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

I started having this problem after 2 days with my 4S. Resets, hard resets, and popping the SIM all seem to have sporadic effect at resetting the problem.

Am going to ATT store here in a minute to get a new SIM see if that helps. Although it seems it may be software based seeing as 4's and 3GS's appear to be having this problem as well when they update to iOS5.

Update with my invalid sim card issue. I went to my local AT&T store and they replaced my sim card last night. I haven't had any issues yet. Hopefully this resolved the problem. I did notice that the replaced sim card looked different from what came with the phone. The store rep did mention that the sim cards that come with the phone are a little smaller and tend to move around which causes the issue.

I have the 4S 64 GB for a day. Same issue as the rest,NO SIM!! Powering down worked once, removing sim worked twice, two days later NOTHING WORKED. Went to AT&T store, they claimed they hadn't heard of this problem, gave me a new sim, still working as of now (4hrs.later). I will update if this problem re-occurs. Side Note: AT&T Sent me an e-mail before I had gotten to the store stating Apple is aware of problem and to contact them directly. Apple was CLUELESS (well at least the rep I spoke with) She tried to sell me a protection plan before even listening to my concern. She was less than helpful and sent me E-mails stating how to sync my phone to itunes??? ***??? If they are well aware of problem then how come I am still in the dark about what happened and why? I can only hope this doesn't happen again...if it does I am abandoning this whole Apple thing. It bothers me that I cannot get a straight answer from anyone after spending $400. BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE PERIOD.

I have 2 4S's, one has the problem, one does not. Thank god it is my phone with the problem and not my wife's, she'd be flipping out. Sometimes doing reset works quick, sometimes I have to shut the phone off for an hour before it comes back. Going to AT&T this evening and see what they say, maybe try new SIM.

Update on my 2 AT&T iPhone 4S 16G.

My phone (with the original No SIM error starting on Saturday) has gone a whole day with no issues. As previously posted, my last "fix" was to take out the SIM, used a PC compressed air blower to blow out the phone, and used a microfiber cloth to wipe off the SIM card.

Just now, while organizing her apps, my wife's phone just displayed the no SIM error. I used the same blowing and cleaning approach which worked for now. I'll be heading to the AT&T store tomorrow to get new SIM cards.

As a side note, my wife's iPhone 4S seems to freeze for 3-7 seconds every couple hours. Her phone also wont Facetime. Something i'm still troubleshooting.

Congrats to Apple on a successful product lauch......oh wait

A little quality assurance goes a long way

Had the same issue this past Saturday and Sunday. Saturday was wierd, got the invalid SIM message but once I entered my house and the 4S latched onto my network everything was cool. Sunday it just quit for about an hour and a half. Since my AT&T store closed I did the re-seat of the SIM card. Took about 4 times and than it came back, haven't had any issues since Sunday. Probably just jinxed it though!!!!

I'm with sprint- got the 16g iphone 4s and today it started saying error with sim and then no service. When I reboot the service comes back for a few hours, but it it very annoying to have to keep rebooting...

My wife's new iphone 4S from Optus Australia is having this issue too.

Searches for ages and then says "Invalid Sim" and "SOS Only".

Going to try new sim card tomorrow, if that doesn't work I guess I have to call apple?

I feel terrible because I love my iphone 4 and talked her in to buying it, she's not happy. 😟

Same problem here. AT&T Black 32gb 4S, Delaware USA

Bought first day available 8 am and worked fine first day. Second day, didn't receive any calls, very unusal. Get email from friend to answer my **** phone. No received calls or vmail on phone. Pick up phone and attempt to call, everyone I touch on name in address book gets an immediate called failed. Reboot phone, works and have 7 vmails. Run restore from iTunes, phone works fine.

Next day, about half the calls made, my voice is muted and other end cannot hear me. Reboot phone several times, and restore phone from itunes again.

Third day, start getting "SIM card failure" message. Phone totally locks up twice. Hard reboot a couple of times and finally restore phone for third time.

This morning go to BestBuy where they replace SIM card. They were going to charge $20 for card, but two AT&T reps in store and has extra SIM cards. They stated SIM card failure is a problem. Suggest to replace card first, if still have problems, then replace phone.

Appears to be more than SIM card failure with phone locking up.

Just incase anyone has this issue:

I got a replacement iPhone 4S from Apple which seemed to be working fine.

I plugged it in to charge overnight (on my old iPhone 4 charger), when I woke up - SIM Failure.

At this point I can only blame the iPhone 4 charger, and will be using the 4S charger from now on.

If I still get the issue, I will head back to Apple and get another replacement.

