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

Yes - there is a "hack" with the sim - i think i posted the link to that some pages ago - but it "works" by not being able to use either wifi or 3g data - so not a great fix.

and personally, i only found that that hack extended time btwn failures; it did not solve the problem.

So following another person's advice, i called the express lane at apple to create a case, an apple person phoned me back at the appointed time, agreed that the only thing for it if the upgraded firmware did not work, would be to go swap the phone.

Yesterday with a scheduled genius appt, it took about 10 mins to get the phone swapped. no fuss no muss.

went home and upgraded to 5.0.1 - no problems. The firmware is still 405, not the tweaked 406, but since the phone is behaving appropriately, don't see why need to do another full restore to force the 406 update. Intriguingly iTunes says that phone is fully up to date.

The model i have now is md261b - i'm sorry i didn't think to check models - so i don't know what the previous one was, but it had a higher serial number (current one that i was given yesterday starts with a C; the original started with a D)

I should also note that i was a bit surprised that this is not a "new" phone out of the box but one that has already been "refurbished" by apple - but still under full warranty.

i was actually surprised when the person at the shop asked me if the phone was still under warranty - i said how could they not be? they're what? two months old? 🙂

funny i'm still crossing my fingers wondering how long this fix will last. I was told that if anything started up again to bring it in for another swap. please let this be it.

best,

cygn

ps - changing sims didn't fix anything. in fact one swap seemed to accelerate the failure rate. so would be intrigued to learn what is actually falling over.

Apple told me that it is something between iPhone and Operator´s Network.

It´s OK, but to me its a SIM card failure (it is between iPhone and operator´s Network), but not a Network problem. Because a lot of people here bought his iPhone in a Roaming situation and the phone wasn´t working on that network too. Again..., its a SIM card failure. Apple probaly knows it and is trying to get some time so release some update to fix it.

Ok, will Apple make a WORLDWIDE recall?

I doubt they will do it. If you have a new iPhone 4S and a new SIM didn't fix the problem - call Applecare.

I tried all options to fix my first 4S and the only real solution was to replace it. Since then no problems and the battery is good for 2 days (some location services enabled, SIRI and WLAN enabled).

I guess there are some 4S out there that simply left the QD process to early.

So instead of waiting for a recall - call into Applecare.

My TwoCentsWorth

./Stefan

This is the 10th day with no sim failure i have seen people say that they are waiting for an update to fix the problem but i fail to see how an update can fix a bad sim card.Go down to your local verizon store and tell them your phone is giving a sim failure error and it happins over and over the phone is under warrenty they will be happy to swap a 10 dollor sim card.Also for verizon users make sure they make the sim card active right there in the computer before you leave the store.if the sim fail comes back then you have a case for a new phone but as i stated before mine has yet to return going on 10 days.

My dear fellow sufferers,

It's indeed sad that this Iphone 4 s issue has not been resolved.

When I first posted my phone issue we were just 100 of us now I see its grown as Mr. Luigi pointed out a couple of entries ealier almost at 100,000 and still I suspect counting! Some people have claimed that Apple is hard at work trying to crack this problem and I hope that they are closer now in solving the matter than when we started out. However it would be nice if they atleast acknowledged that there was a problem although at this stage am not sure that that is what people want to hear other than that the problem has been sorted. I work in the Motor Vehicle Industry and when we had cars with manufacturing defects or a issue needed to be attended to in some we sent out the affected Chassis numbers to alert the users that they needed to bring in their vehicles to be attended to...it seems to me threading through most of the complaints that we have software, hardware & sim card compatability issues....its probable that some of the problems are not related to the same issue although majority like me started having issues the moment they upgraded from version 5.0 to version 5.01....For me I could not get it back to factory mode as you cannot revert back to version 5.0 once you up grade and communication to itunes was not possible with a fault code showing up when tryint to contact them. Fortunately my supplier after 2 months of perseverance gave me a new Iphone 4s running on version 5.0 & I have decided for now to leave it that way. its been fine on the same sim card I've used even on the other phone until the upgrade and I have had it for 3weeks now...Xafar you seem to be one of the few who have been able to succesfully upgrade and am glad for you...My Iphone 4s model is MD261B and so far its fine apart from the quick draining battery but that's way better than a sim card failure and being out of communication. So maybe Apple can identify which models rejected the software update so those can be isolated and the rest outside that batch with new phones can proceed to upgrade....for now to enjoy the New year it might be the easier thing to have your phone replaced....although I know that for some of you that might not be an easy option....my condolences to those who are still enduring this horiffic nigtmare of a disaster.....hopefully a soluton will come around...at some point.....

