back to article T-Mobile USA: DON'T install Apple's iOS 10, for the love of God

Don't install Apple's new iOS 10 on your iPhone 6, 6+ or SE, warns T-Mobile US, or you'll suffer knackered connectivity. In the past hour, the American cell network blasted out texts to its subscribers urging them to hold off on upgrading. And it tweeted publicly to raise the alarm, telling people to stay away from the …

  1. J. R. Hartley
  2. tfewster
    Facepalm

    Thank you, early adopters...

    (Or should that be "Alpha testers"?)

    ...for sacrificing your phones to save the rest of us from meeting the same fate.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Thank you, early adopters...

      I reckon that should read "Thank you early adopters on T-Mobile USA".

      I haven't had any problems, and I've been using it whilst travelling (thus doing a lot of network switching) since public beta 1..

      1. Lord Elpuss Silver badge

        Re: Thank you, early adopters...

        "I reckon that should read "Thank you early adopters on T-Mobile USA"."

        Quite. Given that this applies specifically to T-mobile customers, it's likely to be a carrier issue (or conflict between carrier settings and iOS10 - either way it's a bit rich to simply lay it at Apple's doorstep.

  3. W4YBO

    So this is what schadenfreude without a twinge of guilt feels like.

    I too, once suffered from EAS (Early Adopters Syndrome).

  4. JLV

    The curse of 10?

    First Windows 10, then this.

    I sure hope the Linux kernel goes up to 11.

    FWIW, the Muse meditation aid folk also sent out a warning about iOS 10 issues.

    1. MrDamage Silver badge

      Re: The curse of 10?

      > "I sure hope the Linux kernel goes up to 11."

      So do I. I look forward to seeing Mr Torvalds sporting a mullet, handlebar moustache, and wearing a kilt whilst dancing around a miniature Stonehenge.

    2. macjules

      Re: The curse of 10?

      Perhaps they should have called it iOSX?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: The curse of 10?

        The name is free, Sierra XR4i is now going to be called MacOS

        1. Steven Raith

          Re: The curse of 10?

          Tenuous link, but a mates son has just bought a Turbo Technics XR4i and I am staggeringly jealous of it.

          Absolutely not relation to Apple, but I just wanted to let you all know that hairy, turbo'd non-cossie Sierras are still available.

          Steven R

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: The curse of 10?

            Tenuous link, but a mates son has just bought a Turbo Technics XR4i and I am staggeringly jealous of it.

            It's OK...just take any old screwdriver and you can drive it any time you wish.

            1. Steven Raith

              Re: The curse of 10?

              Drive it sideways straight into a lamp-post - old school boost control (IE nothing then everything), 300lb/ft, skinny tyres - an 'entertaining' mix I hear....

              Steven R

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: The curse of 10?

          "Sierra XR4i is now going to be called MacOS".

          I'll wait for the Cosworth version; rounding the corners will be better.

  5. Version 1.0 Silver badge

    Testing? We've heard of it.

    Apple is getting more like Microsoft every day - actually it's the whole industry. First Microsoft forgot that not everyone uses the built in camera, then Samsung forgot to batch test their systems, now Apple ... "It worked with AT&T and Verizon so what's the problem?"

    I've said it before here and I'm sure I'll say it again - these days everyone tests to see if it works, nobody tests anything to see if it fails. So ...

    The law of Version 1.0: If you don't test to try and make it fail ... it will.

    1. Jos V

      Re: Testing? We've heard of it.

      I'd hazard a gamble here and say the difference between T-Mobile and Verizon/AT&T is that T-Mobile uses GSM, and VzW and AT&T use CDMA. Just a guess though.

      1. Herby

        Re: Testing? We've heard of it.

        VZW and Sprint use CDMA. AT&T and T-Mobile use GSM.

        1. Preston Munchensonton

          Re: Testing? We've heard of it.

          VZW and Sprint use CDMA. AT&T and T-Mobile use GSM.

          While true at one time, none of this matters now since all four rely on LTE.

          1. MondoMan

            Re: VZW and Sprint use CDMA. AT&T and T-Mobile use GSM.

