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What to do if your new SIM isn’t working.

iD Mobile
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If you receive a new SIM card from us and it doesn’t seem to be working, we recommend you check a couple of important things first:

1. Check your coverage


Use our handy online coverage checker to find out the signal strength in your area. You can search by postcode - so you can check all the places you usually use your phone, like your home and work addresses. And you can view both 3G and 4G coverage.

Need more info on this? Read our ‘How to check coverage’ article.

2. Are you using a compatible handset?


If your handset isn’t approved/compatible with iD Mobile, your ability to use our services may be affected. Click here to view our list of approved and compatible handsets.

All the handsets we provide with an iD Mobile plan are compatible with our network, as you’d expect. So if you’ve got one of those you should be fine.

If you purchased a SIM only iD plan and are using an iD compatible handset you bought elsewhere with it, you should also be fine!

Tried the above and it’s still not working?


If you've tried the above and your SIM still doesn’t appear to be working, follow these troubleshooting steps.
  • Put your phone into flight mode, leave it for 30 seconds, and then disable flight mode.
  • Check that the SIM card is inserted correctly.
  • Restart your device.
  • Turn off your device, remove your SIM, and clean it using a micro-fibre cloth. Then re-insert it and try again.
  • Try the SIM card in another 'iD compatible handset', and test the connection in a few locations to see if the SIM connects. If you don’t experience any issues with the other handset, your original phone may be at fault.
If none of the above works you can post a question below, and we'll help you out.

446 replies

Mohammed
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Userlevel 7
Badge +10

Hey @SC LU,

You should be able to get a free replacement via Currys and then activate it but if you want us to get one sent out via DPD please let us know  and we will PM you here.

Mohammed

 

I hope I was able to help you with your question. If my answer resolved your issue, then please mark my answer as ‘Most Helpful’ using the button below the message with the answer.
M
Rank

Just got  my new SIM today but the none of my phone's are detecting the SIM. Can I get a replacement asap please.

M
Rank

If you receive a new SIM card from us and it doesn’t seem to be working, we recommend you check a couple of important things first:


 

1. Check your coverage

 


Use our handy online coverage checker to find out the signal strength in your area. You can search by postcode - so you can check all the places you usually use your phone, like your home and work addresses. And you can view both 3G and 4G coverage.



Need more info on this? Read our ‘How to check coverage’ article.

 

 

 

 

 

2. Are you using a compatible handset?

 


If your handset isn’t approved/compatible with iD Mobile, your ability to use our services may be affected. Click here to view our list of approved and compatible handsets.



All the handsets we provide with an iD Mobile plan are compatible with our network, as you’d expect. So if you’ve got one of those you should be fine.



If you purchased a SIM only iD plan and are using an iD compatible handset you bought elsewhere with it, you should also be fine!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tried the above and it’s still not working?

 


If you've tried the above and your SIM still doesn’t appear to be working, follow these troubleshooting steps.

 

 

 

 

 

 


  • Put your phone into flight mode, leave it for 30 seconds, and then disable flight mode.
  • Check that the SIM card is inserted correctly.
  • Restart your device.
  • Turn off your device, remove your SIM, and clean it using a micro-fibre cloth. Then re-insert it and try again.
  • Try the SIM card in another 'iD compatible handset', and test the connection in a few locations to see if the SIM connects. If you don’t experience any issues with the other handset, your original phone may be at fault.

If none of the above works you can post a question below, and we'll help you out.

 

 

Have done all these steps and even tried the SIM in a few different phones and it still doesn't work.

Mohammed
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +10

Have done all these steps and even tried the SIM in a few different phones and it still doesn't work.

Hey @mackroy57 

Sorry to hear that your SIM card is not working.

We’ll shortly send you a Private Message to your Community account, so we can discuss your issue further.

To access your messages, click your profile picture in the top right hand corner and then click ‘Private Messages’.

Alternatively, if you are currently logged in, you can use the following link: https://community.idmobile.co.uk/inbox/overview

We’ll see you there.

Mohammed

 

I hope I was able to help you with your question. If my answer resolved your issue, then please mark my answer as ‘Most Helpful’ using the button below the message with the answer.
A
Rank
Userlevel 1

Replacement sim new phone number, still got my old Data 

Kash
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +7

Hi @Alan Grice,

Has your replacement SIM been activated?

If not let us know here and we can get it activated via PM.

 

Kash

I hope I was able to help you with your question. If my answer resolved your issue, then please mark my answer as ‘Most Helpful’ using the button below the message with the answer.
J
Rank

I ordered a new Sim last week (new customer) and it came saturday, tried to put it in today to begin the process of switching my old phone but it doesn’t seem activated.

