New- sim card unlock code?

[jexinc]

Hello, my online activation process has finished but when I tried putting in my sim card it is looking for a simcard activation number...what is this?!! Please help @CS_Agent

[cappaj]

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@jexinc wrote:

whoops its actually looking for a 'SIM network unlock PIN'. i did call my previous phone carrier and received the unlock code for the phone but when i put it in it wasn't correct.... what is a SIM network unlock pin? @CS_Agent

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Are you on a Samsung? That's the message I received, and the unlock code from my previous provider is what it wanted.

If you enter the wrong code too many times though, you'll get "SIM network PIN blocked. Enter SIM network PUK." If you reach that point, you need to get the "master unlock" code from Samsung - and then you can go back to "SIM network unlock PIN" to enter the unlock code. 

(It gets real confusing, because the words "PIN" and "unlock code" and "PUK" get thrown around a lot in these messages and it always feels like each word ends up meaning one of the other words.)

I posted about my eventual solution here, if it helps:

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Getting-Started/New-Account-Require-SIM-network-PUK/m...

[popping]

@jexinc

As other replies, your phone is locked to your old provider.

Big 3 will unlock youe phone without any service with them just by calling.

[cappaj]

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@Effort wrote:

Be sure not to guess the unlock password or at least not 10 times. You can brick your sim card and render it unusable.

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Might depend on the device - I did the wrong unlock code too many times (I think it was three) - and then I had to get the "master unlock" code from Samsung. I think it's if you do the "master unlock" code wrong 10 times, that's when your phone gets locked up completely (but I could be wrong about that...).

[jexinc]

whoops its actually looking for a 'SIM network unlock PIN'. i did call my previous phone carrier and received the unlock code for the phone but when i put it in it wasn't correct.... what is a SIM network unlock pin? @CS_Agent

[jexinc]

whoops its actually looking for a 'SIM network unlock PIN'. i did call my previous phone carrier and received the unlock code for the phone but when i put it in it wasn't correct.... what is a SIM network unlock pin? @CS_Agent

[Effort]

Be sure not to guess the unlock password or at least not 10 times. You can brick your sim card and render it unusable.

[wmleung]

Like others have said, I believe your phone was from another carrier and was not unlocked (or not properly unlocked).

Good luck.

[smp99]

Hi @jexinc

Looks like your phone may be locked to your old service provider. If so, you will need to ask them for an unlock code. It is free and they have to give it to you as per new laws that went into effect last Dec.

[ShawnC13]

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@jexinc wrote:

Hello, my online activation process has finished but when I tried putting in my sim card it is looking for a simcard activation number...what is this?!! Please help @CS_Agent

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Is this a new account?  Is your phone unlocked from your previous provider?