FastNine,

I have tried about 9 SImcards... its not an defective SIM, but a iPhone incompatibility with some SIMs. Its not a easy job for a operator to change their plataforms and start to working with a new kind of SIM card just because Apple´s iPhone 4S isnt full compatible. So Apple needs to Fix it, the software update is the best way...

Had the "sim error" message appear every morning since I got the phone and random searching and no service messages throughout the day. I tryed a new sim(with different circuit design)from a different carrier and it has been working flawlessly for 4 days now, the battery life also seems to have improved, maybe less energy is used when it doesnt constantly have to search for signal the wholetime. UK purchased 64gb used in South Africa. Goodluck

I can agree with that ,the sim that came out if my phone was clearly not the same as the one that they put back in.But why did my phone work flawless untill 3 weeks after the 5.1 update? and why did my original sim work fine for a few months just fine? i do also have something im not sure about when i look into memory use my phone shows 20.4 GB free and 8GB used this is only a 16GB phone?? weird??

Dabratisaurus42 wrote:

Fortunately my supplier after 2 months of perseverance gave me a new Iphone 4s running on version 5.0 & I have decided for now to leave it that way. its been fine on the same sim card I've used even on the other phone until the upgrade and I have had it for 3weeks now...
...My Iphone 4s model is MD261B and so far its fine apart from the quick draining battery but that's way better than a sim card failure and being out of communication. So maybe Apple can identify which models rejected the software update so those can be isolated and the rest outside that batch with new phones can proceed to upgrade....for now to enjoy the New year it might be the easier thing to have your phone replaced....although I know that for some of you that might not be an easy option....my condolences to those who are still enduring this horiffic nigtmare of a disaster.....hopefully a soluton will come around...at some point.....

Dear Dabratisaurus42

Thanks for starting this thread.

I'm delighted, in some sort of sympatico way, to have the same model now as you do with your replacement - and glad to hear that it's still working.

The battery drain thing is a whole other issue that supposedly has apple's awareness - so hope there's a resolve for all these things.

I'm using my original (pre 5.0.1) sim as well and all seems to be well again - so not a sim issue - at least it seems in my case, either.

I *did* upgrade to 5.0.1 because if this thing is going to keel over i'd like that to happen within as wide a warranty frame as possible.

I had been really reluctant to take the hardware swap option, as i find it hard to believe that an issue that seems *only* to come up with the 5.0.1 upgrade could be other than software/firmware, but likewise simply could not cope with the disfunction longer. Hence braving apple on boxing day to do the swap - being lucky enough to be in a town with an apple store.

Being able to call ahead, get the notes done for the genius so that it's a pretty straight ahead transaction makes a pain in the butt process simpler.

An apology from apple for all this inconveniece i suppose is asking too much - and as for recalls - my recollection is that they seem only to be when harm may come from the device failing, no? like a battery flambe?

Again, thanks for starting the thread.

All the best for the new year,

(how many 4s's are affected, i wonder?)

cygn

I've been living with this problem for 2 weeks not knowing it's a widespread issue, thinking that perhaps I got abroken Sim card.

After reading this thread (all 49 pages) and a fee similar threads on here and other forums, and after having tried various methos (hardware and software), I have the following findings (and have found a solution for myself).

Background:

iPhone 4S 64GB bought in first week of release from UK online store.

Model ND258B

Carrier Viettel from Vietnam

SIM normal SIM cut to micro size with stappler type cutter

Phone came with 5.0 originally. Put in SIM from iPhone 4, had trouble recognising at first and worked after many attempts. SIM with iPhone 4 no problem. When finally worked with 4S (didn't recognise at first, had to put in and out many times to recognise) the Phone section under Settings show My Number as Unknown. This is a key identifier to my issue and solution (see later)

Updated to 5.1 for a few days and started seeing problem:

Have to call twice to go through. Then signal drops. Then searching. Then No Service. Then Invalid SIM.

