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
127 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)
SSD-GUY Avatar
127 months ago
So much for being the "most stable release of an update" ever.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Futurix Avatar
127 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
127 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
127 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
127 months ago
How many betas did they release again? Apple software glitches are getting ridiculous.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Features Leaked in New Report, Including Under-Screen Face ID

Tuesday December 16, 2025 8:44 am PST by
Next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be equipped with under-screen Face ID, and the front camera will be moved to the top-left corner of the screen, according to a new report from The Information's Wayne Ma and Qianer Liu. As a result of these changes, the report said the iPhone 18 Pro models will not have a pill-shaped Dynamic Island cutout at the top of the screen....
apple music chatgpt

ChatGPT's Apple Music Integration Is Now Live

Wednesday December 17, 2025 3:50 pm PST by
There's now a dedicated Apple Music app for ChatGPT, which allows ChatGPT to make music recommendations and build playlists. Apple Music can be added to ChatGPT through the Settings section in the Mac app, website, or iOS app. Apple Music is listed under the apps option, and connecting to it requires signing in with your Apple Account for authorization purposes. ChatGPT can be used to...
apple beta 26 lineup

Apple's 2026 and 2027 Product Roadmap: Foldable iPhone, iPhone 18 Pro, M5 Macs, and More

Tuesday December 16, 2025 4:42 pm PST by
There has been a whirlwind of rumors over the last few days, sourced from leaked internal software designed for the iPhone and the Mac, and news sites like The Information. Below, we have a quick recap of everything we've heard this week, which serves as a guide to Apple's product plans in 2026 and beyond. We've organized the info by likely release date, though there are some products that...
apple iphone air battery pack

Apple Aims to Boost Popularity of iPhone Air 2 in Two Ways

Tuesday December 16, 2025 11:06 am PST by
We have been covering iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 17e, and iPhone Fold details from The Information's report about future iPhone models, and next up is the iPhone Air 2. The report says that Apple aims to make the iPhone Air 2 more attractive in two ways. First, Apple is apparently considering adding a second rear camera to the device, which would resolve a key limitation. The current iPhone...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 Beta 1 Features: What's New So Far

Monday December 15, 2025 4:23 pm PST by
Apple is testing iOS 26.3, the next version of iOS 26 that will launch around January. Since iOS 26.3's testing is happening over the holidays, it is a smaller update with fewer features than we've seen in prior betas. We've rounded up what's new so far, and we'll add to our list with subsequent betas if we come across any other features. Transfer to Android Apple is making it simpler...
Apple Logo Top Half

Early iOS 26 Software Leak Uncovers Dozens of Upcoming Apple Features

Monday December 15, 2025 3:05 pm PST by
Software from an iPhone prototype running an early build of iOS 26 leaked last week, giving us a glimpse at future Apple devices and iOS features. We recapped device codenames in our prior article, and now we have a list of some of the most notable feature flags that were found in the software code. In some cases, it's obvious what the feature flags are referring to, while some are more...
apple beta 26 lineup

Apple Leak Confirms Work on Foldable iPhone, AirTag 2, and Dozens More Devices

Monday December 15, 2025 2:05 pm PST by
Last week, details about unreleased Apple devices and future iOS features were shared by Macworld. This week, we learned where the information came from, plus we have more findings from the leak. As it turns out, an Apple prototype device running an early build of iOS 26 was sold, and the person who bought it shared the software. The OS has a version number of 23A5234w, and the first...
a15 chip

Apple Tested a MacBook With the A15 Chip

Wednesday December 17, 2025 7:19 am PST by
An internal Apple kernel debug kit suggests Apple has tested a MacBook with the A15 chip, alongside a separate A18 Pro-based MacBook that appears to be closer to a shippable product. The information comes from internal kernel debug kit files used by Apple engineers. The kit was accidentally released on Apple's website earlier this year, but it was quickly pulled after information started...
maxresdefault

Apple Developing iMac Pro With M5 Max Chip

Tuesday December 16, 2025 7:30 am PST by
Apple is developing a high-end iMac featuring the M5 Max chip, according to information from leaked internal software. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The finding comes from leaked kernel debug kit files used by Apple engineers. These kernel debug kit files enumerate unreleased Apple hardware by internal identifiers, such as codenames and platform names, and they...