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

It happened on my iPhone 4 also, iOS 5.0.0. Device stop working, with "No SIM" at the beginning, and after couple of reboots it's starts to display operator signal freezed at the middle position, even when I remove my SIM out, lol 🙂 There is no calls or SMS pass in/out, so, baseband stucked duing something and consuming quickly battery power as well. Anything else, like WiFi and Facetime continue to work normally, btw.

After some digging in this, I found workaround: "Erase All Content and Settings" - it works well, and return my iPhone to normal state. Ameno. After you can restore your iPhone from its backup with iTunes.

You can also try "Reset All Settings" option instead, perhaps it should work also. Another option "Reset Network Settings" not solved the problem for me, delta update to 5.0.1 not make any changes also.

Good luck and May Swartz be with you! 😉

I'm also having this problem on my 4s 16gb.

My provider is Simpel (from the Netherlands)

I thought first it might be the problem of my provider but it seems lots of people have this.

iPhone 4s, 16G, noverlock, my friend bought for me from Canadian online store. I got the phone in Hillsboro, US where we met on business purpose. I put my native (MTS-Armenia) SIM card which has roaming enabled, connected to ATT network and never lost network during 7 days I was on my trip to US (stayed 2 days in LA area as well). The phone originally came with iOS 5.0.0 (modem firm. 01.00.11).

When I came back home Armenia phone was not loosing network for a day, then iOS 5.0.1 (modem firm. 01.00.13) update automatically downloaded and I agreed to install. Next day no-service, invalid-sim, sim-failure, no-sim... Interesting thing is that even on times when network showed connected, calls fail, no data connection available, and my number was not reachable for calls. Also if you try making service command requests (e.g. *315# for bill info) - phone hangs at all, you can only turn it off then on to bring it back to work.

I've bought sim from other local provider, Orange-Armenia (officially selling iPhones), cut the card, put in the phone - no network issues at all for 2 days. The other SIM card not working in iPhone 4s, is perfectly working in my iPhone 4 for 2 years and now on...

I would like also to mention that per my observations, battery of iPhone 4s with Orange-Armeni is NOT dying to fast.

Apple changes modem hardware with iPhone 4s, but seems they did not programm a good firmware for it yet. It works just fine on one operator network (Orange in Armenia has latest/best-in-class hardware installed) and does not work at all on other...

One thing I cannot understand, why SIM card replacement is hepfull for ATT people in US... Unless SIM cards coming with ATT package are broken or something like that. But in that case they shouldn't work at all instead of working a day or an hour then not work and then work after reboot...although if something is wrong with the voltage settgings, it will become unstable and unpredictable.

If Aplle installed modem hardware which doesn not support some types of SIM cards, or some network equipment - then they must report that. If it can be fixed by modem firmware, then they have to hurry. Otherwise they cell phones to meet their corporate plans, but they will fail because people can sue them...

p.s. Steve - RIP, but I'm afraid Apple won't be so good in meeting customer needs without you...

После того, как я обновил iPhone 4 на iOS 5.0.1 - села батарейка, а когда телефон был заряжен сотовой связи не стало вовсе, выключал и перезагружал уже раз 20, сотовой связи нет. Что делать? Как звонить?

В настройках: General --> Reset --> Erase All Content and Settings

iPhone сотрет все настройки и все что на нем есть, включая музыку и апликации, вернется в неактивированное состояние. Потом в iTunes, когда он предложит первый раз синхронизировать, выбрать "восстановить из бекапа".

Также, вместо этого можно сделать полный Restore версии 5.0.1 из Тунца.

Nothing from offered solution works on mine, complete restore, complete erase, complete restore without backup.

Still invalid sim every 10 min and battery drain! APPLE provide us with WORKING update ASAP!!! Or I will be forsed to return this scrappy phone to store! I really ****** off, bought a new iphone and can not communicate with people.

I have an unlocked iPhone 4s from the Apple store in Southampton (UK). The "idea" sim card in my iPhone4 was transferred to the iPhone 4s and the phone switched on. It worked without any problem for the next week or so while I was in UK and it also continued to work after I returned to India on 08th Nov.

The problem with network acquisition started about the time the OS was updated to 5..0.1.

