Q: iPhone 4S "no service" problem

Great video...

I recommend contacting CNN, news sites and all the blogs - this is great exposure and Apple will get back to work in a faster timeline and get our buggy iOS working as it should be. We don't deserve what we our going through and we paid for a device to work and they have our money and are more concerned about features in iOS 5.1 than fixes - photo stream, 3G toogle etc...  No mention on Apple's part about the constant Searching / No Service bug, Wi-Fi issues and signal drop issues on iOS 5.x except build number 9A406 regarding SIM / No Service which doesn't work. Both iOS 5.0.1 and iOS 5.0.1 9A406 were both failures.  These two updates failed to fix the battery problems and No Service / Searching bugs.  Apple hasn't acknowledged any problems and keeps denying it.  Typical Apple style.

Already commented my story.

The solution: Go with the carrier company and change for a warranty new phone.

My new 4s works fine and was restored with the info of the previous phone, the actual software is 5.0.1 (9A405) without problems yet.

This "no service" issue may have a hardware cause too.

I think Apple Co won't accept it and everyone may have to make the warranty effective.

Hi Bagi,

Does that get resolved??

If not, put another simcard, Make a call, change sim back to original.

I hope this helps!!!

Vasanth, How did you manage to come over this prob? Ar eyou using Indian carrier??

Were you able to get signal before restore??

I did restore but of no use.

Hi Kintu.

Bought the phone in US. (unlocked and contract free).

I am using an Indian Carrier.

Yes. now the signal is perfectly fine after i followd the KB article from Apple.

Please try again.

Guys - here is the CRACK for people who are unable to get carrier after restore also.

1. ERASE all settings & content from reset option.

2. Insert your sim (local)

3. While starting to activate phone, lookout for Signal bars FIRST.

4. Try to select a Country after which Signal bar still remains visible and complete activation.

5. Keep a watch on Signal Bars when you move to next step....(at Every step).

I confirm my 4S started working with full signal strenght.

I have a question. When you go to Apple store or carrier, does the phone work then? I mean if it doesnt work at their store how can they say its working ok? If it does, could it be certain locations you happen to be when it doesnt work?  Not understanding if the phone never works and you go to store for replacement or fix how they determine there is nothing wrong with it.

mritacca wrote:

 

I hate to say this guys...

 

take videos and pictures and post them on YouTube.  Title it 'iPhone 4S No Service / Searching' bug and let the world see it.

 

I am going to wait one more week and then going in for a replacement costing Apple $200!

 

If they don't want to support us or advise us of a fix in the works, then I would strongly suggest you doing the same and replacing your iPhone and SIM card.

 

Apple will have to eat the $200.  Replacing your SIM card I would get your carrier involved and point them to this forum.

 

I have waited since November for this problem to be fixed and Apple has no plans to hurry and fix it as I think they can not.  I paid for a phone to work as a phone. 

i have returned my iphone 4s 7 times (and replaced the SIM at my carrier 7 times) - it does not work at the store or anywhere - it seemingly has nothing to do with geography - happens out of the blue and does not resolve until i get a new iphone 4s replacement unit, not a retail unit.

this has happened to me on iphone 4s version 5.0.1 (9A405) and (9A406)

it has also happened to me on iphone 4 version 5.0.1 (9A405)

apple sent me a brand new retail iphone 4s and i will not open the box because i am dubious it will work, and i do not want to devalue it by opening the box (that is if it has any value in the end).

SO: i borrowed his iphone4 - which he jailbroke for me, reverted it to version 4.2 - then set it up as a new phone on my own computer which installed 5.0.1 (9A405)

i also have my old iphone 4 which he jailbroke and reverted to version 4.2 - i have this phone in a cabinet should his stop functioning for me.

DANG, this has been a lot of work.

I am just wondering how you were able to get Apple to send you a new phone. All the replacement phone's that I received from the Apple store came from some sort of service stock in a black box to be sent in for repair. I finally gave up on trying to resolve all the issues and Apple won't refund my money. I have been trying to sell my phone on craigslist but can't get the money I would need to get out of contract and for what I paid for it. I don't feel that I should be losing money on a phone that Apple should take some responsiblity for not working as a mobile phone.

