iPhone 4 keeps saying "No Service"

Just bought an iPad 2 Wifi 3G. Loving it! So, I also bought iPhone 4 to go with it. Wanted to utilise all those interesting features I heard so much about, like iCloud!

Anyway, to make the story short... I updated my iPad to iOS 5.1, works great, using a SIM card from the same network as my iPhone. I tried to do the same thing to my iPhone. Except, this wasn't an update. It was a complete Restore, replaced my iOS 4.0.2 with the new iOS 5.1.

So, I started my iPhone clean with the new firmware. However, the "No Service" message appeared before I could activate my phone. Well, I thought I could activate it using iTunes but iTunes wouldn't accept my phone until that SIM card issue has been resolved.

Some say its the SIM card, some say its the new iOS 5.1 and some are just waiting to see who'd win the argument. Anyway, I tried replacing my SIM card with the one I use on my iPad. Didn't work either. But guess what, the SIM card from my phone worked on my iPad (running on the same firmware).

So, I tested the SIM card and the firmware (on iPad). The way I see it with the new iPhone 4 + iOS 5.1 is that Apple is driving on a side-walk here! I mean the new firmware is probably asking for too much of the phone that it becomes inapproprate and inconvenient.

Right. There might be some reasons why sometimes the error "no service" appears. One reaon is a software bug or a hardware prob for sure. Having the same troubles. Sim is working in any other phone, data service working fine. Was resetting and updating but no changes and its not a provider prob as well....

I had to chuckle at Thundachief's summary of the Iphones problems, because that's exactly how I feel!! I've had the exact same problems for weeks. I have to do a soft reset on it every time I need to make a call. There are 5 other Iphones in my house and they will all have signal and mine will say searching. After I do the soft reset I can make a call that might last 60 seconds and it drops it and starts searching again. I've called AT&T several times and they have replaced the SIM card (didn't help) and basically told me I'm SOL because I'm out of warranty and not eligible for a upgrade at this time. I've called Apple too, and was informed that I'm out of warranty (surprise) and that it's probably a carrier problem. I've gone thru all the steps from replacing the SIM card to restoring it as a new phone. If anyone has any solutions other than taking a hammer to it please share it with me.

After my supplier tried every trick suggested in these posts they had to replace the whole phone with a new one...twice.

I replaced my phone with a new one. The only solution there is. However, do not setup the new phone from a back up, since it might create the same problem on the new phone.

I have a new phone and never had a problem since.

i've had a same problem here, last week i bought an application from app store from iphone. 3 days later app store decline my billing information, but i ignoring their warnings, because actually i use my mother credit card for buying this application. And on the other day my Iphone didnt get any signal or no service. iphone was trying to searching for network but it end on no service, and it always end up like. if the app store decline the credit card billing information and i ignoring them for a days is it affect the network connection for my iphone?

Did you get iOS update to 6.1. ?

I've had this problem intermitently for a while on 4S on Orange and seems to have started pretty much since the EE named network was introduced (though I'm not on 4G).

Anyway... today I was struggling again with the above No Service issue to today after 10+ restarts I noticed my number was not showing in Settings after reset network settings - I followed an older unrelated post https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3401647?start=0&tstart=0 to restored it... it worked but I also got my signal back after this restart.

It could be a big coincidence and unrelated - but worth a try?!

just turn on the airplain mod for 10 sec then return it off and thats it trust me🙂

I had the same issue. Every 15 minutes or so the service would drop from full bars to no service and then after a minute, it would drop back in at full bars reception again. Tried loads of solutions, got desperate and did a factory reset. After this, I rebuilt my phone from my iTunes back up and, guess what, problem started again.

Tried the factory reset a second time, but this time set up as a new iPhone (my contacts, email and calendar are all backed up on gmail and photos backed up in iPhoto. I restored the apps I used frequently for my App Store account and since then the phone's been done, touch wood.

I still get occasional 'no service' warnings, but these are preceded by a drop in signal strength when i'm in a low signal spot in the house (as you'd expect) and followed by a gradual build up once the signal's re-established. Beforehand it just used to drop out regularly, however strong the signal was.

No idea what caused the original behaviour, but may be worth a go if you're tired of troubleshooting :-)

believe it or the problem is the case your case might have a metal compound that is making you lose connection i had this problem once i bought my new case but didnt realize it i stopped useing it for 5 minutes my phont is perfect again

I had that problem just yetsterday. But I found a solution. For me, the only way is to restore my IPhone. Restore your phone and see if it still says no service...or just try the "reset all settings" and "reset network settings". It might work. I'm not sure.

Hi everybody,

i had these problem some time signal will come and some time it shows as no service

i restored my iphone 4 more than 20 times with my sim cards. i didnt get a solution from restoring the phone with sim card. finally i removed the sim and connected to itunes. i restored my i phone without sim. after the restore complete i try to activeate my phone it showed like "please insert a sim" after that i installed the sim and activated my phone now its working propely.

TIP that may resolve your problem:

My Experience:

I had "No Service" for about 36 hours a few days ago on my iPhone 4S (iOS 7 - thought my root cause was unrelated) - my carrier (Rogers Canada) just stopped although my WiFi was working. All cellular call/data was not working.

Root Cause (for me):

- Turns out it was that Rogers had accidentally changed a setting on my SIM card without making note of it or communicating to me that it was done.

Resolution/Recommendation:

- First, definitely try to self-troubleshoot as other online have recommended:

- Reset Network Settings

- Try the airplane mode on/off

- Try shutting down your phone (hold power and slide to turn off)

- Try hard reset (Home+Power button holding until apple reappears)

- Try having a friend use their (same carrier) SIM card on your phone (if that works you know its your SIM card)

- Call your service provider to troubleshoot and check your account settings

- Can even try restore iphone to factory settings.

- Finally go to Apple store as the final resort to confirm SIM Card or hardware issue.

In my case, I tried all the above except having a friend use their SIM Card in my phone... Had I tried that i suppose i could have confirmed that my hardware was fine and that the SIM card was the problem.
Most irritably, Rogers tech support told me that my account was setup and working as normal (which is not quite accurate as the root cause WAS indeed ROGERS having made an erroneous change).

Finally, I ended up going to the Apple store (remember to book the genius bar appointment ahead of time so you don't have to wait too long).

Then you can tell them you've tried everything (including talking with your service provider) and the last test is a SIM card test.

Apple store should then offer a tech to try a new/different sim card in your phone. They will check against the carriers database to confirm that things are setup properly.

In my case, during this process they noticed that Rogers had changed the ID of my SIM card and it no longer matched the SIM card in my phone... so they pretty much knew right away that that the new card they gave me would resolve the issue.

Sure enough they popped in a different SIM card (or updated Roger's settings for my sim card) and BOOM! My service was back on before they could evern reboot my phone! it was painless and didn't cost me a cent!

Anyways, I really hope you find a free fix for your phone(s) I can certain relate to how crippling NO service can be.

Best of luck,

W