Factory unlocked iphone5 displays "SIM not valid"?

I bought an iphone 5 on ebay, listed as factory unlocked. New nano sim arrived today, but screen displays "SIM Not Valid". Does this mean the phone is actually still locked, or should I wait longer for activation of the new sim?

It could still be locked to a carrier.
Also go to Settings>General>About and see if a carrier is listed

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Cannot activate factory unlocked iPhone 4S: SIM not valid

Hello Apple,
I have a problem with my Iphone: I purchased a factory unlocked iPhone 4S in a The Source Store in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. I´m from Brazil but now I am living in Israel and the fact that the phone is factory unlocked was necessary for me to use it in both countries ( Brazil and Israel). After my trip to Canada, I arrived to Brazil and inserted my micro-sim into the new iPhone. It showed the "Activate iPhone" screen BUT it won’t activate. It says "SIM not valid" and "Only compatible SIM cards from a supported carrier may be used to activate iPhone. Please insert the SIM card that came with your iPhone or visit a supported carrier´s store to receive a replacement SIM card”.
Now I am living in Israel and the same situation continues: I inserted one Israelian micro-sim into the Iphone and it showed the "Activate iPhone" screen BUT it won’t activate. It says "SIM not valid" and "Only compatible SIM cards from a supported carrier may be used to activate iPhone. Please insert the SIM card that came with your iPhone or visit a supported carrier´s store to receive a replacement SIM card”.
In Israel we don’t have Apple Stores and i can´t have access to one, so now i have an iPhone 4S i cant not eve use as an iPod, leaving it totally useless.
I will greatly appreciate any help!!
Apple Support Team: If you need the IMEI or Serial Number please ask me.
Thanks in advanced,
Bernard

The Source in Canada was formally know as Radio Shack and they do sell iPhones.. Only for Bell and Virgin Canada.
http://www.thesource.ca/estore/category.aspx?language=en-CA&catalog=Online&categ ory=iphones&sort=1&pagenum=1
What does it say on your receipt?
As Bell and Virgin do not unlock iPhones you will need to sell that phone to someone in Canada and get an unlocked phone directly from Apple.

Sim not valid. I have reset the phone after reseting my sim not working. it says sim not valid and it is not from a carrier. I need help

my iphone 4s display sim not valid message. Even though I have tried different sim just to see if the problem with sim or not. I need help. this is a phone from my boss (used phone). but he is now on holiday for a month. I need help here so that I can use the phone. Any help?

saniroman wrote:
When you say carrier did u mean perticular network provider which had originally (like vodaphone, o2 or EE)?
Yes, the original phone carrier prior to you using your phone carrier.

I got factory unlocked iphone5s A1530 model from india with warranty... Now i shifting to rgina canada so will this phone work in canada with canadian sim card...with canadian operators

I got factory unlocked iphone5s A1530 model from india with warranty... Now i shifting to regina canada so will this phone work in canada with canadian sim card...with Canadian operators permanently...

Remember though, that although you have warranty on this phone, it is only valid in India and NOT Canada, because you purchased the phone in India and iPhone warranty is country specific, so if you have problems with the phone, then you'll need to take it back to India to get it fixed.
If you will be in Canada for any length of time, then buy a new phone in Canada. It will be guaranteed to work then and you will also have warranty cover.

SIM not Valid after factory reset using a non-US SIM card

I bought an unlocked iPhone 5 at a US apple store. It worked fine for two years until factory-resetting it. Now, during the setup process I get a "SIM not valid" message. I tried an iTunes restore to no avail. I called Apple support and was escalated to two different "experts". I got two very different answers:
Expert 1: an unlocked iPhone can be used internationally but can only go through a factory reset with a US SIM card. Since you don't have one you will have to come back to the US, get an American SIM card, finish the setup process and then you can get back to using it internationally. There is nothing we can do here at Apple to bypass this procedure.
Expert 2: Our database shows that your phone is indeed unlocked and is available for use with an Israeli carrier (which is the carrier I am using now). Either the SIM card is defective or there is a problem with the hardware of the phone. Please ask for a replacement SIM card from your carrier and if this does not solve the problem you can send it to the US for repair. The repair will be costly.
Obviously neither of them is solving my problem. Is there another solution? Is it time to make the switch to an Android device?

