Skip to Content

Some Sprint Users Unable to Connect to LTE After iOS 9.3 Update, Fix in the Works [Update: Resolved]

by

Since the launch of iOS 9.3 last week, some Sprint users have been unable to connect to LTE networks, according to reports on Twitter and reddit. After updating, affected users say their iPhones will only connect 3G, and there appears to be no clear fix with resets and reinstalls not solving the problem for most people.

According to one reddit user in California, he's having issues when his iPhone attempts to connect to a specific LTE band. Affected users are frustrated with the connectivity problems, with some reporting an inability to receive any messages or updates when not on Wi-Fi. Most users seeing problems appear to be using Apple's latest devices.

I'm having data issues as well on my 6s Plus in the LA/OC market. Over the past three days I've been troubleshooting on my 80 mile round trip commute via Field Test and Speedtest. I've figured out that data transfer is broken when connected to Clear B41. No problems on Sprint B41, B25 or EVDO. I've created a ticket with Sprint Care, and supposedly they have notified their network team. I'm awaiting a response.

I've talked to Apple as well, they did a diagnostic test that came up normal...of course it did, because I was not connected to Clear B41 at the time. At this point, the only course of action is to either disable LTE or revert back to 9.2.1 before Apple stops signing it. I'm not sure if this has to do with the WiMAX shutdown in my market, but I have noticed that the TAC went from 9xxx to 3xxxx after the shutdown. I've restored three times via iTunes to no avail.

As of this afternoon, Sprint has begun sending out text messages to its subscriber base, acknowledging the data connection problem. Sprint says that it is aware of the issue and "working quickly" on a fix.

sprintdataconnectionissues
Apple this morning released an iOS 9.3.1 update with a fix for an unrelated web linking bug, and while it's not clear if the new update fixes the Sprint issue, it's unlikely as Sprint's text messages were sent out after the update was released.

Update 4/1: According to Sprint, the data connection issues affecting users were resolved this morning.

Top Rated Comments

TMRJIJ Avatar
130 months ago
So much for being the "most stable release of an update" ever.
How many betas did they release again? Apple software glitches are getting ridiculous.
This is probably because of the Sprint Carrier Update.

Sprint has begun sending out text messages to its subscriber base, acknowledging the data connection problem. Sprint says that it is aware of the issue and "working quickly" on a fix.



(Thanks, Kyle!)
Shows that the Apple Bashers aren't actually reading the articles.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
130 months ago
So much for being the "most stable release of an update" ever.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Futurix Avatar
130 months ago
How many betas did they release again? Apple software glitches are getting ridiculous.
This is most likely due to Sprint's carrier update which just happened to be sent at the same time as 9.3 - not much to do with Apple.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thisisnotmyname Avatar
130 months ago
how did we find out, did someone accidentally use Sprint? (I kid, I kid)
[doublepost=1459464319][/doublepost]
Both of them?

(I kid, I kid!)
Geez we think alike. Want to grab a coffee?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Studioman Avatar
130 months ago
How many betas did they release again? Apple software glitches are getting ridiculous.
Sounds like not to many beta users have sprint
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JGIGS Avatar
130 months ago
How many betas did they release again? Apple software glitches are getting ridiculous.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Multicolored Low Cost A18 Pro MacBook Feature

Apple Accidentally Leaks 'MacBook Neo'

Tuesday March 3, 2026 7:00 am PST by
Apple appears to have prematurely revealed the name of its rumored lower-cost MacBook model, which is expected to be announced this Wednesday. A regulatory document for a "MacBook Neo" (Model A3404) has appeared on Apple's website. Unfortunately, there are no further details or images available yet. While the PDF file does not contain the "MacBook Neo" name, it briefly appeared in a link...
imac video apple feature

Apple Unveils Two New Products

Monday March 2, 2026 7:49 am PST by
Apple today introduced two new devices, including the iPhone 17e and an updated iPad Air. iPhone 17e features the same overall design as the iPhone 16e, but it gains Apple's A19 chip, MagSafe for magnetic wireless charging and magnetic accessories, Apple's second-generation C1X modem for faster 5G, and a doubled 256GB of base storage. In the U.S., the iPhone 17e starts at $599, just like the ...
Apple iPhone 17e feature

Apple Announces iPhone 17e With A19 Chip, MagSafe, and More

Monday March 2, 2026 6:07 am PST by
Apple today announced the iPhone 17e, featuring the A19 chip, MagSafe connectivity, faster charging, and more. The iPhone 17e contains the A19 chip introduced in iPhone 17. It features a 6-core GPU and a 4-core GPU. Apple pointed out that this makes it up to 2x faster than the iPhone 11. The new 16-core Neural Engine is optimized for large generative models. The iPhone 17e also contains...