            PM claims "While true at one time, none of this matters now since all four rely on LTE."

            In the US, not every spot has the latest LTE coverage, and LTE uses a number of different bands, not all of which are supported by a given phone model. Thus, it is common for US cell phones to actually use GSM/CDMA to make voice calls, and to often fall back into using older data protocols.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: everyone tests to see if it works, nobody tests anything to see if it fails.

      A thousand times this!!!

      If there's a single route through a process that works then the product passes, no matter how many fail routes there are. Does my fucking nut in!

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Testing? We've heard of it.

      I've actually seen 4 or so updates while it was in beta, and that took a few months in total so I don't think it's fair to say that Apple don't test (can't comment on Microsoft as we no longer use it).

      I'd turn that one around: why does only T-Mobile USA have this problem, and why (given that they're a telco) didn't THEY discover this earlier? The issue here is not universal, so it's interaction between whatever T-Mobile USA is running and iOS, and Apple won't discover that if nobody at T-Mobile USA opens their mouth during beta - that's sort of why you have public betas in the first place.

      1. Dan 55 Silver badge

        Re: Testing? We've heard of it.

        Perhaps involving the operators in testing before pushing the update is a good thing, instead of just flinging a beta out there and hoping it'll get picked up by large bureaucratic telecos.

      2. Roland6 Silver badge

        Re: Testing? We've heard of it.

        I'd turn that one around: why does only T-Mobile USA have this problem, and why (given that they're a telco) didn't THEY discover this earlier? The issue here is not universal...

        I suspect the problem is that only T-Mobile either had sufficient users reporting problems that they actually looked at it, rather than simply put the problem down to user error, or it happened to an employee who happened to be in the right team with the time and right tools available... to be able to look at the problem a little more meaningfully than you or I.

        Additionally, given the complexity of the 3gPP stack and configuration options, I suspect the particular combination of parameters T-Mobile (and it's equipment suppliers) have used, exercised Apple's code in a way they had not foreseen when combined with the specific hardware revisions of particular iPhones...

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Testing? We've heard of it.

      Actually... yes, they _have_ heard of testing. Now that testing is over and the NDA has expired, I can say that i was part of the external beta test ('AppleSeed', to you peons who don't get early access to operating system bugs and disasters) and I can say that I had no problems with connectivity during the testing period, which was (mumble) months long. This is not to say that there weren't problems. Christ Jesus, it is not to say that there' weren't bloody problems. At times it was difficult to tell the difference between the Official AppleSeed Discussions Forum and El Reg's fora, such was the level of hate... In particular were comments about battery life and certain apps, including Apple apps (or perhaps especially Apple apps) which either didn't work or which seemed to work but didn't work. there's still a problem with backing up (sometimes) and another when the system displays very low charge left... incorrectly. The Great Unwashed Public merely hasn't had time to discover those problems. They will.

      Still, things could have been worse. It could have been the way things were when OS X Housecat... ah, that is, Lion... meowed. There was one fanboi on the AppleSeed forum who managed to irritate multiple other seeders with his continual posts of "We're good to go!" when people were reporting bugs which weren't fixed until Mountain Lion. Or Mavericks. Or, in one case I can think of, El Capitan. This resulted in multiple flamewars in the forum, and the mods had to get involved. At least two people left the seed program, never to return...

      Posted AC to avoid the Wrath of The Cookie.

      1. Version 1.0 Silver badge

        Re: Testing? We've heard of it.

        Absolutely - I'm sure that the products were "tested" but the problem is that testing and discovering faults/bugs/inconsistencies is a messy process and when the reports come in saying things like "battery life is shite", "my motherforking camera stopped working" etc etc - then the people running the testing process discount the reports - clearly the user is an idiot is the general conclusion.

        They then fire the user from the beta forum for abuse etc and continue listening to all the reports that say it works great.

  6. waynec

    What about iPhone 6s?

    Presumably this isn't a problem with iPhone 6s on T-Mobile. I have one and updated to iOS 10 and haven't seen any problems yet.

    1. goldcd

      Re: What about iPhone 6s?

      Eds!

