iPhone 5- No Service- Hardware or Software?

[dug81]

This morning I picked up my phone and found that I had the 'No Service' message on the screen. This has happened a few times, usually after it's been left overnight and it's usually fixed by turning on and off aeroplane mode but this morning that didn't work.

Tried aeroplane mode a few times and turning it on and off 3 or 4 times and still no joy, also did a soft reset and again it still showed No Service. My gf also has an iPhone 5 and is on the same network, when I checked she had full signal (we have a 3 signal booster so our house now has full signal pretty much everywhere).

It found a signal when I was driving to work but only after I turned aeroplane mode on and off...

Is anyone else having this issue and do you know if it's software or hardware related?

 

[pat park]

Try a restore thru iTunes. Restore as new. If it persists, then it's most likely hardware related. I would then contact Apple Customer service and seek a replacement.

 

[Blipp]

You're not alone

I'm having this exact same issue. The LTE/4G connection drops out, then that AT&T cellular signal strength drops to 1 bar, then no bars, then No Service for about 30 seconds, and finally it all comes back to full signal strength LTE.

I don't believe I ever saw this before the most recent update to iOS 6 but I'll admit I haven't done a ton of digging or troubleshooting. I will restore the phone to factory defaults and report back on what I find.

 

[sandwicher]

probably software issue.

Something similar happened to my new iPhone too.
Solution for me: Switch off. Switch on. DONE!

I figured mine was a phone issue because:
1) Switched SIM cards, same problem
2) Switched SIM card to another phone. Working; SIM card not faulty
3) Airplane mode doesn't do the trick
4) Hard reset didn't do the trick
5) Switch off then on did it.

 

[dug81]

Forgot to mention, I also checked the SIM card was in properly, this also made no difference. Previously I've fixed it by turning aeroplane mode on and off or by powering off and on again but just wasn't working today- was starting to panic that it was permanent!

This morning it went straight back to no service from both aeroplane mode and powering on and off without even trying to search and then when it did search it returned to no service after a few seconds...

 

[mb25667]

I'm starting to think it's a software bug.

I had it on iOS6 as well as 6.0.1. It actually seems worse on 6.0.1. Happened from day 1 of using my new iphone5.

It always happened as I moved. In my pocket or in the car, when the iphone was asleep. Waking it up is when I would notice the signal would drop.

So, i chalked it up to vibrations and maybe a loose solder or something.

BUT, i can NEVER get the signal to drop while the phone is in use. I'll turn it on, have signal, jiggle it around, leave it in the car with the screen on, and it will never stutter. It's only when the phone is sleeping.

I seem to have stabilized it by turning off LTE and then rebooting the phone. I don't seem to drop when only 3G is on.

HAS to be a software bug, especially since more people are reporting it now.

 

[SprSynJn]

I got a new iPhone 5 the other day and I have had two instances where "No Service" has suddenly appeared. Restarting it fixes the problem, but it has me worried that my phone might be defective in some way. I suppose it's comforting to see that it might be a software issue. Hopefully I won't have to replace the phone. I'm in Japan, if that makes any difference.