Apple to replace some AT&T iPhone 18 Pro Max phones free after a signal fault

[Glenn82]

Apple has confirmed that a "small number" of iPhone 18 Pro Max devices on AT&T in the US have lost cellular service, leaving them unable to make calls, TechRadar reports. Only the iPhone 18 Pro Max on AT&T is affected. The standard iPhone 18 Pro uses a different modem and is not. This is a US story, but it is a useful reminder of how a single fault can hit a flagship phone

On an affected phone, "it will be displaying the word 'SOS' in the status bar, and you won't be able to use AT&T's network for calls, texts, or data," though Wi-Fi still works. Apple is releasing iOS 27.0.1 and a carrier settings update to prevent the problem on phones that do not have it yet. The carrier update rolls out within 14 days, but can be forced through Settings, then General, then About

The fix will not help phones that already have the fault. For those, "the only option there is to get your phone replaced." Owners can contact Apple Support or AT&T, or visit a store, and "you should then be issued a free replacement." TechRadar advises backing up first, and updating straight away if your phone is not yet showing symptoms

Modem problems on new phones are not new, but they are always frustrating. A phone that cannot make calls is not much use, however good its camera is. Apple deserves some credit for confirming the problem quickly and offering free replacements. It will be interesting to see whether the different modem in the Pro Max raises any questions about Apple's chip choices

Have you ever had to replace a new phone because of a fault? And how quickly should manufacturers own up to problems like this?

A 'small number' of iPhone 18 Pro Max users have an unfixable bug - here's how to check if your phone is affected, and how to prevent the bug if it's not yetwww.techradar.com