sim card not valid after update to ios 5

@Floysh

Make sure you call Apple to check that the serial number for your replacement phone has been updated in their system to show it is associated with your phone number. Otherwise, you will get the same error when you try to update your software next time around. It might also be a good idea to check with your carrier to make sure the IMEI number for the replacement phone is showing up in their system.

I'm so glad I found this discussion. I called Apple support armed with all this wisdom and found a delightful support person that knew exactly what was going on - and she immediately found my profile was attached to the Reunion Islands, an extra territorial province of France - east of Madacascar!! 😮 (I 'm in Houston TX with ATT) And yes, this was a replacement phone....She made an appointment for me for the morning at the nearest apple store First Colony Mall in Sugar Land TX. Presumably when I get there tomorrow morning it will all get propertly sorted. Thanks for all your insights folks! 😍

I got the same problem here in South Africa with MTN

Ok so I have a 3GS, attempted upgrade on 17/12/11 to ios5 - got the SIM not supported message. I bought my iPhone in the UK, moved to Australia in 2010. Had phone officially unlocked. Phone bricked on upgrade in Jan 11 - replaced by Apple in Sydney. Phone bricked again on upgrade in Feb 11 - replaced again by Apple in Sydney. Have been to Genius bar, and phoned support. They say the issue is that the handset takes on the profile of the original phone when you restore from iTunes - so for me this would be the phone from the Uk. This, according to Apple, is showing as locked to Vodafone Uk. So I have to contact Vodafone Uk, apparently, to get them to unlock the handset - we'll see where this goes.

The issue as I see it is it doesn't matter whether you buy a new phone - if you restore it to your iTunes profile it will pick up the profile of your original phone. If, as in my case, you have moved Countries since then you will have this problem. To my mind it is clearly a software issue that is caused by the ios5 upgrade. Apple deny this.

I will have to wait and see what happens with Vodafone UK - but as I'm not their customer I won't hold my breath. In the meantime I have a brick and no way to get at vital information.

I have done reset my phone to factory setting, rebooted, and now finally replaced the sim card. New sim seems to solve problem today... I hope this is where it stops.

I have Iphone sim problems + battery problems... updated 4S in hopes of getting rid of battery problem and I got a new sim problem... hate this phone. Also before any person says the galaxy seems to be a better option it appears the Samsung Galaxy2 has same battery problems so it might be there forever I believe due to multitasking? seeing as both smartphones with multitasking have low battery. But on 4s not being able to use the "phone" fails

OMG , mine isnt working i just upgraded to ios5 and i used my iphone as an ipod and the phone keeps saying sim not valid can i use gevey?

please thanks

I had this issue too. I took the phone to AT&T and was issued a new sim card. That did nothing, they told me to seee Apple. I went to the Apple store and was told, in no nice terms, that it was my fault, that I needed to extend apple care, and my only option was to buy a new phone for $150, even though they couldn't possibly explain to me how a software update could cause the issue.

I called apple support less than 24 hours ago and my iPhone is working again. CALL APPLE SUPPORT!!!! They will fix it. There is some kind of remote authentication in iOS5 and if your iPhone isn't entered into their database correctly it will disable your phone. This appears to be what happened to me - I think becaue the screen on my original iPhone4 died and I had to get a replacement unit within the first year.

Whatever it was, it was a server side problem that was, despite what the people at the store told me, Apple's problem/fault. Apple resolved it quickly and another restore cleared up the problem immediately.

I repeat, others on this forum have said it too: get someone else's phone or whatever and CALL APPLE!!! Don't go to the store, all they know how to do is sell hardware.

I've been reading all your replies...same thing happened to me on a 3gs after updating to ios 5. Went to the apple store, yes they are aware of the issue, totally! The store replaced my phone which was 384 days out of warranty for NO CHARGE WHATSOEVER. Plus I got the standard 90 day warranty on the replacement. The new 3gs came with the ios 5 pre installed. When I got home, I plugged into itunes and it updated to ios 5.0.1,with no problems. No one should have any trouble swapping out their defective phone, unless maybe youhave an attitude going in. Be pleasant, and remember you catch more flies with honey, not vinegar! Good job Macdevil, you were helpful and at least I knew I wasn't the only one with an issue!

Thanks everyone, and I hope you find the info useful...and at the very least won't be stuck with an expensive paperweight! 😉

You should not have battery problemsunless your phone has the older operating system and wifi will drain the battery. The new ios 5 will fix this issue. If you now have a sim card issue as in your phone will not recognize it, apple will replace the phone. Don't give up and buy a galaxy, the iphone is awesome, really.

