iPhone 5 keeps telling me invalid sim

[latin1king2000]

I have tried every SIM card with every major U.S. Cell phone carrier and at the setup stage of the phone it keeps saying that my SIM card is invalid. I believe it is an unlocked model because every time I have called sprint, AT&T, etc, they have told me it's unlocked and it belongs to them. I have tried resetting on iTunes and still can't get past the setup. If you have any ideas please help. Thank you and God bless


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[scifan57]

It's possible that your SIM card reader is defective. Do you have an Apple Store nearby where you can make a Genius Bar appointment to have a diagnostic done.

 

[bear7962]

Sprint and AT&T each say the iphone is theirs? And I think that, at least at one time, Sprint would do an international unlock on an iPhone 5 but not a domestic one. Maybe you need to ask them about that.

 

[latin1king2000]

I know that the SIM card reader is good because the little dots that indicate you have a signal appear in the upper left hand corner


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[latin1king2000]

I went online and it said it was sprint then I called Apple and they told me it was AT&T. The imei number is 990003194964116


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[latin1king2000]

And I have heard that this thing called an r-sim 9 might work


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[bear7962]

And what name is immediately next to the little dots?

 

[Pinkpoison]

I went online and it said it was sprint then I called Apple and they told me it was AT&T. The imei number is 990003194964116


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I checked and it does say Sprint.

 

[bear7962]

And therefore you should be talking to sprint as it may not be a domestic unlock. I am wondering why you don't know the provenance of a phone in your possession.

 

[latin1king2000]

I bought the phone online on Craigslist. It was on the activation stage and I trusted the guy. I talked to sprint and they said it should work but it doesn't


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[latin1king2000]

There is no name showing beside the dots.


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[bear7962]

The name should be the network and obviously, from what you are saying, no network connection. Why not take it to Sprint and see if they can get it going for you.

 

[latin1king2000]

When I put the SIM card in it shows that it's cut on but it still says sim not valid


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[Coastiejoe]

A SIM card reader is a fairly common failure. The "dots" themselves does not mean all components of the reader are good.

But,,, I'm guessing you have a wrong SIM. Yes,,, I know you said you tried several, but here is the thing.. You can no unlock a Sprint phone with the only exception for being able to unlock it to work internationally if it was a domestic phone. Bottom line is, a Sprint phone will always be a Sprint phone unlocked or otherwise. So,, I would find someone with a WORKING Sprint phone and try their SIM. this will tell you if it is a SIM issue or a phone issue.

 

[bear7962]

TY for confirming what I posted earlier. I thought I remembered the IP5 from Sprint having an international unlock but not necessarily a domestic one. I still think going to Sprint might get OP the answers he seeks.