iPhone 5 wifi and LTE issues -- anyone else?

[DrMotownMac]

Okay, before I start, please don't flame me for starting a new thread on a subject which has clearly been covered, at least partially, in other threads. I just wanted to summarize my experience with a new iPhone 5 and issues related to DATA connections. The PHONE connection seems to be perfect...no dropped calls, clear audio, etc. The problem is not having reliable data connections.

My wife received her white 64 GB AT&T iPhone 5 from on September 26th (after ordering on the 14th from Apple) and she has had recurring problems with her data connections. Specifically, it will find wifi networks and even connect to them, but then it will spontaneously lose connections and she'll get error messages out of the blue saying that she's not connected to a wifi network. Also, while she often has 4 or 5 bars for her cellular signal, the LTE, 4G, 3G, or Edge indicator is often blank. Sometimes, LTE will light up and she'll be able to download at super-fast speeds, but then other times it's just not available. Also, the wifi indicator will show multiple bars (or waves?), indicating that there's a strong wifi signal, but the internet just won't work over it. This will happen while I'm sitting next to her with my AT&T iPhone 4, just sailing away on the internet with no problems at all.

SO, we took her phone to our local Apple Store in Troy, Michigan for a Genius Bar appointment. The Apple Genius told me that he had the EXACT same problems with his new iPhone (true story or false, I have no idea), so he exchanged it for another one, and that also had the same problems. He thought there were a few things going on. First, he said the LTE issue is a local issue for us here in the Detroit area. AT&T just rolled out LTE here 2 weeks ago. So, they are having a number of bugs related to the network being new and possibly a little premature. He thinks the network will be better in the next few months, from what he's heard from AT&T. The wifi issue he believes is a software problem, unique to iOS 6 and its installation on the iPhone 5. Since the LTE thing keeps going on and off, and wifi keeps going on and off, the data connection on the phone is very unreliable at this point, and the phone is using a lot of power to try to maintain that connection, hence the faster battery drainage we're exeperiencing as well.

The bottom line is that there was nothing he could do for me. He wouldn't even let me TRY a phone replacement to see if it would be better. His suggestion was for me to sit tight and wait for Apple software updates and for AT&T to improve their network. However, I am scheduled to have MY new BLACK 64 GB AT&T iPhone 5 delivered tomorrow on October 1st (I know, it sucks that my wife got hers 5 days before mine, when we ordered them at exactly the same time). I will restore it from my iPhone 4 backup on my iCloud (like I did with my wife's) and I will se how it goes. If that phone connects and works flawlessly while my wife's phone continues to have problems, then I will return her phone for a new one. On the other hand, if my phone behaves the same way as hers, then I guess I'll follow the Apple Genius' advice.

So, what do you all think? Should I have been okay with the Genius' explanation, or should I have been more insistent on a replacement iPhone? I will post an update after I receive and set up my new phone tomorrow night. It's weird, but part of me actually WANTS it to have the same problems, because then I'll know it's systemic. If I don't have any problems, I'm going to have to convince the Apple Store to give me a replacement, IN SPITE OF the experience of one so-called "genius." I just don't know if hers is a lemon, or if there really is a problem going on with all of them.

 

[chillstatus]

I've been noticing some similar issues in the LA/West LA area this past weekend. I have wi-fi on, and when I left my home and tried to use data, it kept saying that there was no data connection available even though my phone said LTE and had atleast 4 bars of service.

I tried power cycling the phone, and this didn't seem to help. If I went into the settings and turned off LTE, then turned it back on it usually fixed the issue.

I never noticed this the first week I had my phone. However, I did receive a replacement this past Friday. I'm not sure if it's the phone, or just the fact that AT&T's LTE network is overloaded now with the influx of iPhone 5 users.

 

[DrMotownMac]

Well, I now have my new iPhone, and it seems to work flawlessly. No problems with wi-fi, no issues with LTE, super fast, etc. Interestingly, since Monday, my wife's phone no longer seems to have issues either. Now, we did turn off LTE for a few days and turn it back on, but for whatever reason, things now seem to be working as they should on both phones. PHEW!

Anyone else having wi-fi or LTE issues with the iPhone 5 should try to turn off LTE and turn it back on again a while later. It seemed to work for me and for the above poster. I'll repost if any new issues come up.

 

[travismc]

Same problem in Houston

I have the identical problem in Houston, Texas with my iPhone 5. When I had an iPhone 4, it worked flawlessly—it switched from my home Wifi to the 4G (3G in some locations), then to Wifi in restaurants, at school, and other places at which I had previously used the Wifi, then back to 4G when I was out-of-range, and back to Wifi when I would get home.

When I got the new fully loaded iP5, the world ended. In order to get LTE (supposedly a vast improvement) I have to shut the iP5 off—Dead Deep Off, then turn it back on from a complete shut-down. The sequence of information messages in the upper-left-hand corner is always the same:
First: "Searching ..."
Second: "No Service"
Finally: "LTE."
At this point, the iP5 works fine until it times out and shuts off. Then, when you turn it back on again, there is almost never an internet signal. If you then go to a location at which you have previously connected with Wifi, it recognizes the Wifi there, but it never goes back to LTE (or even 4G or 3G).

I took it to AT&T five times, and they replaced the "SIM card" each time. Then, of course, they would shut down the iP5 and start it up again; sure enough, it went through its 3-step series of messages, and LTE became active—no surprise there. Nonetheless, when I went back to the house, and iP5 picked up the Wifi signal, that cancelled the LTE unless I went through the deep shut down procedure again.