      Please take the story down, it's all fine.

      1. Stevie

        Re: It's all fine

        Stories aren't taken down at El Reg when events have changed the context of them. They get bootnoted, and make their way into the archive alongside all the stories you approve of.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Hmm

    Thats really kind of weird. I wonder why T-Mobile's having problems with iOS 10 and we're not.

    Our network is also in the US and GSM/LTE (which kind of narrows down who I work for as there are precisely two), but aside from the usual, routine Apple problems like IMEI mismatches, its been fairly smooth with iOS 10. I'd say it is indeed their carrier software, though ours being better than theirs doesn't happen that often. Hell, this might very well be the first time thats ever happened.

    I did have someone fuck up their phone the day it came out, but it was more because they're a moron than anything the update itself did.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    iPhone 5s

    iOS 10 updated and all good.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: iPhone 5s

      Thanks for that! Well done. No really, well done!

      1. Halfmad

        Re: iPhone 5s

        He's *so* brave, such courage.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I did an update to iOS 10

    and there was a 'carrier update' to do as well.

    My guess is that T-Mobile screwed that bit up and not Apple themselves.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: My guess is that T-Mobile screwed that bit up and not Apple themselves.

      What's with all the AC Apple defenders? What credence should we give to your guess, given your posting history of a single, apple defending with no actual facts, post?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: My guess is that T-Mobile screwed that bit up and not Apple themselves.

        What's with all the AC Apple defenders? What credence should we give to your guess, given your posting history of a single, apple defending with no actual facts, post?

        What's with all the AC people who dispute what people report (BTW, mine has worked ok since beta 1 apart from one old app that was written for iOS 8)? Desperately trying to defend privacy snooping Android? Apple will probably be able to fix the issue with iOS, but you won't be able to fix Google..*

        * Just as a counterpoint. People posting AC might not like the eternal tracking that goes on - our history is OUR business, not yours.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: My guess is that T-Mobile screwed that bit up and not Apple themselves.

          * Just as a counterpoint. People posting AC might not like the eternal tracking that goes on - our history is OUR business, not yours.

          Ahhh blissful ignorance thinking you can't be tracked....I remember those days.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: My guess is that T-Mobile screwed that bit up and not Apple themselves.

            Ahhh blissful ignorance thinking you can't be tracked....I remember those days.

            Ahh, blissful assumptions, the lifeblood of the Internet. I was referring to the fact that the poster was alluding to using El Reg handles providing history, and posting as anon nicely buggers that up other than for El Reg who may need to keep a beady eye on people abusing the privilege.

            For the rest, oh boy do I know about tracking. It's my business to know..

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              It was a T-mobile screwup

              Given that T-mobile is now claiming "Apple has addressed the issue within iOS 10" but the fix is actually to install a new carrier update (version 25.2) it sure looks to have been T-mobile's issue...

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: My guess is that T-Mobile screwed that bit up and not Apple themselves.

        Ok, let me confess right at the outset that I own two bits of Apple Kit., A Macbook Pro (2012) and an iPod touch (2009 ish)

        The work as I want them to and that's it. The Macbook certainly works better than the windows laptop that it replaced.

        It seems that a lot of people who get downvotes just because of their login Handle no matter what sort of point they are making. Then there are those who don't slag off Apple all the time and even when presenting a balanced argument the get downvoted by the Apple Haters who seeminly can't stand the idea that Apple exits let alone sells stuff so any mention of their hated company gets a downvote.

        It seems that some of those people choose to use AC for their posting just to avoid the 'downvote just because it is person XXYYZ' commentards.

        Maybe I'm wrong. I'm sure the audience here would love to know. Hey, you can even post AC so that we don't know who you are.

        I'm posting this as AC just so that I don't get downvoted because of my handle but won't stop them all.

        1. Tom_

          Re: My guess is that T-Mobile screwed that bit up and not Apple themselves.

          Welcome to the internet. :-/

  10. Anonymous South African Coward Bronze badge

    A long while ago I was one of the "early adopters" when iOS5 and iOS6 came belching out - and stopped from doing that.

