O2 UK Cellular Data issue

gavd said:

Had a quick search but couldn't find anything similar here. I had an iPad 2 and have upgraded, taking the sim card from my iPad 2 to put in the new iPad. However, I'm unable to access the O2 network. I've looked at the O2 site and it isn't any help. Any ideas on what to do?

I've ensured the APN settings are right according to O2 and they are. Not sure what else to try. May need to talk to O2 tomorrow.

Click to expand...

I think you may need to talk to O2, I migrated my 3 network SIM from my iPad 2 to the new iPad with no issues, the service came live immediately. The new iPad picked up the APN settings automatically

Same on vodafone

I am having the Sam issue on Vodafone - did u ever resolve this? I'm almost tempted to say its the iPad. Tried my mobile sim card and had same issue but I wonder if there some pitching slightly different...

I use a T-Mobile PAYG but had the same issue, plenty of signal etc, but could not activate cellular data. To resolve I simply restarted the iPad and it all worked fine...

Wirelessly posted (iPhone 4s: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9B179 Safari/7534.48.3)

Have any of you put the sim card in then sync'd with iTunes to allow a carrier file to be downloaded??

So i also have plugged into iTunes and rebooted. - Reboot temporally works but after a day once again had the same issue. going to try get another sim card today and see if improves. Only other option i may try is restore the device with the sim card in - just incase it sparks some kind of activation

Genius appointment booked for this evening - will update if they have any news

An update - following the reboot my 3G access worked fine for a while and then stopped. A little playing found that it would work until I connected with wifi and then would after disconnecting from wifi I would just get "could not activate cellular network".

I spoke to Apple support who suggested two things:

1. Request a new SIM card - not sure how this would help, was working fine in my iPad 2, and in the 3 until using wifi.

2. As I did a restore from my iPad 2 to the iPad 3, try a factory reset.

Well I have tried the factory reset and am pleased to report that it is now working correctly!!!

New iPad

Update: -Went to Apple this evening and they swapped my iPad for a new one.

I suspect that it was a setting/config that caused the issue from a restore - but hayho - only time will tell-

Once again great service from Apple

jcborden said:

An update - following the reboot my 3G access worked fine for a while and then stopped. A little playing found that it would work until I connected with wifi and then would after disconnecting from wifi I would just get "could not activate cellular network".

I spoke to Apple support who suggested two things:

1. Request a new SIM card - not sure how this would help, was working fine in my iPad 2, and in the 3 until using wifi.

2. As I did a restore from my iPad 2 to the iPad 3, try a factory reset.

Well I have tried the factory reset and am pleased to report that it is now working correctly!!!

Click to expand...

Is this still working 100%?

gavd said:

am going to use 3 cards as it works out cheaper and seems to have a slightly better network coverage for me.

Click to expand...

I've just ditched O2 for the One Plan on 3. Cheaper per month, all you can eat data, no extra charge for tethering, and much improved coverage…so why have I only just jumped ship??!!

danderton said:

So i also have plugged into iTunes and rebooted. - Reboot temporally works but after a day once again had the same issue. going to try get another sim card today and see if improves. Only other option i may try is restore the device with the sim card in - just incase it sparks some kind of activation

Genius appointment booked for this evening - will update if they have any news

Click to expand...

I have a 3rd gen iPad 4G on T-Mobile and I'm having this issue every day. In the evening I am on my home 5GHz wifi network, in the morning I take the iPad to work about 50 miles away and the 3G will not function until I reboot the device. Myself and 2 other friends on different networks are having the exact same problem.

I am going to phone AppleCare tonight and report it as an issue. I believe a software fix is required for this as it's cross-carrier.

Note: I did not perform a restore on to this device, it was set up as a new device. Reset Network Settings corrects the problem - until the next day...

danderton said:

Is this still working 100%?

Click to expand...

I would like to say yes, but I have had an instance where I was getting the 'could not activate cellular data network'. After which I reset network settings and it has been fine since.

