Invalid SIM card & remaining airtime balance.

jameslf

tinker411 said:

jameslf said:

Thanks for your comprehensive comments. .

No problem.

jameslf said:

I'm rushing to get abroad for two weeks. I bought the phone online Samsung GT-B3310 Compact Socializer. If I can generalise about the new SIM card-it's thicker, same length as the existing SIM but narrower. It was a bit of a struggle to slot it in. Also, the underside of the new SIM had a different design. When I did slot it in the message was " invalid sim card" and SOS , presumably an emergency call facility.

Going by this I'm convinced your handset is locked to EE and that's what's causing all this. If the phone wasn't picking the sim up for whatever reason you'd get an "insert sim card" message instead of "invalid sim card" along with access to emergency service calls.

jameslf said:

I actually do have an EE phone-coincidences all over the place.
 I.am waiting for another letter from the mobile company who said they would text me in the first instance.and also suggested I text them. How? They have taken that functionality away.and I'm not sure they are aware of it.
Thanks again for your help.
jameslf

Virgin Mobile are writing to you? Goodness knows what they're going to say as I agree with you - I don't think they've fully realised yet that the purple sims are triggering the locks on handsets locked to EE, or if they have it hasn't filtered down to their support staff.

On answer to your original query though you've got a few options:

1) carry on using your red sim in your phone until Virgin turn it off by next year when they move to either Vodafone (who they've signed a contract with) or O2 (who they're merging with).

2) as Virgin can't/won't unlock the phone for you, try a different network sim card in it first (Three/Vodafone or O2) to double check it's locked (you'll get the "invalid sim card" message again if it is) and if so then look online or pop to a local mobile shop to get it unlocked. If it isn't, then your options are 1 and 3.

3) buy a newer, unlocked handset.

tinker411 said:

jameslf said:

Thanks for your comprehensive comments. .

No problem.

jameslf said:

I'm rushing to get abroad for two weeks. I bought the phone online Samsung GT-B3310 Compact Socializer. If I can generalise about the new SIM card-it's thicker, same length as the existing SIM but narrower. It was a bit of a struggle to slot it in. Also, the underside of the new SIM had a different design. When I did slot it in the message was " invalid sim card" and SOS , presumably an emergency call facility.

Going by this I'm convinced your handset is locked to EE and that's what's causing all this. If the phone wasn't picking the sim up for whatever reason you'd get an "insert sim card" message instead of "invalid sim card" along with access to emergency service calls.

jameslf said:

I actually do have an EE phone-coincidences all over the place.
 I.am waiting for another letter from the mobile company who said they would text me in the first instance.and also suggested I text them. How? They have taken that functionality away.and I'm not sure they are aware of it.
Thanks again for your help.
jameslf

Virgin Mobile are writing to you? Goodness knows what they're going to say as I agree with you - I don't think they've fully realised yet that the purple sims are triggering the locks on handsets locked to EE, or if they have it hasn't filtered down to their support staff.

On answer to your original query though you've got a few options:

1) carry on using your red sim in your phone until Virgin turn it off by next year when they move to either Vodafone (who they've signed a contract with) or O2 (who they're merging with).

2) as Virgin can't/won't unlock the phone for you, try a different network sim card in it first (Three/Vodafone or O2) to double check it's locked (you'll get the "invalid sim card" message again if it is) and if so then look online or pop to a local mobile shop to get it unlocked. If it isn't, then your options are 1 and 3.

3) buy a newer, unlocked handset.

Apologies I've been abroad for a couple of weeks-just missed the travel ban.
Your options 2) and 3) are relevant. I have actually got an O2 sim card which I've never tried - I'm not sure about the circuitry on the bottom.
I think this is what VM are hoping I'll do - buy a new handset and then they would KINDLY transfer my airtime balance.
I'll try that O2 sim.
Thanks again for your help.
jameslf

jameslf

eDicky said:

I'm also not psychic but assumed you have Virgin Mobile, there are a couple of previous threads about the same problem, you can do a search for them.

You have one (or both) of two basic problems with the new Virgin SIM in your old handset.

Virgin are transferring the network they operate on from EE to either O2 or Vodafone, I forget which. The new SIMs are ready for this and the old ones will cease to function.

So if your handset is locked to EE/T-Mobile, which seems likely, that's why it can't accept the new SIM that's for the new network service.

The other thing is that the recent technology of the new SIM is probably not compatible with an old tech handset, and may never work even if that is unlocked from EE.

So you could try unlocking by obtaining a code from VM or elsewhere, or invest in a modern unlocked handset. And/or you could also switch to a better tariff with another provider, some like Asda should work on a phone locked to EE.

Apologies I've been abroad for a couple of weeks. I think your last but one paragraph is appropriate-the new sim card is thicker(like its owner)  and has a different circiutry on the bottom. I've got an O2 sim I can try. I think VM are hoping I'll buy a new handset when they will kindly transfer my airtime balance over.
Many thanks for your help.
jameslf

jameslf

PHK said:

The B3310 is from 2009 and past it’s design life. It’s unfortunately unlikely to work properly with a modern 1.8v/3.3v SIM

On a side note. There don’t seem to be many phones with QWERTY keyboards nowadays. 

Apologies I've been abroad for a couple of weeks. Possibly, sadly you've hit the nail on the head- past its design life - I'm not sure that VM are aware of this.
What a wonderful companion the QWERTY keyboard has been.
Many thanks for your help.
jameslf 

AndyPK

VM have cancelled 2 of my Payg sims. 
I guess they are having a clear up and claiming the balance. 

Just phone them up and they will send a replacement  sim out. 

EDIT Mid June - Sent me a text to say they will bar the sim in 42 days. 
Phoned them up and they told me I needed to top up and make a call. 
I've made a call. 

jameslf

Sorry about the delay I'm having a bit of fun with smart meters at the moment. I tried to get a replacement sim online and when I entered my mobile number I was told I was already using my new sim. I've tried other sims-O2 and Lebara (the best fitting) but as somebody else has suggested it's past its design life. Like  you say they are claiming the balance.
Many thanks