Sorry if you have already tried this
Any chance you can ask for a different / new SIM from your carrier?
or even better see if one of your friends / family has a working phone with a nano SIM
Try that temporarily in your phone
If it works = corrupt SIM most likely
If it does not - please let us know and we can brainstorm further

Why is T-Mobile contract-free iPhone 6 not unlocked , showing * SIM not Valid* erorr outside of US?

Just before Christmas I purchased my iPhone 6 64 at full-price from the Stonebriar Apple Store, TX. At the time of purchase, I indicated several times that I want to use my phone outside of US and Apple Store representative assured me that my only option was T-Mobile contract-free iPhone which came totally unlocked and I would be able to use it internationally with no problem. I used my phone about 3 weeks in US with my prepaid AT&T SIM card without any problems and I was the happiest with my purchase but since I came back to my country my biggest nightmare has started : Just arrived at airport trying to use my local SIM, I faced the *SIM not valid* message due to a *Activation Policy*. My awful experience just started with both my family and I had the most frustrating time trying to find each other at airport. The next day when I called Apple care and explained the situation the adviser told me that although I bought the phone contract-free, my phone is now locked to AT&T and I had to contact them. I contacted AT&T several times spending countless hours to explain the situation and I spoke to near 9 different people including a manager ; at first they did not even believe me and they told me that it is impossible for AT&T to just block ppl's phones just because they activated their phone with their SIM -and it is totally making sense- but I insisted that Apple Care told me that my phone is locked by them and this is evident from their system. Anyway, one of them suggested me to request unlock my device via ATT website and I waited 4 days for their response till I received the denial because according to their record I used my prepaid service less than 6 months and I am not eligible for unlock request!!! Angry me called them again and after being on the line more that one hour, the adviser told me that my phone is not locked by them and it is actually Mercury who did this and they are the one that I had to call - at that moment I remembered that the night before I just tried my T-mobile SIM in my phone for few seconds to see what would happen and that's it - no service no activation ! When I called Apple this time and after speaking with at least 3 different pple, they told me that their system is actually unable to show which carrier has locked the device and they could only see which SIM card is the last one used in the phone and the problem is merely because of a latent Activation Policy that some iPhones can be used only in US and nowhere else and in US you may use it with different carriers but it does not mean that the phone is unlocked, and my only option is to contact the Apple Store I made my purchase to see whether they can(!! it is up to them to do it, they can easily say they can not) exchange the phone or not ! I told them that it is impossible for me to go there because I will not come back to US in next 9 months and I do not have access to any apple stores in my country, but this is the only thing that they could do , to say that they were sorry for the inconvenience.
The sad part of story is that after waiting 2 weeks without phone and spending more than 100$ to make international phone calls, this is the only answer they had for me. It is very hard for me to believe that Apple does not have any control over their own Activation Policy and for some one with my situation they are completely clueless. Apart from being frustrated, I am very disappointed with Apple and their costumer care because the advisers seemed very confusing or maybe they themselves were confused even more ! It is very abusive and it is like that I am robbed almost 1000$. Please help if you have the same experience or if you suggest that it is a good idea to file a complaint !

I managed to chat with an Apple Online Store representative, and he assured me that if purchased online it's completely unlocked from day 1...
So i guess that counts as official confirmation.
I'm still worried though, something is not right with all this contradicting information, or it's probably just marketing!
I know they are in the business of making profit and I myself work in an Apple related business, but i have to stress that there are moral and freedom-of-market issues with locked phones, they really are illegal in many countries (correct if you ask me).
Locked phones paid full price is troll, really makes no sense at all!

Iphone 5 was sent to get unlocked but 'sim not valid'

My phone was given back to me on wednesday the 21st Januray after giving it to get unlocked on monday 19th january. The phone was locked to vodafone and now should be on giffgaff and unlocked to all networks.
The guy said it can take upto 3-5 days for the phone to work with the new giffgaff sim, it is not the 5th day and it is still not working and it says
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.
When i take the sim out, i am able to use the iphone in terms of going onto apps and only using wifi but it says no service due to no sim being in the phone.
the carrier on the settings says giffgaff 17.0 which is why i think the phone should be unlocked but is not working
i have been advised to 'reset network settings' but im scared this might lock the phone back as the phone is unlocked
what do i do?