I do not know the phone number related to this sim either, it isn’t in any of the emails I recieved or in the packet that the sim came enclosed in. Thus I cannot activate it myself.

Tom
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +4

Hi @jawnaie923 

 

We’ll shortly send you a Private Message to your Community account, so we can discuss your issue further. 

 

To access your messages, click your profile picture in the top right hand corner and then click ‘Private Messages’. 

 

Alternatively, if you are currently logged in, you can use the following link: https://community.idmobile.co.uk/inbox/overview  

 

We’ll see you there. 

 

Tom

I hope I was able to help you with your question. If my answer resolved your issue, then please mark my answer as ‘Most Helpful’ using the button below the message with the answer.
Louisa Hall
Rank

If you receive a new SIM card from us and it doesn’t seem to be working, we recommend you check a couple of important things first:


 

1. Check your coverage

 


Use our handy online coverage checker to find out the signal strength in your area. You can search by postcode - so you can check all the places you usually use your phone, like your home and work addresses. And you can view both 3G and 4G coverage.



Need more info on this? Read our ‘How to check coverage’ article.

 

 

 

 

 

2. Are you using a compatible handset?

 


If your handset isn’t approved/compatible with iD Mobile, your ability to use our services may be affected. Click here to view our list of approved and compatible handsets.



All the handsets we provide with an iD Mobile plan are compatible with our network, as you’d expect. So if you’ve got one of those you should be fine.



If you purchased a SIM only iD plan and are using an iD compatible handset you bought elsewhere with it, you should also be fine!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tried the above and it’s still not working?

 


If you've tried the above and your SIM still doesn’t appear to be working, follow these troubleshooting steps.

 

 

 

 

 

 


  • Put your phone into flight mode, leave it for 30 seconds, and then disable flight mode.
  • Check that the SIM card is inserted correctly.
  • Restart your device.
  • Turn off your device, remove your SIM, and clean it using a micro-fibre cloth. Then re-insert it and try again.
  • Try the SIM card in another 'iD compatible handset', and test the connection in a few locations to see if the SIM connects. If you don’t experience any issues with the other handset, your original phone may be at fault.

If none of the above works you can post a question below, and we'll help you out.

 

 

My sim is still not working and the live chat page is down. How do I get help? Thanks

Tom
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +4

Hi @Louisa Hall 

 

I believe we’ve messaged you privately about this we’ll continue communication there.

 

Tom

I hope I was able to help you with your question. If my answer resolved your issue, then please mark my answer as ‘Most Helpful’ using the button below the message with the answer.
Alyson Scott
Rank

Hi,

 

I recently upgraded my plan, but I am unable to receive or place any calls.

 

I have followed the advice detailed on your website, checked the sim, turned the phone on and off etc.  but nothing works, which suggests the sim is broken.

 

Please can you investigate?

F
Rank

If you receive a new SIM card from us and it doesn’t seem to be working, we recommend you check a couple of important things first:


 

1. Check your coverage

 


Use our handy online coverage checker to find out the signal strength in your area. You can search by postcode - so you can check all the places you usually use your phone, like your home and work addresses. And you can view both 3G and 4G coverage.



Need more info on this? Read our ‘How to check coverage’ article.

 

 

 

 

 

2. Are you using a compatible handset?

 


If your handset isn’t approved/compatible with iD Mobile, your ability to use our services may be affected. Click here to view our list of approved and compatible handsets.



All the handsets we provide with an iD Mobile plan are compatible with our network, as you’d expect. So if you’ve got one of those you should be fine.



If you purchased a SIM only iD plan and are using an iD compatible handset you bought elsewhere with it, you should also be fine!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tried the above and it’s still not working?

 


If you've tried the above and your SIM still doesn’t appear to be working, follow these troubleshooting steps.

 

 

 

 

 

 


  • Put your phone into flight mode, leave it for 30 seconds, and then disable flight mode.
  • Check that the SIM card is inserted correctly.
  • Restart your device.
  • Turn off your device, remove your SIM, and clean it using a micro-fibre cloth. Then re-insert it and try again.
  • Try the SIM card in another 'iD compatible handset', and test the connection in a few locations to see if the SIM connects. If you don’t experience any issues with the other handset, your original phone may be at fault.

If none of the above works you can post a question below, and we'll help you out.

 

 

I have checked all these steps and my SIM card is showing no service at the top of my screen after it has been inserted what do I do?

Mohammed
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +10

Hi,

 

I recently upgraded my plan, but I am unable to receive or place any calls.

 

I have followed the advice detailed on your website, checked the sim, turned the phone on and off etc.  but nothing works, which suggests the sim is broken.

 

Please can you investigate?

 

Hey @Alyson Scott,

That’s odd.

