how can I turn off Find my iphone on the icloud if I have NO SERVICE? I had my iphone 4 unlocked and want to use it in Portugal but it shows NO SERVICE and won't recognize a new SIM card. What should I do?

Question

how can I turn off Find my iphone on the icloud if I have NO SERVICE? I had my iphone 4 unlocked and want to use it in Portugal but it shows NO SERVICE and won't recognize a new SIM card. What should I do?

I had my iphone 4 unlocked a few months ago, when I got a new phone. Now I'm in Portugal and trying to activate my phone with a new SIM Card (since it should be unlocked) but I keep getting the message of NO SERVICE. One possible solution to fix this problem is to turn off 'Find my iphone' on the icloud, but I've been unable to do it since I can't connect to any Wi-fi since it shows NO SERVICE. What should I don since it won't recognize a new SIM card and I can't turn off FIND MY IPHONE. Please help!

iPhone 4, iOS 7.1.2

Posted on Jul 5, 2015 12:46 PM

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Answer 1

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,347 points

Jul 5, 2015 12:50 PM in response to lucyfromchevy chase

What would turning off Find My iPhone have to do with it. If the device was unlocked, is there any other error message on the screen when you attempt to activate the device? The No Service message would have to do with the SIM. Are you sure the SIM is currently active and would work in the iPhone? Where was the iPhone 4 from that you had unlocked? Who was the carrier you had it unlocked from? No Service error also pertains to cellular, not Wi-Fi. You can still connect to Wi-Fi if you are seeing a No Service message if you are in range of a Wi-Fi network that you can connect to.

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Answer 2

Jul 5, 2015 2:41 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

That was one of the suggestions from Apple - to turn off Find my iphone. My phone was purchased in the U.S. and my provider is ATT. I got it unlocked by requesting it from ATT and following all their procedures. Now that I want to use it in Portugal, I can't. It currently has the ATT SIM card inside which obviously doesn't work. I purchase a SIM card here from NOS, a cell phone/internet service provider and it doesn't work. I enter the Passcode (4 digits) for the new SIM when I try to unlock it and it shows SIM failure.

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Answer 3

ChrisJ4203

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Jul 5, 2015 2:47 PM in response to lucyfromchevy chase

When you completed the unlock from AT&T, did you restore the device as new and get the "Congratulations" message in iTunes? If not, then the unlock may not be complete and that is why the SIM failure. If you attempt to activate the phone with the NOS SIM, what happens?

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Answer 4

Jul 5, 2015 2:50 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

I don't remember getting the congratulations message and restoring it as New. I get the message SIM failure when I put it in the NOS SIM card and enter their code.

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Answer 5

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

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Jul 5, 2015 2:55 PM in response to lucyfromchevy chase

I'm not sure about their unlock code for their SIM, but if the phone was not unlocked, then you would get an activation error saying the carrier was not authorized. Since this seems to be an error directly related to the SIM, I suggest you contact the carrier and see if they can assist you.

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Answer 6

Jul 5, 2015 3:01 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

Thanks for your help. I'm going to try to erase everything (back to factory settings) and then restoring it to see if I get the Congratulations message you mentioned. But it probably won't work. The person from this carrier wasn't able to help me, and I tried a SIM card from another carrier - MEO and theirs didn't work either. Again it showed No Service. Even inside the store (a free wi-fi zone), I wasn't able to get internet on the phone.

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Answer 7

deggie

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Jul 5, 2015 3:02 PM in response to lucyfromchevy chase

If you did not Restore the phone as a new phone and get the Congratulations, your iPhone is now unlocked message then your iPhone is still locked.

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Answer 8

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,347 points

Jul 5, 2015 3:05 PM in response to lucyfromchevy chase

lucyfromchevy chase wrote:

Thanks for your help. I'm going to try to erase everything (back to factory settings) and then restoring it to see if I get the Congratulations message you mentioned. But it probably won't work. The person from this carrier wasn't able to help me, and I tried a SIM card from another carrier - MEO and theirs didn't work either. Again it showed No Service. Even inside the store (a free wi-fi zone), I wasn't able to get internet on the phone.

Signing on with Wi-Fi has nothing to do with the SIM. It sounds like the device is not completely activated if you could not log into Wi-Fi. But I digress. Do like deggie says and restore again. Leave the AT&T SIM in the device and you should get the Congratulations Message. Once you get that, put the new SIM in the device, and report what happens.

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Answer 9

Jul 5, 2015 3:11 PM in response to deggie

Thanks for your reply. I just deleted everything to the default factory settings but with the new

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Answer 10

Jul 5, 2015 3:14 PM in response to lucyfromchevy chase

with the new SIM card from NOS in Portugal and I got the Congratulations message, and now it seems to be working. I have a signal and I just tried the internet and it works.

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Answer 11

Jul 5, 2015 3:16 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

Thanks again; it's working now. It's been 3 very frustrating days; couldn't figure out what the problem was, but you were very helpful.

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Answer 12

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,347 points

Jul 5, 2015 3:17 PM in response to lucyfromchevy chase

You're welcome.

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