"Could not activate cellular data network" - cellular data not working on iPhone
I am getting an iOS system error:
Could not activate cellular data network
Turn on cellular data or use Wi-Fi to access data.
while I'm not connected to Wi-Fi and I'm trying to use any apps that need a data connection. Cellular data is turned on, and I'm not in airplane mode or anything. LTE was working just fine yesterday.
I have tried Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings with no success.
In case this is relevant, details from General > About:
- iPhone 6 (Verizon; MG642LL/a)
- Carrier: Verizon 25.1 (I'm subscribed with PagePlus MVNO on Verizon's network)
- iOS: v10.0.2
- Modem Firmware: 5.24.00
Is this likely a problem with my phone, or with PagePlus? How can I resolve it? Thanks!
ETA: Go to ivzwentp.tracfone.com and install the configuration profile. This fixed the problem for me. (That's what the text I got last week instructed me to do. I was able to find a copy of that text online, at a different site.)
Same problem here, also on PagePlus. I've tried to chat with PagePlus customer service but have been unable to get through. I did get a weird text message last week about iPhone data issues on PagePlus - maybe that was related? I thought it was spam so I deleted it...
I have finally got this working. As noted above, my problem initially was the opposite of the OP. I wanted to remove the cellular data (APN profile) when I travel, then restore it when I go back to the US.
There are two parts to the solution, each covered elsewhere in more detail. Here is how I put them together.
If Tracfone/Verizon has pushed a profile onto your phone with iOS 11, it will be hidden and cannot be removed. You have to backup and then edit your backup with iBackupBot. (This is described elsewhere.) The simplest edit (and the only one that worked for me) is simply to remove the profile file. "mobile/com.apple.managedCarrier.plist" Then still using iBackupBot, you do a full restore including reboot. The result is a restore with all your data, etc. intact, but no profile installed. After I did this, my foreign SIM worked fine with cellular data.
Although I am not back in the US, I did go to the iphone.flexserve.net site where, as Aaron suggested above, I installed "Straight Talk (tracfone.vzwe...)" as my profile. Of course, my French cellular data immediately stopped working. However, in Settings, General, I now see the Profile and this one can be removed. I did that and Bingo, French cellular data is restored.
Unfortunately, this is a solution for techies. The good news is that you only need to do the backup, delete profile from backup, and restore once. After that, you have an easy way to delete the profile and then reinstall it.
I think it will be important to install the profile immediately on returning to the US, before Tracfone/Verizon pushes out another hidden profile. Then refuse all proposed carrier settings updates.
Also, who knows if this will keep working when there is another iOS update.