    Decided it is more fun (and better) to have others do the upgrade first... after all if they encounter any problems, they will report back with borked devices, but not me as my device (running older software) will still work just fine. Once all issues has been ironed out, then the upgrade will be done.

    1. Fred Flintstone Gold badge

      I have a number of devices, so I tend to stick a public beta on the oldest one and see what happens. In addition, I never upgrade without making a full backup first, but that's because I'm old school - mistakes can always happen..

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Ah bless

    "It's a disaster"

    No, it is connectivity issues on a mobile phone.

  12. Chris G

    HaHaHa

    Not because it's Apple or Tmob in particular but because it's affecting large corporations that have the experience to know better but still don't bother to act according to that experience.

    I am sorry for all their customers though who have to suffer the " Let's fix it only if we have to" attitude of so many of these autocratic corps.

    I hope their directors bonuses suffer but I won't be holding my breath.

  13. cambsukguy

    Haha, one upate and it is okay for most, big deal

    I have done at least 20 updates to Windows 10 and quite a few to WinPhone 10. All on the same machine(s) of course.

    1. Preston Munchensonton
      Stop

      Re: Haha, one upate and it is okay for most, big deal

      I have done at least 20 updates to Windows 10 and quite a few to WinPhone 10. All on the same machine(s) of course.

      I would say that it sounds like you're bragging, but then you just had to mention Windows 10 and WinPhone 10 and ruin things.

    2. elhvb

      Re: Haha, one upate and it is okay for most, big deal

      20 updates or 20 update _attempts_ of which the first 19 failed?

  14. James O'Shea

    Hmmm... not around here

    I have an iPhone 6. It's on T-Mob. It's running iOS 10. All appears to be working normally.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Hmmm... not around here

      It was fixed yesterday, if carrier update 25.2 loaded when you updated you got the fix when you installed iOS 10.

      1. James O'Shea

        Re: Hmmm... not around here

        I thought that it'd be something like that.

  15. Nameless Faceless Computer User

    Rev x.0 of anything is for the beta testers. If you install 10.0 don't complain that you found a bug because that's what you signed up for. Enjoy.

  16. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Problem has been fixed with another new carrier update apparently. T-Mobile still blaming Apple though.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      T-Mobile still blaming Apple though.

      .. as do the Apple haters :)

  17. weebž
    Pint

    Carrier problem

    I've been using all the public beta iOS 10's and now on the full bore version.

    No problems what so ever! But, I'm in the UK and on a totally different carrier. It's Friday huzzah, have a pint and forget about it.

  18. SunBoy

    iPhones on T-Mobile have always been flaky...(especially UK ones)

    So, how many of you have travelled to the US using an iPhone from the UK...?

    Ever noticed that unless you are using AT&T, the T-Mobile signal on 3G is flaky and falls to often stay on the network or be able to use data ?

    I think it was only a matter of time before something like this happened... hopefully this will be a FULL fix....

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: iPhones on T-Mobile have always been flaky...(especially UK ones)

      So, how many of you have travelled to the US using an iPhone from the UK...?

      Well, unless I get hold of some Miguel Caballero clothing I think I won't be one of them, so I'm not that bothered :).

      Weekend => Guinness!

  19. Ben Boyle

    Can we get some photos of T-Mob users

    So we can see if they're holding it correctly?

  20. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Fixed Now...

    Just got the following message from T-Mobile:

    "Important Message: Current version of iOS 10 has connectivity issues. An update is now available. Please go to Settings->General->About to update your iPhone."

    This triggers an update to ....

    (wait for it....)

    Carrier SETTINGS....

    <SARCASM>so... I guess it was apples fault? </SARCASM>

    how bloody disingenuous... making it look like it was an iOS bug rather then a T-MOBILE bug....

  21. Tessier-Ashpool

    Pasty Vulture

    Never mind T-Mobile. What's happened to the El Reg vulture icon on Safari's home page? It's looking decidedly pasty.

POST COMMENT House rules

Not a member of The Register? Create a new account here.

  • Enter your comment

  • Add an icon

Anonymous cowards cannot choose their icon

Other stories you might like