[ajPearl]

Hi,

I have Blackberry 8100 Pearl T-mobile connection.
My phone suddenly stopped recognizing the SIM card. The SIM card works with my older Nokia 6600. I have tried other SIM cards but I get the message "Insert SIM card", even when it is inside the phone - secured with the clip.

T-mobile rep asked me to re-install the s/w. I tried a basic install and then a compete clean-up and install, but I still have the same problem, SIM card is not recognized. "Insert SIM card"

T-mobile replaced the phone. Now I ran into the same problem again with the new phone .

I don't know what to do. T-mobile is going to replace it again.
But I don't know what's going on? Next time they will be replacing the SIM card too. Has anyone faced this problem? Any suggestions?

Before the 2nd failure, I was not getting any audio. I shut off the phone then removed the battery and started the phone. The audio worked, but I got the message "Insert SIM card".

[sayh0y]

it sounds like a sim card problem.

[ajPearl]

The sim card works fine with Nokia 6600.
Is there anything like Blackberry enabled SIM ?
If I try to make a call, even after the error "Insert SIM card", I get the "Emergency call..." message with some funny tone - like, when we dial an incorrect number on a regular phone in US.

Also, I am not sure if this is related but, I had requested for unlock codes from T-mobile for the 1st phone. I never used it though.

Thanks.

[Rcbjr]

ajPearl, Welcome to PinStack.

It is posible to get two BBs with the same problem, but I also believe that there may be a problem with the SIM. Keep us informed when you get the next Pearl. I don't think this problem could be caused by requesting the Unlock code.

Let us know if there is anything we can do to help with your BB.

Rcbjr

[jongann]

Make sure the SIM card is properly seated AND locked.

My card became loose the other day and I got the error message. Reinstalled card and made sure lock was on, and now all is good to go.

[ajPearl]

jongann -
I am sure the card was securely placed. I double checked if the clip was holding the card tight enough, so I am ruling out that possibility.

Rcbjr -
Thanks. I will keep you posted on the fate of my BB.

Just want to add here, that both phones worked for almost a week+, and both had the same problem. The only common thing here is the SIM card now.

Would there be any compatibity issue with the BB? It works fine with the Nokia 6600. Its been 1 yr+ now.


Thanks for the replies.

[ajPearl]

Good News and then a bad one.
Bad News - I got my thrid phone from T-mobile. The phone worked and then not.
Good News - I now know how it stopped working. All three times, whenever I shut-off the phone, holding the red cancel key, and start the phone again, the phone would not recognize the sim card. This I learned after the thrid phone - too bad . But all three times, this happened as a consequence to some other thing, so I plead innocence here.

Now the million $ question is why? Why would BB not allow me to shut off and start again?

Also, what has happened? Is there some hardware problem due to the off-on cycle. However, the first time when I insert the SIM card and turn it on it worked. Which means shutting off with the SIM card inside, leads to the SIM card not being recognized.

I will be requesting a new SIM card from T-mobile and try it with it. I hope the phone does not get damaged due to off-on cycle. I feel sorry to have got a third phone from T-mobile.

I am a software engineer; 40 hrs. a week I write code and then debug it. I didn't want to debug problems outside work, alas .

I will let you know about how the saga unfolds after I get the new SIM card.

Stay tuned until next time.

[ajPearl]

:D

My phone now works. The problem was identified to be with the SIM card, which behaved strangely after an Off-On cycle.

I changed the SIM card and tried the Off-On cycle, it still worked.

I really appreciate T-mobiles support for dealing with this annoying problem.

Thanks to you all.

Hopefully this thread serves as a reference for anybody facing a similar problem.

Cheers

-AJ

[icancn2u]

What an experience. Glad you got it resolved. Thanks for sharing with all your fellow addicts

[Rcbjr]

Thanks for the update, and glad it works not. I pity the referb tech at RIM though, NEOFs are a not fun to work on. For the un-initiated, NEOF stands for No Evidence of Failure in the Reliability world.

Rcbjr.

[GyeNyame]

I Have Acquired An Unclaimed 8100 (vodafone Brand)which Has Been Rightly Blocked As I Cant Unite It With Its Rightful Owner I Would Like To Use It For My Cards... How Do I Do This As I Would Not Have Access To The Unlocking Code From The Supplier... Also How Does One Remove The Data And Obtain An Instruction Book?/

[VeryBerry]

Why didn't tmo just give you a new sim with the new phone? I would have guessed for sure thats what it was after the second phone. So did the new sim card the give you look the same or was it a newer type?

[robertmrome]

Originally Posted by GyeNyame I Have Acquired An Unclaimed 8100 (vodafone Brand)which Has Been Rightly Blocked As I Cant Unite It With Its Rightful Owner I Would Like To Use It For My Cards... How Do I Do This As I Would Not Have Access To The Unlocking Code From The Supplier... Also How Does One Remove The Data And Obtain An Instruction Book?/

you can always pay someone to unlock it... check eBay or google and search for remote unlock code blackberry pearl vodafone... should cost less than $50.

[Amigotek]

Originally Posted by VeryBerry Why didn't tmo just give you a new sim with the new phone? I would have guessed for sure thats what it was after the second phone. So did the new sim card the give you look the same or was it a newer type?

Normal policy at T-Mobile is to not exchange the sim card unless there is a problem. I know people that are still using the old VoiceStream sim with no issues in any of the phones. Cingular had to change the sim cards as they advanced their system since the sim's weren't designed to be upgradeable as the system got better. Not sure what T-Mobile has done to theirs but it works.

Zo

[squeakr]

Normal policy at AT&T is to change out the SIM card like others change out their underwear. Oh your call quality is bad...get a new SIM card. Your ringer stopped working and a reboot didn't fix it...go get a new SIM card. I had numerous probs with my other phone and have had 6 (yes 6) new SIM cards in the last 2 months before I got them to change out the device and this time give me a BB instead of the other device, which I won't slam here even though it truly deserves it.

[GyeNyame]

Originally Posted by robertmrome you can always pay someone to unlock it... check eBay or google and search for remote unlock code blackberry pearl vodafone... should cost less than $50.

I got the wrong forum hence my absence... thank you for the advice I will give it a try.

[sandishere64]

Hi All:

I want to say a big THANK YOU to this forum!! My son who lives in another state and owns a blackberry 8700 was getting the error message "insert sim card" even though the sim card was in his phone.

He went to the At&t store and was told he needed a new sim card. He got a new card and had the same problem... He called me from one state away and told me his problem and I started searching the internet and found your forum..

I told my son that I had saw on here where if you take a small piece of paper fold it and insert it in front of the sim card. It will make the sim card fit tighter, and the message should go away because the sim card is now making contact with the phone..

IT WORKED!!!!! Thank you so much!! I do not see my son very often, but we speak on the phone every day!! Again thank you so much for your forum and for keeping me in touch with my only son!!

Keep up the good work!!

Sandi

[EricaJ1073]

I got this same problem last year on a SideKick 3 I was using (except mine said "SIM Card Initialization Failed"). Stuck it in an 8100 I had as a backup unit, and got the same error. Swapped out the SIM and it worked like new until I got my 8120. SIM card crapped out around Memorial Day last year and I had to get my 3rd SIM card.