba despre o problemă software cauzată de noul iOS 5.0.1 și care poate fi rezolvată prin dezactivarea codului PIN. [...]
[...] Razorian Fly reports there is a temporary fix that has worked for some users, which is to turn off the ‘SIM PIN’ feature within the Settings Phone menu. Because this often fixes the issue, it suggests it is a software bug rather than a hardware fault — as some users have been suspecting: It’s not a hardware issue, it’s software. For some reason, iOS is cycling the radio on and off, I’m guessing something mixed up with SIM pin permissions. What I had to do was turn on SIM pin, then off, at which point it demanded the PUK code. I was able to get it online through my ATT account. After I entered that PUK, then went back into settings and turned SIM pin off, I haven’t had any problems. [...]
[...] Fuentes: TUAW, Razorian Fly GA_googleAddAttr("AdOpt", "1"); GA_googleAddAttr("Origin", "other"); GA_googleAddAttr("theme_bg", "ffffff"); GA_googleAddAttr("theme_text", "333333"); GA_googleAddAttr("theme_link", "3c6c92"); GA_googleAddAttr("theme_border", "eeeeee"); GA_googleAddAttr("theme_url", "3c6c92"); GA_googleAddAttr("LangId", "19"); GA_googleAddAttr("Tag", "apple"); GA_googleFillSlot("wpcom_sharethrough"); Share this:TwitterImprimirRedditStumbleUponCorreo electrónicoLike this:LikeBe the first to like this post. [...]
[...] Razorian Fly compiled together a summary of a huge Apple Discussions Thread with complaints about the iPhone 4S dropping bars randomly, not being able to send text messages or make calls and 3G just whacking out as if possessed. [...]
[...] Razorian Fly gathered together a outline of a outrageous Apple Discussions Thread with complaints about a iPhone 4S dropping bars randomly, not being means to send content messages or make calls and 3G only whacking out as if possessed. [...]
[...] Razorian Fly compiled together a summary of a huge Apple Discussions Thread with complaints about the iPhone 4S dropping bars randomly, not being able to send text messages or make calls and 3G just whacking out as if possessed. [...]
[...] more problems plaguing iPhone 4S‘s across the globe — signal problems. Here we go again.Razorian Fly compiled together a summary of a huge Apple Discussions Thread with complaints about the iPhone 4S [...]
[...] Razorian Fly compiled together a summary of a huge Apple Discussions Thread with complaints about the iPhone 4S dropping bars randomly, not being able to send text messages or make calls and 3G just whacking out as if possessed. [...]
[...] Razorian Fly compiled together a summary of a huge Apple Discussions Thread with complaints about the iPhone 4S dropping bars randomly, not being able to send text messages or make calls and 3G just whacking out as if possessed. [...]
[...] Razorian Fly compiled together a summary of a huge Apple Discussions Thread with complaints about the iPhone 4S dropping bars randomly, not being able to send text messages or make calls and 3G just whacking out as if possessed. [...]
[...] Razorian Fly compiled together a summary of a huge Apple Discussions Thread with complaints about the iPhone 4S dropping bars randomly, not being able to send text messages or make calls and 3G just whacking out as if possessed. [...]
[...] Razorian Fly reports there is a proxy repair that has worked for some users, that is to spin off a ‘SIM PIN’ underline within a Settings Phone menu. Because this mostly fixes a issue, it suggests it is a program bug rather than a hardware error — as some users have been suspecting: It’s not a hardware issue, it’s software. For some reason, iOS is cycling a radio on and off, I’m guessing something churned adult with SIM pin permissions. What we had to do was spin on SIM pin, afterwards off, during that indicate it demanded a PUK code. we was means to get it online by my ATT account. After we entered that PUK, afterwards went behind into settings and incited SIM pin off, we haven’t had any problems. [...]
[...] Razorian Fly gathered together a outline of a outrageous Apple Discussions Thread with complaints about a iPhone 4S dropping bars randomly, not being means to send content messages or make calls and 3G only whacking out as if possessed. [...]