Simply stated, I am an excellent negotiator. But like I said I doesn't matter if the thing won't work.

There is no guarantee that you can get them to give you a new retail phone instead of a refurbished phone.  Apple does have there unwritten repair policy I believe this would be the same, this is what I have found from research apple does not say.  After 3 failed attempts at a repair, so this would be the fourth time dealing with them, they will have an option to exchange for a new model.  This is all based on what they decide they could say no to this.  If you have had 3 failed attempts or more, you want to talk with them, no yelling or getting upset.  Explain this to them.  "You have bought this phone expecting a great product, but instead have something unreliable.  You have not been able to use it as expected.  There has been several attempts at replacing it with a similar replacement unit, all attempts seem fine at first, but have returning issues randomly later on."  Tweak this slightly to fit your situation.  Then, ask if it is possible to get a new retail version to try instead of a repaired/refurbished model.

Another method to try, it would be unlikely it would work.  Explain to them that you purchased a brand new phone and not a refurbished phone, and it does not seem fair to be given a phone that would usually sell for less when purchasing it from them.  Again this may work, but it is a long shot and I don't recommend trying it unless their is no chance of the first method.

One thing to keep in mind about Apple, they always keep good notes about what happened while they were helping you.  In the Apple Store near me, the start of with a description of you, such as what you are wearing, this is mainly to find you for your appointment.  And from experience, I can say that they will read everything through when they are deciding to escalating the issue to a higher then normal status for things like out of warranty replacements at no cost and new model replacements.  So watch what you say and how you say it every time you contact them.

Hope this information helps you solve you problems with you phone.

HI Vasanth

Whats th e OS & IPW file type you have in your fone ?

5.0.1 & (9A406) ??

yeeee-haw iphone 4S number 5 just did it again!

para solucionar o problema de sinal vcs. teem que efetuar um back-up antes e reinstalar o programa. após isto sincronizar os contatos do mesmo no back-up, que o proprio progama pede durante a reinstalação do mesmo. e apos isto ligar o mesmo e testar se está tudo funcionando bem. e após isto ir colocando um a um os aplicativos extras que não vem incluido na instalação do mesmo. (o meu estava com o sinal caindo toda hora e se eu deixasse um minuto inativo, pra efetuar uma ligação era um cáus tinha que chamar umas 5 vezes para o sinal voltar, e a bateria não aguentava nem 3 horas, descarregava sozinha.) fiz a reistalação acima hoje 24-01-12 e está funcionando normalmente e a bateria não está descarregando. (pode fazer que eu garanto!)

First off, if you are going to post a reply on a forum, post in the same language as all the other posts.  I however translated it and believe that this will not work for most people.  What you are expecting is that the is an app installed causing conflicts, this should not be the problem.  The signal has no effect on apps, apple checks every app on the appstore and would not allow something that even touches the controls for signal. 

Here is why I think it worked for you.

I believe you just had a software problem, it is common to have software problems on any device, what you did reinstalled to OS fixed the problem, reinstalling the apps one by one, was a waste of time.  What apple is telling people to do to fix the problem is to restore the phone, then instead of restoring from a backup, to sync with you computer so everything would be reinstalled not just put back how they were.

Here is the posted translated for everyone else.

mauro luiz wrote:

to solve the signal problem you guys. teem you make a backup before and reinstall the program. after that synchronize the contacts in the same back-up that asks for your own progam reinstalling it. and after that connect it and test if everything is working well. and after putting it go one by one the extra applications that are not included in the installation of the same. (mine was the signal falling all the time and if I let one minute inactive, was making a call to a question had to call 5 times the signal to return, and the battery could not stand or 3 hours, unloading alone.) made ​​the reistalação up today 12/01/24 and is operating normally and the battery is not discharging. (I can assure you!)

Just curious, Has anyone having the problem actually tried doing a DFU mode restore opposed to a regular restore, it take a few minutes longer but restores everything, This is usually how apple will restore devices with lots of problems, they usually do tell you that though