IOS – Newsstand magazine downloads very slow and halting

My newsstand has two subscriptions: New Yorker and Economist.

1. When a new issue is available for either one of those, the period required to download the issue is super slow, and unreliable – it will seem to spin along well, showing the download numbers increase, but then simply halt. The iPad will then go to its lock screen, and when I go back, zero additional downloading will have progressed in the meantime. In fact, sometimes it pops back to the previous downloaded amount prior to the last little progress session.

2. I have "download automatically" set in the preferences for Newsstand for these subscriptions. It doesn't do it on its own (and, as above, barely does it when I ask it to specifically).

Note:

• Yes, I have done the "show the currently running apps and then fully close down the NYer and Newssstand apps all the way" method – does not help… and I've shut down the iPad all the way and restarted, also.

• I live in Thailand, but I'm on a pretty fast DSL and the Wi-Fi is fine… jeez, in these times, overseas location doesn't matter, right?

Anyone have these problems or have a guess?

^{The iPad is the iPad 3, has the newest iOS as of today (Nov 2012), etc…}