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Level 1

1 points

3G Suddenly Useless!

Hello,
I have enjoyed using my 3G iPad while on the road to access e-mail, visit Web sites, and play games. But suddenly, 3G is unbelievably slow and almost always switches to "E" (whatever that means), and I eventually give up trying to use it.

To add insult to injury, my AT&T account shows some data usage during those times when I am trying but unable to use the plan I am paying for!

Is anyone else having the same issue? What's the solution?

Mac OS X (10.6.5), iMac 27", Mac Mini, iPad 16GB 3G+WiFi, iPod Touch 8GB/16GB, Airport Extreme

Posted on Nov 23, 2010 7:36 AM

53 replies

Nov 29, 2010 1:16 AM in response to mattschenker

Is there an answer from Apple on this?

I upgraded and now have no 3G connectivity either. I've tried various different city locations, but nothing other than 2g connection.

Obviously a bug somewhere with 4.2.1

Nov 29, 2010 6:28 AM in response to Dnoblecilla

Thanks Dnoblecilla, your answer was very helpful. Please, everybody, note that you have to switch off and on after you make the APN configuration.

It did work great for me.
boa sorte!

mattschenker Author

Level 1

1 points

Nov 29, 2010 11:59 AM in response to mattschenker

Hello,
I called Apple, and the tech person on the other end said, "this is the first time I'm hearing about this." I actually told the person to please not say this to me (I've heard it before and it is always insulting). They also suggested a number of steps, all of which are time consuming and not likely to fix the problem.

I don't know what to say.

Does anyone know if an iPad can be returned for money back based on this issue? Mine is about three months old.

Thanks,
Matt

Nov 30, 2010 12:54 AM in response to mattschenker

Started happening to me this week too. I just got back from out of the country, and 3G not working, always showing Edge. I should note I'm still on IOS 3.2- I have not updated yet. Perhaps this is not an Apple issue, but a network issue? I'm going to call my service provider tomorrow. Resetting network settings, reseating SIM...everything mentioned has not worked for me so far.

doc_guy

Level 1

10 points

Nov 30, 2010 2:37 PM in response to matthewmonroe

+1 to the Edge only issue.

I upgraded to 4.2.1 on my iPad, and now only see Edge.

I called Apple, and they said it was an AT&T issue (I'm in the US). Really? AT&T just happened to stop providing 3G coverage at the same moment I upgraded my operating system? Does that sound a bit to coincidental to anybody else?

I rely on 3G coverage on a daily basis, and am very frustrated that Apple won't even acknowledge the issue.

I've been using 3G for five months before the update. Now I can only use Edge. Seems to me it isn't an AT&T issue, its an iOS issue.

Nov 30, 2010 5:32 PM in response to mattschenker

If it's any help (to Apple mostly), here're info for my GPRS-only (no, not even Edge!) iPad:

Model: MC497LL

and here's for the perfectly working iPad:

Model: MC496ZP

Both Modem Firmware is on 07.10.00.

ddser

Level 1

0 points

Dec 1, 2010 12:05 AM in response to darthmarku

What is going on? Same problem here. Works on Edge only in a strong 3G signal area. On 3.2, 3G was great. Why is it that only a few of us are experiencing this problem? Otherwise, the forums would be full of similar complaints.

IvanPe

Level 1

0 points

Dec 1, 2010 1:31 AM in response to mattschenker

I have the same problem with iPad 3G/64gb, IOS 4.2.1 and operator H3G in Italy. I reset the network settings but nothing has changed. You can surf the internet with EDGE only with operators Vodafone and TIM. H3G provides the only 3G service so my iPad will not connect to the Internet even more the signal is adequate.
With IOS 3.2 I downloaded the mail a second before doing the upgrade to IOS 4.2.1, since that time no longer worked even though the signal is full.
When can I resume using my iPad since it is already spent a week?
Thanks a lot Apple!

Clonic

Level 1

0 points

Dec 1, 2010 3:04 AM in response to Apple dude OS 4 lover

I have the same problem with iPad 3G/32gb, IOS 4.2.1 and operator MTS in Russia.

if you turn on Airplane mode and remove the Simcard, post again, then shove 3G runs for a while then turns off.
!!!!F*Ck

Message was edited by: Clonic

Dec 1, 2010 7:38 AM in response to mattschenker

I am having problems with 3G on the iPad with Bell Canada.
I get the "Safari cannot open the page because it is not connected to the Internet" message. I have the full 5 bars of signal.
Wifi works perfectly well, but no 3G at all.
Time is ticking on my service plan.
Has anyone heard of any fixes for this issue?
I have reset the device, have tried turning airplane mode on and off, have tried turning 3G service on and off.

Mike

ddser

Level 1

0 points

Dec 1, 2010 7:53 AM in response to mddottawa

I have tried both Rogers and Bell SIM cards and cannot get 3G with either one. Rogers falls back to Edge and Bell says No Service (since they have no 2G GSM network).

Haven't tried downgrading to 3.2 but seriously considering it.

Dec 1, 2010 8:41 AM in response to mattschenker

I haven't even upgraded my OS yet (still on 3.2.2) and I have been on Edge network since the weekend. I am beyond frustrated. This has cemented my decision to forego the 3G service plan and use my Verizon Mobile hotspot. And I'm grandfathered in to the unlimited data even. This is ridiculous.

Dec 2, 2010 1:54 AM in response to mattschenker

Same thing happening with Bell 3G, iPad says waiting for activation(it was already activated) & No Service... was fine with 3.2.2. Tired resetting network settings, all settings, airplane mode on/off, restoring... no luck 😟

iTunes won't let me restore to 3.2.2, gives error after verifying ipad restore with apple... this is frustrating.

Dec 2, 2010 9:39 AM in response to benjaamin

Finally got 3g service today in town... still no service at home when before was getting 3 bars at home. Seems like 4.2.1 really affected 3g reception. Wish I could downgrade. Why isn't this affecting more people?

doc_guy

Level 1

10 points

Dec 2, 2010 10:55 AM in response to doc_guy

I was able to restore 3G to my iPad, but I had to start over from scratch with my iPad settings, apps, etc.

Here is what I did:

1. I backed up my iPad (right click on device in iTunes and select "backup").
2. I restored iPad to "original" settings (which is a misnomer, b/c if you've already upgraded, iPad will restore to essentially a blank current firmware state, NOT the state the iPad was purchased in).
3. When I plugged the iPad back in, iTunes asked me to set up the iPad. I had a couple of choices: I could restore existing iPad profile, or create a new one. Here I tried to restore existing profile, but then 3G still didn't work. So I went back to step 2. On my second try, I created a new profile for iPad, and then re-selected what data I wanted synced to iPad.

When that process was complete (the second time), 3G worked.

I lost all my custom settings and application data (which is a pain), but at least my iPad is working on 3G again.

(Or maybe, according to Apple support's theory that AT&T was the problem, AT&T decided to re-broadcast a 3G signal at the exact same time as I restored my iPad.)

This was clearly a software issue, and it had something to do with my profile. It was a setting (or something) that got backed up with my iPad profile, so I had to start with a new profile with a clean slate of settings in order to get 3G back.

I don't know if that will work for anybody else, but thought I'd at least share my experience so you'd know how I got 3G back on my 4.2.1 iPad.

3G Suddenly Useless!