Problems are inevitable in mobile devices even the smartest and the highest-tiered variants. As a matter of fact, several owners of the newest #Apple iPhone 7 Plus (#iPhone7Plus) have already reported a number of issues they have encountered in just a few months of using Apple’s newest handset. One of these problems is on the iPhone’s network functions particularly having no signal, no service, searching, and other issues associated with cellular network.
This post highlights some standard procedures and highly recommended workarounds used to address cellular network-related issues with the new Apple iPhone 7 Plus smartphone. If you happen to be routed into this page while searching for solutions to pertinent problems with your new iPhone, I therefore suggest reading this entire content as it might have the fix you’ve been looking for.
Just before we jump into our troubleshooting, for those who have other issues with their iPhone 7 Plus, visit our troubleshooting page for we have already addressed some of the most common issues reported by our readers. Try to find issues that are similar with yours and use the solutions or troubleshooting procedures we provided. If they don’t work and if you need more help, feel free to contact us by completing our iPhone issues questionnaire.
What could have possibly caused your iPhone to show No Service, No Signal, or Searching errors?
.Various factors can cause your iPhone to show No service, No signal, or Searching for network errors. Among the most common culprits include account issues, incorrect cellular settings configuration, bad SIM card, signal barriers, as well as hardware damage. There are also other cases where the problem is caused by an outage affecting network services, which is but temporary.
Many important functions will also not be available if you’re iPhone is getting no signal or no service. You won’t be able to make or receive calls, send text messages, or even connect to the Internet unless you are using a Wi-Fi network. So here’s what you can do then.
Step 1. Verify your account status
Before you dive in and do some troubleshooting, you might as well consider checking on your account status and ensure it’s not disabled. Some carriers would impose temporary disconnection or soft disconnection on certain customer’s account due to several reasons. Some accounts are disconnected due to suspected fraudulent activity, late payment, or no payment at all. To make sure this is not causing your problem, give your carrier a call for account status check. Usually, your iPhone will display No Service if your account was cancelled or temporarily disconnected.
Step 2. Check your coverage area
When you are getting No signal, low signal, or no service on your iPhone, make sure you are in an area with cellular network coverage. If you cannot connect to a cellular network, verify and ensure that cellular data is enabled. To do so, go to Settings-> Cellular. Toggle the switch to activate or turn on cellular function, if necessary.
If you are experiencing No Service or your iPhone 7 Plus shows Searching for signal while travelling internationally, make sure your device is set up for data roaming. To check, go to Settings-> Cellular-> Data Roaming. Tap the Data Roaming switch to enable it.
Also ensure you are not in a place where cellular signal may have been interfered or blocked by physical structures like tall buildings or walls.
Step 3. Verify and make sure Airplane mode is disabled or turned off.
If Airplane mode is enabled, it will prevent your iPhone from sending or receiving wireless transmission, thus giving you any of the aforesaid network errors. To ensure this is not the cause, go to Settings -> Airplane Mode. If necessary, tap the Airplane mode switch to disable or turn it off.
Step 4. Restart your iPhone.
Sometimes, a software glitch is to blame. And usually in cases like this, a simple restart can have it fixed. To restart your iPhone 7 Plus, press and hold the Sleep/Wake button until the red slider appears, drag the slider to turn your iPhone off, and the after 30 seconds, press and hold the Sleep/Wake button again until you see the Apple logo on the screen.
If the problem persists, restart your iPhone again. Sometimes, a single restart might not be able to rectify the software glitch so you might as well consider doing it more than once, twice, or three times.
Step 5. Update software and carrier settings on your iPhone.
Software updates usually contain fixes to any existing software bug that can cause the No Service problem on your iPhone. In that case, you can try to update your iPhone’s software and carrier settings.
If you can connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi, then check for any available software update for your iPhone.
To check for software updates, go to Settings-> General-> Software Update. If no update is available, go to Settings-> General-> About, and then check for a carrier settings update instead.
Note: You may have to stay in the About section for at least 10 seconds until updates are shown. If nothing pops up, it means that your carrier settings are updated.
If you cannot connect through Wi-Fi, try to connect your iPhone to a computer and use iTunes to check for available software update as well as carrier settings updates for your device.
Step 6. Reset network settings on your iPhone.
If your iPhone shows No Service after getting the latest iOS update, then try to reset network settings. Some updates would automatically reset your iPhone settings including the network settings to factory defaults, thus resulting to this problem. In this case, resetting the network settings can help fix all sorts of cellular-and Wi-Fi related problems on your device. This reset process will forget all your Wi-Fi networks so you will have to reconnect to them and re-enter your Wi-Fi passwords afterwards. After you reset the network settings, reboot your iPhone.
To reset network settings on your iPhone 7 Plus, go to Settings-> General-> Reset-> Reset Network Settings.
Note: Be sure to take note of your Wi-Fi networks and passwords, and cellular settings because they will be erased in the process.
Step 7. Verify Cellular Settings are properly configured on your iPhone.
Various cellular data settings are found on your iPhone. If something is not configured correctly, your iPhone might display No service or other related error prompts. Sometimes, the problem can be fixed by simply turning an option off and back on.
To diagnose your iPhone’s cellular settings, go to Settings-> Cellular and make sure Cellular Data is on.
Note: Menu options may vary from carrier to carrier.
Step 8. Remove and then re-insert the SIM card.
Sometimes, a loose SIM card can also cause the same problem to occur on your device. You can try to remove the SIM card from your iPhone and then re-insert it. Be sure to keep it secured and in place when re-inserting. If you noticed that the SIM card doesn’t fit in the SIM tray or is damaged, contact your carrier for further recommendations.
Step 9. Check for water damage on your iPhone.
If your iPhone shows No Service after it got wet or exposed to moist or liquid, then there is a good chance that water damage is to blame. In this case, you will have to take your iPhone to an Apple Genius or an authorized iPhone technician for hardware check and repair. Apple does not repair water-damaged iPhones but replace them instead.
Step 10. Contact your carrier or Apple support to escalate the problem.
Contact your carrier to make sure there are no outages that may have affected the network services in your area. Also check with your carrier that your iPhone is not blocked from getting cellular services and that it is set up with the correct data plan.
Engage with us
If you have other issues with your Apple iPhone 7 Plus, we are always willing to help. Contact us through our iPhone issues questionnaire and provide us with all necessary information about your problem so we can find a solution to your issue.
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