My iPhone 4 doesn't accept a new Sim card!

Question

Level 1

8 points

My iPhone 4 doesn't accept a new Sim card!

Hy everybody,

I'm in a foreign country and wanted to buy a new sim card from here. But it doesn't work. My iPhone says that there is a SIM error. So I wented to the store where I bought the Sim card, and they said to me that there is a sim lock. That's not possible. In my country I ever had a prepaid card. Why should it be Sim locked? So I phoned to my provider in my country. They said that they can't unlock it, I have to do it by myself on iTunes.

So I searched on Google. There are a lot of variants. One of them is to make a backup on my Mac, delet all and restart. But I haven't my Mac with me here.

PLease help me! I didn't found any solution and I need this new Sim here!

iPhone 4, iOS 7.1.2

Posted on May 2, 2016 12:17 PM

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Answer 1

Jun 23, 2017 9:17 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

i also have same problem to change number with new sim card, Apple store Genius refused and they said you need to contact iphone customer toll free number. since it shows Sim unlock-false...please advise what should i do..?

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Answer 2

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,347 points

Jun 24, 2017 6:33 AM in response to sathish69

sathish69 wrote:

i also have same problem to change number with new sim card,

What do you mean "change number"? If you have attempted to put a new SIM in the phone and it gives you the message that it is not supported, then the phone is not unlocked. The SIM you are trying to use is not for the carrier the device is locked to. Apple does not unlock phones, only the carrier the device is locked to can unlock a phone. You need to find out what carrier the device is locked to and see if they provide unlocking services and if you qualify. If you do not know the carrier, then a call to Apple will confirm it. Do not use websites as the information they provide is generally incorrect.

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Answer 3

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,347 points

May 2, 2016 12:21 PM in response to Guhter

What is the exact text of the error message? Is that all it says is SIM error?

Where did you purchase the device? Did you purchase it new, or used? Are you sure when you purchased the phone that you purchased an unlocked phone?

Only the carrier the device is locked to can authorize an unlock, you cannot just "do it yourself via iTunes".

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Answer 4

Guhter Author

Level 1

8 points

May 2, 2016 1:00 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

The message is: SIM Failure.

YEs, I purchased it new 5 years ago.

Can it help to go to a Apple Store? Or can't they do anything? The next one is a little bit far and if it hasn't any sense I will not go.

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Answer 5

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,347 points

May 2, 2016 1:03 PM in response to Guhter

If you purchased new, did you purchase an unlocked device directly from Apple? If you are seeing SIM failure as the only message, then it could be the SIM you have is not a good SIM card. Have you tried another SIM?

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Answer 6

Guhter Author

Level 1

8 points

May 2, 2016 1:10 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

No it wasn't directly from apple. It was in another store who sells electric stuff. But it was completly new.

THe sim card is good, i think. the store who sold it to me tried to put the sim in another phone, and that works.

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Answer 7

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,347 points

May 2, 2016 1:14 PM in response to Guhter

If you did not purchase this device directly from Apple, then there is a possibility that the device is locked to a carrier that is not the carrier you are trying to use the SIM card from. Have you ever used more than one different carrier SIM in the device before? Did you jailbreak the phone? Go to Settings>General>About, and provide the Model number of the device.

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Answer 8

Guhter Author

Level 1

8 points

May 2, 2016 1:41 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

SInce 5 years I used always the same Sim card. And no, my iphone 4 isn't jailbreaked.

MOdel number: MC603FD/A

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Answer 9

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,347 points

May 2, 2016 9:20 PM in response to Guhter

First step is to contact the carrier and see about a new SIM. If that does not work, then make an appointment at the Genius Bar of the nearest Apple Store to have the hardware checked.

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