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Difficulty: MediumMobile Device Wireless and Network Connectivity

A smartphone user travelling internationally reports that while their phone connects to local cellular towers and can make voice calls, cellular data services are entirely unavailable. The technician verifies that data roaming is enabled on the OS level and the SIM card is active. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the issue?

  1. The device has an incorrect Access Point Name (APN) configured for the partner carrier network.Answer
  2. B
    The International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number has expired on the subscriber SIM card.
  3. C
    The mobile mail client was provisioned using POP3 on port 110 rather than IMAP on port 993.
  4. D
    The device operating system automatically assigned a link-local APIPA address to the cellular radio.

Answer

The device has an incorrect Access Point Name (APN) configured for the partner carrier network.
The Access Point Name (APN) defines the network settings required for a mobile device to establish a data connection with the cellular carrier network. When roaming or switching service profiles, an missing or invalid APN prevents IP data packets from routing properly, even though voice connectivity over cellular towers remains functional.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the reported connectivity symptoms
Voice calls function (cellular tower connection established), but IP data traffic fails completely.
This isolates the failure to network-layer cellular data routing parameters rather than physical radio transceiver issues.
2
Evaluate cellular data connection requirements
The Access Point Name (APN) provides the gateway settings, IP addressing structure, and authentication parameters needed for cellular internet access.
Without the correct carrier APN configured, the device cannot establish an IP data bearer connection with the cellular provider.

Key Concept

Access Point Name (APN) Configuration in Mobile Cellular Networks
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Topics

Mobile Device Wireless and Network Connectivity

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