Issues connecting to cellular data on iPhone After Update

Today I updated my iPhone form iOS 16.0 to 17.4. When I opened my phone I found that I was no longer connected to my cellular data. When my wifi is off and my cellular is on, I get popups saying “Cellular Data is Turned Off.” I also keep getting popups to update my carrier settings but when I click update it shows me the popup a second time. Then, it appears again a few minutes later. Something to note is that I am currently on roaming since I am out of my home country.


So far I’ve tried:

  1. restarting my phone
  2. resetting network settings
  3. deleting any vpns in settings
  4. updating my carrier in settings (this did not appear)
  5. manually setting my provider since i’m on roaming
  6. contacting tmobile support (they said ask apple)


Any idea what I could do to fix this issue? Haven’t found anyone on here with the same problem.


[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Posted on Mar 5, 2024 5:21 PM

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Posted on Mar 8, 2024 3:36 PM

Today I found my network just stopped working. No message, no warning - just no cellular network. Come on Apple - how can an IOS update lose focus of the very basic needs of a mobile phone…. No excuse. Please sort this out asap. It had a massive impact on my work day! 🤯

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124 replies

Mar 14, 2024 10:01 PM in response to lukas1661

So glad I came across this post. It all makes sense now. I am going crazy here trying to figure out what’s going on with my 14 pro which I bought 4 months ago. Few days back incoming calls, imessenger, FaceTime, voicemails all stopped working. Spent so many hours with T-Mobile and Apple but no one seems to know what the issue is. I can now connect the dots and see 17.4 update is to be blamed.


So much for paying a premium for such products. Apple support has been the least helpful (often times giving dumb suggestions). Very very frustrating. Apple better compensate everyone for all the troubles, waste of time and work adversely affected due to the calls not working.


Really don’t have the patience and time to do all backups, factory resets , restore etc. Not worth paying so much for the phone to deal with all this. I ll be moving to a non-Apple device soon.

Mar 25, 2024 12:19 AM in response to lukas1661

OK so in the UK on Sunday morning 24th March 2024 my iPhone 13 Pro Max on 3mobile service decided to stop mobile service and show NO SIM.


I was on IOS 17.3 - everything had been fine and no issues.

it’s now Monday 25th and no mobile service still on phone.


all systems checked and tricks done to try and reset.


soft re boot

flight mode on off and on off with longer wait

sim in and out

updates to IOS 17.4.1


nothing.


My wife who is on my old iPhone 11 Pro and on IOS 17.3.1 and 3 mobile service all IS OK.


when I click on Mobile Service (cellular in USA) I have not mobile settings but it wants to set up mobile data with a qr code or nearby phone! Both of which are NOT for my number .


also my battery is draining very fast since last night it was on 100% going to bed and this morning on 71% with nothing on.

it would normally still be in the 90s before update.


what is happening Apple this is NOT a service issue the IOS update has caused this

it’s now over 24hrs with no mobile service and I missed a call on Sunday which was important and I enter a work week with lots to do around my phone.


answers needed asap


telling as many people as possible to NOT do latest update

Mar 12, 2024 9:06 AM in response to lukas1661

On March 11, 2024 I installed the ios 17.4 update on my 15 pro and the phone had no cellular reception since. I was on the line with apple support, ran diagnostics and they told me it was a hardware issue and that I needed to go to a repair shop. The apple support staff member agreed that a factory reset is an option before going to the repair shop.


All the factory reset did was that a message "unable to activate" with a red exclamation mark popped up and I was unable to even sign in with my apple ID.


In the shop I was told that it was a hardware issue and that the everything but the display and cameras would be replaced. I would rather have the whole phone replaced if I'm being honest.


I mean how is it possible that a software update ruins your phone? I'm just glad I wasn't travelling when it happened.


Note: My partner's friend's 15 pro max had the same issue on iOS 17.4 but it disappeared after about 2 hours. Idk, maybe had I waited for a few hours, the issue would have disappeared too.


If anyone at Apple is reading this, I am not happy!

Mar 13, 2024 11:40 AM in response to lukas1661

IOS 17.4 upgrade breaks the imessage , facetime and cell inbound/outbound calls. IOS17.4 is buggy and not sure if Apple IOS team getting noticed. Tried debug with tmobile / apple -- reset network settings , add / update esim etc.

a message " carrier network setting avaliable for update" keeps poping but nothing happens when accepted


still working with Tmobile support

Mar 8, 2024 6:22 PM in response to stella8358

I am disabled and must be able to use headphones when using my IPhone. Since the last update. I can only make calls using the speaker. I use a walker and absolutely can’t walk one handed as I have a brain injury. I’ve tried all the suggestions and nothing has worked. My VPN is not the problem as I’ve had it for two years. I disconnected it and I still couldn’t use my headphones. Prior to the last update I could make calls and run my White Noise app in the back ground while on a call. I pay a lot of money for this phone. Please fix this problem.

Mar 7, 2024 9:07 AM in response to lukas1661

I have the same problem as you but with some differences:


  • No popups shown.
  • Can't select carrier because Settings doesn't show the option when the issue arises.
  • During the issue, the iPhone started getting very warm.
  • Sometimes, when doing nothing, system crashed and restarted.


Steps done when trying to acheive a solution:

  1. Restarting. Cellular signal went from 3 bar to no signal in minutes. In the same place with the same SIM in another phone (iPhone Xr) the signal is between 1 and 3 bar without signal loss.
  2. Reseting network settings. Worked 30 minutes until the problem started again. After restarting, worked for 2 hours until the repeating of the same issue.
  3. Contacted with carrier and requested replacement of SIM card. No improvement nor solution. The SIM card is not the point of failure because now it's a new card and it worked on iPhone Xr with iOS 17.2.
  4. At Genius Bar, they told me to do a full reset. I've done that and the problem persists.


Device affected: iPhone 13

OS: iOS 17.4


I'm going to try another solution and, if the problem persists, I'm going again to an Apple store for solutions.


Best regards.

Mar 6, 2024 8:24 PM in response to lukas1661

Hey everyone, if you’re having problems with your iPhone after the 17.4 update. You can switch your phone to Beta mode. An app comes up for feedback for people that participate in Beta. Here’s where you can send them directly what’s going on with your phone. Along with the ability for them to download your analytics and actually examine the health of your phone, any bugs etc. you don’t have to participate in Beta or continue to be a Beta participant. I just switched sent my complaint and phone stats, and switched back. Easy as pie.

Mar 8, 2024 5:56 PM in response to lukas1661

I updated my iPhone 14 to 17.4 at noon today. I got a cellular error message. I lost all communication modes and the screen showed a continuous wave next to the wifi signal strength after the update. I tried a hard reset and no comms still. I chatted with two different Apple Support people who ran diagnostics that indicated a hardware issue and they insisted the iPhone needed to be taken to a service center. I took the phone to Best Buy (an electronics store here in the states) that was the local authorized service center. According to the service center a hardware fix for the problem would cost $500. I asked if the iPhone could be factory reset and they agreed to do it. SOLUTION: Factory reset, reactivate, reload.

Mar 15, 2024 9:22 AM in response to lukas1661

Glad to find out i am not the only person having this issue, i thought it was a me thing because i literally just switched over from a google pixel phone to this iPhone 13 and thought i got sold a piece of garbage…


Not a great look for apple as someone coming from andriod and immediately having a huge issue with the basic functionality of the phone haha… Among other reasons i am beginning to question my decision to switch back to iOS. :/

Issues connecting to cellular data on iPhone After Update

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