Sim Card Failure No Sim with iPhone 4S Anyone Else?

The problem is that the tray that holds the sim card is made of metal and makes contact with the sim card. When this happens, it shorts out the sim and you get the 'no sim' error. What you need to do is remove the sim card, place a VERY THIN sliver of tape on the long edge of the sim ( the side opposite the notched side) that sits in the tray. What you are doing is insulating the potential connection point between the sim contact and the metal tray the sim sits in. There are a couple of videos on youtube that show you how to do it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2y0abjPFfk

Should we have to do this? No. Should Apple should fix this immediately and offer the fix to everyone asap? Better believe it!

Are you listening Apple?

These videos have nothing to do with what you're talking about.

I think you're right about the metal part causing the SIM to short out though as the metal part in the 4S is bigger than the 4. I expect this should be fixed in the 5.0.1 update.

You are correct that the youtube video has nothing to do with the problem. I provided the link so that people, like myself who didn't know how to remove the sim card, could see how to do it. Once the sim has been removed, insulating the exposed sim contact from the metal tray with a small piece of scotch tape should be apparent.

This is probably not the 'be all, end all' solution. I'll try to post my own video on you tube to show exactly what I did

You should go to apple store and get a new phone for FREE. As long as your phone is in warrenty (1 year) you will get a replacement for no charge. I just got my new phone and didn't see the problem in that.

To correct some misunderstanding, if the SIM card was being shorted by the metal SIM tray, the SIM card would not work at all. Secondly, I completed a simple test while in the office today and found that the metal band around the phone is not electrically conductive. Something which is rather apparent as this would cause the various aerials within the phone to short too.

I would strongly advise against adding scotch tape the the SIM tray as this will eventually damage your phone as the SIM tray is designed to be fitted into the slot exactly, I highly doubt scotch tape was in Apple's mechanical design.

Finally, if the SIM was being shorted on the SIM tray, this could not be fixed by a software update.

I had my iPhone 4S replaced after encountering this problem every 2 hours, my replacement handset has not shown the problem and has been running for 96 hours.

Just read you post, no idea what else has been said as this thread is a bit of a mess, but you are wrong. I have bought two sim free iPhones from Apple directly, neither came with a sim card. If the phone is sim free, its what it says, unlocked and sim free. For me I just have sim pin turned off and no issues, turn it on I loose network, deep joy.

i just tested the conductivity of the case and the tray using a multimeter and both are conductive. As you say, if the sim is shorting it would not work at all. Exactly, that is why some folks are experincing the no sim issue. not much difference between a shorted sim and no sim at all.

re: i highly doubt scotch tape was in Apples design

i'm sure it wasn't but neither were the antenna problems of the iPhone 4 or the battery issues of the iPhone 4s and os5 which Apple has acknowledged

Agreed that the best solution is to bring the phone back and get a replacement. When I have the time, I'll do just that. In the meantime, everyone should review all the comments and do what work or them. In my case, insulating the contact between the sim and tray works.

Thank you all for you comments. You're a passionate bunch.

Story is exactly the same as mine!

Old Optus plan for 3GS was over so thought I'd get a brand new shiny 4S on the same Optus plan.

Been getting no sim, invalid sim, SOS only, you name it ever since I bought the phone on the 14th October. Problem has been getting progressively worse since then with SOS only coming up AT LEAST 4 times a day!

Have been in to Optus to replace the sim, worked for maybe 3 hours and BAM SOS ONLY/NO SIM/INVALID SIM, again!

Visited Optus again Saturday to tell them that the replacement sim is not working so the phone must be an issue and was told it may take 2 weeks at least for me to get a replacement phone - not really an option as I NEEDthe phone as I am going away.

Visiting an Apple store is not an option for me because I live 7-8 hours from one.

Has your wifes phone been replaced by Optus? Update if you can?

Thanks,

Dee

10 hours since activation and same issue....all of a sudden the NO SIM message popped up on the service bar with "invalid sim." Simply turning the phone on/off didn't work, but after taking the sim out, blowing on it & the sim card slot, and rebooting, the phone recognized it again. Come on Apple....really? This isn't Nitendo here...We shouldn't have to be doing this.

Have the same problem started with an invalid SIM, then no SIM. I pulled out the Sim card and put tape to insulate contacts that were shorting and seems to work for now. This is definitely a sim card quality issue by AT&t, and I am going to request them to send a new one.

Freetobee, glad to hear this worked for you. Your experience lends more credibility that this is an insulation issue. Interesting that dnrayzbe pulled the sim, blew on it, and it worked. This leads me to believe that internal heat is also playing a factor. Just speculation that as things heat up internally, metals either expand or 'warp' causing the sim to short. It would be an interesting experiment to see what the result would be if affected phones were turned off and put in a cold space(refrigerator) for 15-30 minutes. If the phone works after this, heat being a factor, would be supported.

In the meantime, I have not experienced the 'no sim' issue since I taped the sim. Will report back if it reccurs.

Hi Dee,

Wife's phone has worked perfectly since swapping for a new one at the Apple store.

If you are going away is there a chance you could visit an Apple store where you are going?

Optus can't swap a phone on the spot because it may cost them. They will basically send it to Apple for you where they will determine its faulty and send a replacement. No point getting angry at Optus as their hands are really tied unfortunately. Best you could try is a SIM replacement at Optus.

So yeah, my advice is to see if you are going to be near an Apple store, call Apple care and book an appointment with a Genius at that store and just take it in. It's actually a fun experience. Apple are only interested in what Apple ID the phone is linked to (i.e what iTunes account it's synced to). They give you a new iPhone then you just update Optus on the new serial number.

Hope this helps, Jason

I am hearing that when you go to the Apple Store, they will replace your NEW phone with a REFURB. Is this true? If so, we are getting scammed. I paid good money for a new phone and expect the same as a replacement.

Muhaha I think I cracked the problem... I'm one of those which back in 2010 was introduced for the new MicroSIM in iPhone4 and therefore had to cut my old SIM to peaces in order to fit it in the new tray.

Like you guys my new iPhone4s constantly droped my SIM (no calls possible) and had a look in the new tray of iPhone4s. Slightly new diminsions as well as a new material in the tray holding the micro SIM in place...

Problem:

If the tray have any contact with your SIM contacts it will shutcircuit!!

Solution:

A mini slice of tape at the eadges of my old SIM card did the trick 🙂

Same here.

- iPhone 4S, iOS 5.0.1 (updated yesterday)

- no hacking or jailbreaking

- T-Mobile Netherlands

- same SIM card works flawlessly in iPhone 4, and (using adapter) in iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G.

Rebooting, reinstalling SIM, all no success. When removed, the 4S does not even say "NO SIM", it just keeps searching the network or "invalid SIM".

Another reboot (without SIM) then displaye the "no SIM" message. Insert SIM again, network is fine. After about 30 minutes "invalid SIM" or an eternal "searching...." message.

Remove SIM, put same SIM in iPhone 4, boom! immediately finds network and works. Put SIM back in iPhone 4S... "invalid SIM" or eternal "searching..." message.