iPhone 4S "no service" problem

I can verify that I did a fresh download of update file, did DFU restore to brand new phone, didn't use iCloud, didn't use backup, etc and still had the problem.

Then this is where apple should say there is a problem with the hardware not the software and give up on the idea that they can fix this with an update.

I am kindof curious if the is a dirrect link to where or when the phone was created, or the model to this issue.

I want to get several replys saying Model, Week manufactured, Carrier, Your location. Here is an example below. Maybe we can find a link between the issues, they only part the I cant determine is manufacture location. To get the week manufactured, look at your serial number, it is the 2nd and 3rd digits.

16 GB, Black

Week 37

AT&T

USA

what is interesteing is that when this started happening with my 32 gb iphone 4s and i got fed up with doing returns to the store, i reverted to my iphone 4 that i kept after the upgrade to 4s in case of an accident (or this problem) - and it started happening with the my original iphone 4 - so like i posted earlier, my friend jailbroke both my 4 and his 4 - im currently using his 4 with 5.0.1 (9A405) and my iphone 4 is reverted back to 4.2 in case it happens to his iphone 4. i know this is unrelated to the data you are looking for . . . but i wanted to point out that it happened to my iphone 4s first, then to my old iphone 4 but not his iphone 4 that i am currently using. hmmmmm

Ok so now what it is sounding like is a issue between hardware and software, such as compatibility issues. What i am getting about the iPhone 4s in my research is that all of the different carrier phones are exactly the same, they move over to a world chip insead of making 3 different phones. but now what i am beginning to think is that they changed from one chip to another or maybe the world chip is to come once they worked of some problems, because we have 4 iphones in my house, all ordered at the same time coming from 3 different factories, and none of them have these issues, mine has some on start up that is it. All 4 of these were ordered the first day for pre-order, all 4 are the same iPhone 4s, Black, 16GB.

So does anyone know if there was any changes to the chips inside of the iPhone 4s midway through production? I have been told there was in the iPhone 4 there was, a little before the release of the white iPhone 4.

I am reposting my experence with the "No Service" message from about page 12. This is my experence, it might not apply to other people though. I am in the US on AT&T 32GB Black Week 39

I am fortunate enough to have both a carrier store and an apple store in my area. After updating my iPhone 4S to iOS 5.0.1, the phone started getting "No Service" after phone went idle for about 15-30 minutes in multiple different locations that I have had perfect service in since iPhone launch. To get service back I would have to turn phone off/on or airplane mode on/off. Then, until phone went idle again, I had full bars of service. At times, when the phone displayed "No Service", I could make and receive calls. I contacted Apple about this problem, they said it was the SIM card. I got a new SIM card, and the problem was still there. I contacted Apple again, and this time Apple claimed it was a carrier tower problem so I had AT&T issue a service ticket in my area to check the towers. AT&T said the towers are good, it must be an Apple problem. Apple says it is because I restored phone from a backup and I have corrupted data on my computer. I did DFU restore on phone and set up as brand new phone. Problem still there. Long story short is that AT&T says that it is Apple's problem, Apple says it's carrier problem etc. I had 3 new SIM cards and 3 4S's is this 3 week period. Finally, with nobody acknowledging a problem and no solution in sight, I switched back to my old iPhone that had worked perfectly for years. Now this phone was getting a "No Service" message as well. I could turn 3G off and the phone was fine. The iPhone 4S doesn't have the option to turn off 3G. So it was more of a carrier problem than an iPhone problem in my opinion, from the steps that I had to take on my own to troubleshoot the issue because Apple nor AT&T would acknowledge an issue. This was very annoying. My question is this though: Why won't the phone automatically switch to the 2G network if 3G is not available? It seems to me, my problem was more with the carrier 3G network but I would think that the phone would go to 2G if 3G wasn't available. In my opinion, Apple also has an issue. Nobody will say anything though. People all over the world are having this problem on multiple carriers. There is one thing in common: the iPhone.

i agree with the software and hardware issue incompatibility.

i also think that it may be linked to my personal account - its not happening to my friends iphone4 but did with my iphone 4 when it ran 5.0.1 (9A405).

i also see validity in the theory that receiving mms photos from an android to a iphone sets the problem off.

i also think that it does not have anything to do with my carrier - unless there is some kind of incompatibility issue that i cannot seem to make a connection with there.

