If you just picked up the iPhone 18 Pro Max on AT&T and your signal keeps dropping, you’re not alone. The problem has gotten big enough that some buyers may start eyeing our best Android phones list instead. AT&T has now acknowledged that some iPhone 18 Pro Max units on its network are having serious cellular issues.
In a text message sent to customers, AT&T warned that some affected phones may be unable to make calls, send texts, or use data, and that includes calls to 911. The carrier is telling customers to “update to iOS 27.0.1 immediately,” according to MacRumors. There’s just one problem. Many affected users say the update doesn’t fix anything.
Apple’s release notes for iOS 27.0.1 don’t mention AT&T or cellular issues at all. The update actually fixed a Face ID bug on the iPhone 18 Pro models. At this point, at least thousands of users have reported the problem across the Apple Support Community, Reddit, and the MacRumors Forums.
Is the Qualcomm modem to blame?
Affected users say their iPhone 18 Pro Max loses its connection to AT&T’s network, either constantly or on and off, and often gets stuck in SOS mode. The cause hasn’t been confirmed, and Apple still hasn’t commented publicly.
There is one interesting detail, though. The US version of the iPhone 18 Pro Max is the only new iPhone this year that uses a Qualcomm modem. The smaller iPhone 18 Pro and the iPhone Duo use Apple’s own C2 modem worldwide, and so does the Pro Max outside the US. It’s not clear yet whether that’s connected to the issue.
If it turns out to be a software bug, Apple will likely push out another update, like iOS 27.0.2. If it’s a hardware problem, that’s a much bigger headache for Apple and AT&T.
Until then, go ahead and install iOS 27.0.1, since it can’t hurt. If your phone keeps dropping into SOS mode, contact AT&T or Apple support and document the issue. You’ll want a paper trail if this ends up requiring a replacement.
Ironically, AT&T warned customers about not being able to receive text messages by sending them a text message.
The post AT&T Says Some iPhone 18 Pro Max Units Can’t Make Calls or Use Data, and the Fix Isn’t Working appeared first on Android Headlines.