I took iP5 to the Apple store, since the AT&T people could not fix it. They were very kind, but they could not make it work either, so they gave me a new iP5. That one has the same problems that the earlier one had.

An engineer friend checked, and the software needed updating. He did this, and it helped for a few hours, but now it is not working again. I looked for more new software, and there is none. Finally I typed "iphone 5 will not switch to lte from wifi" into Google and got this helpful page. Of course, it does not actually solve my problem, but it makes me realize that I am not alone.

I hope the people from Apple will read this and investigate what is wrong. I am no engineer, but it seems that if the iP4 worked great at switching, and the iP5 does not, it would almost have to be a problem with the software that runs the internet access.

Anyway I paid a huge amount of money for a brick, and neither AT&T, nor Apple, can get it to work.

 

[Ishakir]

Hey guys,

I'm having the same exact issue with my iPhone 5 out here in Chicago. I've been experiencing
the issue basically since I have had the phone on launch day. Does anyone know of any recent fixes that were released?

Thanks!

 

[phillyry]

I've been having at work. It often switches over to LTE or hangs when switching over to wifi showing full signal. First noticed the problem when I noticed my data going through the roof. It appears I was using LTE when I was in the building and should've been using Wi-Fi.

I've tried resetting network settings and forgetting the network then re-adding the network but the problem remains.

I've also noticed that speed test does not work when I'm on the network you're at work, Which works fine on my iPhone 3GS. Like the first poster I did a restore from my 3GS when I got the iPhone five. I'm beginning to think of it maybe this may be the problem that I may need to restart my iPhone from scratch.

 

[Xanderprime]

I have the same problem with my iPhone 5 also. If I switch from wifi to LTE, sometimes the LTE will not turn on (or any cellular data like 4g). There are times my wifi is spotty (not necessarily the phones fault) and I'll shut down the wifi only to find cellular data does not turn on. If I reset all network settings, the LTE will turn back on with no problems, but once I switch between wifi and LTE or different wifi zones, there is a possibility the cellular data will not turn back on. Seems I have at least one incident a day where this will happen and I'll have to reset network settings (and of course I'll have to re-enter all my wifi passwords, which is a pain).

Not sure what's going on. This is the second iPhone 5 I have as the first one had wifi issues.

 

[DavidinSF]

Same Issues

Same and maybe more.
Have had 4 different iPhones on the same AT&T service, same city, etc. and no problems...

Got iPhone 5 2 weeks ago:
- Some calls do not come through and ring or even show in recents
- Some voicemail messages do not show up in Visual Voicemail page, though they are in the server if you manually call into voice mail
- Phone leaves LTE and goes to 4G any time you make or receive a call -- does not go back to LTE though. Eventually does or does if you re-set the phone but that's it -- making LTE useless
- When sitting in the house with wifi turned on and LTE active, the wifi drops off and on intermittently

2 hours on the phone with AT&T and Apple today, resets, restores, etc. etc. no resolution. Maybe hardware. Getting a new device on Monday. Frustrating

 

[kinglandon]

Verizon iPhone issues

I just got an iPhone 5 32Gb for Verizon and its having the same problems. It says it is on LTE but then says no internet connection. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't work. It mostly doesn't work at my house. I try to put it on wifi and it still does the same thing. Ive talked to apple on the phone and in an apple store they replaced it but still doing the same thing. I have unlimited data on it so it should be working on it. Ive also used almost 6GB of data so I dont know if theyre throttleing me or what... They guy at apple told me that he has seen it once before but he didnt tell me what fixed it... Please Help

 

[jav6454]

Sorry man, no issue here. Although I seriously doubt this is software related as much more people would be suffering this (like when the 3G first came out).

 

[DD89074]

I have the 64mb iPhone 5 that I have had for awhile now. The issue I am having is when I am using it at home - should be running on my home wifi connection. I am noticing that it disconnects from the home network and goes on LTE - which then starts chewing into my rate plan. Like today is the 15 th only 5 days into my month and it sends me a text telling me I have used 65% of my data plan up? I go look at the settings and sure enough I am not connected to my wifi. I haven't left my damned house why does it keep doing this?? It is doing it more and more. i am beginning to think AT&T is doing this intentionally to charge extra for data. Does anyone have the same feeling? I am in Nevada area. I am thinking class action about now!

 

[Jessayin]

I have the 64mb iPhone 5 that I have had for awhile now. The issue I am having is when I am using it at home - should be running on my home wifi connection. I am noticing that it disconnects from the home network and goes on LTE - which then starts chewing into my rate plan. Like today is the 15 th only 5 days into my month and it sends me a text telling me I have used 65% of my data plan up? I go look at the settings and sure enough I am not connected to my wifi. I haven't left my damned house why does it keep doing this?? It is doing it more and more. i am beginning to think AT&T is doing this intentionally to charge extra for data. Does anyone have the same feeling? I am in Nevada area. I am thinking class action about now!

[doublepost=1464550136][/doublepost]I see this has been going on for awhile! Experiencing the exact same thing with my 6s. I'm actually exploring a lawsuit now. Consumers should not be defrauded by random disconnection from Wi-Fi resulting in data usage. This is a planned glitch that benefits Carriers data usage plans and overages.