Sim Unlock Error

[Guest longgonelost]

Hi,

I recently bought Vodafone Smart Ultra 6 and wanted to unlock it to use it with my current sim. Got unlock code, everything was working fine, but I wanted to change my sim and network provider. After I got the new sim, I realised the code I used to unlock my phone from Vodafone just locked it to my other network EE. Now whenever I insert non EE sim, my phone just shows NO SIM - Emergency Calls Only. I need to force "Sim Network Unlock" prompt to fully unlock it, since the phone actually doesn't recognise that there is a sim inside. I tried different dialing codes, but nothing seems to work.

Any help will be much appreciated! Thanks in advance!

[Guest gitanillo87]

7 minutes ago, longgonelost said:

Hi,

I recently bought Vodafone Smart Ultra 6 and wanted to unlock it to use it with my current sim. Got unlock code, everything was working fine, but I wanted to change my sim and network provider. After I got the new sim, I realised the code I used to unlock my phone from Vodafone just locked it to my other network EE. Now whenever I insert non EE sim, my phone just shows NO SIM - Emergency Calls Only. I need to force "Sim Network Unlock" prompt to fully unlock it, since the phone actually doesn't recognise that there is a sim inside. I tried different dialing codes, but nothing seems to work.

Any help will be much appreciated! Thanks in advance!

maybe the problem is hardware, the sim module...

[Guest femilovechild]

Don't know where you got your code from, but the guy selling it on eBay is legit. Bought two from him which worked flawlessly. Test with another network SIM to confirm you've really been locked down, or buy from him.

[Guest longgonelost]

I tried the original Vodafone sim, GiffGaff sim (the one I actually want to use now) my old EE (Orange) sim I used to activate it with and another old EE sim.

Before the unlocking obviously the Vodafone sim was working fine. I unlocked it with EE (orange) sim inside from this website: www.unlocklocks.com and it worked, but since the sim was quite old and I cut it myself with a template to fit the nano sim slot, it was loosing signal for some reason and regaining it at some point during the day. I was looking to change my network anyway so I ordered a GiffGaff sim, got my PAC number from EE and transferred my old phone number to GiffGaff. After inserting the card in, the phone just didn't recognise it it just shows No Sim, same happened with the Vodafone card. When i swapped back to the EE (Orange) card, which is now deactivated since i transferred my number it was fine, but with no network. Today I manage to find one really old EE card I used to own, cut it for a nano sim and the phone works fine again. It's just locked to EE instead to Vodafone now. My problem is that i can't prompt a Sim Unlock menu since the phone actually doesn't recognise that there is a sim inside.. 

[Guest BlueMoonRising]

17 hours ago, longgonelost said:

I tried the original Vodafone sim, GiffGaff sim (the one I actually want to use now) my old EE (Orange) sim I used to activate it with and another old EE sim.

Before the unlocking obviously the Vodafone sim was working fine. I unlocked it with EE (orange) sim inside from this website: www.unlocklocks.com and it worked, but since the sim was quite old and I cut it myself with a template to fit the nano sim slot, it was loosing signal for some reason and regaining it at some point during the day. I was looking to change my network anyway so I ordered a GiffGaff sim, got my PAC number from EE and transferred my old phone number to GiffGaff. After inserting the card in, the phone just didn't recognise it it just shows No Sim, same happened with the Vodafone card. When i swapped back to the EE (Orange) card, which is now deactivated since i transferred my number it was fine, but with no network. Today I manage to find one really old EE card I used to own, cut it for a nano sim and the phone works fine again. It's just locked to EE instead to Vodafone now. My problem is that i can't prompt a Sim Unlock menu since the phone actually doesn't recognise that there is a sim inside.. 

If you've still got any sims that you yourself cut then first throw them away. It's possible that the Giffgaff sim is faulty so it's worth picking up a new one just in case, you may be able to grab a free sim from nearby without having to top up first to test it. Then go to http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vodafone-SMART-ULTRA-6-Unlock-Codes-Vodafone-UK-Ireland-Portugal-Germany-INSTANT-/271911297172 and spend £1.69 on a proper unlock code, they're the people most on here have used and I can personally vouch for them. if you still have issues then come back.

[Guest longgonelost]

I've tried the giffgaff card on 2 different devices and it's working. The original vodafone sim card is not recognised by the phone as well. And my main issue is that it just says NO SIM and it doesn't ask for unlock code. So atm any non EE sim card is just not recognised. I just need to find a way to get the Network Unlock Prompt again, but it's not happening since if I use an EE card  it is recognised and it works and if it is none EE just displays NO SIM and there is nothing you can do.

I've also done 3 hard resets now with and without sim, nothing I tried triggered the Network Unlock Prompt. 

[Guest BlueMoonRising]

1 hour ago, longgonelost said:

I've tried the giffgaff card on 2 different devices and it's working. The original vodafone sim card is not recognised by the phone as well. And my main issue is that it just says NO SIM and it doesn't ask for unlock code. So atm any non EE sim card is just not recognised. I just need to find a way to get the Network Unlock Prompt again, but it's not happening since if I use an EE card  it is recognised and it works and if it is none EE just displays NO SIM and there is nothing you can do.

I've also done 3 hard resets now with and without sim, nothing I tried triggered the Network Unlock Prompt. 

There are multiple web pages detailing this but they seem to be for specific phones, perhaps one can give you an idea. I don't suppose trying the suggested codes for inputting via the dialer will do any harm:

  

http://www.theunlockingcompany.com/index.php/unlocking_instructions/?___store=da_dk

https://www.unlockriver.com/samsung-unlocking-instructions

http://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/HTC/HTC-Legend-How-do-I-unlock-it-if-there-39-s-no-trigger/td-p/490058

 

Have you tried a factory reset/clear dalvik etc?