It's been four days since new sim card, still holding up fine. Original one died in two days. Phone did freeze a few times while using imessage and when trying to sync to pc but I am sure that a software update will resolve all of those bug type issues. I have to laugh at some of the posts blaming charger or hardware. For this problem it was clearly the SIM not the writer, charger or any other hardware. Instead of speculation do some research....One guy posts that he was using his iPhone 4 charger instead of the S charger and blamed that...RIDICULOUS. I was as unhappy as the rest of you when this happened, problem fixed, no worries now. Go to AT&T store and get another SIM end of story. As for Apple or AT&T admitting there was a problem..not going to happen, they act like they never heard anything of this problem, typical corporate garbage, they admit nothing. Apple used to have my confidence as far as customer support...Not so much now.

TO: droptop2k

Not sure why I can't reply your messages, but:

I have had 3 Micro SIMs, and 2 brand new iPhone 4S and had the issue. I know blaming something as stupid as the charger sounds stupid, but it's the only constant piece of hardware that exists in my whole scenario.

The first iPhone 4S I had 2 Micro SIMs that went bad with it. Now on my 2nd iPhone 4S with a third brand new Micro SIM is gone bad. I will go get one more Micro SIM today, and IF problems still persist after a new SIM, using the 4S charger, I will head back to Apple (again) for yet another replacement.

My iPhone 4S was bought outright from Apple, no Micro SIM was supplied with the phone.

The other potential cause could maybe be because I am restoring the iPhone 4S from my iPhone 4 backup.

The Apple team have been quite supportive with me on this matter so far.

Hey Jainash...so since the release date you have had 3 sims and 2 phones??!?!?! NO WAY that is just not possible. First of all the timeline just doesn't fit. The phone was released Friday and SOLD OUT. Plus it takes at least a day or two for the card to fail, its only been 6 days since release. I'm not calling you a liar but it's just not probable (or even possible) within that timeline. Also they are not going to give you 2 new phones...at least not within a week they would never do that PERIOD. Your charger theory is still bunk. Its the same charger for all Apple products period... and "no sim" has nothing do do with the power source. And finally if Apple reps were so helpful then why do you still have no answer on a fix for you??? It seems you just want to dispell I what have posted. Well my 64GB works just fine through no help from Apple or the rep, she sent me e-mails she claimed pertained to the problem, meanwhile they were instructions on how to sync my phone to itunes...useless. I guess you can keep going back and eventually you will have had 16 sim cards and 25 phones LOL HILLAIRIOUS and completely unbelievable....

Preorder iPhone 4S on 07/10/11 (using micro sim from my iPhone 4)

Received iPhone 4S on 17/10/11 (setup the same day)

First SIM Failure on 18/10/11

First replacement Micro SIM on 18/10/11 (Optus the carrier replaces the same straight away when you walk into their stores)

Another SIM Failure on 19/10/11

Called Apple support on 19/10/11 to organise a replacement at my local Apple store

Replaced iPhone 4S by Apple on 20/10/11, also got a second new Micro Sim

Worked great during the day - restored from iPhone 4 backup, charged with old charger (yes its a stupid reason)

More SIM Failures on 21/10/11 - hence the posts here

I did not buy the phone from a Carrier, I bought it directly from Apple.com and no SIM Card was shipped with the phone. I'm not sure how they do it in USA - but in Australia, when I buy directly from Apple they don't provide the SIM, only the carrier does. In the US you have to buy the iPhone on conjunction with a plan, that is why you get a SIM.

Whether you believe my story or not, I really don't care, although the Apple Service Requests, Support Emails, and Receipts I have will give you enough to see that I am not telling any fibs. I came here for support and am providing all the facts as they have happened to me.

I am happy that you got your phone to work, so kudos to you, I am still having that issue and cannot find any reason why it still happens - maybe my Aura is gimped and every 4S I touch gets tainted, who the heck knows.

I will give Apple one more chance on a replacement phone, if it happens again, I will just get my money back and look elsewhere.

Oh my, there are some jokers on this site!

Firstly, not every iPhone 4S buyer is from the USA.

Not every country does things the same way as the USA.

In The UK, you can buy an iPhone from Apple that is sim unlocked for any carrier and it DOES NOT

come with a sim card. This is the same for countless other countries.

Secondly. Congratulations to the poster that only got the sim fail message after 24 hours. Why do you think that everyone else shares your problem exactly and that all will fail at no less than 24 hours? Sorry to tell you that mine fails after 5-20 minutes along with many other people's 4s's.

My sim has been replaced by a brand new one. Still fails

I tried a pay as you go (pre-pay) sim.. still fails.

I have tried resetting it countless times.. still fails.

I have tried running it as a new iPhone (not restore from backup).. still fails.

I have tried re-seating the sim.. still fails,

I have taken a can of compressed air and blasted in the sim slot.. still fails.

In all instances, the sims have and continued to work fine in the old iPhone 4.

None of the fixes posted in this or several other forums has done the slightest bit of good.

The phone is being picked up tomorrow and a replacement will be sent. I am going to try

that and if it still fails, will abandon the 4S.

Everyone try to be more open minded about everyone elses problems and not so convinced you know the answer to them.