Sticky Tutorial

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


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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.

436 replies

I cannot activate my new SIM card because I overran the connection time and I can’t get a new code
When setting up my new SIM card I entered the code incorrectly on too many occasions and I am now able to get a new code
Userlevel 6
Badge +10
Hi @Gwen Shakespeare,

We're sorry to hear this. You SIM card will already be activated if you are receiving a code from us, I think you may be referring to registering for an account online. If you can get in touch with our Live Chat team here, they'll be able to help you by supplying you with the security code in real time.

Ryan

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 Put my ID SIM card in a new iPhone 7 and it says it does not support his network . 

Userlevel 6
Badge +10

Hi @Lisa Novell,

It is likely that the iPhone 7 which you are using is locked to another network if you are seeing the “Not Supported” message. You should contact your previous provider to ask them to unlock the phone for you in order to use our SIM card.

Ryan

14075646595079009903

 

 Sim is blocked but app shows its active. hit block sim in app and app continues to show sim active but sim remains blocked. The blocked sim is my teen sons phone sim. I phoned and spoke with ID before you locked down and asked ID to block it coz of bad behaviour. I was told I could unblock from my app. However it remains blocked

  •  
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  •  

 

 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

Userlevel 7
Badge +10

Hello @Grantinka 

 

If we’ve put a suspension on the account services at your request, we’ll need to manually lift this.

 

If you message us via Social Media (Twitter @id_mobile_uk) or Facebook (idmobileuk) we’ll be happy to support.

 

Mohammed

Hello, I lost my phone which was with ID about 6 weeks go and purchased a new one from you with a new SIM card. I activated the new SIM card but I haven’t had any network or data service in those 6 weeks. I held off on doing anything as I haven’t needed the phone much and no call centre was available. Can you assist? The phone is a Huawei P Smart 2019. I also completed the above steps and no service was available in the other phone I tested the SIM in.

Thanks

Userlevel 7
Badge +10

Hello @dudan1,

 

If you reported your phone as lost/stolen, we’d have blacklisted the device on the network.

 

It sounds like this has been done, hence, despite a new SIM being ordered, the phone is still blacklisted and needs to be un-blacklisted to work.

This is just my theory and we’ll know by checking the account.

 

Please can you check your PM, I’ll show you how to get in touch.

 

Mohammed

Hi, I ordered the iphone 12 today but im trying to activate my sim on my older iphone 8+ before the new phone arrives but it isn’t activated, I was wondering if I have to wait a while? I also cannot create an ID account because my number is not yet recognised as its not moved from my old provider yet

Userlevel 6
Badge +10

Hi @peapod,

We would recommend waiting until your number port has been completed before registering if you have already requested the number port. Have you completed an upgrade or was this a brand new purchase?

Ryan

Userlevel 1

I upgraded my phone & both sims stopped working after registering the new sim.

Userlevel 1

I have tried ALL of the steps above and my new handset is not working and it appears that my pac code has not been processed yet despite it being over the 2 days.  Its been about 5 days.  Contact me.

Userlevel 6
Badge +10

Hi @MUM0001,

I can see that a private message was sent to you shortly after posting a message on another thread. Let us know if you need anything else.

Hi @Crissy,

Have you managed to find an answer to your problem or do you require further assistance?

Ryan

Userlevel 1

Hi Ryan, I was able to get customer services help.

Userlevel 7
Badge +10

Hi Ryan, I was able to get customer services help.

 

Glad to hear that, thanks for letting us know.

Mohammed

Hi, my new SIM card does not work in my new phone or my old phone. It says not network on my old phone and just shows as 4 little squares at the top on my new phone and will not make calls. I have checked my area and it says I have very good coverage? Not sure what to do now?

Userlevel 6
Badge +4

Hi @Zoeemma87 

We are sorry to hear this. Have you tried the following:

  • 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.

-Mohsin

I can’t activate sim despite following the instructions it just won’t let me submit it. I am having the same problem with trying to enter the pac code. 
can’t seem to get help anywhere 

Userlevel 6
Badge +10

Hi @Kregs07,

I am sorry to hear about those issues, have you tried to contact our Live Chat Team here already? Please let us know if you need further support after giving them a try.

Ryan

I have just joined ID mobile and just received my sim. I put the sim in my compatible phone and the sim just doesn’t activate. I also can’t find the number. So I can’t activate my sim online as I don’t know and can’t find my id number !!

Userlevel 6
Badge +10

Hi @Angie_fernandes,

The SIM card should arrive already activated when it’s a new order so the issue may lie with the phone; have you checked that the phone has been unlocked from the previous provider?

Also, did you receive any paperwork with the SIM card? This should have the number written on it.

Ryan

Userlevel 1

Installed my new sim on the 13th January (upgrade plan). still indicating not provisioned, and have no service, up until this have had no problems for 3 years, help please.

dave

Userlevel 7
Badge +10

Hello @Valdak,

I’ve replied to you elsewhere on the Community, please check this.

 

Mohammed

 

Userlevel 1

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 Put my ID SIM card in a new iPhone xr and i cannot get it activated or find my phone number

 

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