Q: iPad 3 Why 3G does not work after being on WiFi

@ inbrand - great metaphor!

in germany we have two big carries without any problems i think. they are o2 and vodafone. E-Plus and T-Mobile Germany have problems. I have changed my sim cards from t-mobile no sim card will work in my iPad. if I put the same sim card which doesn't work in my iPad into my iPhone 4 or 4s they work perfectly well. So I would say it's either the IOS or the network operators which have to get an software update. I think there was a similar problem with the first iPad which was solved with a little IOS Update but it was only noticed out of the USA.

I can assure you that this is not a carrier problem, and if I were you I would give it a day of testing before rushing to conclusions. Previous experience has learned me that this problem can surface at very unpredictable times. Sometimes you can provoke it to appear just by turning of wi-fi and other times it can take longer depending on if you just used the "reset all network settings", switched sim-cards or rebooted.

Please, the next guy who calls apple support, if you are told that this is a Carrier/telecom problem, make sure to ask them to send you this confirmation in writing so that you can ask for a compesation when Apple crawls out and admits they are to blame. The fact is that most Apple support staff do not know s*it about what`s causing this problem. Most of them are actually just blaming the carriers because  when they hear the words like  "3G" or "internet connection" they automatically draw the amateur conclusion that this cannot be the Ipads fault.

Also,  I see there are a lot of people trying to figure out whats causing the problem with some wild conclusions regarding, batterylevel and how the 3G connectivity model works...etc. things that we cannot do anything about anyway. I suggest people stop wasting energy on researching for a new wheel, and simply return your device from where you purchased them and get a refund, YES, A REFUND not a REPLACEMENT. When purchasing a device for this amount of money, it is not your job to use several weeks to disect this device, it is Apple`s responsebility, they are the ones getting paid for this with your money, dont forget that.

Apple support in the Czech Republic confirmed to me, that this is the iOS problem and will be resolved with the next update. They didn't know, when that's going to be available.

great suggestion!

I wonder how long Apple responsibles will be ignoring the chatter around the problem. It's a matter of days to find it in the press. Maybe this is what they are waiting for? Not a good idea ;-)

Yeah, like Torqen said, this is not a carrier problem. I sold my Samsung Galaxy 10.1 to get the new iPad and it never gave me any problems with connection; and that's what I told the Apple tech person when I called for support just to let her know that it is not my carrier. I'm going to be out of my "home" area this Monday and Tuesday and I'm going to try out a few of the solutions others have posted that have worked for them. Hopefully one of them will work. I will post here if they worked or not for me.

Same here,

I live in the UK and am now on a second "New iPad" with an unstable 3G connection. It tells me I am connected to T-Mobile via 3G with plenty of reception but I cannot access any internet sites, internet enabled apps, etc. I keep getting a box telling me that it can't activate cellular connection.

In order to regain a 3G connection I have to either: Power down the iPad, take out the sim card, reset network settings, and even, dare I say it, Restore to factory settings! Now, having to do this several times a day is more than an inconvenience. I have even gone to the trouble of getting a replacement sim card from T-Mobile just to factor out the possibility of it being a problem. Which I managed to swap yesterday. 3G was ok up until 30 minutes ago and; HEY PRESTO! the problem is back again!

The iPad works absolutely fine over wifi with lightning fast connection. But the 3G is, well non-existant.

What's going on?

Todays visit at the Apple store in Oberhausen....

This Problem is totaly unknown! Even the technician from the Background Service didnt know.

Dear Apple Guys

Please inform your People at the Shops, it is a shame that customers Need to inform your sales and technical workers.

@donhuebi

This issue isnt only a Tmobile problem

Have a Look at this Page:

http://www.macuser.de/forum/f136/probleme-3g-verbindung-631968/index117.html

117 Pages of People Discussing this issue and many different provider

I Really like my ipad but this policy of Information Handling is really disappointing and a shame!

So I think, next time start your Beta testing without me!

@ Cooper_S Tanks for the link and that you have told the guys in Oberhausen about this problem. I will visit them on Thursday, wonder what they tell me than. That the problem is a T-Mobile only problem is wrong your are right. A T-Mobile Techniken told me that T-Mobile and Eplus have the Problem. Vodafone hat the problem after the first weekend but they fixed it he told me.

I'm totally with you about the handling by apple it *****.

Anyone with this problem and changed your ipad has solved?

Inbrandi,

Why not put it this way.... If your New BMW have fault and the mechanic can't find any solution.  Finally ,  you change the battery and your problem solve, so is the battery or the car?

I have no problem using my ipad1 but after upgrading to new IPad, all 3G connection issue arises..but I have change my Sim Card using another telco ( Starhub ) , I have so far no issue with the 3G connection.

I think is the compatibility issue with the 4g and 3G from the telco.

Why not give a try by switching with your friend using another telco.. .?

Just my opinion.....

I met Cooper_S at the store in Oberhausen and I wholeheartedly agree. It.'s a shame for a company like Apple to deny a problem istead of facing it. Ok, according to other forums Apple is working on a solution, but there has been no official statement by Apple, so far. I've bee facing this problem for four weeks now and the reply I received has alias been the same, namely, that they had never heard of this problem before. To my mind there are two possible explanations. First, the staff has to lie to The customer, due to company's policy or secondly, they really don't know anything, which would indicate that they don't even know what's being discussed in Apple's very own forums, not to speak about multiple other forums discussing the same problem. Having confronted the staff at the Apple store in Oberhausen before, both possibilities are inacceptable. If that's the great support by Apple, i have to say: "No thanks!"

Furthermore, according to what wie were told at the shop, the only thing thy can do, anyway, is to replace your device. Appart from that Apple Inc. has to be contacted. So, what's the point of going to an official Apple store if there is nothing they can do?

@ donhuebi: Please, let us know, what they told you!

ongmk168:

Here in Germany people have contracts mostly for 24 months with their providers. And when you use a company card "just" switching your provider isnt that easy

Why should I pay 800 EUR and go through that?

This is not what Apple used to stand for !!

I will Report about what they Tod me, but I sadly belive they will say something like: wie Never heard about this, or your iPad is ok it's a Problem by T-Mobile.

With the iPhone 4 Problem they gave us a free case and now what? I Hope they fix this soon.

Thank god it's not only me going nuts over this. I was ready to take mine back and get my money back as I only got my SIM card yesterday and was straight on the phone to Singtel to complain it didn't work (although it does in my iPhone 4). The only thing I have found so far to work today is I reset my network settings, then turned off wifi totally, then back to airplane mode (because as soon as I turned it back on it picked up a wifi network and 3G wouldn't work again!), then I turned off airplane mode. And at the moment 3G is working okay albeit slow. Taking bets to how long this lasts!

If Apple cannot resolve this issue then I will have to consider getting my money back. I don't want to, I have waited a long time for this. But what is the point in paying a large sum of money for a sub-standard piece of tech.

Maybe Apple gives us a bumper apple to fix the problem.