Q: iPhone 4S dropping network and data at random

I have, as many others, catastrophic reception on my new iPhone 4S. I might add that I also have an iPhone 4 and if I put the same MicroSim in this phone then the reception is flawless.
The problem is essentially the same as the one that many other experiences, five full bars, and (in my case) Tele2 3G. If someone tries to call me they are immediately sent to voicemail. If I try to make a call it fails, then the bars go down one by one until no service is shown, then the SIM searches for reception and usually succeeds after about 1 minute the bars appear again. Sometimes I then can make a call but nine times out of ten the procedure will just be repeated again.

I can of course manually get my bars back again via either reboot or by taking out and putting in the SIM again or by activating and then deactivating flight mode, this does not mean that I get actual reception, I just get the bars and operator name back and the phone seems to have reception. That is until I try to make a new call...

One can't turn off 3G in new iOS5, however, one can select operator manually. Carrier settings in iOS5 defautls to "Auto". If I turn off auto and select Tele2's 2G network nothing happens. I can turn off the "auto" but it is just says "Searching...". If I go back to settings and then back again the carrier settings are in "Auto" mode again.

I have made several re-installations, both from backup and as a new phone, turned on and off the PIN code, deactivated and activated Location services, made hard resets, etc. Even after the latest beta, which was released developers today, was installed and all procedures were done all over again with this OS the problem persists. It is simply impossible to either make or receive calls with my new iPhone 4S. It can do lots of fancy stuff but as a phone it is completely useless and I am compelled to to go back to using my iPhone 4 for now.

You would think that Apple would ensure that at least the telephone part in both hardware and software are operating properly before releasing them to consumers. It's called "iPhone" - not iPod, iPhone, iGame... iPhone is primarily a phone and customers buying it would at the very least require it to be able to make and recieve calls or maybe it's asking too much?

What is also very strange is that even if a lot of consumers complain about the above bug, not only in Sweden but all over the world, Apple does not mention this anywhere. Not on their support pages, not in their developer community, not to their dealers who certainly had a lot of support calls from unhappy customers who believe that it is an operator error.

Incredibly bad service by Apple to release a phone that can not be used as a phone and even worse to not quickly recognize this error and publish what's causing the error, that they're working on resolving it, and when it will be resolved.
I work myself as telephony manager at a company that uses just the iPhone and there are now quite a few new unhappy iPhone 4S, and where I take a lot of support concerning these bugs and have to get them temporary solutions until the bugs are fixed.

I use to commend both Apple and their products, but my conviction on Apple's excellence has been significantly tarnished. This is BAD Apple, hope you get your acts together a.s.a.p. cause both your phone and your service really ***** in this case.

Completely agree.

I have the same problem in the netherlands - apparently it does help for some people to disable the SIM pincode. Of course the SIM is no longer protected then.

This does not help in my case - i am hardly able to make any call at all.

This is my 4th iphone and i am pretty dissapointed.

So I see now Apple confirm battery problem and will release a new version of iOS that fixes it.

Anyone heard anything about Apple fixing this connection problem that some people are experiencing?

From what i hear the beta of 5.0.1 does NOT fix it. But that is just hearsay..... i really need this to be fixed!

COME ON APPLE!

Sorry apple guys.

I have Iphone 4S bougth in UK and i like in Brasil. I'm using TIM.

Never set SIM PIN on the phone and after i came from UK i started to got the same error.

Rebooting sometimes solve the problem, sometimes reseting the network.

But i think there is more than simple the SIM PIN code setup. as i never used it.

Hope they solve this update a.s.a.p other wise have to come back to Iphone 4.

Well, exciting news! After going to the Apple store, the phone worked for 4 days, and now just randomly shut itself off. Now it's doing the exact same thing agian.

searching...

ATT

searching...

What a pile.

Hello,

My problem is that my data signal seems to be constantly dropping.  I can see the name of the network and full bars, but there is no 3G/E/o next to it.  I can make and receive calls, send and receive text messages, but can't use any data functions.  If I toggle Airport Mode it'll find a 3G connection, which lasts for a little while.

Sounds to me like maybe it is getting stuck in GSM mode and is not searching for a data network?  Cellular data is on, and I am not using a SIM pin.

Any thoughts?

I am in Canada on the Rogers system and the signal is inconsistent, calls drop with regularity, scratchy or people cannot hear me.  I had great speed at the beginning, now it searchs for much too long with no results at times.  Got phone on Monday the 31st.  Replaced an iPhone 4.  Hope it gets fixed soon. 

The SIM idea will not work as it is already off.

Only way to get attention is to flood apple with info on this matter: fill in form at: http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html and let them know..

Same case for me

hej, got exacly the same problem as you. network drops everytime i try to make a call and have to restart the phone to be able to make a phonecall.

i disabled the pin code, i disabled the wifi, i completly reinstall the software 2 times same problem.

called tele2 and they say i cant get another phone yet.

i thought the main function of a phone is to call and getting calls. how can they screw up with that?! i need a working phone HELP!

ed_got did they change your phone, and if so is it working ?

Panzert4,

I bought my phone at media markt. I took it back on Tuesday. I turned the phone in to the service people.

Don't know when I will hear from them. :(

Hi disappointed people,

Same exacts symptoms for my iPhone 4S with a brand new Orange France micro-SIM. The cellular connection does not last or breaks inconsistently.

Looks like a software bug ......has anybody got success with a device replacement?

Salutations.

Jérôme