Level 1

1 points

Invalid SIM Card on iPhone 4S (5.0.1)

Seems to be a widespread problem, from what I'm seeing in the discussions:

I have an unlocked iPhone 4S (bought in France) and use it with Vodafone in Portugal. I was using the same SIM card that worked perfectly fine for over a year on my previous iPhone 4, and it also worked just fine in the 4S... until I updated to iOS 5.0.1.

The very next day I started having connections issues and invalid SIM card errors - requiring a reboot to temporarily fix it for a few minutes, until it lost connection again - the iPhone would still show it had a few bars strength, but was actually unable to make calls or use data. After a while it would go back to invalid sim message.

I replaced my old SIM card, and I though that was it... It was working fine.. until after 3 or 4 days, I find once again that I had a Invalid SIM message.

I've read reports suggesting that this might actually have to do with using other chargers than the official Apple 4S one - it sound kind of crazy, but just in case, I was also using a 3rd party charger when those issues arised for the first time. Anyway, I was now using my previous official iPhone 4 charger when I got the new error with the new SIM card.

Also, although the iPhone recommends using a non-locked SIM Card, mine has always had a PIN, and always worked through activations without a problem.

Other than being a real hardware problem with my new iPhone 4S (crossing my fingers it isn't!) my guess is that this is a software related incident - as this has just popped up after upgrading to iOS 5.0.1, and it would have been an amazing coincidence for SIM cards to go bust, or for the iPhone 4S to suddenly malfunction, afterwards.

Hope you guys can fix it soon, as well as the phone numbers not showing up the callers name in the contacts (that was a problem I was having from the very beginning, with iOS 5.0.0).

Posted on Nov 16, 2011 2:18 AM

366 replies

Dec 31, 2011 9:57 PM in response to ptnik

Hi guys,

Did Apple's 9A406 build work for your iPhone 4S signal problem? It did for me. I had crackling sounds during phone calls, and my cellular signal drops from full bars to "Searching.." and then "No Service" for no apparent reason at all. It used to do that like 20 times a day and I had to constantly restart my phone. When I updated to 9A406, the problem didn't come back. Try this link: http://iphone-and-i.blogspot.com/2011/12/fixing-iphone-4s-signal-problem.html

Go to Settings > General > About > Version. If it isn't (9A406) yet, you should give updating a try to see if it will work for your phone.

Baaleos

Level 1

0 points

Jan 1, 2012 12:36 PM in response to unicohijo86

Im currently on beta 2 of 5.1 - can confirm that the issue still exists.

Exact issue for me -

Bought the iPhone 4s in November - ordered it on the day it came out in the UK.

It arrived, was fine up until the 12th December, when the message first appeared.

The issue used to appear once or twice a week, but lately, it has been happening more frequently, just at random occurances, while the phone is locked - (not necessarily locked awaiting a pin, but waiting for me to swipe to unlock it) it will either get the 'Sim Failure' message, or when I unlock it, it will get the Sim Failure message when I try to open up the next app.

Now the issue is occuring every few hours, and the only remedy is rebooting the iPhone.

It is an unacceptable situation at the moment.

If the sim failure message appears while someone is asleep, which it tends to do, then emergency calls and such wont be able to get through to the affected phone, until the person reboots the phone in the morning.

Im waiting until the 5.1 software is out of beta, and if it doesnt resolve it, I will be taking it to apple store / genius bar.

Friend of mine was able to get a replacement iphone 3gs, just by demonstrating a hardware problem she was having on her phone - but that was a different matter altogether.

Jan 1, 2012 2:25 PM in response to Baaleos

Hi Baaleos - That was exactly my problem. When I'm not using my phone (when it's idle) that's when the problems will start to show up. But that all went away when I upgraded to the 9A406 build, which I did 2 days after I got my phone. I guess other iPhones that haven't been fixed by the latest build will have wait for the next official fix.

patelk7

Level 1

0 points

Jan 2, 2012 4:05 AM in response to ptnik

Hi all,

I've been reading this discussion for a while and have tried pretty much everything to fix the invalid sim problem. Nothing worked. Apart from turning off mobile data which didn't bring up the problem but is less than ideal.

For those saying this is a software problem, this isn't true. A software problem would affect everyone, not just the subset this applies to.

Anyway, I went to apple an Thursday and they swapped my phone in about 10 minutes, if that. It's now Monday and have not experienced the problem yet.

Basically....swap your phone!

Kunal

Jambuxo

Level 1

0 points

Jan 2, 2012 4:14 AM in response to patelk7

I swapped my phone and it still does not work. If it is hardware I have been very unlucky, twice.

patelk7

Level 1

0 points

Jan 2, 2012 4:29 AM in response to Jambuxo

Yep it seems to be a problem with some sim card readers. If you've swapped your phone and are still experiencing the problem then it seems you have been unlucky.

Might be worth trying - different sim card? I was sure my phone was the problem because my brother and I swapped phones for a while, I didn't get the problem in his 4S but he got it in mine.

