I received my replaced iPad this morning.
Old one was DLXH******** . New one is DL9H********
I applied 5.1.1 update and tested the same carrier (Jazz Telecom) that was failing before.
It worked properly.
Because of my job I must be on constant move through Madrid, during the day, rapidly using trains and buses and driving a lot. That means a lot of different cell towers, with different cobertures and services, on swift shift.
The iPad scared me a few times. For about 30 or 60 seconds it sometimes seems to repeat the problem -- lot of coverage bars, 3G symbol, but apps fail to connect to the Internet.
And then it recovers functionality and works. Alone, on its own. Without any kind of input. Without reseting, disabling or restoring settings. Without even touching the "cellular data" on/off button. It just finds the signal again and the Internets are accessible.
Being that said, I think it has problems changing 2G/3G, or changing towers, or something. Because it takes its time.
But it works. So far so good.