[...] spegnendo e riaccendendo il dispositivo. Successivamente, è stato pubblicato un rapporto di RazorianFly in cui viene indicata una soluzione tampone, che è risultata essere efficace per diversi [...]
[...] might fix the problem in iOS 5.0.2 which is scheduled to arrive as soon as next week.(Via RazorianFly)If you found this post useful, hopefully hit the +1 (recommend) button ⇉ Tweet You can follow [...]
[...] For more detailed information on what you are facing with the iPhone 4S and how you can fix those issues or problems, please head over to this link here. [...]
[...] For more detailed information on what you are facing with the iPhone 4S and how you can fix those issues or problems, please head over to this link here. [...]
[...] For more detailed information on what you are facing with the iPhone 4S and how you can fix those issues or problems, please head over to this link here. [...]
[...] For more detailed information on what you are facing with the iPhone 4S and how you can fix those issues or problems, please head over to this link here. [...]
[...] Via RazorianFly Share/Bookmark Additional Reading… [...]
I live in beirut-lebanon. Having the same issue. I restart my phone 30 times a day in order to fix the issue. And of course after each restart i can only make one phone call or sms then again the signal drops. This problem started after i updated my 4s to ios 5.0.1
[...] Razorian Fly compiled together a summary of a huge Apple Discussions Thread with complaints about the iPhone 4S dropping bars randomly, not being able to send text messages or make calls and 3G just whacking out as if possessed. [...]
I have the same sort of problem, though not as frequent. Have had the 4s for about six weeks, and got a new sim card with it . Apple, you make things that ‘just work’ and that is great. So just make it work, for pity’s sake.
After reading all the posts I felt a bit relaxed for not experiencing something which I thought was happening only with my iphone4s. I bought it 3 days back and I already started observing signal loss. However I am using the phone in Saudi Arab and tried all the network operators and the signal loss is the same. It is nothing to do with and network operators. Something is wrong with the iPhone4s itself. My feelings is it not about i0s 5.1 but with the iPhone 4s itself. Just waiting Apple to comment on it.
My name is Nikolay and I live in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
I am writing this because I am desperate for your help, since for the last month or so I am not able to figure out the solution to the terribly annoying problem I have encounter, which is really affecting my work.
The thing is that I bought a SIM-free iPhone 4S (Serial No.: C39GJ33RDTDV) in Germany. I brought it to Kazakhstan and did not use it as a cell phone for a while, since it requires microSIM.
Once I plugged it into my PC and iTunes suggested me to update iOS on the iphone. I updated my iphone from 5.0 iOS to 5.0.1 (9A406) iOS directly. Shortly after I’ve cut my old sim card and inserted it into the iphone. Right away I have noticed some problems with cell reception: firstly it shows the full reception bar, but when I try to call it says something like “unable to call” (this is not what I actually got on the screen, since the phone is set in Russian, I am giving an approximate translation of the things I saw on the screen of my iphone), than it loses the reception at all, than it says “Searching”, and eventually after that the reception Is actually found, and I can call. Sometimes I have to restart my iphone so I can make the call. For the most of the time people are not able to get me, since iphone usually cannot find the reception. It is impossible to send a text message or check the balance due to the problems described above. Right away I presumed that the old sim card was the reason for the problem, so I went to my operator and got a brand new one. The problem remained. Therefore I assumed that it was the factory defect, hence I got astonishingly frustrated, since neither there is an official apple service in Kazakhstan or nearby countries, nor I am able to go to Germany and get it fix in accordance with my warranty.
As a result, I’ve searched half of the web –seriously- to find out the solution. I have searched everywhere: official apple support center and forum, tons of Russian, Kazakh, and Ukrainian forums. There were millions of recommendations on my matter, and there were thousands of people who encountered the same problem as I did. And they are all over the world.
