iPhone Constantly Searching For Carrier Signal

[Eli4S]

So for the past 4 or 5 days I've been getting subtle drops on network reception to the point where my iphone 5 will be "searching..." For periods of time. I've tried resetting the network settings, and sprint is my carrier by the way. I have insurance on my iphone and was considering going into sprint today to ask for a replacement. Anyone else have this issue? Any fixes?


Thanks

 

[John Yester]

Re: Searching... Issue.

Take it into Sprint or Apple... Get it swapped out. Also clarify with Sprint that it's not a issue on their end...

 

[Eli4S]

Re: Searching... Issue.

Okay I will be trying that today and posting results, has anyone had any issues before with sprint's insurance policy? I've actually never had it before but since I got my 5 just at the beginning of February I still haven't cancelled the insurance.

 

[kch50428]

Re: Searching... Issue.

Insurance shouldn't come into play on a warranty issue...

 

[Eli4S]

Re: Searching... Issue.

Anyone else have this problem at all?

 

[kch50428]

Re: Searching... Issue.

It's probably a Sprint thing... and in your locale thing with Sprint...

 

[Chase Isley]

Re: Searching... Issue.

iPhone: Troubleshooting No Service

 

[anon(4698833)]

Re: Searching... Issue.

Never had this issue, but I've heard that Sprint's service really sucks (at least locally in Atlanta anyways).

 

[Jaguarr40]

Re: Searching... Issue.

Anyone else have this problem at all?

My neighbor did with his iPhone 4 and had it replaced by VZW. Of course my other neighbor works for one of our local VZW corporate stores....LOL

 

[Eli4S]

Re: Searching... Issue.

Not a sprint thing. My friend has the same problem with his AT&T phone. And I am in a different location than him and also traveled a bit this weekend. Same problem.

 

[Jaguarr40]

Re: Searching... Issue.

[Moderator Note] Retitled Thread For Better Clarity.

 

[anon(4698833)]

Re: Searching... Issue.

Not a sprint thing. My friend has the same problem with his AT&T phone. And I am in a different location than him and also traveled a bit this weekend. Same problem.

You guys may be in a poor cellular reception area...or there may have been damage to your local towers where you receive service. There are literally hundreds of different scenarios that could be causing this issue, and yes, it could be specific to your phone (though i doubt it since you said your friend is experiencing issues as well). The iPhone 5 does not have a common carrier signal failure issue if that is the question you were trying to get asked.

 

[IAmSixNine]

Re: Searching... Issue.

Since day 1 my ATT iphone has gone to no service after i hang up from a call.
Ive not taken it in due to the fact that i use it mostly for data and not a lot of voice.
But i can get off a call, watch it, bars go all the way down, then no service, then right back up.. 80% of the time i end a call it happens.

 

[Jaguarr40]

Re: Searching... Issue.

Since day 1 my ATT iphone has gone to no service after i hang up from a call.
Ive not taken it in due to the fact that i use it mostly for data and not a lot of voice.
But i can get off a call, watch it, bars go all the way down, then no service, then right back up.. 80% of the time i end a call it happens.

Sounds like a bug. have you ever tried a hard reboot where you hold down the Home and Power button at the same time until you see the Apple logo? Sometimes and I stress sometimes that clears a bunch of issues. If not are you still under warranty because whether you use your phone for data or not it should not happen and I would take it in before your warranty ends.

 

[IAmSixNine]

Re: Searching... Issue.

Yup tried the hard reset, also in the begining when i first got it and first noticed it, i also factory reset the device, and also recently reset wireless settings.
Still does it.
I can go days with out actually making a call on my device. I carry 2 phones. Work is iPhone 5 thru ATT. Personal is Note 2 with TMO..
Admitedly im an android guy so the bulk of my usage is my Note 2, but i have to carry an iPhone for work due to the business im in. I have a co-worker who recently got an iPhone 5 and i pointed out what mine does, he also noticed it on his. Usually when he gets off a call he doesnt watch the signal bar so he never noticed it. I think a lot of people are like that.

At this point i dont want to replace it anyway, then i wouldnt be able to set up my gmail addresses as exchange accounts.

Going back to the original posters phone, are you in a small or large georgraphic area where its searching for service. A single tower can cover several square miles. So if Sprint took a tower down for network vision upgrades or its down for other reasons you would need to drive for a tad bit to see if its a location issue or phone issue.
Also any way to compare another Sprint user, on a different device (android, or any other handset) to see if they too have signal issues in the same area?

 

[Jaguarr40]

Re: Searching... Issue.

Yup tried the hard reset, also in the begining when i first got it and first noticed it, i also factory reset the device, and also recently reset wireless settings.
Still does it.
I can go days with out actually making a call on my device. I carry 2 phones. Work is iPhone 5 thru ATT. Personal is Note 2 with TMO..
Admitedly im an android guy so the bulk of my usage is my Note 2, but i have to carry an iPhone for work due to the business im in. I have a co-worker who recently got an iPhone 5 and i pointed out what mine does, he also noticed it on his. Usually when he gets off a call he doesnt watch the signal bar so he never noticed it. I think a lot of people are like that.

At this point i dont want to replace it anyway, then i wouldnt be able to set up my gmail addresses as exchange accounts.

Going back to the original posters phone, are you in a small or large georgraphic area where its searching for service. A single tower can cover several square miles. So if Sprint took a tower down for network vision upgrades or its down for other reasons you would need to drive for a tad bit to see if its a location issue or phone issue.
Also any way to compare another Sprint user, on a different device (android, or any other handset) to see if they too have signal issues in the same area?

I do know many others where their IP4 mostly does this but have no known any IP5 users experience this and 2 Mods here just got 5s but anyway why would you not be able to set up your gmail accts. on exchange if you DID swap even though a work phone. i would think they would encourage this if they issued it to you?

 

[IAmSixNine]

Re: Searching... Issue.

google no longer supports gmail as exchange on iphones unless its a paid address. Sure my work stuff will switch over just fine but my personal emails wont.
So the personal email addresses i use for gmail would not set up the same as on the phone i have now.

 

[Jaguarr40]

Re: Searching... Issue.

google no longer supports gmail as exchange on iphones unless its a paid address. Sure my work stuff will switch over just fine but my personal emails wont.
So the personal email addresses i use for gmail would not set up the same as on the phone i have now.

Got ya and I know about google not supporting exchange. i thought you had another reason.

 

[03_CTD]

Re: Searching... Issue.

Since day 1 my ATT iphone has gone to no service after i hang up from a call.
Ive not taken it in due to the fact that i use it mostly for data and not a lot of voice.
But i can get off a call, watch it, bars go all the way down, then no service, then right back up.. 80% of the time i end a call it happens.

This is my exact experience with my 5 on Bell. I have also neglected to swap mine due to dropped gmail exchange support. I cannot recall a time where I've had the searching issue without having just ended a call though.

 

[ame]

Re: Searching... Issue.

I have to assume at this point it's not carrier related, or at least not entirely so. Since I've had this issue ongoing, among others, some of my research points to iOS. There's some builds that just do not play nice and cause baseband crashing. Go into your diagnostics and scroll through and see if you can find something about a baseband crash. It is WIDE SPREAD. For some people a replacement phone fixes it. For others having Apple put an old iOS on it that has a "known fix" for this issue and then update up from there will fix it. For others nothing fixes it, not even constant replacements of SIMs and phones. It will just randomly lose service, you will have it sitting beside you and you go to use it and it's got no service, and for how long you have no idea. I can be sitting there with my phone, my husbands and an iPad. The other phone and the iPad have full service, my phone won't.