Invalid SIM failure when using German SIM in UK iPhone - Please help

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Invalid SIM failure when using German SIM in UK iPhone - Please help

I bought my iPhone 4 SIM free from an Apple store in the UK. It is not Jailbroken.

I am working out in Berlin for 3 months and am trying to get a german o2 SIM to work with the phone... apparently the SIM was activated when I bought it at the o2 store yesterday but when I put it in my iPhone it pops up with the "SIM failure" error and "Invalid SIM" on the top left corner of my iPhone.

o2 won't refund the SIM card and I am absolutely dependent on my iPhone working whilst I am out here in Germany.

I tried updating OS, syncing with itunes connected to wifi, hard-reset etc.. no joy.. it still works fine with my English SIM card so I don't understand what the problem is..

Please help! 😟

iPhone 4, iOS 6.1

Posted on Feb 12, 2013 12:57 PM

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Answer 1

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,311 points

Feb 12, 2013 1:06 PM in response to daish89

Buying a phone SIM free is different than purchasing an unlocked device. It appears that you have purchased a phone that is locked to o2. The only option that you have is to check back with the Apple store and have them explain your purchase, or you can check with your UK carrier to see if they will authorize an unlock on the phone.

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Answer 2

daish89 Author

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Feb 12, 2013 1:16 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

this requires a phone to call the store... hmm.. thanks for the suggestion, I'll try and get my family back in England to call them and see if the store can help. I'll pop back with the outcome. Thanks for the help

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Answer 3

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,311 points

Feb 12, 2013 1:21 PM in response to daish89

Glad to help however I could. Maybe a UK user will come in here and be able to explain the differences in a SIM free versus an unlocked phone. Good luck.

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Answer 4

wegras

Level 6

15,305 points

Feb 12, 2013 1:33 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

ChrisJ4203 wrote:

Buying a phone SIM free is different than purchasing an unlocked device. It appears that you have purchased a phone that is locked to o2. The only option that you have is to check back with the Apple store and have them explain your purchase, or you can check with your UK carrier to see if they will authorize an unlock on the phone.

Not in UK Apple UK retail stores only sell "not " locked in UK unless you purchase a contract

at same time not a thing you can do accidentally

Daish

did you buy from Carphone warehouse this sounds like their scam ?

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Answer 5

daish89 Author

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Feb 12, 2013 1:39 PM in response to wegras

Hi Peter,

No, I bought it at an Apple store in Southampton (South UK).. I was using a giff gaff sim card in the phone, which receives o2 signal so I thought moving to o2 here in Berlin would be simple.

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Answer 6

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,311 points

Feb 12, 2013 1:43 PM in response to wegras

Thanks Peter. I was aware of how Carphone Warehouse did things from other posts, but I wasn't sure how the description of SIM free, versus unlocked, was. I appreciate your help with this.

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Answer 7

wegras

Level 6

15,305 points

Feb 12, 2013 1:47 PM in response to daish89

Apple Store as in West Quay all white and chrome 😉

There is something wrong call them tomorrow

Their stock is NOT locked and is probably operator

error in processing through till where they can set as locked

if a carrier contract and contract price is involved in transaction

If you paid the full price (as on online store) then they must fix

and they can

as in £529 to £699

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Answer 8

daish89 Author

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Feb 12, 2013 1:50 PM in response to wegras

Absolutely! Yes, I'm going to try and get in contact tomorrow. keeping fingers crossed. I'll post back the outcome.. Cheers!

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Answer 9

wegras

Level 6

15,305 points

Feb 12, 2013 1:51 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

Every territory is different 😉 as we all find out

I am acutely aware of the differences between across the pond and EU

and whilst helping UK /EU users hope to add to NA responders knowledge

base

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Answer 10

wegras

Level 6

15,305 points

Feb 12, 2013 1:52 PM in response to daish89

daish89 wrote:

Absolutely! Yes, I'm going to try and get in contact tomorrow. keeping fingers crossed. I'll post back the outcome.. Cheers!

good luck

do you have contact details ( they are my local store just )

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Answer 11

daish89 Author

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Feb 12, 2013 2:01 PM in response to wegras

Yes, thank you. Well, their phone number at any rate... They don't seem to like using email!

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Answer 12

wegras

Level 6

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Feb 12, 2013 2:06 PM in response to daish89

phone number for Southampton is all you need at this stage

http://www.apple.com/uk/retail/westquay/

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Answer 13

KiltedTim

Level 10

195,183 points

Feb 12, 2013 2:19 PM in response to daish89

It sounds like the phone is locked to O2... If giffgaff uses the O2 network, it may have worked just fine for you in the UK.

That said, O2 in the UK and O2 in Germany are NOT the same carrier. If it is locked to O2 in the UK, you will not be able to put in a foreign O2 card and use it.

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Answer 14

daish89 Author

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Feb 13, 2013 11:27 AM in response to wegras

Hello again! here's an update from yesterday -

Got my brother back in England to call the Southampton store where I bought the iPhone (would have been a little bit difficult for me to do here)

He called the Apple store up and they had no idea, so they transfered him to apple care but apparently I don't have a service agreement so they wouldn't talk to him.. I either have to already have apple care or have to pay 25 pounds for the phonecall!

He tried calling the store again and they suggested taking it to an Apple store in Berlin and seeing if they can tell me if it's locked for some reason.. I haven't seen a dedicated apple store since I arrived but I'll do some research over the weekend and try and sort this out in a 2nd language! after that all I can do otherwise is try calling o2.. What a mess! ah well..

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Answer 15

wegras

Level 6

15,305 points

Feb 13, 2013 1:05 PM in response to daish89

Apple Southampton look like they screwed up

you purchased an iPhone 5 from them ,and they locked it to O2

no one else ( unless you have not mentioned something)

is involved

They can and SHOULD fix it ask him to call the store

again and speak to the duty manager .

Give him serial # iMEI # and date you purchased

and price

Apple UK sell iphones that are

1.Not carrier locked at full price

2 locked but at a subsidised price with a contract to a UK carrier

as the carrier's agent

NO OTHER TYPE OF iPHONE there is no such thing as a sim free in UK

in terms of Apple's sales offering .

Other organisations do but NOT Apple Retail Store inc West Quay Southampton

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