IOS 4: Carrier Not Available (US) - what happened to AT&T

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Level 1

16 points

IOS 4: Carrier Not Available (US) - what happened to AT&T

Related to this topic:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2657569&tstart=0
where I no longer have any kind of button to sign up or check my 3G data account after the update to IOS 4.2 ...

I just noticed that under General > About the Carrier field reads "Not Available". It used to read AT&T.

Several days before upgrading to IOS 4.2, I canceled my AT&T data plan since I didn't expect to use it this next month. The phone number that AT&T had assigned to my iPad still shows up under General > About ... but I cannot understand why the iPad is no longer associated with AT&T nor is there any button to sign up for 3G service again (in the future). I cannot use the AT&T web site to check my account because they erased my account when i canceled my data plan.

Ideas?

Thanks,
Karl

iPad 64gb Wifi+3G (US - AT&T), iOS 4, Just updated from IOS 3.2 to IOS 4.2

Posted on Nov 23, 2010 10:14 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Asatoran

Level 4

2,532 points

Nov 23, 2010 3:27 PM in response to HerrDrKarl

After turning on cellular data, try waiting a minute or two. On mine, I normally have cellular data off, which of course, does not give me buttons/options to view my account. After turning cellular data on, it takes 30+ seconds before I see the options to check my account. (I'm assuming the iPad is having to contact a cellular tower or something.)

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Answer 2

mattbuko

Level 1

0 points

Nov 23, 2010 4:29 PM in response to HerrDrKarl

You can wait like the previous poster said, or force it to reconnect to the carrier by performing a hard reset. Turning it off and then back on won't simply do this, but rather hold the home key and the power key at the same time and wait until the unit powers off. Then, turn it back on and this forces it to reconnect to the network. That should solve the problem.

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Answer 3

HerrDrKarl Author

Level 1

16 points

Nov 23, 2010 7:47 PM in response to Asatoran

Thank you Asatoran!

Waiting just a minute or two was not sufficient in itself, all that happened was the ATT signal was detected and the signal strength meter appeared. The account button did not appear nor did AT&T show up as my carrier under Settings.

So, on a lark, I turned off wifi so that only cellular was active and opened Safari. At that point, I got a dialog telling me that I was not signed up for a service and asking if I wanted to. I responded affirmatively and eventually got the usual AT&T signup window, which I then canceled. At that point, the account button was present under Cellular Settings and under General Settings AT&T showed up as my carrier.

(Under IOS 3.2, the cellular account settings button never went away, whether cellular was turned on or off.)

All's good / normal again. Thanks.

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Answer 4

Asatoran

Level 4

2,532 points

Nov 23, 2010 11:25 PM in response to HerrDrKarl

(Under IOS 3.2, the cellular account settings button never went away, whether cellular was turned on or off.)

Really? I don't remember specifically but I always leave cellular data off (because I don't have unlimited data) and I think I always had to enable cellular to see any account info. (I've got iOS4 now so I can't check anymore. 😉 ) But also, I've never cancelled my cellular data, which may actually have been the difference.

All's good / normal again. Thanks.

Glad to hear it worked. 🙂

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Answer 5

HerrDrKarl Author

Level 1

16 points

Nov 24, 2010 6:54 AM in response to Asatoran

Right, I did the same thing with the cellular data switch in 3.2 to turn it off and avoid usage ... but the button to view the account never went away when the switch was off. But clicking it did nothing unless cellular was on then.

Thanks again.

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Answer 6

Nov 24, 2010 7:51 AM in response to HerrDrKarl

Here is the solution:
When upgrading IPAD to 4.2.1 do not restore from backup.
Select "Set as New Ipad" You than able to select to sync apps, songs and photos but avoid any restore so your older network definitions will not be restored to the new IOS4.2.1.
That way you will have 3G and then you can build up the emails and you be fine.

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Answer 7

yovecmm

Level 1

0 points

Jan 5, 2011 8:38 PM in response to mattbuko

Thanks so much!!!! WAs about to try factory reset when I came across your post. Hard reset forced it to find the carrier , Thanks

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