topic Re: Locked sim in Other Help

Locked sim

eva_02 — Sat, 04 Feb 2017 22:24:54 GMT

I was receiving no service today and so I took my sim out and in again. When I put my password back in to unlock my sim, it says waiting but never does anything. I am now locked out of my sim. Can you help?

Re: Locked sim

dalyer — Sat, 04 Feb 2017 22:53:09 GMT

What password?

Or do you mean PIN?

Is it your PUK that you need?

I forgot my PIN or need my PUK

Hope this helps.

Re: Locked sim

eva_02 — Sat, 04 Feb 2017 23:49:40 GMT

Sorry I meant PIN.
Usually when I put it in it says PIN sucessful and it unlocks the sim in about 3 seconds.
When I put it in now it doesn't say PIN successful it says waiting… and it does nothing.

Re: Locked sim

dalyer — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 00:01:35 GMT

You seem to be using an iPhone?

If so then it could be that taking the SIM out and putting it in again is causing the iPhone to try to activate again?

(Due to the stupid way that Apple do things unfortunately).

Try putting a small amount of cash credit on your account and then power off and on again and see if that makes any difference.

The reason I suggest this is that iPhone activation involves the phone unilaterally sending a UK SMS which costs 25c and will not go if you don't have any cash credit on your account.

And unfortunately the iPhone will not tell you what's happening (or not) in this context.

If that doesn't help then you may need to contact 48 support for more advice:

http://www.48months.ie/help#contact-us

Hope this helps.

Re: Locked sim

eva_02 — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 10:43:50 GMT

Yes I am using an iPhone 5s.
I don't think that taking the SIM card out and in again is what the problem is, because I was receiving no service at all previously in the day.
Also I have taken my SIM card out before and never had this problem.
But I will try what you said about cash credit.
Thank you

Re: Locked sim

dalyer — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 11:08:05 GMT

Is this the behaviour that you're getting?

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4532364?start=0&tstart=0

http://osx-sos.com/iphone-unlocking-please-wait/

Re: Locked sim

eva_02 — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 12:30:21 GMT

Yes that is exactly what I have.

Re: Locked sim

dalyer — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 12:39:01 GMT

Seems to be a common problem with iPhones.

I googled the exact message and get lots of results.

But I haven't seen a specific fix for it.

Unfortunately this is typical of how Apple do things to make things difficult for end users.

Similar problems with iPhone/faceTime/iMessage activation (on some networks), roaming etc.

I don't know why they do things this way to cause problems for so many end user.

I've never seen similar problems with other phones - e.g. Android etc.

Re: Locked sim

eva_02 — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 12:39:08 GMT

Thanks for that link. I tried something that someone on that website mentioned and I finally got my sim unlocked and I now have service and can send and receive calls and texts again.
What I did was shut my phone off, take out the sim, start my phone again, put in my sim when it asks and when I put in my PIN it worked!
Thank you

Re: Locked sim

dalyer — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 12:40:26 GMT

One option might be to put the SIM in another phone, disable the SIM PIN lock and thep put it back into the iPhone and see if that helps.

I always disable SIM PIN locking myself but I guess that some people might like to retain it for some reason.

Hope this helps.

Re: Locked sim

dalyer — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 13:08:23 GMT

@eva_02 wrote:
Thanks for that link. I tried something that someone on that website mentioned and I finally got my sim unlocked and I now have service and can send and receive calls and texts again.
What I did was shut my phone off, take out the sim, start my phone again, put in my sim when it asks and when I put in my PIN it worked!
Thank you

Great - glad you got it sorted.

Do you mean that you power the phone on without a SIM and only insert it when the phone is up and running and prompts you to insert a SIM?

I always assumed that removing/inserting a SIM while the phone was powered on might risk damaging the SIM but maybe I was being too cautious?

Disabling the SIM PIN lock from now on might also help to avoid this happening again unless you really need/want it on?

Re: Locked sim

eva_02 — Mon, 06 Feb 2017 17:59:37 GMT

Yes and I've never had or heard of problems arising because the phone was still on.
But I will leave the sim PIN lock on just so I can remember it.
Thanks

Re: Locked sim

lindahehir — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 19:44:01 GMT

I have this problem now and have tried everything mentioned in this thread. Does anyone have any other ways to solve it???

Re: Locked sim

dalyer — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 20:07:15 GMT

Duplicate post:

http://community.48months.ie/t5/Phones/iPhone-stuck-on-unlock-sim-screen/m-p/51964