Apple advises iPhone 18 Pro Max AT&T users to replace devices after cellular outage
Apple confirmed a defect affecting a limited number of iPhone 18 Pro Max phones on AT&T that can cause loss of cellular service, and said affected units must be replaced.
Apple announced that a limited group of iPhone 18 Pro Max owners on the AT&T network have encountered a problem that disables cellular service, preventing calls, texts and data. The company said the issue does not affect other iPhone models or carriers.
Apple released iOS 27.0.1 earlier this week and issued a carrier-settings update for AT&T devices, urging all iPhone 18 Pro Max users to install the software immediately. The carrier settings update will download automatically over the next 14 days, but users can also trigger it manually via Settings → General → About.
"We have identified an issue affecting a small number of iPhone 18 Pro Max users on the AT&T network that may cause a device to lose service and be unable to make calls. We released iOS 27.0.1 earlier this week and strongly encourage all iPhone 18 Pro Max users to update now, and are also issuing a carrier settings update today," Apple said.
Apple stated that a software update cannot restore service on affected devices; instead, the phones must be replaced. Customers are advised to contact Apple Support or AT&T, or visit an Apple Store or AT&T location for a replacement.
The company has not disclosed the cause of the defect. U.S. iPhone 18 Pro Max units use Qualcomm's Snapdragon X80 modem, while international versions use Apple’s custom C2 modem, but Apple has not confirmed whether the modem type is related to the problem.