Activation Required: SIM Not Valid

Question

Level 1

8 points

Activation Required: SIM Not Valid

I bought an iPhone 5 second-hand and everything is fine with it except when I try use my SIM card.

I get the message on the lock screen saying, "Activation Required" and then when I open the phone I get the message,

SIM Not Valid

The SIM card that you currently have installed in this iPhone is from a carrier that is not supported under the activation policy that is currently assigned by the activation server. This is not a hardware issue with the iPhone. Please insert another SIM card from a supported carrier or request that this iPhone be unlocked by your carrier, Please contact Apple for more information.

It came with an Optus SIM card in it but only allows SOS calls, however I can still use the phone for everything else with that SIM inserted. I am trying to use a Vodafone SIM but this message comes up and it won't let me do anything else. It does recognise that it is Vodafone though because in the top left-hand corner 'Vodafone AU' appears for a few seconds.

It has been synced with my iTunes account and two factory restores have been done (one before I got it and one after).

I checked the IMEI number on different sites and got different things on each one (a few said it was locked, a few said it wasn't) before someone said that those sites can't be trusted.

Is there a way to solve this or have I been sold a phone that was never going to work?

iPhone 5, iOS 7.0.3

Posted on Nov 13, 2013 4:04 AM

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Answer 1

wjosten

Level 10

95,369 points

Nov 13, 2013 4:14 AM in response to acadiard

The only reliable way to determine the officially locked/unlocked status of your phone is to call AppleCare. Apple maintains the database of officially unlocked iPhones, & AppleCare can tell you whether your phone is locked or not, & if locked, what carrier it is locked to.

Be aware, if your phone is carrier locked(and it appears it is), most carrriers will not authorize unlocking unless you are a customer, using the phone, on their network.

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Answer 2

hasan4fd

Level 1

0 points

Mar 11, 2014 8:11 PM in response to acadiard

i am also using iphone 5s bought in uk..my phone also show lyk this "activation required...."

i called apple customer care they said phone is unlocked..

did u got any solution pls give info

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Answer 3

acadiard Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 13, 2014 8:34 AM in response to hasan4fd

Yes, it turned out I had restored the phone with the Optus SIM card inserted when I should've restored it with the Vodafone SIM card. Once I swapped the SIM cards over and then restored the phone, it worked.

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