[Updated] iPhone 14 Pro Max connectivity issues (signal or call drops & slow or no 5G) on Verizon surface

Here’s the crux of the article in video form:

New updates are being added at the bottom of this story…….

Original story (published on September 26, 2022) follows:

The iPhone 14 Pro Max is undoubtedly the cream of the crop among Apple’s premium lineup of smartphones. Additions like the Dynamic Island, Always-On display and the bigger and brighter screen make it even more enticing.

Just like every smartphone released in the last few years, the iPhone 14 Pro Max also comes with improved hardware for cellular connectivity (especially 5G).

The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon X65 modem that, according to a report by SpeedSmart, offers up to 38% faster speeds on a 5G network.

However, some iPhone 14 Pro Max users are experiencing various cellular connectivity issues with their phones.

Many iPhone 14 Pro Max users have recently been reporting an issue where the signal or calls drop frequently on Verizon even in areas with good reception and 5G coverage.

Is anyone else dropping calls with a new iPhone 14 Pro Max? I have Verizon and live in an area with great reception.
Source

Failed calls in perfect signal areas and then the bars going down to zero and having to reset with Airplane mode?
Source

While some claim the connectivity issues are caused by the eSim, others are adamant about this being an issue with the new Snapdragon X65 modem.

Do note that even though the smaller iPhone 14 Pro features the same modem, most reports are still from iPhone 14 Pro Max users.

According to some, signal/call drops are more common when the device has 5G turned on. What’s even more frustrating is that users experience such connectivity issues even when the device is stationary.

iPhone 14 Pro Max users are also experiencing issues with 5G connectivity where the speeds are either too slow or 5G just doesn’t work at all.

all seemed well until I noticed my phone is not connecting to 5g in a known Verizon 5g area.
Source

Cellular data especially on 5G UW (mmWave) is unusable with under 1Mbps download even when on the Mag Mile on Michigan Avenue
Source

5G UW (Ultra-Wideband) includes Verizon’s high-band and mid-band networks that offer much faster speeds compared to regular 5G, although at the cost of a smaller coverage area.

Ideally, if you’re close to a 5G UW tower with a compatible device, you should see a ‘UW’ icon right next to the ‘5G’ icon. However, many iPhone 14 Pro Max users are currently unable to connect to 5G UW.

I have been in places where I know that 5g UWB exist but yet I have not seen the “UW” pop up next to the 5g icon.
Source

Making matters worse, some are reporting significantly slow 5G upload and download speeds on their devices.

Users have already tried common troubleshooting steps like resetting network settings, restarting and even resetting their phone but nothing seems to resolve the issues.

Unfortunately, Apple or Verizon has not yet addressed the connectivity issues with the iPhone 14 Pro Max. This means users will have to wait indefinitely until one of them confirms or fixes them.

We’ll keep an eye on this matter and update this story to reflect noteworthy developments.

You can check out our iPhone 14 series bugs and issues tracker and dedicated Apple section for more such content.

04:13 pm (IST): A Redditor has shared a possible explanation as to why users might be getting a weak signal bar even though they are connected to a better network. However, this won’t be the case with everyone.

Those bars on the iPhone aren’t an indication of the n77 signal. The phone displays the signal of the LTE Primary Component Carrier used in Verizon’s Non Standalone Deployment (NSA) so you potentially could be connected to a site farther away broadcasting the N77 signal while connected to a stronger LTE band like B66.

FYI I’m in the Atlanta area and depending on where you are located I can give you some exact site locations to test out the network. (Source)

02:04 pm (IST): Fresh reports from those affected (1, 2) suggest that the connectivity issue on Verizon locked iPhone 14 Pro Max units still persists. And yet, there is no acknowledgment from Apple or Verizon for the same.

Featured and inline image source: Apple

02:15 pm (IST): One of our readers who allegedly talked to various Straight Talk representatives says that the issue could be on Verizon’s end and not the iPhone 14 series devices.

I-phone 14 Pro. Just spent over 3 hours with Straight Talk reps (6 of them) as signal dropped to zero after only 24 hrs of activation. Last rep communicated with Verizon. Seems the blame is on Verizon at the moment. Time will tell.

Thanks for the tip: Ron Bretzke!

10:49 am (IST): One of our readers has confirmed that they are also having connectivity issues with their iPhone 14 Pro on AT&T network.

AT&T and 14 Pro…all the same issues named by Verizon customers. Its the phone. I had great signal and now I have little to no signal, apps are super slow to load, if at all.

Thanks for the tip: Jody Libka!

12:36 pm (IST): One of our readers has suggested a workaround that might help you fix this glitch. You can check it out below.

update, data started working after setting the iPhone cellular “Voice and Data” option to LTE only and it seems to have fixed. Maybe this helps others…

Thanks for the tip: Joe Krause!

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