iPhone 11 Pro Max 4G LTE Signal Issue

The new iPhone 11 Pro Max loses 4G signal from time to time (every a few minutes) when the Wi-Fi is off or no valid Wi-Fi hot spot is nearby.


Wi-Fi is off: The 4G signal drops to null in a sudden, and restores to full (4 bars) in 2-3 seconds. This happens regularly.

Wi-Fi is connected: The bars are steady - stay at 4 all the time.


I have tried:

  1. Disable Auto Network Selection
  2. Reset Network Settings
  3. Reset All Settings
  4. Reset All Content and Settings


None of them shows promising improvement.

iPhone XS

Posted on Sep 21, 2019 8:22 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Sep 28, 2019 6:58 AM

I just got back from Apple Store and they swapped out my phone for a new one and the problem was fixed!!!


I would suggest doing these steps first before you go to Apple Store:


1) Call your cell company to debug first. Apple is going to say since it’s cell service issue and it’s not Apple problem. Cell company is going to go through list of debugging issues (reset network settings, etc) to see if that fixes your issues. If that doesn’t fix, continue debugging steps below.


2) Do a screen record of your phone dropping the cellular connection as evidence of you having issues just in case you’re in the Apple store and you can’t reproduce the issue.


3) Backup your phone. I used my laptop to backup because it restores much faster that way than going through WiFi.


4) Do a full wipe of your phone and set up your phone as a new phone (don’t restore from backup). This way you can see if your cellular issues are from software or from hardware.


4) Test our your phone and see if you are experiencing same issues.


5) If your cell connection is still dropping, take it into the Apple Store.


Good luck! I feel this is for sure a hardware issue for most people!

Similar questions

364 replies

Sep 26, 2019 4:28 PM in response to ming36

I have an iPhone 11 Pro Max 256GB and I am having horrible service at home. My phone mostly has one bar signal on Verizon Wireless. I am only experiencing these hardships at home when I get close to my chimney; however, throughout my home, I always carry one signal bar (2 at best). Also, my friend has a iPhone 11 Pro. And, I can here my echo when he has me on speaker. Also, I was not the only one to notice that. There was also someone else (idk what phone they have). Please help!

Sep 29, 2019 11:36 AM in response to David_Panda

@David_Panda did you purchase your phone from Apple? I purchased mine from Verizon and I'm worried that Genius Bar won't be able to replace it. I've had iPhones since iPhone 4 and have never had cell reception issues like I'm having now with the iPhone 11 Pro Max.


The LTE would show full bars and there would be no internet connection... It happens randomly but very frequently and I'm worried that it's a hardware issue. I've already wiped/reinstalled twice to no avail.

Oct 5, 2019 6:33 AM in response to ming36

I have had my iPhone 11 Pro Max 256G for about 3 days from T-mobile. Same problem plus data connection drops intermittently even when I show 2 bars. Have to turn off data(usually go to airplane mode) for at least 20 seconds then turn data back on to get reconnected. Data drops out mulitple times a day even when showing 2 bars. When I recycle data, it searches then shows 4 bars, then shows 1 bar then shows 2 bars. This is true at home in Western NC as well as in Atlanta. I had an iphone 7plus before and never had these issues. Will call tech support in the next few days. This is ridiculous.

Oct 10, 2019 1:17 PM in response to BicycleBob

Well sounds like we might be having two different issues here. My phone is having more of a cellular drop issue and a hard restart seems to work. From what I read through folks who replaced the phone still had this issue which is what leads me to believe more of a software glitch in the phone.


I guess before I restore the software to scratch doesn't hurt to get it replaced. I do have AppleCare+ on the device and with the amount of support tickets I have rocking shouldn't be an issue.



Oct 11, 2019 1:25 PM in response to robinhebert

I sent it back to T-mobile today. They will credit my down payment upon receipt of return. Continue to honor my turn in credit for iPhone 7 plus I sent in. Will ship me a replacement iPhone 11 Pro Max whenever they come in and initiate a new agreement. If the replacement is faulty, I am done with Apple phones. Will look at Pixel 4. I moved my SIM over to an old android MotoX my son had laying around. Works like a champ. T-mobile is stepping up. Apple is not. They have problem. They need to address it.