Jan 2, 2012 6:32 AM in response to ptnik

Well, it all went to heck last night. At 9:43pm, I got "invalid SIM" and I haven't been able to get the SIM to work since (it's been just about 12 hours now). It goes from invalid SIM to SIM failure to No SIM card installed (which I never had before).

So the update to 9A406 did NOT work for longer than two weeks. 😟

I'm going to call Apple today (I already changed phones, so...) and will head out to my AT&T store (luckily it's around the corner) for a new SIM card.

Will update after that.

hide-

Level 1

20 points

Jan 2, 2012 7:30 PM in response to ptnik

It has been 2 days since I updated from:

iOS: 5.0.1 (9A405 build)

iOS: 5.0.1 (9A406 build)

Problem had not resurfaced yet. If this is a fix, it must had been a software bug instead of hardware.

The update is not automatic in iTune if you are using 5.0.1 (9A405 build).

Have to do a Restore (even though itune shows your phone is updated) in order to *update* the build to 9A406.

I guess this will poise confusions to many owners as the build is not automatically detected by itunes.

Jan 2, 2012 8:17 PM in response to ptnik

Doing a restore to the 9A406 build has not resolved my SIM card errors. In fact, its worse. Since the restore, I haven't had a SIM card at all. Major problem since I don't have a land line. Hoping the Genius Bar can fix this.

ptnik Author

Level 1

1 points

Jan 3, 2012 2:54 AM in response to hide-

Unfortunately, 2 days isn't "long enough" to prove it's working.

I had a new SIM, and updated to 9A406, and all went well... Until one week later I got another Invalid SIM message.

So far it has only happened once - although I still get network dropouts quite regularly (shows strong signal bars, but when you try to use 3G data or make a phone call, it gives call failed, drops the connection, starts searching for network and only then it goes back to normal.)

Jan 3, 2012 3:46 AM in response to ptnik

ptnik im having the same problems and i've upgraded to 9a406. do you think if we get a new 4s that this issue will be resolved? my friend running 5.0.1 without any kind of errors at all.

again as phone shows message failure to send i can call my phone but not send messages or call anyone.

ptnik Author

Level 1

1 points

Jan 3, 2012 3:57 AM in response to emmanuelfrombacolod

Well, I've seen reports that changing equipments fixed the issues... as well as reports that the problem remains even with a new iPhone 4S. So, I'm still hoping there's a software fix that might solve the issue.

The 9A406 update is a clear sign that Apple knows it has bugs in iOS regarding the dropped connections and Invalid SIM, so... it's a strong indicator that it is indeed software related. And at least for me, ever since I got my 3rd microSIM, my problems have been reduced drastically - I only got an Invalid SIM error in over 2 weeks or so (with my previous microSIM, i was getting 4 or 5 Invalid SIM errors each day!).

So, it's not to bothersome for me to wait a few weeks longer and see if a 5.1 updates really fixes it once and for all. But, if I was having the invalid sim every couple of hours like before, I doubt I could wait that long... and would have either have it replaced, or simply get rid of it and go back to my old iPhone 4.

Jan 3, 2012 4:07 AM in response to ptnik

im waiting for another week till i can get a hold of a new micro sim. and or itunes will remake or release an update addressing this problem. i find it ******** that they haven't addressed this at all or made a clear cut fix to this problem. this has been on for weeks now.

ptnik ill keep you posted on the results of the new sim like you ive tried almost everything on the net for fixing this.

so if all else fails ill try to have a new one sent to me asap

Baaleos

Level 1

0 points

Jan 3, 2012 5:23 AM in response to emmanuelfrombacolod

It happened again today - at 10:50 GMT.

I took a picture of it, e-mailed it to myself, erased my phone, and bought it to the Genius Bar at the local Apple Shop.

They replaced my phone.

Im still a little worried though,

When the Sim was put into the phone, and the phone was in the activation process, the Sim/Signal indicator took a long time to resolve the network etc.

Anyway, the phone has been without that Sim Failure message now since having got it.

Note - Word of Warning to anyone on developer account.

The Genius bar guys use special diagnostic software to debug and diagnose the iPhones.

Their software doesnt work with the beta software.

I thought this meant they wouldnt help me, but thankfully because I had a photo of the issue, they believed me, took my dud, and gave me a new handset.

Make sure u have some way of showing the issue to the guys at genius bar.

Jan 3, 2012 4:43 PM in response to ptnik

my iphone 4s is working fine

- white 32 GB

- 5.0.1 (9A405)

- 1.0.13 (MODEM FIRMWARE)

I have 2 friends that experiencing this problem

Friend 1

- iphone 4s

- white 16 GB

- 5.0.1 (9A406)

- 1.0.14 (MODEM FIRMWARE)

Friend 2

- iphone 4s

- black 32 GB

- 5.0.1 (9A406)

- 1.0.14 (MODEM FIRMWARE)

does the MODEM FIRMWARE is being updated/upgraded whenever we update the iOS software build?

we have been tried restoring them

change sims

the "tape solution" etc....

we will try to get a 128k sim card

do you have any other solutions?

thank you

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Invalid SIM Card on iPhone 4S (5.0.1)