Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Factory Unlocked iPhone 4 not working with a different SIM

Recently, I bought a factory unlocked iphone 4 in Australia and brought it back to India and activated the phone through iTunes using an already trimmed SIM(since there are no Micro sims available in my country) of 'Cellone' Carrier that I was using for my iPad since quite some time.

The phone got activated without any issues and I was able to use all the functionalities of it. However, my 'Cellone' SIM is meant for data usage on my ipad and for regular calling purpose, I want to use my 'Airtel' Carrier SIM. Hence, I have trimmed my Airtel SIM to fit into my new iphone 4.

However when I insert the Airtel SIM, the phone is not recognized it and shows the "No SIM" message. I'm very sure that I have properly trimmed the Airtel SIM because when I insert the same Airtel SIM in my Ipad 3G, Ipad recognizes it properly and I'm able to browse the web.

Also, on my new Iphone 4, I have inserted another Micro SIM (apart from the Cellone SIM) which it recognizes properly. All that the issue is it is just not recognizing my Airtel SIM.

This being the situation, now I have gone clueless. Firstly, I was under the assumption that Factory unlocked iphone allows to use only one carrier SIM (in my case the Cellone SIM). However, it seems my understanding is not correct, since the phone recognizes another Micro SIM. Any help in this matter is greatly appreciated.

Thanks much in advance.

Iphone 4, iOS 4

Posted on Sep 7, 2010 12:08 AM

Best reply

a1000

Level 2

271 points

Posted on Sep 7, 2010 12:33 AM

I'm afraid that the most likely cause is that the sim card is damaged in some way. I would get Airtel to send a replacement if you can, test it in another phone and then try again.

Best regards.

View in context

72 replies

Jan 25, 2011 12:12 AM in response to Sagar anand

And here it is!!

You will never be able to get the phone legally unlocked in India.

Which country did your cousin get then phone from? If it came from the US it cannot be unlocked at all by anyone for any reason in any country. If it came from the UK it would have to be unlocked by the network that originally supplied, and then only under specific circumstances and not while the phone is in India.

Once again you are probably stuck with a very expensive paperweight. If you find out what network it is locked to, you should sell it on Ebay. Or send it back to your cousin and tell him to get a refund from the store he bought it in.

Your only comfort, such as it is, is that there are thousands of people like you in India. Good luck!!

cls24

Level 2

395 points

Jan 25, 2011 8:20 AM in response to Sagar anand

Sagar anand wrote:
can somebody just help me ut with iphone 4
i have just got an iphone 4 from us which mah cousin send to me
its ios is 4.1.2 and i want to get factory unlocked in india (ahmedabad)
so can someone suggest me whether its possible to get iphone 4 facotry unlocked in india

We can honestly sympathize with your pain, however as many have posted above, there is no way to get the phone "factory" unlocked from anyone but the carrier that sells the phone.

Phones sold in the USA as you said is where yours was purchased is locked to the AT&T Network and AT&T does not factory unlock phones. Apple does not factory unlock phones.

Best advice is to sell the phone to someone in the USA and use that money towards a phone that works in your country.

We wish you the best of luck.

luisana

Level 1

7 points

Apr 24, 2011 11:41 AM in response to pkmandhyan

Hi I have a problem i got 3 Iphone 4 for my family from the Apple Store in Opera Paris the phone has this number on the receipt

MC603FB/A. and MC605FB/A

One phone is working, the other one is in the box. and the other one i tried yo plug it in the computer and there's a message that says " Sim not supported for these iPhone"

It's supposed to be factory unlock and the other one works perfectly, I called the Store they told me that it should work fine because is unlocked.

They told me to press the home botton while connecting to the computer and Itunes but still not answer and the same message appears.

It doesn't have any contract in france were are using it in Costa Rica with the only carrier that is Kolbi Ice.

Any suggestions??

May 23, 2011 8:49 PM in response to girishramarao

Guys, I am from Bangalore and want to buy a Iphone 4 unlocked set. Let me know if anyone is interested to sell a Iphoen 4. Contact me at chinnu2610atgmaildotcom... thx

Oct 2, 2011 11:04 PM in response to girishramarao

Hi Everyone,

Need a a help in problem with my factory unlocked iPhone 4.

I bought it from Canada and now I am in Pune, India. It is able to recognize Idea, Vodafone, Airtel networks.

But, the problem is when I make a call from iphone, I am not able to hear anything from it. Even speakers are not working. This happens when I receive the call as well.

I tried with headphones, even with that it does not work. I tried restoring the iphone from iTunes, no luck 😟

Need your help in resolving this issues.