Ok, so that thing with 3G is also interesting.

I bought my Iphone 4S in november in Denmark. First days it was ok, I was sending and receiveng messages (I'm not sure if I made a call). Then No service issue appeared. I didn't have 3G in Denmark. In middle of december I went to Prague and got simcard from czech operator. It had 3G, I used it a lot and iphone worked perfectly all the time I was there. So I thougt its a problem of career. I went back to Denmark, asked for a new simcard. Still No service. I restored it, upload til 5.0.1 (9A406), asked for a new simcard. Still No service. Asked for a simcard from another career. Still nothing. One week ago my friend tried to put his sim-card to my iphone and he has 3G here in Denmark. He just put it in, try to call, but nothing worked. Then I put my simcard back and signal appeared. I was able to send and receive messages but no calling. At least something. But in two days No service were back again.

Iphone 4S, 16GB, black, week 42, factory DN.

****, I really hope that the information help apple to correct this issue at least if they're not communitating with their customers.

After you upgrade to 5.0.1 (9A406), redo your carrier settings (see http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1970). Worked for me, anyway. YMMV. You'd think Apple would mention this or better yet, fix the patch process so this extra step is not necessary.

My guess is that the upgrade screws up the default carrier settings or corrupts the file, but since I neglected to do a before & after snapshot, so I can't prove this. Apple should be able to figure out what's happening from all the diagnostic logs.

X

Cross-posting this from a similar thread.

gracedisgrace

oops, I spoke too soon. Resetting carrier info only worked for a day. The comm center crashes seem to have stopped, but I still get "no service", just without any errors in the diagnostic log.

Sure makes me wonder what kind of bug apple has in their software. Interesting that the kb article (http://support.apple.com/kb/TS4148) is titled "iPhone 4S displays 'No Service' or 'No SIM Card Installed'".

Sounds like a bug in how the phone reads the SIM card and handles read errors, perhaps amplified by problems with the connection to the SIM card (that little tray is pretty funky, IMHO). If there's a mechanical problem with the SIM tray, that would explain why sometimes changing the SIM fixes the problem.

In either case, you would think it would be an easy fix for Apple....

Not ready to give up my Android phone yet.

i do not want to tell tallish what happened for two weeks.i have done every single way (mentioned in the forum except 128 k sim) to get rid of from "no service and searching" thing. But still no service and searching thing continues to happen. I'm really bored about this situation.

Apple must tell us what is going on and when this irritating thing will end? with ios 5.1 ?

If it will end, I'll wait for ios 5.1 but if it isn't fixed, I'm going to return my iPhone 4s. Sorry but i dont wanna use ipod touch 4s anymore.

Iphone 4s 5.0.1 (9A406)

from Turkey

Operator AVEA

PS: Should i change my sim 64 k with 128 k? Does it work?

Isn't there any Apple employees who monitor these forums and able to respond to customer problems?

I've been having the same trouble myself the past 3 weeks. Apple and O2 (a UK network) don't seem to know what is going on, despite thousands of people with the same problem looking for help on the interweb.

I think i've tried every solution on this forum apart from changing the sim card and none of them have worked.

Switching the phone off and on again works rarely. When it does work, the signal usually drops again after a few minutes.

I have never had any major problems with Apple products until now. Unfortunately this problem, and the lack of any official response from Apple is really dissapointing.

@bl. I got the exact same problem as you!

Apple just made 46$ Billion this quarter. They've got your money and don't care it seems.

Don't support Apple when you buy your next phone. I know I won't. With all this money they could get some real good engineers to solve all the issues within a more timely manner... less than 4+ months thats for sure! We are approaching February. iPhone 4S and iOS 5 was released in October. They must have a lot of issues to work out as it is taking forever to come up with real fixes that work!