I would like to list all the things I’ve done with my phone, nonetheless none of them did help and cell reception problems persisted:
• I’ve reset the reception settings
• I’ve done a full reset of the phone
• I’ve done a hard reset(sleep button+home button)
• I’ve backed up all the data and reset the iphone through the iTunes(as was suggested on the official apple support forum)
• I’ve turned off the SIM- PIN
• I’ve swapped the sim cards with my friend who has 4S on 5.0 iOS, and his phone worked perfectly and my did not
According to the research I’ve made I suppose that the reason for this huge problem is in 5.0.1 iOS, since people with the similar problem say that before the upgrade everything worked perfectly on 5.0 iOS and only when they install 5.0.1 the problems began. iTunes does not let me to downgrade to 5.0 iOS officially and I cannot do anything.
Frankly, I was really shocked, because the iphone is quite an expensive gadget, which as I supposed would work perfectly for years. Although, I still haven’t used it as phone at least for a day. How is it possible?
I require any information that might be helpful. I would really appreciate if you let me to downgrade to 5.0 iOS or give me the solution to the problem which actually helps.
Hi,
I am in Argentina and started with this problem, signal loss, right after I installed the OS 5.1 Upgrade, directly from my iPhone, not from iTunes. The iPhone was bought in Canada, two months ago.
What a bummer…. I have tried the SIM off, the 3G off and it is the same……
i am in Malaysia, i was facing this signal problem 2 month long. since i buy this iphone4s with celcom package. the signal loss almost 10 sec and it will recover by itself.But this happen frequently all day long. it really cause me unconvenient. if my economy allow i will throw this iphone4s into sea.
Hi I’m from Ecuador. I bought an Iphone 4s two weeks ago. It had the same signal problem described here by others, suddenly it lost signal for few seconds even during a call, but also had other issues, it sometimes stayed unresponsive when i tried to unlock it. I took it to technical service and they said it couldnt be repaired so they gave me a new one two days ago but the new device has the same signal problem. Has anyone found a solution for this issue? Is it software related?
I’ve been having this problem, but not as often as some of you, I’ve had about 5 episodes so far, usually when this happen I try calling and the signal comes back. The first two times this happened to me I called to my carrier and they told me to take out the SIM wait 5 minutes so they can do whatever they do and then put it back in. This kinda sorted the problem, but I still have 5 bars and all the sudden the bars would drop to 2 or 1 bar, and as I said before I’d loose signal and get it back as soon as I try to make a call.
Kinda ***** me off, my problem started since I bought a new sim card for the phone, the phone had 5.0.1 I updated to 5.1 still had the problem, last night updated to 5.1.1 first thing that happened , oh yes, no signal.
I reallt dont know what to do, im tired of trying to talk to the celphone company, since I dont lose signal too often I can’t show them the issue therefore no solution. fml
I’m from Malaysia. Just got my iPhone 4s recently and facing the same “no service” issue.
I turn off 3G and cellular data when it happen which will temporarily solve the problem. At first I suspect it’s the mobile operator’s problem but it is not, I got full bar when switch the simcard to my iPhone 4.
One good thing about the signal problem is it helped me block a spamming phone call earlier today.
Thank you.
I’ve just claimed my iPhone warranty regarding intermittent no service issue (especially when no 3G signal around), the iPhone heat up issue, battery drain (which is caused by no service and heat up issue, ends up only 4 – 6 hours when it drains so quick). I’ve tried all iOS (5.0.1b, 5.1, 5.1.1), reset everything (network, all content), DFU recovery, or any other suggested steps written in the web — which seems to fix the problem, but at the end of the day, the problem goes back. I also had a chance to compare with another iPhone 4S of my friend’s at the same spot, same network (of course, different SIM Card), and mine is just way hotter than his. I also heard a friend which replaces his iPhone for about 4 times and finally got the one without such no service issue.
Now, I got an iPhone replacement and for the first day I tested, the iPhone looks very promising.
At that time the status was: usage 5h 55m, standby 1d 1h, on 44%. On average, it’s like ~2.2% drops per hour. I consider myself a light user while testing it.
It’s iOS 5.1.1, build on May 2012 when I run serial number check. No 128K USIM available in my country, so using 32KB SIM card instead..
[...] dias resolvi voltar a procurar sobre possíveis soluções para esse problema e enfim encontrei este artigo no Razorianfly que trazia uma possível solução para o [...]