Acer Iconia A100 3G Antenna Replacement

crwdns2915892:0crwdne2915892:0

If the 3G on your Acer Iconia Tab A100 is failing, you may have a defective 3G Antenna. This guide shows you how to remove / replace the 3G Antenna.

Start at any side of the tablet.
Begin to take apart the tablet with a plastic opening tool along the sides of the tablet.
Work your way around the tablet.
There are four side pieces in total.

Remove the five 4 mm screws from the edges of the tablet with a Phillips #00 screwdriver.

Use the tip of a plastic spudger or opening tool to gently push the connector head out of its socket.
Use your fingers or the flat edge of a plastic opening tool to lift the battery up and off of the device.
Be sure to not have any water around the device while removing the battery.
Be sure to be cautious while removing the battery and remove carefully; avoid ripping the wires attached to the battery.

Locate the two connectors at each end of the FPC.
Use the flat edge of a spudger tool or your fingernail to gently pry each connector straight upwards out of its socket, then remove the FPC cable from the unit.
While a metal spudger tool is shown here, it is best to use a plastic spudger / opening tool when possible, and only use a metal spudger as a last resort!
You should now see the yellow-colored strip on the metal base marking the location of the FPC

Locate the L-shaped I/O Board.
Locate the gray 3G Antenna wire.
If the gray 3G Antenna wire is connected to your I/O Board, disconnect it. If for some reason the 3G Antenna wire is already disconnected from the I/O Board (as it was in this device) simply lift it out of the way.

Locate the microphone cable.
You should be able to gently pull it out of its socket using only your fingers.
The spudger is used in the photo merely to hold up / identify the disconnected mic cable head.

Locate the light sensor connector.
Use the tip of a spudger or your fingernail to lift up and flip the small retaining flap on the connector. The light sensor ribbon cable should now be free, so simply pull it out.
This is a ZIF (zero insertion force) connector, which requires no force to remove / plug in the connector.
Please make sure you lift up on the small retaining flap on the connector, not the connector itself!
Use a Phillips #00 screwdriver to unscrew the single 3.0mm Phillips screw next to the light sensor connector.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the gold connector of the antenna cable straight up from the unit.
While a metal spudger tool is shown here, it is best to use a plastic spudger/opening tool when possible, and only use a metal spudger as a last resort!
With the 3G Antenna cable disconnected from the device, lift the 3G Antenna module out and remove it from the device.