Had to reset for Phone to work for a few mins, then same sequence again.

Changed a new SIM card from Viettel (Normal SIM cut with stappler). Worked for 30 mins, then same problem.

Did a restore to new 5.1 (406) with newly issued SIM. Same problem.

SOLUTION: change my wife's SIM (different Carrier, different looking chip on SIM, normal SIM cut to micro size) from her iphone 4 TOgether with the SIM Tray and worked.

My 4S now showing correct My Number under Phone in Setting (before with not working SIM shows Unknown).

My "Not working" SIM from 4S together with Tray, works fine in my wife's iPhone 4, again, showing correct number under Phone/My Number.

So I believe this is a combination of many issues and many fixes.

For me, the identifier of a "good for 4S" SIM is that under Settings/Phone/My Number it shows your correct number, rather than Unknown.

My suggestions to to try find a solution in the following order:

1. Try Software first. If under 5.1, try Restore to 5.1 (406) and see if works. Can also try a DFU restore.

2. If you are on 5.0 now and working normally DO NOT UPDATE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

3. If software fix doesn't work, try getting a new SIM from your operator. New SIM have more chances of working if it has different wiring on chip to your "not working" SIM. Micro or Cut from normal doesnt seem to make a difference.

4. Wait patiently untill Apple post a proper firmware fix. Many have reported sucess with software fix by updating to 5.1 beta 1 or 2 (Developer only). Some - no luck. That's why I guess it's still under beta.

For me, I will try to contact Viettel tomorrow and try to get a new SIM with different chip wiring to my current "broken" one. Will report back.

Also to add to the list of solutions, number 5 would be:

5. Go to Apple to exchange a new phone. Although this is not easy for everyone (like me, my 4S was purchased through a friend in the UK and I currently live in Vietnam).

Maybe your new SIM is a "3G Ready" ou "4G ready" SIM. A lot of carriers are not working with this kind of SIM and this change is not so easy. This same carriers are selling units of 4S (maybe using some kind of different chipset) without this issue. This issue is related to some kinds of hadware with some kind of SIM cards... (but now I think Apple know this... 😉)

.

SOLUTION: change my wife's SIM (different Carrier, different looking chip on SIM, normal SIM cut to micro size) from her iphone 4 TOgether with the SIM Tray and worked

My 4S now showing correct My Number under Phone in Setting (before with not working SIM shows Unknown).

My "Not working" SIM from 4S together with Tray, works fine in my wife's iPhone 4, again, showing correct number under Phone/My Number.

So I believe this is a combination of many issues and many fixes.

For me, the identifier of a "good for 4S" SIM is that under Settings/Phone/My Number it shows your correct number, rather than Unknown.

Just a note - many folks have the invalid sim issue it seems without having "Unknown" in the phone settings. So yet another weirdness.

for instance, my phone number showed up just fine

My suggestions to to try find a solution in the following order:

1. Try Software first. If under 5.1, try Restore to 5.1 (406) and see if works. Can also try a DFU restore.

2. If you are on 5.0 now and working normally DO NOT UPDATE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

Ya, that's a toughie.

I suppose this one depends on circumstances: if an upgrade is supposed to work for the phone, and i have access to an apple store, i'd want to know if the phone is going to fail due to an upgrade or not. RIght now - since my main question is about the sim failure - i actually want to find out if that's killing the phone. But i can understand why folks would want to skip it given the following:

Remember, 5.0.1 was for battery issues in particular

http://www.itproportal.com/2011/11/11/apple-ios-5-0-1-update-arrives-mixed-respo nse-iphone-users/

ironically, it seems for some folks - at least with a iphone4 if not 4s, it's made things worse:

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/iphone-owners-might-want-to-avoid-ios-501-upd ate/16268

and then there's

http://gizmodo.com/5858613/users-report-iphone-battery-problems-continue

best

cygn

The same happen to me in Buenos Aires with my iPhone 4S. I have a nice and expensive iPhone 4S working like an iPod and only well in WiFi