Level 1

93 points

iPhone 12 losing service

Received my iPhone 12 Pro on Friday. Activated it on Saturday. Sunday I drove for 10 mns and when I arrive to my destination I saw no reception bars and No Service. And in the middle of the screen in a grey box: Your iPhone is not Activated.

The only way to get the connection back was to toggle Airplane mode to ON then OFF.

The iPhone had the cellular mode to 5G Auto. I switched it to LTE to test. And it was the same.

So I resetted the network settings: same issue and I resetted the iPhone as a new iPhone and reinstalled everything from scratch (not from a saved backup): same issue.

I drove my car and found the exact location where the phone lost the network. If the phone lost the network it means I reach the end of the coverage area from a certain antenna. It looks like something happened with the phone when I reach a zone covered by a new antenna.

I called my operator and they told me that everything is good on their end and I have the right SIM card for a 5G device.

I called the Apple Tech Support and they remotely installed on my phone two profiles:

Baseband and Telephony Logging
CFNetwork Diagnostics

I was able to replicate the issue after talking to the Apple Tech and I was able to submit the report.

I pushed a little bit the research and I found on Reddit a lot of people talking about the same issue not only on Verizon (my carrier) but also on AT&T. Just use the title I typed and you will find the article.

I never had such issue with the 11pro.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Posted on Oct 28, 2020 11:31 AM

Top-ranking reply

DenKatkov

Level 1

4 points

Posted on Dec 21, 2020 3:50 PM

My iPhone 12 Pro Max on Verizon (Orlando, Florida) had connectivity issues, dropped and failed calls. Spoke with Verizon support earlier today and they were able to help me resolve the issue:

Settings
Cellular
Cellular data options
Voice & Data - select > LTE

5G is very weak in Orlando and my iPhone used to disconnect because it was on > 5G AUTO (it was trying to connect to 5G network which was almost absent and then trying to switch back to LTE). If 5G is bad in your area, there is no point to try connecting to it. Just use LTE network only and you should have no issues with dropped calls (I hope it helps).

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956 replies

Camcov

Level 1

4 points

Jan 4, 2021 3:55 PM in response to Dogcow-Moof

ive got a UK spec phone. I’m currently in France and experiencing this whatever the network. This leads me to believe this IS hardware.

[Edited by Moderator]

Dec 24, 2020 6:16 PM in response to Dogcow-Moof

Heard today from Verizon to mark your failed call, no signal or searching signal by dialing #832 when your signal comes back. This is supposed to help them debug the issues.

LD150

Level 10

100,293 points

Mar 10, 2021 11:26 AM in response to doubleroll

doubleroll wrote:

A couple weeks ago Verizon did some work on the cell towers in the area...since then she has not had the issue.

That about sums it up!

Apr 12, 2021 12:27 PM in response to Inilisa

I would. That’s what I did. I return my 12 pro max and went back to my XR... I could see spending all the money on a new phone and not have it work right. Would return it before it’s to late.

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,827 points

Jul 4, 2021 12:44 AM in response to _rael_

It's likely an issue with the firmware of one particular vendor of base station controller.

pvelten

Level 1

14 points

Nov 6, 2020 4:06 AM in response to LD150

Update to my original post, replaced the sim still no 5g but less dropped service. But unfortunately it’s still happening and still extremely frustrating, hoping iOS 14.2 has a hidden fix, otherwise I’m still waiting for a fix

LD150

Level 10

100,293 points

Nov 15, 2020 8:58 AM in response to BellaDobie

You asked where tech support was,

That is where.

Here we are fellow users and often have tips that Support may not have in their script, but until some of us have owned ip12, or experienced the same problems, or helped a few people fix theirs, we can only point you to Apple Support.

If you had the phone less than 14 days you can reject it. With these faults from day 1 I would do that.

rloganw

Level 1

12 points

Nov 15, 2020 9:33 AM in response to LD150

Cash or not. There’s a restocking fee every where in the US. Do your research.

Per apple website:

iPhone/iPad return policy

If you are not fully satisfied with your iPhone/iPad purchase, you can return your undamaged iPhone/iPad to the Apple Online Store within 14 calendar days from the time you receive your iPhone(s)/iPad(s) for a refund. A 25% open box fee will be assessed on any opened unit (per unit). A 15% restocking fee will be assessed on closed box returns (per unit). Please visit online Order Status or call 1800-MY-APPLE to request a return. The iPhone/iPad must be returned in the original packaging, including any accessories, manuals, and documentation.

joxesCA Author

Level 1

93 points

Nov 16, 2020 7:00 AM in response to joxesCA

To summarize, Verizon network, based on what I saw with Spectrum and Verizon, I do not see any issues with them. It was a Sunday evening, the level of dedication received from Spectrum and Verizon was above my expectations. I never received this level of support anywhere else. The issue is mix bag of software and hardware issues. The biggest issue that we have is we cannot operate our phones. The battery drainage could be linked to the No service issue. When no service is active the phone will try to search for a network and use more power doing so. If you use more power toward the baseband at the end you drain your battery.

