My son's brand-new iPhone 18 Pro Max repeatedly drops cellular service, switches to SOS, briefly reconnects to 5G or 5G+, and then loses calls and mobile data again. Text messages can take several minutes to arrive. My own iPhone 18 Pro Max on the same AT&T account works normally.
AT&T support initially said this was a known network or reprovisioning issue and opened a service ticket, asking us to wait 24–48 hours. After several days of calls, chats, eSIM changes, reprovisioning attempts, and a store visit, the ticket status kept changing: first a ticket supposedly existed, then it had not been created, then a new ticket was issued, and finally AT&T said the phone was attached to a larger network ticket. The store initially advised against replacing the phone because of the investigation, but later suggested returning it and trying an iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max instead.
The phone still does not have dependable cellular service, and using Wi-Fi is not a practical replacement because my son needs the phone to work while traveling and away from Wi-Fi. AT&T has not provided a clear resolution date or account credit. Has anyone else experienced SOS alerts, dropped service, delayed texts, or 5G showing without usable data on a new iPhone 18 Pro Max? Are other carriers affected, and is an Apple software update expected to address this?
4 Answers
If AT&T keeps changing its explanation, escalating through its executive customer-relations office may be more effective than repeating the same frontline support process. Save screenshots of chats, ticket numbers, appointment details, and the dates and duration of the outages. If the service remains unusable, a formal complaint to the relevant telecom regulator can create an additional record.
Some reports suggest Apple may be preparing a software update specifically for connectivity problems on the newest iPhones. That could explain why one phone works while another on the same account does not, although it is still worth having the carrier verify the line and device provisioning. Keep the ticket number and document every support interaction while waiting.
A few people say their iPhone 18 Pro lines are working normally on T-Mobile, so this may be specific to AT&T’s network configuration rather than every new phone. Switching carriers is obviously a major step, but testing the phone with another compatible line or carrier could help separate a handset problem from an account or network issue.
The issue may be easier to follow if the symptoms, troubleshooting steps, and ticket timeline are listed separately. The important details are clear: the phone enters SOS, texts and data fail, another phone on the same account works, and AT&T has not provided a consistent resolution.
That is fair. I’ve been keeping a timeline because the ticket status and the advice about replacing the phone have changed several times. The main goal is still getting dependable cellular service for my son.