It works the same as any other internet connection. If the device is not connected to the Internet, they will not be received. If there is a Wi-Fi connection, they will be received without problems (in the case of an iPad without 3G).
Please note that even if you have an Internet connection, push notifications are not guaranteed, and the user can completely disable them in the Notification Center.
The actual connection is initiated by the device on port 5223 (polling). If this port is blocked on your network (for example, through a firewall), notifications are not accepted.
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