How long is a SIM card locked?
Note: Entering an incorrect PUK (PIN Unlock Key) 10 times will permanently lock your SIM Card. If the SIM Card becomes permanently locked, you will need to swap it for a new SIM Card.
If you fail to input the correct SIM card PIN code three consecutive times, the PIN will be blocked and your phone will request you to enter a PUK (Personal Unlocking Key) code.
After 18 months, the SIM lock must be removed.
If you entered 3 incorrect PIN codes and your phone displays “SIM card blocked” or “Enter PUK code”, your SIM card has been blocked to ensure your security. To unblock your SIM card, you must enter a PUK (PIN Unlock Key) code.
The process can take up to two business days, but once it's done, you're free to take the phone to another wireless carrier.
The SIM card on your mobile phone will become locked if you enter an incorrect personal identification number (PIN) three times. You won't be able to use your phone, except for emergency calls. To unlock it you must reset your PIN by entering your SIM card's unique unlock key (also called a PIN unblocking key or PUK).
Only your carrier can unlock your iPhone. Contact them and request an unlock. After you submit the request, it might take a few days to complete. Contact your carrier to check the status of your request.
Usually, a SIM comes with a default PIN code directly from your mobile carrier. These codes vary company by company, but for Sprint and T-Mobile, it is 1234, and for AT&T and Verizon, you can try 1111. You can either Google these codes or call your carrier support and ask for the codes.
A new SIM card usually comes with a temporary default PIN of 0123 or 1234. SIM card will be blocked if you enter incorrect PIN code for 3 times. Once SIM has been blocked, it will request for PUK code.
Is your smartphone (or mobile internet-capable tablet) locked to one single carrier? If so, it's carrier-locked. But what if you want to use a SIM card from another carrier (or network)? The answer is that you'll need to unlock your phone.
How many digits is a SIM lock?
The SIM card lock has been on Android phones for years, but many people are unaware of the fetaure. After enabling it, you'll enter your SIM card's four-digit passcode after rebooting or when you transfer it to another phone.
If your phone or tablet is locked, you will only be able to use a SIM card from the mobile network it's locked to. This can be very frustrating if you need to use a SIM from a different network, only to find that your phone (or tablet) won't let you.
If you enter the PIN (Personal Identification Number) code incorrectly several times, the SIM card will be locked. You need the PUK (Personal Unblocking Key) code to unlock the device. The PIN and PUK codes are used to protect your subscription and device against unauthorized use.
- For Airtel, dial *121*1#
- For MTN, dial *785#
- For Glo, SMS “UPDATENIN YourNIN FirstName LastName” to 109. For example, “UPDATENIN 12345678910 Samuel Bright”
- For 9Mobile, dial *200*8#
Once a SIM card has been deactivated, it's not possible to reactivate it. Moreover, deactivating the SIM card returns the phone number associated with it to the pool of available phone numbers. It is therefore impossible to keep the phone number associated with a deactivated SIM.
Only your network provider can unlock your iPhone. Contact them and request an unlock. After you've submitted the request, it may take a few days for the process to be completed. Contact your network provider to check the status of your request.
| Carrier | Monthly Installment Phones Eligible for Unlock After | Prepaid Phones Eligible for Unlock After |
|---|---|---|
| Verizon | 60 days | 60 days |
| Tracfone | n/a | 12 months |
| T-Mobile | 40 days | 12 months |
| Straight Talk | 12 months | 12 months |
If you're a Pay Monthly or Pay As You Go customer, insert the SIM and it should connect to the network within 24 hours, although it says this tends to be a lot quicker.
A SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card is a small chip that is inserted into a smartphone and stores information such as your phone number and the network to which the device is registered. Without a SIM card, a phone is not able to connect to a mobile network and therefore cannot receive SMS messages.
The device will work if the sim is from the same carrier. Factory reset does not remove a sim lock.
Can a Locked SIM card be cloned?
However it is possible to clone the card with our SIM cloning tool, which will read accessible items such as ICCID and IMSI and write them into a special rewritable SIM card. Such a cloned card will not contain the data, but it will appear as a same card to the phone.
When you buy a new iPhone, if you don't pay the entire price up front, it'll be "locked" to your carrier. This means that, until you pay it off, your phone can only connect to that carrier's network and no others.
Click Settings. Select Security. Select Set up SIM card lock. Toggle the SIM card lock feature On or Off.
- Contact the carrier that gave you the SIM card. ...
- Ask your carrier to help you unlock your SIM card using the default SIM PIN or PUK code.
- If you can't unlock your SIM card using the SIM PIN or PUK code or if an alert says, "PUK exhausted," ask for a new SIM card.
The PUK code is an 8 digit number that you were given when you first purchased your SIM card. The PUK code is printed on the SIM packaging.
- Click Settings.
- Select Security.
- Select Set up SIM card lock.
- Toggle the SIM card lock feature On or Off. You will be prompted to enter your SIM PIN.
To unblock your SIM card, you'll need to enter a security code known as a “PUK code”. It is printed on the card holder (the size of a credit card) provided with your SIM.