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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

Kevin
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Userlevel 4
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Super sorry for not catching this one sooner @Joeymiles1989 

Have you been given a replacement SIM due to having a previous SIM stolen/ lost/ broken?

If so you should be able to activate that new SIM on your account here: https://www.idmobile.co.uk/help-and-advice/your-sim-card

Just in case that doesn’t help though we’ll send you a private message now so that we can help further from our side.

Simply click on your profile icon in the top right, then go to your private messages.
 

L

I have had an upgrade and the new sim arrived bent I’ve tried it in the phone and it won’t work. How do I get a new sim sent out?

A
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I have activated my new sim I received with my new phone I upgraded to. I have tried all the troubleshooting methods but when inserting the sim into 2 phones it shows there is no sim. 

D
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I received a replacement sim for a lost SIM card, I followed the process for activating the SIM card 4 days ago but the sim still doesn’t function. I re-tried the activation process again today, and this time I received a message that the sim is active.

The sim is not active, please provide your solution.

indiajenner
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I have just received my new SIM card. It is already active. I have tried all of the steps above but my iPhone Xr is still saying that there is no SIM card in the phone.

 

What shall I do?

Cwersy
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Hi, I have just upgraded my monthly plan with ID and received the new Sim which I have activated in my existing phone (Honor 9 lite). My signal is good in my area and I had no probs with old ID Sim. It is now showing ‘emergency calls only’, no signal bars and cant make or receive calls. I have carried out your checks in the threads above to no avail, can you help please

Cwersy
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Further to this, I have placed the new sim in my wife's phone (Galaxy S9) and shows the same issue i.e  emergency calls only no signal etc. I have just tried the old Sim into my phone and is working! so does that mean I can use the existing sim card and still get the upgrade I am paying for? 

Ryan
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Userlevel 6
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Hi @Cwersy,

That’s correct, you can still use the old SIM card as it is still active, the new one is only needed if you choose to activate it yourself. You will still have access to your upgrade if using the old SIM card. 🙂

Ryan

I hope I was able to help you with your question. If you found my answer helpful or if I was able to answer your question, please mark my answer as ‘Most Helpful’ and 'Like' my message using the button below the answer.
Ryan
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Userlevel 6
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Hi @indiajenner, @David Mooney & @Ansong,

I am sorry to hear about those issues. Do you still need help with your SIM card problems?

Ryan

I hope I was able to help you with your question. If you found my answer helpful or if I was able to answer your question, please mark my answer as ‘Most Helpful’ and 'Like' my message using the button below the answer.
Cwersy
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Many thanks Ryan, will carry on using the old Sim.

It would be helpful in future, if perhaps this option was communicated with the the information contained the Sim.

Hermione Moo
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Goodness me this is a nightmare. All I want is a new sim - we have an account but a new phone so need a nano sim. No idea how on Earth to get one. I’ve tried the bot thing but goes round and round getting nowhere!!  Any ideas??

WelshPaul
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Userlevel 8
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Hi @Hermione Moo, Speak to an agent on live chat using the link below:

 https://www.idmobile.co.uk/live-chat

 

Type in “Speak to an agent” and select the required department.

You will then be connected to an agent.

 

Hermione Moo
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Thank you. I’d not realised there was an actual person you could speak to as the “bot” kept taking me around in circles. 

Will
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Userlevel 6
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Are you all sorted now then @Hermione Moo, or do you require any further assistance?

 

Will

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.
C
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I have just purchased a new sim for a iPhone 6 plus. Its saying sim not supported. Spoken to apple who say the phone is unlocked. Just tried my sons id sim in an it works. But this one won't. 

Will
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Userlevel 6
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Hi @Chloe Williams,

 

Does the one that won’t work in the handset work in any other handsets? 

 

If you haven’t tried yet, are you able to please and let us know either way?

 

Will

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.
S
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I have recently upgraded my phone. I activated the new sim card and got a text on my old phone telling me that it has been activated but I still am not getting any service on the new phone. I have tried mulitple different ways such as:

 putting the phone on airplane mode then turning off

the coverage checker says i have good service in my area 

turning the phone off and on 

removing the sim card

trying the sim in a different phone of which the result was the same 

Will
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Userlevel 6
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Hi @sarah_,

 

Have you checked to see whether or not the old SIM card is still working? Have you got 0 bars of signal at all times, or is it just weak?

 

Will

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
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I was recently sent a new SIM card. The earlier one was lost and was never actually used as I was in the process of leaving one supplier to change to ID.

I cannot get the SIM card to work. When I try to phone a particular number a window appears indicating that the number is not registered on network. I have tried to register but have never received a message/email with the special code I am supposed to insert to complete the registration. Please help. I do not know if it is relevant but although I pay the bills and the account is therefore in my name the SIM card is in my wife’s phone.  I also have a Customer Pin if you need that.

I look forward to hearing from you and resolving this frustrating situation.

Jeremy 

 

Kash
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Userlevel 7
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Hi @Jeremy Drake,

I have edited your post and removed any personal information.

Was this a replacement SIM card that you received?

Have you tried the SIM in a different handset?

 

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
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Thank you for the reply.I have placed the SIM card in another mobile phone and it does not work there either. It is a replacement card (for my wife’s phone) but as I explained she never actually used the other card, as she was still moving over from an earlier supplier and it took longer than expected to terminate that contract. Could it be that I have not properly done the registration procedure? Something that is not clear for me is: does the registration and associated ID have to be in my name (since I pay the bills and made the original application for the card in my own name or can we do such things in my wife’s name. I have tried to register in my name but nothing happened when I was supposed to be sent a special code (message?/email?) as part of the (I think) registration process. Where do you think the problem lies?

Kash
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Userlevel 7
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@Jeremy Drake,

If it’s a replacement SIM you’ll need to activate it here.

Please could you follow the steps at the link below and let us know how you get on.

 

https://my.idmobile.co.uk/web/cpw/sim-swap

 

If you are still having issues, we can send you a Private Message.

 

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
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Thank you again for your reply. I have followed the link and done the necessary but, as before, l do not receive the email with the security code to enable me to continue. Why not? Very frustrating, this whole business - for such a basic activity as using a SIM card! I look forward to your continued help.

L
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Hello I cant activate my sim and I can't find my phone number anywhere? I have tried all of the above suggestions. Please help. Thanks 

Will
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Userlevel 6
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Hi @Laura.Critoph,

 

If you could mention in the reply to the Private Message I have sent you that your SIM card isn’t working, we can pick this up with you there.

 

Will

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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