[Guest longgonelost]

I've tried all of the dialer secret codes including the ones in the links you just sent none of them worked. My hope was that the ZTE ones would work, since the phone is basically ZTE Blade 6 plus, and I tried theese ones: 

and the majority of them worked, but there is nothing for Sim Network Unlock Prompt.

I also just did another factory reset and I cleared the dalvik cache, still nothing.

[Guest BlueMoonRising]

When you put the Giffgaff card in is there anything in settings>more>mobile networks?

[Guest longgonelost]

If I have the giffgaff card in, no I can't access the network settings. Here is a screenshot of everything: 

https://gyazo.com/de0dfc7815dba61f1bacbcf28f7119c2

https://gyazo.com/d3a63425fae99a65a42b46f49aa534ee

 

P.S. I emailed the support of www.unlocklocks.com, which is the website I got the unlock code from and they didn't reply until I canceled my PayPal payment to them. And after the usual "make sure you've put the sim in properly" and "try doing hard reset" I haven't received anything else. I was hoping they would know how to help, since the problem began from their code and I didn't expect to be the first one to complain, 

Edited March 9, 2016 by longgonelost

[Guest gitanillo87]

well is rare rare....first i think  the Sim Network Unlock Prompt. is not the solution,because phone is unlocked,if phone only works with EE,look carefully the EE nano SIM,,,did you cut the EE sim?dis you cut vodafone´s sim?...

[Guest longgonelost]

The Vodafone and the GiffGaff sim cards are the only ones, which I haven't cut myself and they are the ones that don't work. Both EE cards are relatively old and I cut them from a standard size. I don't know in my opinion, it can't be a coincidence that only EE cards work, since there was EE card inserted in the phone during the unlock. The only logical explanation is if the phone didn't get fully unlocked and it is unlocked just for the sim network that was inserted during the unlocking? I tried googling this, but I can't find anything useful.

[Guest gitanillo87]

15 minutes ago, longgonelost said:

The Vodafone and the GiffGaff sim cards are the only ones, which I haven't cut myself and they are the ones that don't work. Both EE cards are relatively old and I cut them from a standard size. I don't know in my opinion, it can't be a coincidence that only EE cards work, since there was EE card inserted in the phone during the unlock. The only logical explanation is if the phone didn't get fully unlocked and it is unlocked just for the sim network that was inserted during the unlocking? I tried googling this, but I can't find anything useful.

^{so,all sim cards are cutted??do you have any original Nano SIM?}

[Guest longgonelost]

That's what I am saying giffgaff and vodafone are original nano sim cards, the EE are not.

And all the sim cards are tested on other devices and all of them are supposed to work anyway.

Edited March 9, 2016 by longgonelost

[Guest gitanillo87]

11 minutes ago, longgonelost said:

That's what I am saying giffgaff and vodafone are original nano sim cards, the EE are not.

And all the sim cards are tested on other devices and all of them are supposed to work anyway.

ok maybe i have the reason but is very rare,micro sim is not only longer than nanosim is also thicker,so if you cut, but didn´t buffed when you insert the EE sim the sim module goes width and when you insert a original nano sim dont reconize(SORRY FOR HORRIBLE ENGLISH I AM SPANISH)

 

[Guest longgonelost]

So you think I should thicken the original nano sim (giffgaff) to fit better in the sim module ?

[Guest longgonelost]

34 minutes ago, gitanillo87 said:

ok maybe i have the reason but is very rare,micro sim is not only longer than nanosim is also thicker,so if you cut, but didn´t buffed when you insert the EE sim the sim module goes width and when you insert a original nano sim dont reconize(SORRY FOR HORRIBLE ENGLISH I AM SPANISH)

 

I can't believe it but this worked!!!!! I placed 3 layers of masking tape on top of the giffgaff card and it actually worked! it is so weird, because this is original nano sim, no idea why it wouldn't make good connection with the phone!

[Guest gitanillo87]

So you think I should thicken the original nano sim (giffgaff) to fit better in the sim module ?

well its only theory, but how?

[Guest longgonelost]

it worked! 3 layers of tape on top of the sim card did it! 

[Guest gitanillo87]

it worked! 3 layers of tape on top of the sim card did it! 

ok problem solved[emoji2]

[Guest BlueMoonRising]

2 hours ago, longgonelost said:

it worked! 3 layers of tape on top of the sim card did it! 

Now that I would not have thought of...

 

I'm on Giffgaff myself and never had an issue with them, in fact I've had 2 different ones off them and an O2 inbetween with no problems. Strange, but glad you've got it sorted.

[Guest longgonelost]

I am using giffgaff on my HTC One M7 and before that on my Nexus 1. I've never ever had problem with their SIM cards and it would have never been a thing to consider, especially since it worked when I tested it on other devices. I am so glad this got solved, thanks lot for the help guys !!!

[Guest CompuTechish]

Hi, my theory. As the DIY nano converted sims are thicker (from what I understand) it may have "pushed" or "squashed" the pins/contacts in the SIM tray. So now when an original nano SIM which is thinner (from what I understand) is inserted some or all the pins/contacts do not make contact or connect to the SIM, hence the SIM is not recognised.

I think this is what gitanillo87 was trying to say.

I think this is also why it may be better when using a phone that used a different sized SIM to order a replacement instead of some adaptors that may damage the pins/contacts. I guess you can always be careful as it is simpler and more convenient to use an adaptor. Some networks actually provide SIM cutting services and adaptors in retail stores from what I hear. I also think some networks now send SIMs which can be popped out into mini, micro or nano size.