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

Got the new 32GB iPhone 4S today from AT&T, activated the phone was working all morning, I started experimenting with Siri and a couple minutes later the phone was hotter than usual and I get Sim Card failure, and Bad SIM messages. The phone now only says No Sim. I get home take out the SIM card and put it in my previous iPhone 4 and it works just fine. I then put in a blank micro SIM into the new iPhone 4S, but it still says NO SIM. Thinking the SIM reader got fried some how already.



Anyone else have this problem maybe a bad batch out there, or I just got an unlucky lemon?



I made an appointment for the genius bar tomorrow, but I seriously doubt they will have replacement stock of the 4S already. Guess I will find out what my next course of action will be tomorrow trying to get a replacement since new orders are taking 30 days to ship I am afraid I will have to wait awhile to enjoy the new features of my already paid for phone 😟

Posted on Oct 15, 2011 1:53 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 15, 2011 4:55 AM

I'm having the same issue... 😟

1,365 replies

Jan 13, 2012 8:44 AM in response to shokre

Well yeah, not what you want to see but I also can pretty well guarantee that you'll be in and out of the apple store with a brand new phone in under 15 minutes, which is nice to see from such a large company as I guarantee it'd be a **** of a headache to address the same issue with a droid through verizon etc. (ask me how I know...had a 3G antenna break in a Verizon Droid3 after 5 days of use...took me two weeks to convince them it was an issue and even then they tried to give me a refurb)

Jan 13, 2012 9:43 AM in response to robsdoghouse

So 3 weeks into new iPhone I had this issue...tried several things - rebooting, airplane mode on/off, etc. etc. Called AT&T...they sent me a new SIM card. Fingers crossed but after one week...NO PROBLEMS!!


AT&T said I could have come into a store to get a free new SIM card but I don't live near one...so they sent it to me free of charge.


This might be the only real answer!!

Jan 13, 2012 10:02 AM in response to Benstevensuk

my iphone 4S (5.0.1 9A406) is behaving strange, when I restore it in itunes it works well and does not lose the signal. The problems start when I connect the WI FI, after a while he again begins to lose the network. I do not understand why it begins after connecting to the WI FI. hope it's firmware problem and not the phone.Sorry for my english.

Jan 13, 2012 11:35 AM in response to joefromRI

now I'm positive that it's a hardware problem: either the SIM card or the reader, as I have managed to instal the 5.1 beta 3 iOS. as the SIM that is refusing to work is a cut one, maybe it could be it that is causing the problem. but then again, why did it work in the first place? it does move about a little bit inside the tray. I'll try again once I get the new SIM.

Jan 13, 2012 6:36 PM in response to robsdoghouse

Good news!!!! I've been experimenting with the issue for a while now. The best course of action is to go to an Apple store with a reserved spot at the Genius Bar. Make sure to reserve it beforehand and check in with a specialist when you arrive or they won't know you're there. The sim card itself is causing the issue in the phones; and they can replace and activate a new one in just a few minutes. I got a new 4s, researched all claims of newer software(jailbroken, developer, and official releases), went to the service carrier(they are happy to replace a sim, but Apple is more accustomed with their own equipment. Both are happy to take care of the issue and replacement over the phone, but it's much faster in person), tried multiple devices(iPads/ iPhones and sim cards, and also tested the issue under different conditions(hot, cold, damp, motion-stop tests(nice way to put it). Everyone was stumped with this one, but replacing the sim card is the only solution; and the only problem. It's cause is from continued use and heat from the device.


Are you desperate and want a guaranteed temporary fix? Freeze it! Just get the device cold(not too cold or you'll force a shut down, or worse, cause condensation to destroy the internals). This will work long enough to make a call.

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

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