No LTE Data Connection / AT&T PTA APN issue

[cavefish01]

Long post but after a week+ with phone calls and tickets to tech support at all levels I've gotten nowhere:

I recently upgraded from a Captivate to a Galaxy S3. Everything worked untill about a month into the new contract. I suddenly started recieving "No internet connection" errors when viewing websites or using apps with data. Messaging, phone calls, voicemall all still work fine. I took the device into a local at&t store and had many subsequent calls into tech support. This is everything I've tried to no avail.

- Had MicroSIM card replaced 3 times.

- Had my new GS3 replaced once with a NEW GS3.

- Tried my My microsim card in other GS3 devices and thoes suddenly stop working. 

- I've been told multiple times that there is nothing wrong with how my account is registered (and yes I do have LTE enabled on it) 

- I've been told that there are no outages in my area and everything is fine service wise. 

- I've reset my APN many times. Turned airplane mode on/off. Turned data on/off. Rebooted countless times, etc...

- This is where it gets weird... I can use a different APN called "wap.cingular" and data works OK. This is becuase the APN is different than the LTE "pta" APN and only supports 3G data. Well what's the point if I can't use LTE right? 

Well after many iterations with tech support to no avail and now they are just telling me to do things I've already done, I'm just about ready to cancel my service/complain about termination fees, and just switch to another carrier. It's that or just wiping my at&t account and getting a new at&t account but if I have to do that then there is no guarantee that this issue doesn't come back. Any help from the community/at&t would be much appreciated.

[smooth4lyfe]

What are your APN settings...I think they should read like this
Go to your APN settings and see if these are the same..if not change it to this and see if it helps

Name: ATT PTA
APN: pta
MMSC: http://mmsc.mobile.att.net
MMS Proxy: proxy.mobile.att.net
MMS port: 80
MCC: 310
MNC: 410
Auth: none
APN type: default,mms,supl,hipri

[cavefish01]

Yep thats what it reads. However the phone won't let you edit it anyways. I tried eariler adding a new APN with the exact same info with no luck.

[smooth4lyfe]

It has to be something on AT&T's side then if u switched phones and its still giving u problems...have them reset your service...ot take it off, then put it back on and see if it works

[jii]

Try this:

APN: wap.cingular

User Name: WAP@CINGULARGPRS.COM

Password: CINGULAR1

MMSC: http://mmsc.cingular.com

MMS Proxy: wireless.cingular.com

MMS Port: 80

MCC: 310

MNC: 410

Auth Type: none

APN Type: internet + mms

Bearer: unspecified (unless you're in an LTE area, then select LTE)

User Name / Password ARE case sensitive.

Hope this helps.

[cavefish01]

Yep that works for 3G and HSPA+ but not LTE unfortunatly. I will just have them remove my line then add a line if it doesn't work in the next few days. 

[cavefish01]

Is it better to go into the store and do this or somehow have tech support over the phone do this? I see alot of billing related issues with this like early termination fee then activation fee all over again... The store employees probably won't be able to overide fees like a specific tech/billing expert on the phone would but I'm not sure.

But I agree at this point it seams like the only logical path forward is to remove my line completly then re-add the line/account. 

[smooth4lyfe]

Yeah go to the store and have them check it...have them remove the LTE plan then refresh it and put it back on..its better for you to be at the store while they are doing it anyways

[simp1istic]

Did you ever get this resolved? I'm having the exact same issue and it's maddening!

[jsmith11961]

I am also having the same issue. I have had my phOne replaced twice with the sim card and still no solution. The Internet only work sometimes but really slow. AT&T cannot find the solution for over a month. I think I'm going to cancel the service. If you find a solution please post it up.

[Ranmaniac]

I have the same issue...  Has been going on for 2 to 3 weeks for me.  The AT&T LTE network, at least in Houston, has been very intermittent. I thought it was my phone and took it into the Waranty/Service center in Houston and they said that many have came in with the same complaint, all users of LTE devices. I have the Galaxy Note so they grabbed another Note and inserted my SIM card in it and sure enough, it exhibited the same 4G intermittent behavior. Well, Im glad it's not my phone but the tech could only say that "They are working on it"..... 

[jsmith11961]

I have the galaxy s2 skyrocket 4g LTE and i am also having the same issues for like about a month. I already got the phone and sim card swaped twice and its still the same. They told me that there were no outages or problems with the network. My internet mostly never works but when it does its really slow and gets network communication errors. AT&T has not been able to resolve the issue. i also live in Houston. If you find solution please post.

[jsmith11961]

I have the galaxy s2 skyrocket 4g LTE and i am also having the same issues for like about a month. I already got the phone and sim card swaped twice and its still the same. They told me that there were no outages or problems with the network. My internet mostly never works but when it does its really slow and gets network communication errors. AT&T has not been able to resolve the issue. i also live in Houston. If you find solution please post.

[simp1istic]

I'm in houston as well with the same issue! It's been terrible, it's been almost "stalling." I'll click a link and it will sit there and "load" but nothing really happens.

[Ranmaniac]

Well, the techs at the warranty customer service center over on HWY 59 told me direectly that it is a network problem and judging from all the complaints, it can only be so.  The question is why is it taking so long to fix.

