The new iPad constantly losing cellular data connnection

I spoke to Apple Singapore hotline, and they pretended like they didn't know, but I cornered them and they told me I can go to one of their service centers to get it fixed/replaced.

Hi Kidon0,

I did enquire the officer about whether making an exchange would resolve the issue; some people in this thread have reported that exchanging their IPAD doesn't seem to resolve the cellular network problem. He proposed that I do a restoration through Itunes first to determine that it is not a software issue, which is why I want to find out if anyone has done this and whether it solves the problem.

So have you exchanged your IPAD for a new one and does that resolve the cellular network issue?

At last, today went to Ebay Store in San Diego CA, where i was get my new 4g ipad, told about my and more than 12,000 people worldwide, the geek squad get surprised and told me the same as the other sales or tech guys "first time that i heard this" well, he offer me to change the IPAD for a new one.

For the first 3 hours work perfect, let see what happend in the couple of weeks. I'll let you know.

Hope Apple tech guys read this threads, other wise this, does not have any sense...

Regards everyone.

4g Ipad user from border CA, in Mexico

Kidon0 wrote:

I spoke to Apple Singapore hotline, and they pretended like they didn't know, but I cornered them and they told me I can go to one of their service centers to get it fixed/replaced.

Dear Reuben,

Thank you for contacting Apple.

Your support Advisor, Jeffry, has a follow-up message for you: AASP QCD@Tagore by QCD Technology Pte Ltd(3.9 kms) Tagore Building, No. 6 Tagore Drive, #04-03/04, Singapore 787623 +65 6555 0478 eServ@Wheelock by Micro 2000 Pte Ltd(5.4 kms) Wheelock Place, 501 Orchard Road #02-20/23, Singapore 238880 +65 6733 4636 Sapura@Funan by Sapura Synergy Pte Ltd(7.6 kms) Funan DigitalLife Mall, 109 North Bridge Road, #05-44, Singapore 179097 +65 6337 2993 eServ@Ubi by Micro 2000 Pte Ltd (8.6 kms) Zervex Building, 8 Ubi Road 2, #08-20, Singapore 408538 +65 6295 3998

We have created case number XXXXXXXX for your reference. If you need to contact us again about this issue, providing the case number will help our Advisor quickly locate your case.

We want to help you get the best service and support for your Apple product. Please visit our award-winningSupport website to find product information, tutorials, troubleshooting steps, and much more.

Sincerely, Apple Support apple.com/support See this, interesting but upsetting as well: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2403808,00.asp

Ok, things get a little more interesting.

I jus called the Wheelock service centre that Kidon0 provided:-

eServ@Wheelock by Micro 2000 Pte Ltd(5.4 kms)

Wheelock Place, 501 Orchard Road #02-20/23, Singapore 238880

+65 6733 4636

The customer service rep who answered the call said that it is a HARDWARE problem, and that restoring the software would not solve the problem (so finally someone who admits that it's a hardware problem!!)

Therefore, the rep suggests that I bring down my IPAD for a replacement. The only thing is that I would have to wait 3-4 working days before I can get a new replacement.

I doubt that the issue occurs becaue it transition to 2G connection. Today I had my new iPad moved from 3G->EDGE->No Service->EDGE->3G without a problem and still working until now. The issue still occurs randomly and I still cannot guess why this occurs.

Yes. The first one I purchased had the problem, the replacement did not.

I've stated this before, but my problems occurred while stationary - not moving - and on 4g with full signal strength.

Too many people here are blaming the 3G-2G switch as the sole culprit. It's not.

Errk! wrote:

I've stated this before, but my problems occurred while stationary - not moving - and on 4g with full signal strength.

Too many people here are blaming the 3G-2G switch as the sole culprit. It's not.

Actually, eperimentation proves 100% that it is is the 3G-2G switch BUT, that doesn't mean to say there isn't more than one fault!

Here is the UK and in other countries that don't have 4G, the problem can be repeated by moving between a 2G and 3G cell and it is solved by switching to a provider that doesn't have 2G (only 3G). This is a 100% repeatable fix. However, there are lots of people in the US reporting problems on 4G, so I'm guessing there must be more than one fault. Also remember that here in the UK, we don't even have the option to turn off 4G, so I'm wondering if we are running a different (region specific) software version in any case. Maybe that's why it's taking Apple so long to respond,

I said they are saying its the *sole* cause. Obviously it is one of the causes, but 4g in a stationary position has proven to be a problem as well.

FazerWiz and Errk! seem to have put this together well. There may very well be more than one problem, and it might have to do with the origin of the hardware used. There is a thread somewhere checking out Serial Numbers as a source of evidence, and those beginning with DLXH seem quite affected.