I'm like the gentleman who posted that he cannot work because he cannot use his phone. Same here, if I cannot use my phone to call my colleagues, my customers I will lose my job. I need a phone that works. And right now it is not the case.

So here is my solution:

Backup your phone in iCloud or on your computer
Turn off find my phone
Remove your iPhone from your iCloud device list and
Remove the Sim

Option 1 (if you still have your previous iPhone)

Use your old iPhone for couple of months. If it is truly a baseband issue that cannot be fixed by a software update then you have to way for the 2021 iPhone release.
You may have to exchange your new 5G sim for a regular sim if you are switching to an old iPhone.

Option 2 (if you sold your iPhone, like me)

Try to find a 11Pro or 11. They should be cheaper now and we never faced such issues.
Try you luck with a different brand

What to do with your iPhone 12?

Return it to your carrier or iPhone is you have a 10, 15 or 30 days return policy
If you are out of the return policy window, contact Apple Support or your local Apple Store. Explain in details what happened. Apple will send you a replacement unit. As soon as you have the replacement unit, sell it on eBay. iPhone 12, 12 Pros are in demand so you won't have any issues selling it.
If Apple remote support does not do anything, go to an Apple Store and schedule time with the genius. You have to download the Apple Support app and you can quickly schedule an appointment. It is easier to get a replacement unit there. They do not want people to make scenes on site so they will be more willing to replace the device. Once you have a replacement, just sell it
In the case you cannot return it and Apple does not offer you a replacement, make sure to clean the phone, remove finger prints, reset the phone, remove find my phone and remove the phone from the iCloud device list and sell it on eBay and insist on the fact that the iPhone is under full manufacturer warranty. Go to the website where you check the Apple warranty status and add this screenshot to your eBay listing.

jerryd48

Level 1

4 points

Nov 28, 2020 9:11 AM in response to LD150

Replacing the sim does nothing. I’ve done everything you can possibly imagine trying to resolve this issue with my 12. Replaced SIM card and no better results than the one that came in it. I’ve done a master reset, network reset. I’ve spent hours on the phone with Verizon. I believe the antenna is weak. For me it’s just my upload speeds. The phone is receiving data fine but cannot seem to push it back to the tower. Can do a side by side speed test with my wife’s 8+ her upload is normal mine is almost nothing. May be fixable with an update but I’m fairly confident the antenna is garbage.

eward4

Level 1

36 points

Nov 30, 2020 2:26 PM in response to jerryd48

Here's what I've done so far. I have an iPhone 12 Pro. Spent about 10 hours on the phone with Apple and Spectrum, exchanged my first phone, swapped SIM cards 3 times, turned airplane mode on and off, did carrier and factory reset, switched to 4G only, tried every combination of signals(5G only, 5G Auto, & 4G only) with data roaming and WiFi calling on and off, tried it with location services off, tried it with Bluetooth turned off, basically everything! Nothing has worked. My phone drops calls or the person I'm talking to can't hear me but I can hear them. This is with a full 4G signal! If the person I'm talking to doesn't hang up when they can't hear me then it will eventually pick back up if it doesn't drop the call. Yes, these problems are when I'm driving. If iOS 14.3 and a carrier update don't fix this soon this phone is going back! My iPhone 8 worked perfect in the same area and I'm now wishing I had it back!

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,827 points

Dec 1, 2020 11:02 PM in response to Tom-From-Calm

If you want a plausible explanation, I mentioned it a few posts back; the fact that this seems to be occurring on a switch from 5G to LTE makes it even more likely:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251968761?answerId=254016157022#254016157022

victuals

Level 1

9 points

Dec 2, 2020 4:51 AM in response to Bajabettie

Clear to me that after to talking to both carriers, AT&T and Verizon, multiple Apple Techs and escalations, that Apple doesn’t know how to fix this problem. Don’t waste your time and energy. They will either come out with a fix, or you have to return your phone. Even returning the phone is a time sink. Whatever Apple was, it is no longer.

victuals

Level 1

9 points

Dec 2, 2020 1:42 PM in response to Dogcow-Moof

My iPhone 11’s work perfectly with the same SIM cards. I have two, one on ATT and one on Verizon. If I move the SIM’s to my two iPhone 12’s, I lose service regularly. I doubt I have two defective iPhone 12’s. There is clearly something wrong with the 12.

Dec 3, 2020 9:18 AM in response to SoGaMom

I tried the e-sim on Verizon and got the same slow speeds as the physical SIM card. Apple wouldn't swap out my phone because they stated that they can replicate the issue but did replace my physical sim. My signal booster from Verizon came on Monday and has helped a lot but their service still needs major help in Northern FL

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iPhone 12 losing service