Q: iPhone 4s losing data connection multiple times/day

I'm posting to support this thread and maybe (but pfft, probably not) get apple to correct this problem. Because it is INDEED a very real problem. Now, it may not affect ALL users, but I was under the impression that apple cares about even just one user. So, please Apple, fix this issue. I am on an iPhone 4S with AT&T running the latest OS. I do have many apps, songs, and videos on my phone, but I already thought that battery loss was the sacrifice there, so I doubt that it's also a loss of data connection. So far my iPhone 4S is the speediest phone I've ever had the pleasure of owning, that sometimes doesn't actually connect speedily to anything, and that can't be a good thing. I look forward to an always there, always reliable connection (as it was with other versions and iPhones), especially when it seems it's on your end of the spectrum to fix.

My Phone now works perfectly ! I dont know which part of the following fixed it but this is what I did......

1.) Restore from DFU mode installing the latest build of 5.0.1. (9a406). Which did not appear to change anything...

2.) Called my carrier (O2 UK) who initially went through the motions, but then sent by SMS the latest carrier settings (Which appeared identical)  Which did not appear to solve the problem.

3.) Spoke directly to apple support, as with O2 they were very helpful, but told me that I needed a new handset and booked me an appointment at my local apple store for Sunday morning.

4.) Plugged my phone in to charge as normal on Saturday night ( locked but turned on) and when I awoke on Sunday morning it worked perfectly and is continuing to work perfectly !

If one of these things fixed it but coninsidentally there was a network outage or similar I dont know, or maybe the carrier carried on working on it after the call... who knows, but as I write everything is perfect !

I hope this helps .

Beau

As I mentioned in my earlier post I've had the same problem and have had my phone replaced twice.  I have since emailed my local Apple Store pointing to this thread in order to make them aware of this problem.  Each time I visited the Genius Bar regarding my phone they acted as though they weren't aware of the issue.  Today I recieved a call from Apple Store indicating they forwarded my email and phone replacement history to their engineers.  I was told that Apple is aware of this problem and that a fix will be included in their next patch update.  No word on the timing of the next update.

I have experienced the same failure to obtain the cellular data connection needed for anything requiring internet access on the iPhone 4S.  Here are the instructions I was provided by Apple Express Lane support:

Go to Settings/General/Network - confirm you have Cellular Data set to On

Go to Settings/Reset and select Reset Network Settings

Wait for phone to restart and regain a connection to the ATT network

This succeeded in restoring the phone's cellular data connection.  It remains to be seen whether it loses the connection again, because needing to redo this regularly just to keep a reliable connection would not be acceptable.

I don't know if you tried this already, but turning the airplane mode on and off very quickly (like tap it twice) has been working well for me so far. Someone on this thread suggested it and it's been a good advice.

The one that seems to have worked for me is to make sure Bluetooth is disabled. I noticed it as on and turned it off just to see what would happen and throughout today it's been running fine eg wifi works no probs. give it a go and see what happens. Might not be the solution and I do think there is some kinda apple bug that needs fixing in 5.0.2?!?

I have the same problem as the OP, except I also loose the ability to send any text messages as well as iMessages. I even have an AT&T booster at home which seems to have no impact one way or another.

My old 3gs works fine, the 4s does not. Which is even more frustrating as they are currently sitting right next to each other.

I have owned the 4s for 48 frustrating hours now. Despite having full bars and 3G listed on the screen, my phone only seems to work (except for calls - and even that has been patchy) when it hooks up to WiFi.

Switching it on and off seems to improve the problem for a short period of time.

My polite sounding post hides my extreme level of annoyance! [at least I can now type with the CAPs lock button off]

I'm only really posting this to vent - and to hope that Apple take the issue seriously and sort the problem out.

Please.

Yes! I have this problem as well. My wife's iPhone 4 does not have the issue and my friends iPhone 4s doesn't either. About every other day I will lose my 3g data connection entirely without warning (full bars etc). The only way I notice is if I browse with Safari the loading bar is stuck at like 5% and imessage texts get stuck at the 95% mark. I was so frustrated that I went in for a replacement the other day. Things seemed ok, but then I updated to 5.01 and restored from my backup. I'm not sure if the problem is in my backup or 5.01 but since my friends 4s doesn't do it and now i've had two 4s's that do... i suspect its something about my backup.

Also worth noting I have 3 email accounts and one is MS Exchange. I wonder if exchange could have something to do with it, my buddy does not use exchange in his 4s.

Also, the best way to get it back working for me is to reset the network connection. Airplane mode and turning off / on data doesn't do the trick.

Stumbled across this minor 5.0.1 update a few hours ago and decided to try it. Hoping it will fix the problem, only time sill tell. Anyone else that tries it please let us know if your 3g issues persist:

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1292710

Hello,

Thought I'd chime in here and mention that my wife's 4s (64GB) has the same issue.  Seems to happen most when she transitions from WiFi to 3g when leaving home or work.  She's been rebooting the phone to get 3g data working again.  I'll have her try the Airplane mode trick.  I tried resetting her network data, but that didn't solve the issue.

BTW, I have an iPhone 4 that doesn't have this issue at all.  Both our phones are on AT&T.

Same issue here as well. I'm going to airplane mode, resetting and hard rebooting my phone MULTIPLE times per day now. It ALWAYS occurs when on 3G (my WiFi never has an issue) I can simply be using iMessage when it drops, requiring the resets, so it's not a heavy data load. I'm getting so frustrated. If this phone didn't cost me so much, I'd have chucked it out my office window by now!!!! I have the black 4S 32GB model.....

Happens to me when I have a poor 3G signal. Quickly drops to Edge, then GPRS, then nothing. If I then put the phone down, 3G will return.

Very poor.

SPD.

My wife's new phone has the same issue with Sprint service. Wifi works fine but 3G is hit/miss. The airplane mode trick seems to work for a little while, then she has to do it again.

I called Apple support yesterday (Jan 2nd) and the lady I spoke with admitted they are aware of the issue and have been told Apple will release a software update that should resolve the issue. They have not been told when this will be released.

I'm having this problem as well - AT&T network, iPhone 4s, Dallas, TX.

I first hit this problem when I was visiting LA, but I figured it was just a fluke. Resetting in airplane mode SOMETIMES works. I get full bars, 3g on, but no data. I can make calls and send text messages (but not iMessages).

This needs to be fixed.

Ciao SteManz,

this issue has driven me crazy, till i found your post. I didn't realize that the apn index had been changed. On 3GS and 4 i had always the correct ibox.tim.it. On the 4S and on all 4S's in my enterprise  the apn was wap.tim.it.

I can confirm that all of my 4S's had the problem with wap. Changing the apn to ibox the problem is finally gone!

Thank you very much for your input!

Best regards,

Markus Italy