Connectivity issues iPhone SE since 18.7.2 / 26.1

Question

Level 1

4 points

Connectivity issues iPhone SE since 18.7.2 / 26.1

ever since I updated my iPhoneSE (2nd Gen) to iOS 18.7.2, I am experiencing serious connectivity issues, both with cellular and 4G. Messages (signal/whatsapp) won’t upload, or take forever to upload (sending a simple snapshot took 20 minutes today); phone calls loose connection or the other party can’t hear my voice while I hear theirs fine. I have an unlimited data plan so that is not the issue. On WiFi it is usually fine, also conversations via signal/whatsapp (but on 4G that doesn’t work of course). I hoped switching to iOS 26.1 would maybe solve it but alas no. 

my provider told me SE’s and 11’s had this more often.

apple, please provide an ios update quickly that solves this; it is quite problematic for a smart phone to not have 4g capabilities in this day and age…

(but if anyone else has a quick fix it would be very welcome as well)

iPhone SE

Posted on Nov 22, 2025 6:24 AM

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Answer 1

LD150

Level 10

100,257 points

Nov 22, 2025 6:40 AM in response to lwr99

Try Settings, General, Transfer or reset iphone, Reset, Reset network settings.

My SEs have no problems at all

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Answer 2

LD150

Level 10

100,257 points

Nov 24, 2025 3:30 AM in response to lwr99

The last update killed my battery! - Apple Community

Particularly make sure you don't have any VPN . Don't just turn it off, uninstall completely

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Answer 3

lwr99 Author

Level 1

4 points

Nov 24, 2025 5:40 AM in response to LD150

Thnx LD150; very good overview, am afraid though that wasn’t it either. Have never used VPN, no pix in iCloud (did turn off everything in iCloud now that I dont need/use anyway); last update was 8 days ago so that whole indexing thing should be finished by now (and have been overnight charging every night as well).

it is not that i can’t use 4G/ cellular at all, but quite regularly i can’t connect to the www if I need to, so it is more like very spotty reception.

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Answer 4

lwr99 Author

Level 1

4 points

Nov 24, 2025 12:20 AM in response to LD150

Tried it but no, limited result, also continues to have big battery drain (possibly as my phone is frantically trying to connect to the www)

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Answer 5

fredy111

Level 1

8 points

Nov 24, 2025 6:25 AM in response to lwr99

I want ios 26

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Answer 6

MomoTX67

Level 1

8 points

Nov 30, 2025 5:41 AM in response to lwr99

I’m having the exact same issue. It’s not a Wi-Fi issue because everything else is working fine, just my iPhone SE after 18.7.2. Restarting my iPhone helps to fix it, but why is this happening in the first place?

My Eero router did have an update so I just did that, and then I reset my network on my iPhone. Hopefully that will fix the issue, but if it doesn’t, I will report back.

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Answer 7

lwr99 Author

Level 1

4 points

Nov 30, 2025 6:11 AM in response to lwr99

update:

went to the local Genius Bar like place. Phone was checked, no issues found in the hardware. hoped that a factory reset would solve the software issues as it would bring a fresh clean version of the iOS in (as was advised).

Found out that I was not able to do that reset myself; all regular methods (reset through finder, or in recovery mode) failed, the buttons simply did not react. So there was definitely something going on. Only through special apple software that the GBar had, they were able to perform the reset.

But that didn't solve the issue either. (it just made all the Signal messages disappear, as that, I found out, did not get covered by my backup...)

Am really angry that I am forced to buy a new phone now to just have basic 4G connectivity (as it has been way too long and too frustrating to miss calls / not be able to connect to the www)

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