I am unable to connect to consumer cellular. Using their SIM card. If I get a connection it last only days and I'm told the plan is out of data. i have deleted the APN Profile and reinstalled, shut off the phone numerous times. help?
After several loops between Consumer Cellular support and Apple online support (as well as an on-site visit to the Apple store where I bought my new IPad Pro a week and a half ago) I am finally connecting successfully.
First thing is to insert the free Consumer Cellular SIM card - and do all the usual set-up stuff. (I even did a system reset at one point)...
The key to success - provided by a Consumer Cellular support woman late this afternoon - was to go to the following web address and do the install:
www.consumercellular.com/API/assets/APN/consumercellularweb.mobileconfig
Voila!
After several loops between Consumer Cellular support and Apple online support (as well as an on-site visit to the Apple store where I bought my new IPad Pro a week and a half ago) I am finally connecting successfully.
First thing is to insert the free Consumer Cellular SIM card - and do all the usual set-up stuff. (I even did a system reset at one point)...
The key to success - provided by a Consumer Cellular support woman late this afternoon - was to go to the following web address and do the install:
www.consumercellular.com/API/assets/APN/consumercellularweb.mobileconfig
Voila!
What did Consumer Cellular say when you discussed the matter with them?
They were unable to help. They could not tell me how to access the APN profile. It said "unsigned". They are the ones who had me delete it and try to reinstall, but it still unsigned. they insisted I had the right SIM card. I have purchased a new one at Target, but have not installed it to see if it can make the connection. The cellular page in settings reads ATT and not Consumer Celull are.
A question was asked if the iPad was unlocked, because that may be the problem. It only sees ATT and will not see a partner carrier. How do I find out if my new iPad Air is unlocked?
iPads are not sold locked in the U.S.
Consumer Cellular doesn't have their own network. I believe they may use AT&T's though I'm not certain.
This is almost certainly a Consumer Cellular problem, though. On the other hand, it doesn't surprise me that they don't know what to do about it.
Try resetting your network settings. Settings>General>Reset>Reset Network Settings.
Thank you for your reply. Yes, Consumer Cellular uses ATT. I think the words they use are partner carrier.
I Will try the reset suggested, but will it affect anything else I have on my iPad? What does it mean to reset network settings?
The only thing that will delete is saved WiFi passwords. And it may force the APN to update.
Didnt work. Still tells me I don't have a data plan. Thanks for trying.
Note:
For iPad, you cannot use standard SIM meant for iPhone.
You'll need a data only SIM.
I removed the SIM card and read the number to them. They told me this is the right card. I have no way to know if they just wanted rid of me.
iPad do not have a phone number, it is for administration purposes.
Have you tried taking the SIM from iPad and put it in an iPhone?
Tell them to provide you with a new iPad SIM or cancel your service and to a provider who knows what they're doing.
I would stop using that provider if they can't help me. If you're in the US and you have T-Mobile signal at your location, go with t-mobile. You get 200MB free for the life of the iPad. SIM card costs $1 when it is on sale on their website.
ckuan wrote:
iPad do not have a phone number, it is for administration purposes.
I think OP is talking about SIM number.
After receiving SIM cards for my iPhone 5 and iPhone 6 and iPad 2, I put them all in. The iPhones didn't work right away, but after calling and they making changes, they worked fine. The iPad did not, and after escalation with Consumer Cellular support, they quickly gave up and said iPads are not supported. HOWEVER, using the APN Changer tool available at the following location...
https://www.unlockit.co.nz/unlockit/
...I was able to select Consumer Cellular as my carrier, and it generated an APN configuration file that Safari was able to interpret as a configuration file and the iPad was able to import it. Once imported, the APN settings were updated and my iPad 2 was able to get full 3G on the Consumer Cellular network. I can't speak for LTE, as my iPad doesn't support it, but I know others that have successfully used this tool on iPhones before Consumer Cellular had automatic configuration working, and they had no problem accessing LTE. Apparently, this tool has been around for a while.
I can't vouch for author of this tool or verify that there's nothing else nasty in it, however given my choice was between a cell-unusable iPad or giving this a try, I tried it after fining no suitable alternatives. It does allow selection from a bunch of carriers, so I suspect this would work well for other networks besides Consumer Cellular, provided they are in the list.
~Michael D. Bailey
Thank you for this tip, I just found it and helped a colleague set up her iPad. She'd been through Apple support, and two rounds with Consumer Cellular. So glad to have found a solution!
Consumer cellular and iPad
