AT&T customers that are on iPhone’s GoPhone prepaid service have been encountering a loss of all data services on their device.
While AT&T and Apple encourage customers to sign for a contract plan, AT&T does offer iPhone as a prepaid device using the GoPhone Pick Your Plan plans. These plans are fully supported by both AT&T and Apple for use on iPhone, and start at $49.99/month ($10 less than a regular plan). The plans feature unlimited data, but with text messaging costing extra.
This is as far as you go: iPhone users on GoPhone accounts wind up with a DNS (cannot find server) error right at this point…
The problem appears to have begun on November 26th regionally, however it has since expanded across state lines, affecting customers at least in California, Oregon, and Washington states. It appears to only affect GoPhone plan users, and only while using Apple iPhones.
Since our initial reporting, some users have reported not having internet access since November 20th…
AT&T has yet to offer an official explanation as to why the problem is happening, but PhoneNews.com has independently verified the issue. AT&T technical support, when contacted, has generally not been aware of the issue. However, users have confirmed the problems many times over on AT&T’s official support forums.
AT&T was not available for immediate comment, we will update if/when they respond.
Update: Affected customers must call 1-877-419-4500 right now and inform the support representatives that this is an AT&T DNS server failure affecting your iPhone on GoPhone service. Unfortunately, our attempts to directly reach the AT&T Wireless NOC have failed, and we need your help to convince them that there is indeed an issue.
Also, do not let them re-direct you to Apple. Make them file a trouble ticket as this is clearly a network issue.
Update 2: Thanks to PhoneNews.com readers and feedback, AT&T isolated and confirmed the problem shortly after readers overloaded their call centers with reports of this issue. After three days, AT&T was able to repair the failed DNS server. Prepaid users are currently operational again, however, AT&T is only supplying a single DNS server to prepaid users currently. Generally, two DNS servers are supplied to a connection, in the event that one fails, which means that this problem could happen again until AT&T establishes a second DNS server for prepaid users.
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Same here wis off for 4hrs {that i know of } now its back on. The issue that iam having is i never wanted to be gophone user. I put in the wrong sss number by mistake not trying to .Yes i think att gets more money by having the iphone used this way .Does anyone see this? come on ppl.
The current data outage (January 31) is affecting all AT&T customers, not just GoPhone users.
If you incorrectly signed up with a GoPhone plan, just call AT&T Customer Care, and they can re-run your credit and place you on a regular plan.
@christopher Price , Not so fast !! Thats what i thought but NO they need me to come in to a corp.store . They say you need a new sims card , i said what, why? I guess i have to drive all the way out there , but dam . Anywads i still love the iphone just i want a better plan.