Unlocking Replacement Sim on phone

[lisa_g93]

Hi there, 

Ordered replacement sim 2 weeks ago, activated it last night, cannot unlock Sim on an old phone with the sim pins provided by you. Phone tells me I've 3 attempts remaining when entering sim pin. Entered pin but screen shows "unlocking" for ages that the home screen locks. When I unlock, it gives me a other 3 attempts without telling me the pin I entered was wrong. Is the problem with the phone or my replacement sim? 

If I buy a cheap phone would my new replacement sim work in it? And what phone could I buy? Anything that is unlocked so something from carphone warehouse?

I would be really thankful for a reply soon 

thank you x

[dalyer]

Are you absilutely sure that the phone is unlocked for use on any network?

And it is actually looking for the SIM unlock PIN and not the network unlock code for the phone?

If you do know that the phone us unlocked then try this:

I forgot my PIN code

Enter the SIM wrong 3 times then use the PUK from your online account.

I've seen one or two other reports of people not being able to unlock their SIM using the PIN1 provided on the SIM packaging so maybe that's the case here?

Not sure why this would happen but seems like it can.

In that case you need to fall back on the PUK and hopefully that will work.

Hope this helps.

[dalyer]

Did that help at all?

[lisa_g93]

Sadly it didn't help, but it definitely is looking for the sim unlock pin, not network. 

I think it is the phone that's the problem. 

Thank you 

[dalyer]

Can you try another operator's SIM in the phone? E.g. a free SIM from another operator or a friend's SIM?

Can you try your 48 SIM in another person's unlocked phone?

That might clarify matters a bit.

Hope this helps.

[lisa_g93]

I am currently putting in a vodafone sim into the phone, to see how that would goes. sadly no one has an unlocked phone where I can test the 48 sim. 

[lisa_g93]

The vodafone sim works in the phone, so obviously something is wrong with th phone accepting the 48 sim. 

[dalyer]

The phone could simply be locked to Vodafone so.

Get another operator's free SIM (e.g. Tesco) and try it.

If you get a prompt for an network unlock code or something like that (not the SIM PIN) then it is almost certainly locked to Vodafone and needs to be unlocked.

Can you post a screenshot of the phone when the 48 SIM is in and it's prompting for a code?

Or at least the verbatim message?

If the phone is unlocked then there's no reason for it not to work on 48.

It may require activation but that's another step.

Hope this helps.

[lisa_g93]

It says "Invalid Sim" in the top left hand corner of my home screen.

[dalyer]

"Invalid SIM" sounds like it's locked to another network.

If the Vodafone SIM worked then it must be Vodafone?

And the phone still needs to be unlocked.