A-run
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Q: iPhone 4s unlock and OneSimCard

My wife is going out of the country and I elected to have her phone and my phone unlocked.  I purchaced a OneSimCard from Amazon and attempted to use in my phone to test it out.  Unfortunatly I recieve the error "SIM Not Valid."  This is frusterating because I'd really like to make sure this thing works before she leaves.  I verified that Verizon has unlocked both phones so I don't know what the next course of action is.  Any help please.

iPhone 4S, iOS 7.1.1

Posted on Jun 13, 2014 9:42 PM

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Q: iPhone 4s unlock and OneSimCard

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  • by gdgmacguy,

    gdgmacguy gdgmacguy Jun 13, 2014 10:28 PM in response to A-run
    Level 7 (21,343 points)
    iPhone
    Jun 13, 2014 10:28 PM in response to A-run

    what did Verizon say when you told them your OneSim card didn't work?

  • by A-run,

    A-run A-run Jun 14, 2014 9:09 AM in response to gdgmacguy
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 14, 2014 9:09 AM in response to gdgmacguy

    They told me that they had received confirmation from Apple that both phones were unlocked. I did see some info in the OneSimCard packaging that said the even though Verizon would unlock the phones the were only "kind of" unlocked and may not work in the US and that it should work outside the country. If that's the case my only option will be to write some detailed instructions for my wife and hope she can figure it out.

  • by Chris CA,

    Chris CA Chris CA Jun 14, 2014 9:19 AM in response to A-run
    Level 9 (79,677 points)
    iTunes
    Jun 14, 2014 9:19 AM in response to A-run

    -> About iPhone unlocking

    -> iPhone: Wireless carrier support and features

    write some detailed instructions for my wife and hope she can figure it out.

    When she gets whereverm insert the SIM, turn the iPhone on and follow the instructions.

  • by A-run,

    A-run A-run Jun 16, 2014 2:58 PM in response to Chris CA
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 16, 2014 2:58 PM in response to Chris CA

    Well Chris, we tried it out and received the same message.  There's got to be something with the unlock that is not quite right.  I'm not sure whether I need to call verizon back again or call apple. This is a mystery.

  • by A-run,

    A-run A-run Jun 16, 2014 4:18 PM in response to A-run
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 16, 2014 4:18 PM in response to A-run

    Alright, here is the last word that I recived from Verizon and Apple; some of these 4S phones don't like to be unlocked.  If the you recieve the "Sim Not Valid" message after the unlock and the new SIM card is inserted then the solution is to complete a wired restore of the phone from iTunes.  This can be a problem if you're abroad and didn't take a computer with you.  The second part of this that the restore has to be done without a SIM card installed.  Kind of strange but oh well.  After that the SIM card should be accepted, no problem.  Apparetly the unlock can only be completed through iTunes.  I haven't actually been able to try this out but hopefully it helps somebody out there.  I asked about the 5, 5S, and 5C and they said since those phones come out of the box unlocked so this shouldn't be an issue. 

  • by Lawrence Finch,

    Lawrence Finch Lawrence Finch Jun 16, 2014 4:55 PM in response to A-run
    Level 8 (38,305 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 16, 2014 4:55 PM in response to A-run

    What isn't clear from what you have said so far is if you went through all of the steps to unlock your phone. You do this by connecting the phone to iTunes on your computer, clicking on its name, in iTunes, and clicking "Restore iPhone". If the phone has been unlocked when the restore finishes you should see a message in iTunes that says "Congratulations. Your iPhone is unlocked". You should make a backup of the phone on your computer, and also an iCloud backup for extra safety before doing the Restore.

  • by A-run,

    A-run A-run Jun 17, 2014 12:07 PM in response to Lawrence Finch
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 17, 2014 12:07 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

    I did this on my iPhone and it completed the unlock just as you said above. Unfortunately, with my wife out of country I don't know how we're gong to get her phone squared away. I'm trying to persuade her to go to an Apple store near her location and see if they can help her out.

  • by Lawrence Finch,

    Lawrence Finch Lawrence Finch Jun 17, 2014 12:17 PM in response to A-run
    Level 8 (38,305 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 17, 2014 12:17 PM in response to A-run

    Any Apple store should be able to help her. She needs to make an iCloud backup first.