Regards,

Mangesh

Oct 3, 2011 12:21 AM in response to mangeshfromPune

Hi Everyone,

Need a a help in problem with my factory unlocked iPhone 4.

I bought it from Canada and now I am in Pune, India. It is able to recognize Idea, Vodafone, Airtel networks.

But, the problem is when I make a call from iphone, I am not able to hear anything from it. Even speakers are not working. This happens when I receive the call as well.

I tried with headphones, even with that it does not work. I tried restoring the iphone from iTunes, no luck 😟

Need your help in resolving this issues.

Regards,

Mangesh

Mangesh,

If I am correct, you will get a phone call, but you cannot hear anything nor can you hear when you make a call. I got 2 Iphones from the store unlocked ones and had similar issues, the problem is with the handset speakers and nothing or no one can do anything about it. Just go to a nearest apple store and get it exchanged would be my best suggestion. Trust me I had 2 black iphones 16 GB exchanged in 3 days before I got fed up and took up a white 32GB instead..just get it replaced...

Srini

KiltedTim

Level 10

195,813 points

Oct 3, 2011 3:00 AM in response to mangeshfromPune

Since the warranty is NOT international, you will need to take the phone to Canada or send it to a friend there and have them take it into the Apple store for service.

If you would have bothered to read any of this over 1 year old thread before you posted, you might have figured that out on your own.

Oct 3, 2011 8:19 AM in response to Srini2610

Hi Srini,

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I am able to make the call as well receive it on the iPhone. When I answer the call or make the call, no sound from iPhone, I am not able to hear anything from it or the other person is not able to hear whatever I am speaking in the phone.

Are you saying 32GB does not have this problem?

Also, I had sent the phone to US and they checked it saying that can not reproduce the problem. My friend in US, he also tested it and it was working fine there in US. After that, he had sent it to me again here in India and same problem here again.

I really don't know what to do next. Really surprising to see apple products behave like this 😟

-Mangesh

deggie

Level 10

167,183 points

Oct 3, 2011 7:47 PM in response to mangeshfromPune

If it is working in the US it could be that:

1. Your iPhone is locked to AT&T and you are unofficially unlocking it.

2. You have a defective SIM.

3. You have a coverage problem where you are.

If it is working in the US there is nothing wrong with the iPhone.

Oct 31, 2011 10:31 AM in response to mrmishra

helo mr.mishra...my airtel and vodafone sim is not working in iphone 4s...what to do,please tell me..will be thankful to you...

with regards

nikhil

Nov 25, 2011 6:51 AM in response to shivamfromalbany

hi nikil,

even my iphone 4S is not working with airtel / aircel.

customer care @ apple & @ airtel are clueless, even on the launch day today,

but surprisingly, BSNL 3G sim works perfectly with iphone 4S.

The problem i face with airtel sim / aircel sim with iphone 4S is that every 2 mins, the iphone 4S keeps searching for signal, and when it gets the signal back, it works for 2 mins...
please do reply, if you have a solution to the problem

thanking in advance

guru

Nov 28, 2011 2:06 PM in response to girishramarao

hi guys,

i recently bought a new iphone 4s factory unlocked. in order to avoid sim failures and invalid sim errors or No service errors, Each phone has to be unlocked by connecting it to the Itunes.

Kindly follow the below steps to avoid any SIM card conflicts

iPhone FULL Unlock - How it Works:

-Connect your iphone to itunes without any network sim inside and when connected click on the iphones name.

- Click Restore install latest version of iTunes on your Pc or Mac or click check for updates

- Let itunes Backup your phone and then Flash to the Latest Version.

- Now disconnect phone and reconnect after 10 seconds.

- Now Enter another network simcard that's not the same network its locked on to

- Connect phone to iTunes with not accepted (not valid) simcard

- Wait until iTunes detects the phone

- iTunes will display (Congratulations, Your iPhone is now unlocked)

- Phone Unlocked

- just follow the instructions about activating the Iphone.

and iphone is unlocked 🙂🙂🙂

NOTE : This is the only FULL LIFE TIME UNLOCK solution for Apple iPhone as the IMEI is registered as UNLOCKED in Apple database.

This solution should be used ONLY THOSE WHO BOUGHT FACTORY UNLOCKED iPHONE 4S.

Your phone will always be unlocked even after each new update of your phone firmware !

All reasons given like bad IMEI series, manufacturing defects etc blah blah are not logical as everything was tested before every sale.

Factory Unlocked iPhone 4 not working with a different SIM