Add me to the list of happy customers who have had this problem fixed. After calling Apple and working my way up the support pyramid for over an hour, I spoke with a specialist named Gina who corrected the issue and told me I would be able to restore the phone again within 24 hours.

So, if you are having this issue, CALL APPLE SUPPORT. Be patient, polite, and explain the problem clearly. You will eventually reach a person who can correct the issue. Do not go to the Apple Store. The geniuses do not know how to fix this issue (nor do they have the authority to do so). Getting a replacement phone WILL NOT fix the problem, since your information will still be messed up in Apple's system. Also, do not let Apple try to charge you for the support call or for a new phone. This is their fault and their responsibility to fix.

Best of luck to everyone!

Hello - don't know if anyone can give me advice, more a consumer issue than one for this forum perhaps but here goes.

I am in the UK and recently bought a second hand Iphone 3G from a person at work (they have since left so I cannot get in touch with them to see if they can do anything). It was locked to the 02 network but the person I bought it from kindly rang 02 to get it unlocked. It took a month but finally it was recognised as an unlocked phone by Itunes. It then asked me to upgrade to the ios5 which I did. Since then my SIM hasn't been recognised.

I've read all the information above about calling Apple but am not sure where I stand as the phone is (1) second hand and I am not the original owner; and (2) the registration process for my phone couldn't be completed as it came up immediately with the software upgrade. I will be using a different company (Orange) so Apple would have no way of knowing that my number was attached to the phone? Or would they accept the serial number of the handset (provided there is one) to register?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated - I would love to use the phone and I won't get even half my money back if I recycle the handset!!

Many thanks, Julie

Hi Julie

I had the sim problem too, but I just went straight to the Orange shop and they organised a new sim to be sent in the post. It arrived in a couple of days and was easy to restore all my data via iCloud.

Hope this helps,

Hazel

My problem is slightly different. I got a new replacement iPhone 3GS about a year ago from the Apple Genius Bar (basically the original one froze on an update then refused to restart; it was well within warranty).

I had already upgraded to a 4 anyway so I didn't need it and sold it to a friend (also on O2). I initially activated it instore with my work O2 sim as obviously I only had a microsim and it accepted it no problem. I checked it out at home, made and received a few calls and texts all fine so I reset it and gave it to my friend who was also on O2. But it didn't activate and then refused to start at all. This was a year ago and after much hassle, got another replacement phone from the Genius Bar in Regent St which worked fine with her O2 sim. She had a glitch last autumn and that too was replaced at the Genius Bar but all was well, the phone worked happily on O2 but a couple of days ago she decided to upgrade her software to IOS5.0.1 and this caused her phone to stop working as described in this thread.

Having tried every which way and many fruitless calls to Apple and O2 she's got a Genius Bar appointment next week. Anyway she had one last try with Apple this afternoon, basically it would seem that the original phone (way back) was with Orange, unbeknown to me. However going back to the start, it activated fine with my work O2 sim, it eventually activated fine with my friend's O2 sim after another replacement and it activated fine on O2 after yet another (unrelated) replacement last autumn.

The phone tech help guy was polite but basically said 'tough luck' and that the iPhone is actually locked to Orange! If this happened a year ago it would have been a nuisance but no harm done - now the phone is pretty essential with all her notes, diary, running info, contacts, you name it and to lose it in this way is a huge hassle. Not to mention I'm getting part of the blame too!

Anyway by the letter of the law if Apple want to play hardball it would seem that indeed it's tough luck but if she wasn't led to believe by Apple that all was OK for a year and the error was only brought to light by the Apple software update I really do think Apple should take some responsibility for this farrago.

Anyway I've gone on far too long, has anyone had this experience?

My phone went haywire about 9:30am yesterday morning, saw it flashing and all. Tried many different things. I am on old original iPhone. I was advised just restore it and you'll be good this was AFTER getting a new SIM card. This is about getting even with all teh hacked phones. It was odd to me, or coincidence that it all happen on the release of the new iPad... this exectution of code could of been done anytime. Instead they wait till Steve is gone and in comes Timmy Boy who now wants to wreck havoc. There is a reason I don't have AT&T or Verizon.. I am not a billionaire who can pay up the nose for cell and Net service. I still bought the **** iPhone. But now it appears that Apple, under the direction of Timmy Boy has put the hammer down and on all its users. I am the BIGGEST APPLE BIGOT around.. and now it appears out of business, out of contact with my customers, my students and others...maybe headed to unemployment if no one can get a hold of me. BAD BAD BAD move Tim's Apple... who cares who's SIM CARD is in my phone...