Your iPhone has not been unlocked,the "guy" has hacked it to remove the Carrier lock and in doiung so has voided your warranty ,post warranty support and help from Apple or for that matter this Community
The ONLY way to unlock an iPhone is for the Carrier who holds the lock to process the release and then follow this process
How to unlock your iPhone for use with another carrier - Apple Support
any other attempt involves jailbreaking the iPhone
It seems in your case the hack failed .........................and has screwed your iPhone .

Sim not valid for unlocked phone

I brought my unlocked iPhone 6(at&t) to South Korea. However, my phone did not work (sim not valid sign shows up every time)
I tried all the ways to fix it, but It did not work.
I think my iPhone is a defective one. Do I have to exchange my iPhone?

Did you contact AT&T before you left & request the phone be unlocked? Did you receive notification that the unlock request was accepted/completed? Did you restore your phone as NEW and get the "Congratulations, your iPhone is unlocked" message?
~Lyssa

I have changed provider and inserted new sim but it shows 'sim not valid' does anyone know how to unlock iPhone 5?

i have changed provider and inserted new sim but it shows 'sim not valid' does anyone know how to unlock iPhone 5?

Yes, contact the carrier the iPhone is locked to.
Only they can officially unlock the iPhone and if you qualify. No one else.

Iphone 4s saying sim not valid i just got the phone is have unlock code what do I do

Just got an iPhone 4s have the unlock code but the screen is just saying sim not valid how do I unlock

There is no such thing as an "unlock code" for an iPhone. If someone sold you one you have been scammed. iPhones are unlocked by the carrier the phone is locked to updating the master iPhone database maintained by Apple.

Changed phone carriers today. My 4s gives message "SIM Not Valid". Former carrier says phone is unlocked. New carrier says new connection successfully ported across. Help!

Changed phone carriers today. My 4s gives message "SIM Not Valid". Former carrier says phone is unlocked. New carrier says new connection successfully ported across. Help!

Reset your network settings
remove your sim and insert it back in
switch it off and try it again
If none of these work i suggest you call up your network operator

HT1414 I have an unlock iphone. I went to at&t store they inserted a new sim card & tried activating my phone but msg pop up stating "SIM not valid". Please help

I have an unlock iphone. I went to at&t store they inserted a new sim card & tried activating my phone but msg pop up stating "SIM not valid". Please help

Where did you buy this unlocked phone?

How can I activate my 4s? I bought it unlocked and now in another country it says sim not valid.. Please help

I bought an apple iPhone 4s unlocked from Canada. Now I'm in another country and I can't activate it because it says sim not valid,!! Then why the **** is it called unlocked phone????

It was bought from apple unlocked. No carrier's logo or name at all on the box... It turns on, I connect it to iTunes. It even asks me if I want to update for ions 5.0.1 something like this, but still in the main screen for iTunes it says:
the sim card inserted in this iPhone does not appear to be supported. Only compatible sim cards from a supported carrier mayb be used to activate iPhone.

I bought an unlocked iphone 5s with full paid but what i got is "SIM Not Valid". Don't know this is because of Apple or Sprint problem?

I bought an unlocked iphone 5s with full paid but what i got is "SIM Not Valid". Don't know this is because of Apple or Sprint problem? It suppose to be unlocked and allow me to use any carrier worldwide. What is going on? What should i do? Return a phone and get refund?

If you purchased a Sprint iPhone, you DID NOT purchase an unlocked iPhone. All Sprint iPhones are carrier locked to Sprint, & Sprint will only authorize the unlocking of the sim slot for current customers using the phone on their network. If you are not a current customer, using that phone on Sprint's network, you wasted your money, as Sprint will not authorize the unlocking of the sim slot.
So, it the above is the case with you, yes, return the phone for a refund, if you still can.

I unlocked my phone for internationally but I get Sim Not Valid

I unlocked my phone for internationally and got emails about it. When i put my sim card, it sais "Sim not Valid" You need to unlock your phone. Verizon already did that for me though I unlocked my phone for internationally and got an email about the terms and services, and how to use it internationally. When i followed the instructions, it sais "Sim not Valid" You need to unlock your phone. Verizon already did that for me though. I don't know what to do now. There's a 6 hour difference from here and the u.s.. its hard to get a clear connection.

Gemajli,
Lets make sure you're able to use your phone with that SIM card. Please call our Global Team from a landline, toll-free, using our Virtual Calling Card http://vz.to/J2vhyf. They are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so there's no need to worry about the time difference.
SarahO_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

Factory unlocked iphone5 displays "SIM not valid"?

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