In any case: in Europe where there is no 4G available, we have the problem when switching 2G/3G, which happens of course even when the iPad is in standby. So there's hardly any way to really monitor it, unless you ride on trains to check out your iPad. Frankly, I think we pay Apple to do stuff like that!

I have returned my iPad to Singtel (its within the 7 days period) and went thru many "steps" to get it return. Here was what happened in a nutshell

Day 3 after i got my new ipad - Went to Singtel's Hello Shop to ask for refund.Explain how i cant use the ipad due to connectivity issues and i showed him screen shots (full bar signal with 3G). Service personnel pretended and exclaimed it the 1st time he heard of such case. Then i told them about the internet forum and they claimed no knowledge of. They insisted that i try a new sim card first as it part of their "procedure" if it failed i have to go down to Comcenter for exchange, claiming that Comcenter is the only place to get a refund or servicing.. So i exchanged a new sim card. As expected by end of the day, i lost connection again.

Day 4 after i got my new ipad - Went to Comcenter, explained to the service counter of my issue. I told her I WANT A REFUND. Explain to her the issue and the forum discussions. Staff claimed that it might be my location signal strength. Then i explained i have done my research and told them i know what works, what wont. Staff again told me if i have done resetting, change sim card;etc I said yes and i know it of no use. Then staff say it will only affect 4G network. Then i bring out the legal terms and conditions that Singtel is basically unable to fulfill the legal contract of providing me the basic service as stated. Staff then relanted and "talked" to her manager. Then surprise! i am told to go back to the Hello shop where i pruchased and it has to be done on the day itself! Talked about bullying customers and service level

Im the end i went back from Comcenter to the Singtel outlet and returned my ipad. I ahve to wait for 1 month (,max) for the $$

I have posted on Digital life on this story, hope they can report the issue so less people have to go thru out agony since corporations are not forthcoming with this issue.

Meanwhile, i not getting anothe iPad.

Apple has indeed ignored this issue long enough. Why don't we all bombard the IT editors of local or national publications with this story so that it finally gets publicity enough to be noticed by all those "nice people" who work in the stores and telephone shops?

Jamesultrablue wrote:

Hi Kidon0,

I did enquire the officer about whether making an exchange would resolve the issue; some people in this thread have reported that exchanging their IPAD doesn't seem to resolve the cellular network problem. He proposed that I do a restoration through Itunes first to determine that it is not a software issue, which is why I want to find out if anyone has done this and whether it solves the problem.

So have you exchanged your IPAD for a new one and does that resolve the cellular network issue?

No, I'm on my third one and still no change. In the end I gave up and bought a PAYG sim from a 3G only providor. Three weeks now and not a single issue. Put any other sim back though and it happens again, within hours.

The nice man from Apple said: Don't worry sir, we'll keep exchanging it for you until you get one that works! I suggested that might be tedious for both of us. Hopefully they'll be a software fix forthcoming but if not, I'll wait until I can exchange it for a revised hardware version.

Ok this is what happened since my last post. I actually called one other Apple service centres to "innocently" ask if exchanging my Ipad for a new one would actually resolve the "cellular" issue; this third customer service person gave the same advice as the first Apple customer service person I spoke with, i.e. she proposed that I perform a restoration of my Ipad through ITUNES. If this still does not resolve the issue, I could then consider bringing my Ipad down for a fix or an exchange.

Therefore, I decided to just bravely go ahead to do the restoration through Itunes (of course this meant clearing all the content from my Ipad, but fortunately, I just bought it so there wasn't much of that in the first place). To my surprise, there were actually some Ipad bug fixes that came with the restoration process! Wouldn't this mean that for those of you who bought your Ipad a while ago and have not done any restoration, then your Ipad could not have possibly received these bug fixes??

Anyway, Itunes listed this list of bugs that would be fixed with the restoration process (too bad I did not copy the list or I would have reproduced it here). In the list, there appeared to be no mention of any bugs involving this "could not activate cellular network" issue. Nevertheless, I forged ahead and went through the restoration process. After the restoration was completed and I placed the SIM card back into my newly restored Ipad, VIOLA - the problem appears to have been resolved!! I then went to different parts of my area to "deliberately" lose the wifi connection to see whether the "cellular network" problem still exists, and to my great relief, the cellular network took over just fine, with no "could not activate cellular network" message appearing. I would still continue to monitor and report back on whether this "miracle" fix happens to be just temporary, or whether the restoration process has really succeeded in resolving this cellular network bugging issue. If it turns out to be the latter, could it be that the fix for this "cellular network" bug has been "quietly" slipped in as part of the restoration process??

For the moment, I'm just glad that the restoration appears to have resolved the issue, as I certainly dread the thought of having to make a wasted trip downtown to replace my Ipad, only to find the issue still surfacing later (as confirmed by FazerWiz). 🙂