14 DAY TRIAL // Apple has commissioned the first carrier settings update for iPhone 5 owners on America’s Verizon Wireless network. It aims to patch a bug that affected the phone’s Wi-Fi connection.
Delivered over the air (OTA), “This carrier settings update resolves an issue in which, under certain circumstances, iPhone 5 may use Verizon cellular data while the phone is connected to a Wi-Fi network,” Apple states.
The Cupertino mammoth outlines a few steps for customers to install the update (reproduced below).
1. Tap Settings > General > About. 2. Wait for the following alert to appear: (top right) 3. Tap OK to install the update. 4. Hold the Sleep/Wake button down until you see "slide to power off." 5. Slide to power off. 6. After the device powers off, hold the Sleep/Wake button to turn your phone back on.
The iPhone 5 unit must be turned off and then on again to complete the installation.
As soon as the phone restarts, users are required to tap Settings > General > About, then scroll down to verify that "Verizon 13.1" is displayed in front of the Carrier.
A mile-long thread over at Apple Support Communities is actively discussing the widespread issue involving poor WiFi networking on the iPhone 5.
Apparently, users are yet to confirm that the issue has been resolved. Many are still watching the thread closely for a resolution. However, since the update is delivered over the air, everyone will have their problems fixed shortly.
To be noted that the Wi-Fi networking issue on the iPhone 5 is not caused by a design flaw in the phone’s radio chips, but by errors in the phone’s software. Which is why you might want to hold off the trip to your local store until you’ve had this patch installed.