I suspect that this could be a bug introduced in iOS 5.1 - but I didn't keep my iPad 2 long enough to find out if it affected that too.

xpower180 said:

I've just ditched O2 for the One Plan on 3. Cheaper per month, all you can eat data, no extra charge for tethering, and much improved coverage…so why have I only just jumped ship??!!

Click to expand...

Do you tether from your phone? As I don't think you allowed to put one plan sim in iPad.

Well i dont think its the iPad - or i have been unlucky to get two faulty ones.

I believe it maybe a bug introduced in iOS5 although i would expect it to be more widespread?

Out of interest does your iPad show a cellular data number. My work iPad 1 & 2 do and my iPad3 doesn't. I wonder if this is the issue.

Are you guys all using older sim cards or they new for iPad3? It could be an age thing with a sim card i guess?

Settings - About and scroll down. Should this be filled and not unknown?

My number is filled in, but even so I doubt it has anything to do with that. Worth noting that it works after a reboot so I don't think there is some deep rooted problem, its likely just an issue switching between wifi and 3g, or something along those lines.

Also, I have had a brand new micro-sim, along with both of my friends with 3rd gen iPad's - same issues there.

This just popped up too: https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=14593905&posted=1#post14593905

My microSIM has worked fine in my iPad 2 for a year. The iPad 2 was bought, subsidised, in the Orange Shop in March 2011.

I got the new iPad on release date, full price from Apple Store. I put my microSIM from my iPad 2 in it, and got the error message "Could not activate cellular data network", even though it's showing "Orange" and 4 bars in the top left.

If I turn the iPad off then on, it starts working, and will work fine for hours, then the problem starts again, forcing another reboot to fix it.

I phoned Orange who confirmed it should work, and there's no problem with my account, and they can see my devices all connected to the masts.

I did a full restore in iTunes of the new iPad, and set it up as a new iPad. This didn't fix it.

Yesterday I took the new iPad back to the Apple Store and they swapped it for a new replacement one. Same problem.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

I suggest everyone reports this through Apple's feedback channel, the more likely they'll then fix it:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html

Feedback left with apple and bug reported to apple bug reporter

Bug ID# 11107844

Highly recommend others reporting issues here:

https://bugreport.apple.com/

maxsquared said:

Do you tether from your phone? As I don't think you allowed to put one plan sim in iPad.

Click to expand...

Yes.

tom. said:

I have a 3rd gen iPad 4G on T-Mobile and I'm having this issue every day. In the evening I am on my home 5GHz wifi network, in the morning I take the iPad to work about 50 miles away and the 3G will not function until I reboot the device. Myself and 2 other friends on different networks are having the exact same problem.

I am going to phone AppleCare tonight and report it as an issue. I believe a software fix is required for this as it's cross-carrier.

Note: I did not perform a restore on to this device, it was set up as a new device. Reset Network Settings corrects the problem - until the next day...

Click to expand...

I'm having the same issue with my 3rd gen iPad on AT&T. Mine has suddenly dropped 4g to 'searching' in areas where my other devices pick up fine and then won't work again until I reset network settings. Then it works fine for a while.

Ive swapped the sim cards twice with no success. Took it to the genius bar and I'm getting my replacement today.

I think it has to be software related. New iPad. New sim and restored as new.

I think I have but the issue down to switching from wifi to 3G after being on one for a period of time

still working on 3?

gavd said:

I ordered a 3UK sim which arrived yesterday. Put that in and it worked straight away - didn't need to connect to iTunes and download carrier settings or anything.

I then tried putting the O2 sim back in and low and behold it worked?! No idea why it wouldn't previously. I've cancelled that recurring deal anyway though and am going to use 3 cards as it works out cheaper and seems to have a slightly better network coverage for me.

Click to expand...

just curious as to whether your iPad is still functioning on the 3 sim?