SIM card not valide

[frnlalonde]

Hi everyone! @CS_Agent 

My mom signed up for Public Mobile on July 25th. Everything was working great until yesterday.

Yesterday morning, she wasn't able to send text or call and the following message was appearing. Screen shot in french and free translation below.

Network Locked: If it's allowed, you can unlock the device at distance. Use the "unlock device app" to unlock the device. Make sure that the device is connected to the internet to use the app "unlock device".

SIM card not valide.
SIM card with locked network inserted.

I did the basic troubleshooting. Reset phone. Close phone, remove SIM, reinsert SIM. Look for the "Unlock Device" app.

It's not working. In the setting, it also mention that there is no SIM card inserted.

The cellphone is unlocked and compatible with the PM network. Like I mentioned, it was working great until yesterday. She has a Samsung Galaxy J7. 

Seems to me like the SIM card failed or something.

What should I do now? Any ideas?

Thanks for your help!

[frnlalonde]

Hi everyone!

I'm providing a final update on my issue. We tried everything and we decided to replace the cellphone as it was the easiest solution. The other option would have been to edit the ROM on the phone to remove anything that is T-Mobile and then unlock the phone in developper mode with the help of a Samsung software. This is a lot of trouble for a 3 year old phone.

Thank you to everyone who provided ideas to troubleshoot this!

[frnlalonde]

Hi @ChuckYeah ,

The first thing I see after boot up is the following message (Free Translation):

Network Locked: If it's allowed, you can unlock the device at distance. Use the "unlock device app" to unlock the device. Make sure that the device is connected to the internet to use the app "unlock device".

Then if I press OK. The following will be in my notification and lock screen.

SIM card not valide.
SIM card with locked network inserted.

I'm never asked to insert a PIN in the process.

The video you sent me is similar to my problem without the PIN. I did a little bit more research and found an interesting video. Apparently T-Mobile uses an Unlock App to unlock the phone. Not sure how it got relocked... I'll try this and update you all.

Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4od7XbKZHAM

@tonyottawaThe device should be unlocked. It was originally purchased to work on T-Mobile (US), then it was unlocked for Google Fi (US), then was given to my mom to use on Rogers and finally it was working fine for 2 weeks on Public Mobile.

[tonyottawa]

You need call the old cell phone provider (ie. Rogers or Videotron ) to unlock your phone. It's FREE since dec-2017.

I did unlocked my old iphone from Rogers, and from Bell not long ago, just call customer support and there is one option called "unlocked your phone". 

AGAIN , it's FREE. You don't need to be current active customer.  

https://www.howtosavemoney.ca/how-to-unlock-your-cell-phone-for-free-canadian-guide

[ChuckYeah]

Here's a video showing another method using usb connectivity on a computer. Not 100% sure this is the same issue, but you can look at it anyway and see.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzuTBp7XrFg

[ChuckYeah]

I've heard good words about the online service, don't hesitate to try again later and you might get a better agent.

If you shut the phone down, take the sim out for a minute, and then put it back in and turn it on... What is the first thing you see? Is it an invalid SIM message? Then if you click on that it should give you the screen to put the lock code in, then if you don't provide one does it give you the screen you posted.

If this is what yours does, as the video on youtube showed, it was asking for a pin, but you had just advanced to the next screen.

[frnlalonde]

Hi again,

Update on the situation.

I contacted Samsung... They were pretty much worthless. You all had better troubleshotting tips than them. They pretty much said. Do a network factory reset. If it doesn't work, bring it to an authorized dealer. I asked about the code and they said if the phone doesn't ask for one (with a pin pad) that it doesn't need it.

I also tried:

Check and the network is in auto mode. Tried to switch to 3G and couldn't. It stayed on auto for whatever reason.

Tried to manually check for network and got a "Error while searching for network".

It might be a physical problem with the SIM slot. Lost resort it either to bring it to a local repair shop or simply replace the phone.

Any other ideas are welcome!

[frnlalonde]

Hi All,

Thanks a lot for all the troubleshooting tips.

I'll contact Samsung to see about getting an unlock code. Seems like the logical step.

I'll update if it works or not.

Thanks!

[ChuckYeah]

I looked up your issue, @frnlalonde and you definitely need an unlock code. I believe you can get it from Samsung online for free here:

https://www.samsung.com/ca/info/contactus/. Just click on live chat.

[YVR]

---

@frnlalonde wrote:

I've done some additional troubleshooting.

Checked for software update. The phone was already up to date.

Did a reset of the network settings. Didn't resolve the issue.

Any ideas are welcome. Thanks!

---

As suggested try taking the phone to a samsung store or local cell phone shop.  If could have something to do with a recent software update. 

Do any other SIMs work in the phone?   Maybe there is an issue with the SIM slot if it can not read  SIMs from other carriers.

[kselmak]

Hi @frnlalonde 

Manufacturer website would be probably the best place to start, the best if they have chat support, if not then phone support would be the next best thing. Give it a try. 

[frnlalonde]

I've done some additional troubleshooting.

Checked for software update. The phone was already up to date.

Did a reset of the network settings. Didn't resolve the issue.

Any ideas are welcome. Thanks!

[mimmo]

Try

1)a network settings reset

2) manual search for network

3)switch to 3g network or or auto mode

Is is possible that the phone got re locked? What carrier was your brother on? 

Maybe contact Samsung? 

[ChuckYeah]

Since it sounds like your Samsung phone, I would go to https://www.samsung.com/ca/info/contactus and start a support live chat. 

I believe they can give you some unlock codes during the chat session.

[frnlalonde]

Thank you both for the suggestions.

Tried to swap the cards. My mom's SIM was working in another cellphone and the SIM that was in my Mom's phone wasn't working. So the problem is pointing at the phone.

Tried the "report lost" and "resume". Didn't work.

Looked at the blacklist and the IMEI isn't listed as stolen or blacklisted.The phone was a handover from my brother and he bought it new.

Looks like it might be something to do with the phone. Any ideas? The phone is a Samsung Galaxy J7.

[Master2001]

You can check if the phone is blacklisted (reported lost or stolen):

https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/bc/get-started

Click on “Start Checking” and enter the phone IMEI number

[goldilock]

@mimmo 

I read the lost/phone trick and add $1 suggested often. Thanks for clarifying what it is for.

[mimmo]

@goldilock  the 1$ top up is usually for accounts that fail to re activate  from suspended once funds are added.

The lost stolen also works similarly, and might do something, but only if it's an account issue, not a hardware issue. 

[mimmo]

I first would try swapping Sims yours in her phone and hers in your phone.

That will help isolate the issue phone VS account, and possibly sim.  From there we can better guide you 

Did she buy the phone new or used? If used maybe check the blacklist.  Probably not the issue, but stranger things have happened. 

[goldilock]

@frnlalonde 

I am not sure if this is the correct solution but it can't hurt to try the lost phone trick..
Login to your account.

Choose Plans and Add-ons tab.

Choose Lost/Stolen Phone tab.

Choose Suspend Service tab.

Logout then wait a few minutes. Log in again and repeat the steps and report your phone found. Restart your phone.

You can also try to add a top up payment of $1 to your account. 

If all else fails, please contact a Moderator and send the same screenshot and details of the problem. Please note it takes aprox. 48 hours for a reply.

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437