Q: sim card not valid after update to ios 5

All,

I had the same problems as listed in this forum (no service, invalid sim, loosing network/carrier connectivity, etc.). So, yesterday (Friday CET) I got hold of a new micro-SIM to see if this would work, as the SIM I used was a normal SIM card cut to micro-SIM size from my old iPhone 3GS.

After running on this for about 24 hours I can honestly say that this has improved my iOS 5.0.1 experience dramatically! I can call people, send SMS, the works... without problems. Been using the phone the whole day.

However, I had 2 drops during calls today, but it's hard for me to blame it on 5.0.1 as the other end of the call might have been on a bad receiption. I experienced also 1 "searching... no service... then back to normal event" during the day, but this was about it. Still, it's a huge improvement compared to when I was running on my old SIM card....as this one kept dropping every couple of minutes due to the "no service" problem.

Just thought I'd let everyone here know this. Perhaps it might be of use to others.

Hamilton Ontario Canada - same thing - I called my SIM card provider first...when they ran out of options they suggested to call Apple Canada - they took me through various scenarios - end result ... Go back to your SIM card provider and get a new SIM card.... You would think that by now they would know someone goofed. - Paul1944

The 'SIM not valid' error happened because Apple had me as a Canadian baseband client in their profile database. I asked 3 senior technical advisor to correct the error and they fixed it after 24 hours. Here is what happened exactly.

- I had 3GS at the beginning, purchased at a local Best Buy on September 2009.

- The 3GS had a hardware error. I called Apple CS and they sent me a replament unit. It could not be activated cuz its baseband was locked to Rogers in Canada. I called the Apple CS again and they told me to wait for 4 weeks to get a new replament unit since it was all out of stock. I told them I did not do anything wrong and I didn't want to wait. So they sent me an iPhone 4 instead.

- the replacement iPhone 4 had a same issue, locked baseband to Rogers. I went to Apple store and got a new AT&T baseband replacement unit. It worked fine until iOS 5 update.

- iOS 5 checked my profile at apple's database while the unit was being activated. My profile said I was a Canadian Rogers customer so my AT&T SiM card could not be used to activate the phone. This wass why the error message pop up every time I tried to activate, 'SIM not valid'.

- AfterI bought a new iPhone 4 with iOS 5 but I failed to activate the new unit.

- I called the Apple CS, told them that they have wrong baseband information under my profile and asked them to correct it. After 24 hours, activation went succesful.

I hope this can help you all.

- K -

I followed the advice in mrg5117's post and my iPhone is back online!

Thanks for your help, I really thought I was going to have to scream at them to give me a new phone.

There are lots of people out there still updating and the first level of support will try and convince you that it's the SIM and you need a new one.

Kevin, the senior advisor that helped me knew the issue as soon as I mentioned it and said he would reset my profile.

It took 1 1/2 days to complete the reset.

I was prepared to get bent out of shape about the quality of service from Apple's support team; but like any other time I called them, it was fast and professional.

Thanks!

Can anyone confirm that this still happens with the new 5.0.1 software update also? I would like to upgrade but I am still afraid it will happen again and I do not have the time to deal with it. Still running 4.3.5 and would like to use the new features.

Yes it still happened to me.

You should contact apple to correct your profile data. Mine was set as a Canadian Rogers instead of AT&T. They fixed my profile and it works fine now.

Hi there guys,

It's been more than a month now that I upgraded my iphone 4 to ios 5 and it says "sim not valid". I live in Canada and my phone is from another carrier (not a canadian one as it's an independent phone). Could you guys please help me to unlock my phone. What should I do to solve this problem? Please provide solutions, I'd really really appreciate it. Thanks a lot.

PS: Even if there is no solution yet, could you atleast please tell me when the solution is coming out? I hope all of you understand my situation. Thanks and hope to hear from you guys soon.....!!!!

Hi there,

Having the same issue on my 4S still. O2 Germany SIM-Card is working, A1 Austria Card not working. Orange Austria Card working. ****** creepy stuff. Apple is about to replace this phone soon (they told me so, but didnt here from them last few days - i guess i have to do another hour in the AC hotline :-( )

...got a new microSIM Card now, and it definitely works on my normal phone and i tested it on a iPhone 4, no problems - still says SIM not valid on my 4S. I'm now over 2h Apple Care Hotline and they still don't know what the problem is. As i said, replacement soon. that would be my third 4S then.

By the way, how many rows of golden contactsurfaces does you guys sim-card have? my working SIM has four. the orange austria card also has four. my non working card has three rows!? ....does this mean anything??

Hi teeworks,

If i get this microsim card will my iphone 4 work as well with my local sim card? And what is this microsim card? Is there a specific type of micro sim card and from where can we get it? Please let me know as I really don't know about this. Thanks a lot.

Hey,

i really dont know, sadly! ...it should work with every sim card!! ...as my 3G and the 4G of a friend do. so why shouldnt the new phone work with those...?

...i only noticed that the one cards that work in my phone have a square shaped golden surface on the back, whereas the one that doesnt work has a more like rectangle and smaller shape!

how does yours look like, naveen?

Wow...this happened a month ago to me and bricked my phone. Apple gave me a replacement and I restored to iOS 4.x and waited till tonight to try again. It bricked my phone again!!!!! I will go to the "geniuses" tomorrow and update you in this forum (yet again) on what happens. This is unacceptable. I will be switching to an android if this continues.

Hi teeworks,

My sim card is a Fido sim card (normal sim card) it is small sized as I have a iphone 4.

hey naveen,

yes alright but is the golden chip on the back more rectangle or more squareshaped?

They politiely apologized and told me this error was due to the fact that my replacement phone's serial number was incorrect in their walled garden database and it would take 24 hours to update. After the 24 hours I was able to update my phone to iOS5 without issue. Glad this is over. This time they didn't even offer up the initial solution of buying a new phone from them - kudos!

After a lot of 'fruitless' searching for online help, removing and re-inserting my sim, playing about with sticky tape etc. I gave in and contacted Orange who replaced my Apple sim. But once I registered the new sim, it took almost 24 hours for Orange to reconnect my phone service as apparently they've had a surge of replacement sims recently. Mmmm - I wonder why?... Come on Apple - own up! Phone works fine now...