The new iPad has unstable 3G connection

To be frankly honest I think you are a bit on the wrong track here. I really do not see how your coverage between LTE and 3G has anything to do with this problem. Here in Norway our 4G network works on a frequency band which the new Ipad does not support , therefore it does not even try to connect to LTE, but still get this problem when switching between Wi-FI to 3G and to Edge and so does people all over the world.

To say that this problem is caused by a carrier problem is like saying that "The World should evolve around the New Ipad ". Keep in mind that 3G is a standard that have been around for a long time and all manufacturers that produce 3G devices in any kind of form make their devices to be compatible with this standard, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. Just imagine the chaos this would create. Makes sense right?

To make it clear to everyone that still does not seem to understand the basic thing here.

Whenever a new mobile internet device is release on the market there is no dialog or meeting between the carriers and the manufacturer (aka. Apple) of the device on how they should make the carrier service suit the device needs, it is the other way around folks. Just like in this case Apple is responsible for making the Ipad, phone..etc be compatible with the 3G/4G protocol/standard. 3G works great on all previous apple devices, and there is no reason why 3G connectivity should be adapted in another way on the new ipad just because the device also supports LTE, the problem seems to be how the new Ipad chooses/switches between the different bands, hence it is either a software problem, or a chipset problem. Either way, Apple is responsible for this issue.

Hi Fazer Wiz,

Oh really? That sounds interesting that there may be a lock on t-mobile.

I spent some time talking to a t-mobile rep who assured me that there were no connection problem specifically to my iPad.

Very strange, I have a Genius appointment on Saturday and I hope I can get an answer to something. All I'm getting from apple phone support is that they are totally unnaware of the problem. Even if its a problem I have to live with for a little while untill they can fix the problem, in totally cool with. I just dont want to waste any more time replacing a problematic pad with another one with the same problem.

Will update with what I find out from the apple genius on Saturday.

Regards.

Resetting (power off/om) when on t-mobile does fix the problem, temporarily, so it's not locked as such. It must just be some incompatibility which Apple need to sort. Here's hoping....

I was seeing the same thing with my new iPad 3 - 64GB LTE+WiFi here in Canada (Rogers). 3G would work briefly after a reboot, but later nothing, in particular after switching between 3G/WiFi. Shows 3G in the top bar with plenty of signal strength, but trying to actually use it reports "unable to activate the cellular data network".

I had tried the SIM PIN suggestion to no avail.

Yesterday I turned off LTE (Settings -> Cellular Data -> Enable LTE) and I haven't had a problem since. I have tried a bunch of things to provoke the issue and have been unable to get it to fail...

As there is no LTE coverage yet in Calgary, this isn't really a problem for me, but may be if you live somewhere with better coverage...

YMMV

Hello Torquen,

In response to your comment, what you're saying makes perfect sense, but I used to work at the biggest cellular provider in Canada when the iPhone 3G appeared, and they had to make some adjustments to the newly deployed 3G network back then as well (so did Apple as you mentionned too), these had to do with the automatic signal strenght negotiation.

3G was newly deployed in Canada back then, just like LTE is now, deployed less than a year ago. There are some adjustments on both sides that occur at those times even though all should be perfect from day one.

I'm not sure it has much to do with the problem most seem to have (from Wifi to 3G), but my issue with 3G to LTE or vice-versa, could be that. The carriers are not bearers of the wholy truth either. And they also make software upgrades in time. But I also concur with you that it's most probably an issue with Apple's software handling of those handoffs.

Time will tell. I'm just as eager as others to see the patch!

The problem is that here in Europe we have not LTE, only 3G and edge so our iPads don't even have the option to turn off LTE. I wonder if we could load the US firmware somehow.

I have the same problem with my carrier (congstar). Congstar is a subbrand of t-mobile.de and uses the same network. I have observed the following:

As long as I keep within the same cellular-network cell everything is fine. Great performance and switching between "WiFi <-> 3G <-> EDGE <-> no network" there is no problem. You may ask how i force different reception quality in the same cell? Well I live on the 3rd floor where I have Wifi. WiFi reception ends on the 1st floor... the iPad will switch to 3G there.... when I go into the basement it will switch to EDGE or even loose reception completely. I have tested this almost 50 times... Switching between different modes within the same celluar cell --> everything works fine..

As soon as I move away from my house and the iPad switches to another celluar cell... BINGO!.... I loose UMTS connectivity completely (can't even send a single packet) even though the 3G signal quality is shown to be brilliant. I have to perform a complete restart of the device to fix the problem temporarily until the next handover to a new celluar cell occurs. You probably can imagine how much that SU**S.

There is definatly a problem with switching between celluar cells.

I can reconstruct the problem every time.

Best regards

Thomas

P.S: Apple phone support is completely unaware of this problem.... Hahaha!

My apologies, I keep forgetting.

In that case, do you still have the "on/off" switch for 3G like there is on the iPhone? And does a toggle of that switch help at all reconnecting to a functional data connection?

Yes. But it doesn't help. More. Switching airplane mode doesn't help too.

I have the same here in Singapore. I got my new mobile Sim and once I go from wifi to 3G no Internet connection. There are untold discussions on many forums with the same problems. This is a new iPad issue not a service provider problem as I was told by Apple support. So far the only thing I have found to work is that I reset my network settings. Then I had to turn off wifi completely. Then go to airplane mode, turn off...wait a few seconds then turn on again. So far today my 3G is working fine, albeit not as fast as I hoped. Now I haven't tried this for more than 24hrs. So I dont know if it will work after I charge overnight. Also, my mobile broadband is 30GB per month download so I don't have to worry so much about reaching my limits unless I'm downloading HD films, so be careful if you have a limit. Apple need to get their arse in gear and sort this out. If not I will have no choice but return my iPad (very reluctantly) and buy from a competitor. I have waited a long time for this and these problems should not be happening if it was tested properly.

Same issue with iPad 3 64 Gb LTE in Moscow. Megafon 3g works just fine until the period when iPad is idle for some time, 3 or 4 hours usually. 3g icon is in place and the signal is strong, but Internet connection appears to be offline. Switching to airplane mode and back doesn't help. Megafon support told me that it's ok and the problem is theirs (hehe) and adviced me to reboot the device everytime when this happens. It works, and usually I reboot my device once in a day in order to bring it back to fully operational.

So, I guess that the only thing left is to wait for a firmware update

I don't see how it can be anything else but the firmware....but try telling that to Apple. All I get is 'speak to your 3G provider', 'it's definitely not the ipad it must be your provider'. How can SO MANY people be so wrong. Apple need to wake up and smell the roses. The only thing I am seeing is arrogance from Apple techies on 'no it isn't our product, it must be YOU!'. Shame really, cos I am looking at other Apple products for my business. Not if this is how they treat everyday customers.

+1 on 3G issues. I have the same issues as described in this thread. A reboot is needed to get 3g/edge back.

I'm using the largest carrier in Sweden, Telia. Never had this problem before on ANY device.

I was thinking the same thing. Thousands of people in Russia and other "nonpriority markets" are becoming owners of the new iPad right now while we discuss the problem. But officially all these customers do not exist and so is the problem to the Apple? this company has always been famous for it's loyality to it's clients. The information is spreading and I hope it will get proper treatment.

I'll contact them too.