Oct 12, 2019 10:00 PM in response to robinhebert

As I stated above, I had all the same problems. It is not the sim. I had my sim in an iPhone 7 Plus and it worked fine for 3 years. I took this sim out of the defective iPhone 11 pro max and put in an old android motoX and it worked like a champ. This is an Apple problem. Hardware? Firmware? esim conflict with physical sim? Intel modem issue? 4 x 4 MIMO radio antenna issue? iOS issue? Who knows? But when my replacement finally comes and if it has the same issue I am done with Apple phones.

Oct 14, 2019 9:08 AM in response to 1MisterFrosty

I am also having signal issues, I am on the UK network three. The iPhone is a iPhone 11 pro max 256gb.Bought direct from Apple .. it cycles from 3bars, 4 bars 3G then 1 bar 4g ( when I have 4g) I don’t have internet connection... I have turned off 4g lte volte, went to 3G only, it was a little more stable on 3G only... on a side note the battery is better ( I had a iPhone 4s then to a 6 plus) but still not perfect for me. Also why does Apple iPhone not like cases... but that is a separate issue

Oct 19, 2019 11:36 PM in response to ming36

I got the similar problem on two iPhone 11 Pro Max. The iOS is on the latest 13.1.3. My sister report the same on her Pro Max.

Only reboot the phone as workaround.


The following ways didn’t help:


  • Airplane mode
  • disable one the other SIM
  • swap SIM slots
  • replace new SIM
  • reset network settings
  • hard reset


My wife’s Pro Max reports “ No SIM” occasionally and must shutdown and restart the phone before “detect” it. Swapping SIM slot didn’t help as well.


crazy!

Oct 20, 2019 3:21 AM in response to s3rce

I too bought a new phone, full payment, identical model iPhone 11 pro max 256g space gray, unlocked from Best Buy. Popped in my same old T-mobile sim. So far NO ISSUES. Definitely points to a bad batch of phones.


Still waiting for my down payment refund from T-mobile for the returned defective phone(3-5 business days). All the promises from T-mobile about honoring the trade in credit for my original iPhone 7 Plus until they could send me a replacement turned out to be bogus. The remaining question to be answered by T-mobile is how will I be made whole with respect to my old trade up phone which they have? (“Will have to research and get back to you within 72 hours”)


I was trying to get by on an old Android phone until T-mobile “got more in stock” After 4 days could not take it anymore.

Oct 21, 2019 4:55 AM in response to osaran81

I have 13.1.3 and, whenever Verizon gets into VTE coverage (from the regular) my iPhone 11 pro gets pretty much useless.. sometimes makes a call, sometimes will do a txt but ify and super slow and things won't work, like GPS gets all super wonky and thinks I'm in places I'm not. Google assistant is crippled and won't work on LET, at all, and thinks I'm defaulted to my home location 100% whenever on LTE. This is my very first iPhone ever and i am NOT impressed in the slightest. I hope this gets fixed, or I'll bounce out of using Apple products and back to other company's products. ugh.

Oct 24, 2019 4:05 PM in response to ming36

*iPhone 11 Pro Max - Verizon


I've been having the same problems since I received my first phone. Took 3 hours to activate and I would lose signal at home and random places. VoLTE stops working every now and then during calls, even though VoLTE toggle is on. I went to Apple store to have phone replaced. The issue was not fixed. I’m having the same issues today. I have to turn the phone off and back on to regain signal at least once a day. This has to be a software issue. Please fix!

Oct 27, 2019 9:23 AM in response to Thibaultva

Oh...well then it's Russian Roulette, some replacements are ok, some are not.

For the record, I have an Iphone 11 from Tmobile and do not have any problems.

I had an Iphone XS Max last year with Verizon and it did the same thing.

I had the Iphone 11 Pro Max this year with Verizon and I returned it for the same issues.

I had an XR with Tmobile: no issues.

It's either Verizon not playing nice with the Max phones or something else.

I see that others have issues regardless of carrier. It's not a good thing!

I think the dual sim was not ready for prime time IMHO.

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iPhone 11 Pro Max 4G LTE Signal Issue

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