As far as stalling,  it does outright stall, rather than slow down.  If you use the app "Speed Test" by speedtest,net, you'll see it stall, and completely drop out and change servers in the middle of a test or network fail all together. 

This really is a pain in the neck...  and shouldnt take so long to fix.

[redpoint73 ACE - Wizard]

I've had this happen on my One X.  May or not be the same problem, but it wasn't a network issue.  Clearing cache and Dalvik fixed the issue.  But if you are not rooted, the only way to clear cache and Dalvik is to do a factory reset.

[Ranmaniac]

As you can see...  most of us are well beyond cache resets...  Some are well into their 3rd or 4th phone,  In my case, it's been over 2 phones, one with ICS which was factory reset and cleared when loaded,  and the other, fresh out of the box Gingerbread phone.

[Ranmaniac]

We should all gang up and do this as well...  from multiple locations...  Maybe they'll get the hint

http://forums.att.com/t5/Network-Coverage/Report-Network-Issues-with-Mark-the-Spot/td-p/3038099

[redpoint73 ACE - Wizard]

---

Ranmaniac wrote:

As you can see...  most of us are well beyond cache resets...  Some are well into their 3rd or 4th phone,  In my case, it's been over 2 phones, one with ICS which was factory reset and cleared when loaded,  and the other, fresh out of the box Gingerbread phone.

---

Just throwing it out there.  The fellow just above your post (s1mplictic) didn't state specifics about trying other phones.  And it always good to check the easy/obvious stuff first.

And it also wouldn't be the first time somebody suffered from "network issues" that were magically fixed after I told them to clear cache and Dalvik, and reboot.

Although the fact that he is in Houston area like you, does suggest that it can possibly be a local network issue.

[Ranmaniac]

Another user,  from Houston, has started a topic on it as well..  In "Networking Coverage"

http://forums.att.com/t5/Network-Coverage/LTE-in-Houston-unusable/td-p/3292259

[simp1istic]

At least this means I don't have to go through the hassle of replacing my device. (I've tried it on my S3 and my HTC One X.) The downside is, I'm paying AT&T a lot of money for something that doesn't work properly, all while they try to get even more from me. 

[jsmith11961]

mine doesent work either in Houston or the surrounding areas. i click something and takes about 3 minutes to load, and sometimes it doesnt even work. 

[jsmith11961]

mine doesent work either in Houston or the surrounding areas. i click something and takes about 3 minutes to load, and sometimes it doesnt even work. 

[Ranmaniac]

Encouraging news this morning...  I checked it when I arrived to work and outside in a courtyard area, I got a steady 10 mbps with no pauses or interuptions on 2 seprate speed tests which is par for that area.  We are a bit off the beaten path at work and I get 3 bars there.  I also get a steady 1.4 mbps in my office, indoors, which is also about what I've gotten in the past.  These were taken around 7:00 AM.  I usually have wifi in both these areas so I'm not used to checking 4G at that time of the day.  Perhaps it's a peak hours issue...  Perhaps they fixed it.  I'll try again around lunch.

[jsmith11961]

I'm still experiencing the same issues, it started to work normal around 10pm last night, but now its really slow again. -_-

[Ranmaniac]

I rechecked it again at 9:20 AM....  It's crapped out....

This is disheartning if it is indeed a bandwidth issue.  I dont believe that it gradually got worse as more phones were added though.  It seems like it started happening over a short period of time and that spells a technical issue, perhaps one that limited bandwidth...  Who's to say...  and I can guarantee that AT&T will never tell us.  I have a ways to go on my contract so my only saving grace will be that I have access to wifi most of the time.  I will however be demanding discounts.  This is unacceptable.  This sort of thing may even be able to be used as a breech of contract to avoid fees. 

I really would prefer a GSM phone because I travel to Europe from time to time.  

[labbecl]

I am having the same issue as well.   I am in the Houston Area.  My phone will say I have LTE but its not connecting.  Its going on a month for me.  I have switched Sim cards, I have replaced the phone.  This has been very troublesome.  ATT opened a case for me.  I called this mornign to check status and ATT told me the case has been closed because it was resolved.  I asked them how they resolved it since I was still having the same issues.  They told me they contacted other users who also filed a case and they had gotten their LTE back workign normally.  I told them that the problem still exists.  So they are now reopening the case and starting all over again.  I am getting very frustrated.  I have not been able to experience LTE at all yet.  Why is it so hard for ATT to figure it out?  Are you still having the same problem today?

[jsmith11961]

yes, i am still having the same problems. i went to the service center and they told me that it is was a known network issue with LTE

[Ranmaniac]

Yup...

I got a new sim card today and further verification from a different store that it's a network problem

Try the forum

http://forums.att.com/t5/Network-Coverage/LTE-in-Houston-unusable/m-p/3294325/highlight/false#M55480

All of us Houston guys are commiserating together...

[simp1istic]

Love the communication AT&T

[sgvalenti]

It's funny that you say it starts working better around 10:00 pm. It's the same for me.. This is getting VERY frustrating

[jsmith11961]

BUMP