iPhone IMEI/ICCID unknown

Sounds like this is the old error 23 where all of the radios (3G, WiFi, edge and bluetooth) have all failed. This is why it can't show the IMEI/ICCID numbers. Restoring won't work and the only thing you can do is make an appointment at the Apple store for a replacement. Your 3GS is under warranty.

I also got the same issue! Now my iphone only show 'connect to itunes' screen and for emergency call only. Besides, when I try to connect to itunes, itunes prompt 'itunes can't activate iphone cos sim card not inserted or sim pin required'. I can't even do a backup/restore using itunes. I've tried every suggested solutions from apple web but still can't work.
Can anyone help me please??

According to Apples website, the iPhone 3GS is not yet sold in India so the only way you could get support for that iPhone would be in the country that the iPhone was originally sold.

How about the problem I'm having?? You got any solution for me?
Please help.
Thanks.

Same problem, same solution. Apple store. Warranty exchange. Move on. Be happy.

iPhones can only be serviced or be covered under warranty in the country of purchase. Apple will have tracked the serial number to who sold it so they will know where it was purchased.

As far as warranty coverage goes if Apple does not have support in your country generally speaking coverage is through the cell phone provider. So as long as the iPhone was purchased legally in your country you should have no issues with getting a replacement assuming there is no damage from abuse or anything that would void the warranty.

If the phone was purchased in a different country then you will have to get the phone back to that country for warranty claims or service.

Hello All,

I bought an iPhone in Paris, France in 2008 (signed contract with Orange for one year -France Telecom-, I had to move to Beijing, China, recently, so France Telecom provided me the code to unlock the iPhone. Legally. ( http://assistance.orange.fr/2839.php?dub=1 )

My iPhone has been working correctly since I arrived to Beijing a few months ago and with different cards -in Beijing and in Hong Kong during my trips.

However, suddenly, last week in Beijing it stopped working. iPhone´s screen saying:
"IMEI: Unknown ICCD: Unknown"

I quickly went to the Official Apple Store in Sanlitun, Beijing, China, and the shop assistant told me that this has been done REMOTEDLY by Apple, trough iTunes! Probably when I tried to update to the new version of IPhone OS.

Whatever the reason might be, I find myself with an iPhone that doesnt work anymore at all, I cannot access to anything, with no repair service in China because "my phone belongs to another country stock" etc...

Please, whatever Apple did to my phone, online, trough the iTunes Store, and without my permission, I ask to be able to restore it, and to be allowed to connect to iTunes again with the USB cable, otherwise there´s no way to fix it.

This problem is widespread, a "manufacturing" / iTunes issue, as you can check on Google by typing
"iPhone IMEI: Unknown ICCDI: Unknown".

I really need to access to my IPhone latest information again so please, I ask Apple to take responsability and solve the problem.

I´m really disappointed with the excuses that were given to me at the Apple Store and the LIMITED assistance provided trough iTunes Support Service.
in China the aren´t authorized repair points.

Assistance to an Apple product should be GLOBAL and someone should be responsible.
Please stop blocking customers phones for NO reason, nor right!
This reminds me when Amazon took away books bought by Kindle customers without informing them, without their consent.

My iPhone is currently out of warranty but since this is an issue caused to me by Apple,
what are the options for me to fix it? Send it to France? Who pays for the shipping back and forth? Who pays for fixing it?
Paying for AppleCare for this is out of question.

Should I report it to the French Consumer Agency directly?

Thanks for reading and please help if you can.
It would be good if someone who works at Apple can actually write an official explanation for doing something so wrong.

WHAT THE SCREENS DISPLAYS:

MESSAGE 1) AND 2):

---On my MacBook Pro screen---

1)

"IMEI: Unknown ICCD: Unknown"

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1778372

2)
"iTunes could´t connect to the iPhone "iPhone" because it is locked with a passcode. You must enter your passcode. You must enter the passcode on the iPhone before it can be used with iTunes."

MESSAGE 3):

---On my iPhone screen---
Restore needed.
Iphone cannot make or receive calls. Restore from iTunes. www.apple.com/support

------

OTHERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. NO SOLUTION???
http://discussions.apple.com/search.jspa?objID=c201&search=Go&q=iccid+imei

Message was edited by: Pingguo

I have the same exact problem. I dunno if it was personally me who upgraded the firmware to 3.1.3 but after upgrading to that said version, iphone was performing sluggish for a while and when I charged it overnight, it displayed unknown IMEI/CCID.

Any other fix regarding this? I can't go back to Japan just to have the phone replaced since the only solution is to have the phone replaced to where you bought it. Can anyone please give another solution?! I don't have a phone for 3 weeks because of that darn firmware! This is getting frustrating. I hope someone from apple replies to this message.

I'm having a similar issue with my phone. It started 2 weeks ago. The first thing that happened was my battery went completely dead because i forgot to charge it, and after i plugged it in, eventually when it tried to boot up, it froze at the apple screen. I forced a reboot (home+power) and this time it started up fine. However, when i started using it i noticed that none of my apps worked, they would just crash. This was upseting me, so i decided to just restore the phone. At this point, it restored but would not activate my Sim card, or any of my cards (i have 2 polish sim cards and a at&t one .. phone is a factory unlocked phone i bought on ebay from Singapore). I tried restoring a few more times, but it would never activate. The phone now doesn't even boot up most of the time anymore, but instead hangs with the apple logo.

Is there ANY way to get this fixed in Europe or US ? I don't understand why Apple's warrenty on its computers is global but the phone service is country specific. Also, why can't you sell a factory unlocked directly from apple stores in the US like you do in Hong Kong. That way, US customer's who travel alot can purchase them like normal people, instead of being forced to import them from other countries and be put in situtations like this.

Hi,

I'm having the same problems as the people who posted here. My 3GS iPhone suddenly went into "Emergency call" mode and "Connect to iTunes", and if you click on the small i icon it gives the ff info:

IMEI:
Unknown

ICCID:
Unknown

When I connect it to iTunes, I get this message "iTunes could not connect to the iPhone "<myIphone's name>" because it is locked with a passcode. You must enter your passcode on the iPhone before it can be used with iTunes." The problem is I never get prompted to enter the passcode in the handset.

I tried restoring via iTunes but then I'm always getting this Error 23.

The iPhone was bought in Saudi Arabia and I'm currently here in Philippines. Globe Telecom (official carrier for iPhone here) would not entertain it saying it was not bought from them.

It's been a month now since this happened, I loved the iPhone but after this experience I'm having regrets owning one.

Hi Leandro,

How's your iPhone now? Were you able to have it up and running again? As is the case with you, after I upgraded to 3.1.3 when this problem started.

I understand you are here in PH as well, were you using GLOBE SIM when this happened or another? I was using SIM from SMART because the data speed was way much better. Actually, before the signal (No Service) went out, I got this notification from the handset that the carrier I was using is not authorized, something like that.

Regards,
Jesper