Want to downgrade to previous version of iOS

Must it be web-connected via wifi when I restore it? If not, would it then not 'know' 9 had ever happened?

All I know is that I can't get data at all at this point and my phone is essentially paralyzed. Can't get my mail, can't use Safari, can't check the weather app... it's absolutely ridiculously frustrating.

Here are the nuts and bolts of my situation:

Had a 4 for 2+ years.

Bought a used - great condition - 5 in August.

Activated it August 30.

Had absolutely no problems with it at all (other than that I broke the screen - my fault - the first week I had it).

Put iOS 9 on it on Sept. 19.

Since then, my apps that require data to run, my safari, my email... none of those work. The only thing that does work is MMS. I contacted my carrier and they toggled data on and off on their end to see if that would help. It did not.

I popped the SIM in and out. That changed nothing.

I of course restarted the phone, tried things I read online like putting the phone in airplane mode for 30 seconds... you name it, I tried it.

Then I upgraded to 9.0.1 when it became available. It did not help either.

I got my screen repaired two days ago so it looks lovely. But unless I'm in wifi... no data other than MMS.

I've read many reports of people having data issues with 9 and 9.0.1, so I know I'm not alone.

Are there any proactive solutions I can try besides just waiting for a new fix to be released? And regarding the comments above about Apple support, warranties, buying a used one from Apple, etc... I guess I don't understand what benefits I am eligible for at this point since I purchased this used. If buying some sort of a warranty would allow me to purchase a used phone... that doesn't really benefit me. I can just go purchase a used one on my own. The MVNO I use is Verizon-based and they have a bring-your-own-device policy. I have been purchasing slightly used phones and using them with this MVNO for about ten years - for all of my family members, not just me. Three of us are iPhone users. One of my children upgraded her 5 to iOS 9 with absolutely no problems, but as for me... it has caused me major grief.

A couple of last questions - just because I always feel a little nervous when wiping a phone...

Let's say I back it up to iTunes and just do a fresh restore of 9 to see if that does anything.

My backup will save text messages and restore them to the phone - correct?

And does it matter if the SIM is in or out during the restore process?

You missed this part:

Had absolutely no problems with it at all (other than that I broke the screen - my fault - the first week I had it).

It worked fine - the digitizer was not damaged - but the cracks were bad enough that it was very difficult to read text, thus the replacement. First time in all my years of having cell phones (15? 20 years?) that I'd ever broken a screen. Sad day.

No, did not have Apple do the repairs. I live in a rural area and Apple stores are few and far between.

The local business that repaired the screen did a great job and it has no problems now other than my data issue. And the data issues preceded the screen repair, so I feel certain there is no connection. The direct tie - time-wise - to my problems is the upgrade to 9. That's when my data reception for everything but MMS came to a screeching halt. I have to think if it was a hardware issue I wouldn't be able to even get data for MMS.

Thanks. I may resort to trying that. I don't have a Mac - I use iTunes with Windows.

I think I will try to do a restore with 9 and see if somehow that might help. Concerns about voiding anything really don't exist for me, but I am admittedly clueless enough about Apple products that I'm skittish about the idea of doing anything that might brick my device. Overall my choice to go with an MVNO for the low monthly costs has been a good one (five lines for about $75/month total, and we each have individual plans that fit our personal usage habits), but once in awhile I hit a wall and wish I had support. This is one of those times. 😕

Philomina, I agree. It's an Apple issue, not the carrier's fault, so I do wish Apple had a better pathway to assistance.

I appreciate iMessages. One of our children's colleges is an all-Mac campus so it made sense for her to have an iPhone that would shake hands with her Macbook and iPad, which she loves. When she left home, I got an iPhone knowing we could maintain phone plans with fewer texts by using iMessages over wifi (I initially didn't even have data enabled from our provider). Overall it has been great and I've been very happy with iPhones ... until 9.