Invalid SIM Card

[mtanlgg3]

Hello,

I am a relatively new Public Mobile Customer. My service started on July 18, 2017. After a bumpy start, everything was working fine until a couple of days ago.

Starting this weekend, on September 23, I began having problems with my service. My phone said “INVALID SIM CARD” randomly throughout the day. After restarting my phone my service seemed to return to normal until a few hours later, when it would give me the same message. Today it gave the message constantly, and now my phone will not connect to Public Mobile at all and gives me the message “NO SIM CARD”. Today the phone also restarted itself multiple times.

I have an LG G3 that is just under 2 years old, originally locked to Virgin Mobile. I unlocked the phone and signed up for Public Mobile in July of this year. The phone is in excellent shape – no scratches or dents, and I have only dropped it once or twice and no drops recently (have not dropped it since joining Public Mobile). Everything else on the phone functions normally and I am able to connect to WiFi.

I have visually inspected the Public Mobile SIM card and it does not appear to be damaged.

I cannot fathom any reason why the SIM card would suddenly stop working.

I have attached two screenshots taken from the phone when it was acting up.

Please advise.

Thank you, 

mtanlgg3

[soxsoxs]

Call provider and ask them to unlock your phone. 

[Crash2]

Seem like TONS and TONS of people are having this issue!  I have had no luck getting any support there is NO HELP or SUPPORT.   I have done it all and never got it working - Removed auto pay and  it a wasted $40 but at least I can tell everyone my experience.

Good Luck all Peace out of here.

[Anonymous]

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@DARCYN wrote:

Trying to activate and keeps saying invalid SIM card. phone is compatible tried resetting phone but still not working.

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Have a look at willmyphonework.net instead to make doubly sure it's compatible. The little checker here is not very reliable.

[DARCYN]

Trying to activate and keeps saying invalid SIM card. phone is compatible tried resetting phone but still not working.

[CS_Agent]

Hi,

If you have any questions concerning your account, just send a private message trough the following link :

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

[srlawren]

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@mosaddeqi wrote:

Hello, this problem causes when sim card slot doesn't registered in Network, my advice is call your network administration for sim card registration.
You should register sim slot by that IMEI code in your network operator.

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@mosaddeqi this response is less than helpful for a couple of important reasons:

1) There is literally NOBODY you can call at public mobile.  The support model here is that you need to send a private message to the Moderator_Team account here to get support.  There is an exception for people that are on a plan they got on prior to Jan 2015, known as Legacy planholders, whom can dial 611 for help.  But for everybody else, moderator team is here to help.

2) this thread has been dormant for over 8 months.  I'm pretty sure the original poster has either already resolved this or moved on to another service or phone by now.  There was no need to reply to this thread and revive it in order to give an invalid suggestion to someone that's almost certainly no longer facing the issue.

[mosaddeqi]

Hello, this problem causes when sim card slot doesn't registered in Network, my advice is call your network administration for sim card registration.
You should register sim slot by that IMEI code in your network operator.

[Acekiller]

hope you can find your replacement phone soon.

[mtanlgg3]

Swapping SIM cards with another functional phone and working SIM card showed that my SIM card worked and my phone didn't. I will need to replace the phone, as the LG G3's SIM reader is machine soldered on to the motherboard and can't be replaced. 

[mtanlgg3]

This matches my experience almost exactly, except on a much short time frame. I was informed by two repair shops that in the LG G3 the SIM reader is machine soldered on to the motherboard and cannot be replaced. I will need a replacement phone.

[Audit13 · Accepted solution]

I suggest trying one or two sim cards in the phone, active or not, to see if the phone detects the sim cards. If it does, you should try a new Public Mobile sim card. If it doesn't, the phone will need to be serviced. Unfortunately, the sim reader is soldered to the phone's motherboard.

Please let us know the results of any testing you are able to perform. 

Thank you.

[R47]

I had this issue with my LG G3, and I eventually had to return it under the extended warranty I bought with the phone. This issue with my sim not reading eventually led to my screen randomly flashing off, then the screen failing completely making the phone unusable. Apparently the problem is related to the soldering of the Sim tray or the Sim tray pins. Every time this happens, take the back off, juggle the Sim around, pop it in and out, and see if it works. Eventually you'll find a position where the Sim puts pressure on the right place and it will work for a couple weeks. I haven't heard of any solid solution for this issue, sadly, and I suspect you'll have complete failure in a couple moths. Some people have recommended putting a piece of paper over top of the Sim to put pressure on that, but I'd recommend against doing that, as you risk wrecking your Sim tray and breaking your phone, this is really a last resort. Don't hold me responsible if you try this and break your phone

[TheOldVR]

As others have said... Your SIM + another working phone = all the answers you need.

Happy Monday!

[mimmo]

Try friends or family next a wow  mobile store.

Else if you are in victoria I have a spare phone u can try

[Taekgun]

@mtanlgg3

Sorry to hear about your sudden issues.  I'm going to suggest that there IS an issue with the contact or connection between the SIM card when it's in the tray and the contact points in your phone.

You really have two options:

1 - head down to Walmart or WOW boutique and get a new SIM card, then head into your self-serve account and manually change your SIM card # there.  I imagine this will fix the issue.

*** ONLY DO #2 IF YOU ARE COMFORTABLE WITH IT.  I AM NOT ENDORSING THIS ACTION WHATSOEVER. ***

2 - If you have a spare SIM card, you can tape/glue two of them together so when you reinsert you SIM you are creating more pressure between the SIM and the contact points in your phone.  Alternatively, you can add something else thin on top of your SIM to create this pressure and better contact as well.  I have never done this but only heard of others having success.

I encourage you to try the first option to see if it works - its the safer option and you'll be able to figure out if the issue is the SIM card or your phone.  SIMs can be faulty from the manufacturer, and fail after limited use.

Hope this helps.

[will13am]

Seeing that the phone is not recognizing that a SIM card is inserted, my guess would be SIM slot issue.  You could try a network reset, see if that makes any difference.  

[cricketfan]

Check if your Sim is faulty by putting it in another phone. If it works there, then reset your phone to factory settings and then try it as you have already tried restarting it and it didn't work after.