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SIM free phone from Northern Ireland

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  • 11-09-2017 7:38am
    #1
    jennyhayes123
    Registered Users Posts: 471 ✭✭


    Hi. I bought a SIM free phone in Belfast and when I put my SIM card in it won't work. Anyone know what I can do? I thought being Sim free it would work. Causing hassle I don't need
    Thanks


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    #2
    Iseedeadpixels
    Registered Users Posts: 3,841 ✭✭✭Iseedeadpixels


    jennyhayes123 wrote: »
    Hi. I bought a SIM free phone in Belfast and when I put my SIM card in it won't work. Anyone know what I can do? I thought being Sim free it would work. Causing hassle I don't need
    Thanks

    What does it say? Might need to be unlocked to all networks.


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    #3
    jennyhayes123
    Registered Users Posts: 471 ✭✭jennyhayes123


    Iseedeadpixels wrote:
    What does it say? Might need to be unlocked to all networks.


    It just comes up with that circle sign at the top as if you put in the wrong SIM. I was able get a free SIM from any network up North so chose Vodafone as this is who I'm going to go with.
    I had googled would a SIM free phone work down south and answer given was yes.
    Great start to a Monday morning:-(


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    #4
    Riesen_Meal
    Registered Users Posts: 10,575 ✭✭✭✭Riesen_Meal


    jennyhayes123 wrote: »
    It just comes up with that circle sign at the top as if you put in the wrong SIM. I was able get a free SIM from any network up North so chose Vodafone as this is who I'm going to go with.
    I had googled would a SIM free phone work down south and answer given was yes.
    Great start to a Monday morning:-(

    Have you anything on the documents to say it is sim free?

    Sales person may have given you a locked phone by accident if it was the carphone warehouse?

    And you would need an Irish Vodafone SIM and not a UK one, the UK one still should work though


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    #5
    jennyhayes123
    Registered Users Posts: 471 ✭✭jennyhayes123


    It says on it
    European Model : this product should be activated with a SIM card issued from a mobile operator within Europe. If a SIM card issued from another region is used for activation the phone may not work. In this case the device will need to be released at the nearest Samsung service centre.
    Does that mean i should put UK SIM in and then my own should work??


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    #6
    jennyhayes123
    Registered Users Posts: 471 ✭✭jennyhayes123


    I bought it in Argos.


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    #7
    Riesen_Meal
    Registered Users Posts: 10,575 ✭✭✭✭Riesen_Meal


    I'd go into the settings and factory reset it and pop your SIM in (make sure it's not in SD card slot if both are side on side) when the phone eventually reboots and see how you get on, the phone may have copied the settings off the UK SIM card as it was the first card inserted...

    Put your Irish one in and don't bother with the UK Vodafone one..

    If the circle is there maybe it's not "seeing" the SIM and hoped it's just in the wrong spot of the phone...


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    #8
    jennyhayes123
    Registered Users Posts: 471 ✭✭jennyhayes123


    Fieldog wrote:
    If the circle is there maybe it's not "seeing" the SIM and hoped it's just in the wrong spot of the phone...

    Fieldog wrote:
    I'd go into the settings and factory reset it and pop your SIM in (make sure it's not in SD card slot if both are side on side) when the phone eventually reboots and see how you get on, the phone may have copied the settings off the UK SIM card as it was the first card inserted...

    Fieldog wrote:
    Put your Irish one in and don't bother with the UK Vodafone one..

    Thanks. I'll try that now. Your very good to help x


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    #9
    Iseedeadpixels
    Registered Users Posts: 3,841 ✭✭✭Iseedeadpixels


    jennyhayes123 wrote: »
    It just comes up with that circle sign at the top as if you put in the wrong SIM. I was able get a free SIM from any network up North so chose Vodafone as this is who I'm going to go with.
    I had googled would a SIM free phone work down south and answer given was yes.
    Great start to a Monday morning:-(

    Can you go to settings then sim settings and tell me what it says.


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    #10
    jennyhayes123
    Registered Users Posts: 471 ✭✭jennyhayes123


    Iseedeadpixels wrote:
    Can you go to settings then sim settings and tell me what it says.


    It doesn't say SIM settings. Is about Device what I need to look at?


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    #11
    Iseedeadpixels
    Registered Users Posts: 3,841 ✭✭✭Iseedeadpixels


    jennyhayes123 wrote: »
    It doesn't say SIM settings. Is about Device what I need to look at?

    Is it a android phone? When you go into settings is there anything that mentions sim?


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    #12
    jennyhayes123
    Registered Users Posts: 471 ✭✭jennyhayes123


    Iseedeadpixels wrote:
    Is it a android phone? When you go into settings is there anything that mentions sim?

    It's a Samsung S7 edge.
    It says SIM card status - network not available
    Mobile Network Type - not available
    Mobile Network state - not available


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    #13
    Iseedeadpixels
    Registered Users Posts: 3,841 ✭✭✭Iseedeadpixels


    Sounds like the sim isnt in correctly.


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    #14
    jennyhayes123
    Registered Users Posts: 471 ✭✭jennyhayes123


    I've tried it about 5 times.
    I'm going to try my son's Vodafone SIM and see if that makes any difference
    Thanks


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    #15
    jennyhayes123
    Registered Users Posts: 471 ✭✭jennyhayes123


    Panic over
    I just tried my son's SIM in phone and its Vodafone and it worked.
    So I'll go in and pick up a new Vodafone SIM today.

    Thanks for your help. Ye have been very helpful. Much appreciated


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    #16
    Riesen_Meal
    Registered Users Posts: 10,575 ✭✭✭✭Riesen_Meal


    jennyhayes123 wrote: »
    Panic over
    I just tried my son's SIM in phone and its Vodafone and it worked.
    So I'll go in and pick up a new Vodafone SIM today.

    Thanks for your help. Ye have been very helpful. Much appreciated

    Still doesn't sound like it's sim free though, but if you got it from Argos it should be, they only sell sim free as far as I know...


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