SIM card is not working: All you need to know

You popped your sim card into your phone sim slot and powered your phone, suddenly all you saw was no services and after several trial or attempts to get the sim to work all failed.

This bring us to this very post SIM card is not working on my mobile phone, the reason why such is happening and lastly the solution to the problem.

I know how it feels that you inserted your sim into your mobile phone and there’s no network coverage, at first you will get confused as to the cause of the problem, but I’m here to help you out in solving the problem.

Now let’s look at the topic or the issue we have here, SIM card is not working on a mobile phone.

SIM card is not working on a mobile phone

There are different cause of this problem, it may be from the phone, the sim card itself or even your network provider having a technical issue at that very moment.

In order to see the solution to this problem, I will first start with the sim card and the phone cause they are the major causes of SIM card is not working on a device.

1. Fix sim card not working by checking the sim card

This is the first and foremost to do, checking the sim card and to be very sure if truly the sim card is not deactivated and still working.

■ Checking the network coverage

For this, you will get started by checking if indeed there’s a network coverage on the sim card after you inserted it into your phone. So what you have to do is to first power off your phone and remove the sim card from your mobile phone.

Use a soft clean cloth and clean the sim chip, put the sim back into your phone and power on your mobile phone. Wait for it to boot complete and check on the network coverage to see if you will indeed see a network coverage on your mobile phone.

If you didn’t see any network and it states no service available, then there’s a likelihood that the problem is from the sim card and might have been damaged.

THE SOLUTION 

Reboot your phone three time and see if the problem will persist, if still it shows no network coverage, pull out the SIM from your phone and insert it into another phone.

Check to see if you will see a network coverage on the other phone, if you do see a network, then the problem is from your phone and likely to be caused by the sim slot.

In order to be sure that the problem is caused by your phone sim slot, insert another compatible sim into your phone and check if it will see a network coverage. If still no network coverage, I’m sorry the problem is caused by the sim slot and should be replaced immediately.

What I’m trying to tel you here is that one of the causes of SIM card is not working on a mobile phone is caused by a faulty or damaged sim slot. Once the sim slot is damaged, you can’t see a network on the mobile phone.

■ Related How to check if sim card is working on phone

However, if after inserting the sim card in another phone and still you didn’t see any network coverage on the mobile phone, then be rest assured that the sim card is damaged and should be replaced.

■ Check if you can make and receive calls, send and receive messages on the sim

In order to check the causes of SIM card is not working in a mobile phone, you need to be sure whether the problem is from the sim card or probably the mobile phone.

So in this case to attain if the problem is from the sim card, you will have to make calls using the sim card or send a text message using the sim card. Use another phone and sim number to call your line and check if the call will go through likewise sending a message.

If the calls didn’t go through, remove the sim from your phone and insert it into another phone. Call the sim number again and check if it will go through, if it didn’t go through for the second time and in another mobile phone, it simply means that the sim card is no longer working or valid.

If the calls went through then the problem is from your phone.

THE SOLUTION

If the problem is from your phone, that us your phone shows network coverage but you can’t make or receive calls and messages as well, I will recommend you to request from your network provider to send a network settings to your phone.

If they send the wap and web settings, sae it on your phone and it should resolve the problem you’re having.

If you couldn’t make or receive calls from the sim after inserting it into another phone, then the problem is from the sim. Try it multiple times and if the problem persists, then you will have to change the sim card.

■ Related Can you receive text messages without a sim card

So if you’re asking why is my sim card not working on my mobile phone, you should first check to see if maybe the problem is caused by the sim itself.

2. Check your mobile phone

SIM card is not working

Having checked the sim card and seeing that indeed the problem is not from the sim card because the sim card is working on other phones, then you have to put your phone into a consideration. Maybe the problem of the SIM card is not working on mobile phone maybe caused your phone.

So this is what you will have to do.

Reboot and restart your phone for at least twice

Yes, rebooting a mobile phone helps to fix sim card issues in a mobile phone. So what you need to do is to reboot your phone and check if you will see a network coverage as it boots on.

Instead of reboot your phone, I will also recommend restarting your phone as it also helps in fixing technical issues caused by the network on the sim card.

If there’s no network coverage, then you will have to move on to the next solution to fix SIM card is not working on a mobile phone.

