"sim card not valid" message

[norm2]

I have an old Telus Motorola and an even-older Telus Nokia E71.  Telus has unlocked both.  The Public Mobile sim works in the Motorola.  The Public Mobile sim in the Nokia gets "sim card not valid" when it starts and it is frozen.  The Public Mobile website says Nokia E71 works on Public Mobile.  I want the Nokia E71 to work on Public Mobile.  What is the problem? Who can resolve this problem?  THANKS!

[Nezgar]

Good to hear @norm2, yeah only iPhones can be "remotely unlocked" by carriers - most other phones require the user to enter the provided code.

and nice catch @computergeek541 learn something new everyday. Didnt know some (old) locked telus phones didnt work on the flanker brands. Cheers!

[norm2]

I should have thanked everybody before saying my problem has been solved.  It turns out, the Nokia e71 has to be unlocked by me.  Caveman was right that I had to unlock as he instructed and Comptergeek541 too.  THANKS again! 

[computergeek541 · Accepted solution]

---

@Nezgar wrote:

Yes using a Telus locked phone on PM or Koodo should not require an unlock.

The fact your error message is "unsupported sim card" suggests the SIM card software is maybe too new, doesnt support whatever "older" software the old phone is looking for...

---

I have personally seen Telus or Koodo phones that did need to be unlocked to use one of the other brands (one example was a Koodo-locked Samsung Galaxy Core). This Nokia phone could be one of those.  As for if the Public Mobile SIM card is provisioned or not, that shouldn't affect the phone's ability to get to the home screen. I do think that this phone is possibly still locked to Telus.  Symbian phones do not provide an unlock code prompt but do just as described when it comes to giving an error message when a different company's SIM card is inserted and not letting you do anything past that message.

[Nezgar]

Yes using a Telus locked phone on PM or Koodo should not require an unlock.

The fact your error message is "unsupported sim card" suggests the SIM card software is maybe too new, doesnt support whatever "older" software the old phone is looking for...

[norm2]

Cavemantoronto, I will try the #pw+unlockcode+5#.  Where you have "unlockcode", is that where I enter the many digit unlock code number?

When I said Telus unlocked both phones, I called Telus and the guy did it on the Telus end.  Telus did email me a many digit unlock code for the Nokia.

I sort of remember Telus saying, locked Telus phones will work on Public and Koodo.

Thanks for continuing to help me resolve this.

[Nezgar]

@norm2 even though the contact area may look smaller, it should not matter - all the contacts should still be fine...

The difference in types/generations of SIM cards is only in the software ("applications") on the card...

Not sure what else to suggest myself, only that the phone "may" be to old... but I have not heard of this being a problem before if so...

Only remaining suggestion would be to test other carrier sims in the phone, and this SIM in another phone.

Careful removing/inserting sims do not damage pins inside the phone if the sizing adapters are ever uneven.

Maybe see if the original telus SIM makes the status message show anything different, even if it is not currently provisioned....

[norm2]

I appreciate all the replies.  This is not due to the standard, micro, nano sizes.  I have detached the appropriate plastic for each phone so that the Public Mobile sim fits in each phone.   As far as sizes, the Nokia takes a standard size.  The Motorolla takes a micro size.

[norm2]

I appreciate all the replies.

Nezgar may be on to something.  Is the gold foil larger on the old USIM sim?  How do I know a USIM sim from a UICC sim?

[kb_mv]

@norm2 If the sim in the old phone is bigger, you need to get a discarded filler piece. Most shops that sell sims probably have one they would give you. If you look at the picture there are two outer pieces on the 3 in 1 sim that you can remove. The sim is gold, the other 2 are the pieces to add/remove that make the sim fit any phone.

 

[Dunkman]

---

@norm2 wrote:

Since I bought the phone from Telus, it must be a North American model.  I noticed the area of the gold rectangle in the old sim, which worked, is larger than that in the Public Mobile Sim.  Is that the problem?  If yes, can I get that kind of sim from Public Momile?

---

@norm2 

It should not be a problem, unless the SIM card does not fit your phone properly.  There are three different sizes.  You can punch out the SIM card to get the correct size.  There is only one SIM card that you can purchase. 

[norm2]

Since I bought the phone from Telus, it must be a North American model.  I noticed the area of the gold rectangle in the old sim, which worked, is larger than that in the Public Mobile Sim.  Is that the problem?  If yes, can I get that kind of sim from Public Momile?

[norm2]

Nokia phone worked on the Telus network the previous day.

[cavemantoronto]

---

@norm2 wrote:

I have an old Telus Motorola and an even-older Telus Nokia E71.  Telus has unlocked both.  The Public Mobile sim works in the Motorola.  The Public Mobile sim in the Nokia gets "sim card not valid" when it starts and it is frozen.  The Public Mobile website says Nokia E71 works on Public Mobile.  I want the Nokia E71 to work on Public Mobile.  What is the problem? Who can resolve this problem?  THANKS!

---

Yes, it's compatible. Telus sold E71-2. 

How did you unlock it? The Nokia E71 is older and unlock could be required to use a Public sim. Telus gave you the codes and you entered it?  For Nokia E71, unlocking is different than Android.  Did you use #pw+unlockcode+5#?  You have to unlock it without sim in the phone. 

[Nezgar]

Which model Nokia E71? There are 2 versions, one for North America HSDPA 850 / 1900 should work... The other for everywhere else HSDPA 900 / 2100 will not work with Public Mobile.

It's also possible modern SIM cards are incompatible with your old phone. Old SIM cards were "USIM" - and with the advent of 3G added UICC etc.... dunno - Know anyone with an active Telus or Koodo SIM you can test with?