Did you upgrade to SIM only or a new handset plan?

Can you send texts and use data with WiFi OFF?

 

@Freya binish,

Thanks for contacting us here. Have you purchased a new contract or have you been with us for some time?

Mohammed

I hope I was able to help you with your question. If my answer resolved your issue, then please mark my answer as ‘Most Helpful’ using the button below the message with the answer.
M
Rank

I ordered a new phone with 24 months contract last week (new customer) and  collected on saturday at Currys

I don't know if worker at Currys did something wrong but after insert sim card its showing No Service

He was struggling with finalizing sales so this might be reason  

I tried every step from guide but no luck 

Can you please help me to activate sim

 

Thank you   

Mohammed
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +10

Hey @macieksee,

It souds like the order may not have been closed down perhaps and this won’t have sent over the connection.

First port of call will be to visit the store but if you still have issues following, let me know and I will review further.

Mohammed

I hope I was able to help you with your question. If my answer resolved your issue, then please mark my answer as ‘Most Helpful’ using the button below the message with the answer.
M
Rank

Hi,

Thanks for response 

I did a call to Carphone Warehouse and they told me to contact ID mobiles :)

So now I'm waiting in queue on live chat 

If you can help me from your end I would appreciated 

 

Ok so I been told that my sim card haven't been activated from ID site and I have to wait 48h to received email with activation 

Can you please check my account if this is a case 

 

Thank you

 

 

 

Mohammed
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +10

Hey @macieksee 

Sure, we can check this for you.

We’ll shortly send you a Private Message to your Community account, so we can discuss your issue further.

To access your messages, click your profile picture in the top right hand corner and then click ‘Private Messages’.

Alternatively, if you are currently logged in, you can use the following link: https://community.idmobile.co.uk/inbox/overview

We’ll see you there.

Mohammed

I hope I was able to help you with your question. If my answer resolved your issue, then please mark my answer as ‘Most Helpful’ using the button below the message with the answer.
K
Rank

Hi, I received my new SIM card recently, but my phone doesn't recognise that a new SIM card has been put into the phone. I believe it did briefly one time, but then it hasn't since. I've cleaned it and done everything else recommended on here, but no joy. It appears I need another SIM card, unless you can suggest anything else. Thanks, Karl.

K
Rank

 Deleted.

K
Rank

Deleted.

Kash
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +7

Hi @Karl Harvey,

Welcome to the Community!

Can I check that you have tested the SIM in a different handset?

If the SIM still doesn’t work you may need a new one which you can either obtain from a Curry’s store (free of charge) or we can get one sent out in the post.

Let us know here if you require further assistance.

 

Kash

I hope I was able to help you with your question. If my answer resolved your issue, then please mark my answer as ‘Most Helpful’ using the button below the message with the answer.
J
Rank

Hi All, My sim isnt working either. Tried in another Iphone and get the No Sim message. Only received the Sim today with a new contract. When i try to Set up mobile service within the new iphone im getting a message saying ‘Your SIM I not Supported, This phone number cant be transfered because this feature is not supported by your network provider

Mohammed
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +10

Hey @Jrowan23,

That error sounds like it’s related to trying to transfer to eSIM which isn’t a feature we support.

Are you able to pop into your local Currys to troubleshoot?

If the SIM is faulty, a replacement SIM can be picked up for free which we can activate but it sounds like it’s an issue with the phone trying to activate an eSIM rather than the SIM not being functional.

Do you have a non iPhone you can test it in? maybe a friend or family?

Mohammed

I hope I was able to help you with your question. If my answer resolved your issue, then please mark my answer as ‘Most Helpful’ using the button below the message with the answer.
J
Rank

Hey Mohammed,

 

I have receieved a new Sim from in store, how do I go about activating it and linking to my contrac. Thanks

Kash
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +7

Hi @Jrowan23,

If you've received a replacement SIM because your old one was lost, stolen, damaged or the wrong size, you will need to activate your new SIM. You can activate it in the iD Mobile App or My Account online by following these steps: 

  1. Log into the app or My Account online  

  1. Go to the My Services page  

  1. Click Activate my SIM 

  1. Scan your SIM card barcode or enter the 19-digit number printed on the SIM cardholder * 
    Once you click Activate your SIM, the new SIM will be activated within 30 minutes.  

*If you don't have the cardholder anymore, don't worry –  the number is also printed on the back of the SIM card itself. It's an 11-digit number, and you need to add '89442001' to the start of it if you need to input it somewhere. 

If you're not registered for the iD Mobile app or My Account online, you can activate your SIM here.  

 

Kash

I hope I was able to help you with your question. If my answer resolved your issue, then please mark my answer as ‘Most Helpful’ using the button below the message with the answer.

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