is Apple Activation Server down?

I live in the UK and am having the same problem. I've been trying to update to 5.1.1 since Friday night. I've edited my hosts file using Terminal to remove gs.apple.com and also flushed the cache as other threads have advised.

Its really frustrating as I don't know whether its a fault on my iphone/mac or whether the Apple server is down for the UK. Does anyone know for sure whether it is down?

Thanks for your help.

OK, here's the question - did your hosts file have lines containing gs.apple.com? If so it means your computer was used to hack or jailbreak an iPhone or iPad. If it was the phone you are having a problem with you now have an iBrick.

It had two lines looking like # gs.apple.com or something similar.

I very highly doubt I have an iBrick, as my phone is fully working with 5.0.1 software. I'm using it now. I just can't update it at present. Seems a bit extreme to say its bricked.

I've also tried updating using a friend's Mac and the same thing happens - cannot connect to the activation server.

Anyway, in the meantime I've located this: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3978641?answerId=18483601022#18483601022

I'm in the UK and have Virgin Media broadband.

The ONLY way there will be gs.apple.com in the hosts file is, as I said, if the computer had been used to hack an iDevice. If it was working on 5.0.1 and had been hacked and the baseband changed then upgrading it would create an incompatibility between the baseband and iOS and the device would be unable to communicate with Apple's servers or anything else. So the fact that it worked on 5.0.1 is irrelevant. If you are sure the device has never been hacked or jailbroken then wait for Apple's servers. But I've never known them to be down for more than an hour or two in the past 5 years.

I've got a legit phone and SIM and have not needed to unlock. The problem for me isn't in trying to activate the phone after the update - I can't even get to that stage. I click Update in itunes, and after unpackaging the update it tries to connect to servers.

Also, re "I've never known them to be down for more than an hour or two in the past 5 years"...

I think the people here https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3978641?answerId=18483601022#18483601022 would agree its been over an hour or two.

Or they have a problem similar to yours that has noting to do with Apple's servers.

Yeah, even the guy with the brand new iPad.

They've probably all got iBricks, as you say.

Just been able to update at 10:46 am. No issues. Servers must be back up.

I know this is old but there is the same problem now with iOS 6 beta! What was the situation for iOS 5.1.1?

Hi Peter,

I simply waited until the servers came back up. They've probably just been hammered and can't take the increased traffic at this early stage. Don't panic, and just wait. That would be my advice.

My iphone says activation server not working. When will activation server working?

I tried lot of time. But still says that

my ipad have the same problem, since december, help us please