Check the sim slot to see if it is the cause

This is the second option you need to look out for in fixing sim card not detecting in a mobile phone. So what you have to do is to get extra compatible working sim card as you will run a test on your mobile phone.

Get started by removing your sim card from your phone, insert any of the three sim cards you want to run a test with and power on your phone. Now check if you will see a network coverage on your phone or probably showing no service available.

If it shows a network coverage on the three sims, be rest assured that your sim card is damaged and the problem is not from the sim slot. However, if no network coverage is shown on the phone and states no service available, then there’s a high chances that the problem might be caused by the sim slot.

■ Related What can someone do with your sim card

In this situation, you don’t have any option but to change your sim slot but before doing that see more of sim problems and solutions below.

Clean the sim slot with clean soft cloth

Before you can go ahead to change the sim slot, first try and clean it using a clean soft cloth but damped with normal water and no detergent of any kind.

After cleaning, allow it to dry properly for a good 30 minutes and insert your sim card into the sim slot. Power on your phone and check if the problem you’re having is resolved, if still the SIM card is not working, then it high time you change the sim slot.

However, you need to read more of the solutions before doing that.

Turn on the airplane mode on your phone

This is very helpful if SIM card is not working is caused by a technical hitches other than a damaged sim card or sim slot. It has helped me twice when I was using my old Samsung galaxy s4 back then, and I’m sure it is still very much helpful.

In this situation, all you need to do is to pull down your mobile phone control panel and tap on the airplane mode to turn it on. Wait for 30 seconds or more and turn off the airplane mode on your mobile phone.

If the problem is caused by a technical hitches, it does help to resolve the problem unless it is the case of a damaged sim card and sim slot.

To resolve the problem of SIM card is not working on a mobile phone, you should try this very method as it is very much helpful and have helped me twice on my samsung galaxy phone.

Switching the sim card on your mobile phone

This is another method in solving SIM card is not working on a mobile phone, but mind you this is not available on all mobile phones.

I’m talking about this feature where you can switch off or switch on the sim card on your mobile phone. Not every phone has this feature and if you happen to see it on your mobile phone, then let’s proceed.

What you have to do is to open the Settings app and tap on Network & Internet, followed by tapping on SIM cards, then tap the slider next to your SIM card so it is “On.”

■ Related Should i remove my sim card before factory reset

In some rare cases, you will find out that the button is toggled off and that’s why SIM card is not working on your mobile phone. So all you have to do is to slide on the sim card and you’re good to go.

Request a network settings from your service provider

This case is rare but it does happen, not having the proper network settings making you to have sim card problems and not being able to use the sim card for it’s purposes.

What you have to do is to contact your service provider and request that they send a network settings to your mobile phone through the sim card number. After they must sent the settings, save it on your mobile phone and use it as your network settings.

3. Contact your network service provider

All in all, this is the last resort and action which you have to take before making any haste decision like changing the sim slot on your mobile phone.

Contact your network provider and inquire if they are having a technical issue as your SIM card is not working on your mobile phone at that very moment. If there’s no network issue, give them your sim card number and let them run a check to see if at all the sim card is valid and active.

From there, they will give you their answers and the next step which you’re to take.

How to check sim card is working or not

To check if sim card is working or not, check to see if you will see a network coverage on your mobile phone, make calls and see if it will go through, or send a message using your sim number and see if the message will be sent.

These are how to check if a sim card is working or not on a mobile phone be it iphone or android phone.

What to do if sim card is not working

If a sim card is not working, kindly contact your network provider and request for a sim replacement immediately. Mind you, the new sim card will bear your other sim number and they usually call it a sim swap.

A sim swap is the process of switching a mobile number to a new sim card which has never been used or assigned to a person. This usually happens if a user misplaced or damaged it’s sim card.

If your sim card is not working, kindly contact your network provider and they will help you out in resolving the problem.

■ Related What is the difference between a sim card and an sd card

All these I have for you on SIM card is not working and all you need to know about it. Generally, when such happens, you will first have to be sure that the sim card is still valid and active before taking any decisions.

About Kennedy

I'm Amaechi Uchenna by name, a mobile tech enthusiast who love writing articles about tips and tutorials especially relating to gadgets.

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