Sim data working but showing no signal bars, calls/texts not working

[Sammy_boy]

I've just got a secondhand iPhone 5 from a CEX store, and as it takes a nano sim I went to an O2 shop and got a nano sim to replace my micro one.

The sim appears to have activated - the old one now no longer works and the new one's data is working - but it's not showing any signal bars and calls/texts are not working - either outgoing or incoming.

Is there a problem with the phone or the sim? I've tried a full settings and content reset on the iPhone, tried resetting the network settings and done a soft reset on it, all to no avail.  I've tried taking the sim out and cleaning it, made sure it's seated properly.

Why aren't calls and texts working? Will that activate within the 24 hours since getting the sim, or do I have a problem somewhere?

Cheers

[Sammy_boy]

Just tried the sim in my Lumia 925, and it makes calls and recieves texts! Rather worrying, looks like I may have another trip to CEX tomorrow 😞 Will try the O2 shop first in case it's a sim issue but seems ominous that this card works fine in one card but not the other. Can't be blocked though as the data is working.

Will see how things are in the morning.

[Sammy_boy]

Well, looks like I'll be putting CEX's returns policy to the test. I decided to spend £1.99 on a CheckMEND report and according to them the phone has been reported as lost or stolen. Will print a copy of the test out to show them tomorrow.

I've heard they do all the tests so wonder if it got reported as lost after it had been traded in?

[Anonymous]

It does happen.

As I said in my first reply, i was hoping it was not imei barred  

Insurance fraud is the most common reason.

They should swap out the handset from another out of the display.

Please let us know how you get on.

[gemz4the1]

Sorry to hear that Sammy_boy - i hope you can get it sorted swiftly at the CEX shop and you'll have an up and running phone shortly

[Anonymous]

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@gemz4the1 wrote:

Sorry to hear that Sammy_boy - i hope you can get it sorted swiftly at the CEX shop and you'll have an up and running phone shortly

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I'm looking forward to the update on how they got on at CEX.

[Sammy_boy]

Well, not long got back from CEX - and they have swapped the iPhone! I took the other one  in, they didn't want to see my CheckMEND report but wanted to run their own tests, which took 45 minutes. Not a problem, as my wife had given me a rather large shopping list to get through!

On my return, they confirmed what I'd said, that the phone had been blacklisted, they think the culprit traded the phone in working, then reported it lost/stolen not long after. They said they were going to refer it to the police and persue the person that traded it in.  

They had a similar iPhone 5 - though white rather than black (I preferred the black but not a problem), and despite it being graded 'B' it is in slightly worse condition than the barred black one which they graded as a C, though at least it was in it's original box and all accessories. It was £10 more but they knocked a fiver off for the inconvenience.

Well, so far this iPhone is working fine, it's getting a signal now and has let me restore my data, 3G working, so very pleased! 

[gemz4the1]

That's great news Sammy_boy - I am glad you got it all sorted and you are up and running on with the data services.  Enjot the iPhone experience!

[MI5]

Good of them to charge you an extra £5 for the pleasure 😞

[Sammy_boy]

Yes, that's the one thing that irked me slightly, I had to ask if there was anything they could do about that £10 difference considering the inconvenience, maybe if I'd pushed a little harder I could've got the other fiver taken off too.

But at least I've now got a working iPhone 5, very pleased with it too! Just hope there aren't any other problems lurking in the background!

[Anonymous]

Glad it's all sorted.

It's a shame that people sell phones on eBay, CEX etc and then report them to be lost or stolen. 

What is the point of that? They still get paid from the sale...