The phone continued to show good signal strength however anyone trying to call my iPhone 4s would be unable to connect and the recorded message was that the phone is out of coverage area. Under these conditions trying to call out using the iPhone 4s would invariably result in total silence followed by "call failed". If I persisted in redialling the number the call failed message would repeat 2 or 3 times (while the phone indicates full signal strength) and then the signal strength will be completely gone and the phone would go into search mode and get a signal. It would now be possible to make and receive calls for some time (5 to 10 minutes) and once again the network would drop while the handset indicated full signal. After several hours, No Service or Invalid SIM or No Sim would appear at random.

A "reboot" of the handset was carried out without any success; "restore" was carried out and the previous back up used with similar results; then a "restore" was carried out and the phone set up as a new phone. This looked promising and took a longer time before the phone started dropping the network.

I tried changing sim cards, first with a new "idea" 3g, and then with vodafone micro sim card and then with a card from "3" (purchased in UK). Idea and vodafone cards continue to exhibit the network dropping issues, however the card from "3" would exhibit none of the problems although using the vodafone network in Pune. I left the iPhone 4s with the "3" simcard for 2 days and not a single time did it drop the network. All these cards continue to work fine with iPhone 4 as regards connectivity and also battery life

So to summarise my issues with iPhone 4s;

the "ideacellular" 3G card seems to work fine in UK (although the battery was draining quicker than what I was used to on iPhone 4), but will not work in India with iPhone 4s after the OS update (results in network being dropped and a quick battery drain). The same card when used in iPhone 4 works fine and continues to do so.

Vodafone micro sim card results in network being dropped and a quick battery drain similar to the "idea cellular" card. This card is in use with the iPad2 and is working fine and the battery life is normal i.e. good.

"3" sim card works fine in UK and India and battery life of the 4s when using this card is excellent.

on 19th Nov I purchased a 128 K mini-sim card from bsnl (Airtel and vodafone centers in Pune do not have a clue if they have 128 K sim card) and cut it to micro size. I am very relieved to observe the iPhone 4s working normally and the battery life seems to have improved vastly. It is about 18 hours since I installed the "bsnl" card and it has not dropped the network even once and the battery has drained by 3 % as compared to 25 to 30% for a similar period using the idea card. Is also seems to be marginally better compared to iPhone 4 (obviously very unscientific observations!)

Is there a hardware issue? Very likely not.

Is there a software issue? Possible something in 5.0.1 is resulting in the phone being more sensitive to the physical attributes of the sim card and cell phone towers.

Is there sim card issue? Very very likely. 128 K Sim card seems to work fine and battery life is excellent. The idea and Vodafone India cards I have are definitely NOT 128 K and very likely 64 K. Both these have problems with dropping network and the battery life is shortened greatly. So in my case the 128 K sim card would seem to have resolved the network dropping issue and improved the battery life (battery life better than iPhone 4 overnight).

hi i am having same problem ie, Invalid sim . tried different sim cards from orange , still the same problem. looked on internet found others had same problem some suggestions ie; the sim is shorting out with the sim tray they suggest sticking some selotape to edge of sim where the gold contacts touch the sim tray.

i have tried this thougt it worked but 10 hours later invalid sim again.

come on apple dont try kidding us

get your finger out

All the problems I have on my iPhone 4S with the current SIM card (INVALID SIM, Carrier loss, and inability to receive/send SMS) dissappear when I insert the SIM Card into another iPhone 4S with exactly the same iOS Version (5.0.1).

Now I really think it is not a problem alone with the SIM (which got replaced and no effect), but a defect in some iPhone 4S ?

Any one out there ghaving the same concern?

Has anyone tried to call Apple to to get a replacement for the iPhone?

Seems alot of people are having this problem. And I'm suprised that Apple hasnt come up with a solution yet. I bought my 4s 3 weeks ago and havent been able to use it yet. Im so ****** of I cant explain it. I want a f****n update NOW!!!!

Bora please calm down,

the people at apple are also just human so just be patient.

Robin, yea I know, but I'm paying 50 dollars every month for something that is not working. And I'm getting no help whatsoever. My phone is my work and this problem has cost me alot. They should admit there's a problem and offer compensation.

Помогло только востановление из iTunes

По Wi-F - не сработало, все как было так и осталось

Problem solved with new sim card!

I think the problem was the way I cut the card, just slightly not enough plastic left on one of the edges, Virgin gave me a new sim card and cut it again and phone has worked fine ever since, been 5 days without a sim failure message, so hopefully its sorted now.

Battery life seems to have stabilised too after the 5.1 update.

4S Vodafone Spain - Started out getting "No Service" and now it cannot recognize the SIM card. Taking it to the Apple Store tomorrow.