Sim card failures... Too many... 6th one just blew.

Forums › One NZ (including Farmside) › Sim card failures... Too many... 6th one just blew.

paradoxsm

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#7564 24-Apr-2006 23:04

I have 4 data sims used in a variety of devices,

I-mate/3g phone modem
SMS remote controller,
data card etc.
Shortcode SMS receiver.
"trunk unit" (last resort PSTN to GSM mobile)

Problem is they keep failing, 6th simcard has now just failed, Tonight, was sending an MMS and my phonebook wouldn't come up,, then the signal dissappeared then Dead, "Sim Card Rejected" they seem to foul up very quickly, The old bellsouth one from early 1998 I have still works fine to this day. Friend upgraded his failthful 1999 PrePay Sim1 to a SIM2 the other week and his fudged a week ago just like mine do on a regular basis.

Does anyone else have a bad run with these $30 heaps of crap or is it just me? I'm getting a little tired of $30 every two months for something that just sits in various devices, They all blow randomly.

freitasm

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#33810 24-Apr-2006 23:10

I have on my Jasjar the same SIM card since my first GSM phone back in 1998. Went through an Alcatel Onetouch, Handspring VisorPhone, T39m, Nokia 7110, Smartphone2, i-mate Pocket PC Phone, Motorola MPx220, i-mate Jasjar, all using the same SIM card...

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bcourtney

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#33814 24-Apr-2006 23:24

Yeah i had the same SIM from my first phone in 1998 until i switched to Telecom in 2004. What are you doing to those poor little things??

philip79

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#33831 25-Apr-2006 03:40

I've only had 2 sims. My first one failed years ago when I was always changing it between phones. Luckily I'd just won a free sim2 upgrade. But if mine failed I would want a free replacement. My sim2 has been through an Ericsson, Sagem, Siemens C45, CX65 and now in an SXG75. I wouldn't want to have to access the sim each time I send a message or make a call. Everything should be copied to the phone.

johnr

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#33840 25-Apr-2006 11:04

What are you doing to them?????????

Get the devices checked this is just crazy they are powered off the device you are using.

johnr

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#33841 25-Apr-2006 11:18

Also make sure you are not using a 3.5V SIM in a 5V device (V=Volts)

paradoxsm

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#33866 25-Apr-2006 18:13

It's seems to be only the new SIMS that die, My old ones from 1999/2000 which were made by a different company seemed much more robust.

Looking at the failed ones closer today, it appears they can't handle ANY bending or pressure AT ALL. The plastics are much softer and the little blob where the chip is total crap compared to the older ones.

They fail mostly in my Nokia 6210 where thay bend too much and my Nokia 1100 seems to squish them slowly till they fail.

The Trunkunit has the old full size bellsouth card and it's 5v.

and the old SIMS had 40 SMS capacity, the new "Sim2" ones only 20!!!!!! Crazy!

** Update,, Looks they have yet again changed the Sim Manufacturer, The lastest sim I got is a differnt sturdier looking chip. Let's hope all is good! Vodafone seemed happy to replace them today free (just gave me new "welcome packs") so i'm a happy chap.

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johnr

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#33868 25-Apr-2006 18:16

The reason why new SIMs only hold 20 SMS is cause most new handset have a phone memory and they hold 100s

paradoxsm

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#33874 25-Apr-2006 18:38

But with 128k of memory on the SIM, 20 extra SMS wouldn't be so hard don't you think? Almost like thay forgot to put in more!

t2g7th7b

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#34200 28-Apr-2006 11:32

Actually why should vodafone charge for replacing the SIM. I'm using vodafone since four years and replaced the SIM 3 times. It was never mishandled as I never took it out until it stoped working. Vodafone charges 35$ to replace with a new SIM though we get 20$ top up but still 15$ is a lot for a piece on plastic.

paradoxsm

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#34204 28-Apr-2006 12:01

The latest sims are physically weak, the old ones had quite a tough chip assembly, and the most recent ones don't like pghone functions like FDN (fixed dialling) and playing with too much in older phones which seems to have wiped both mine., they don't seem to cut it.

t2g7th7b

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#34206 28-Apr-2006 12:50

paradoxsm: The latest sims are physically weak, the old ones had quite a tough chip assembly, and the most recent ones don't like pghone functions like FDN (fixed dialling) and playing with too much in older phones which seems to have wiped both mine., they don't seem to cut it.

Whats FDN ?

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paradoxsm

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#34207 28-Apr-2006 12:56

Fixed Dialling numbers, Resricts calling to certain numbers. An original feature from the original GSM specifications.. A built in feature just like handset operate diverts, Callwait, Callhold, MO-SMS etc.

Aloha

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#34212 28-Apr-2006 14:19

I hope you are not trying to hack or manipulate these SIM cards with your home made equipment (no offence btw)

I have GSM since 1994 and I have NEVER had any problem with any SIM card. (I had some you can believe)

Seems that you are the only one here who's experiencing this kind of things (6 card blew in a row, OMG)... interesting.
Let's say you are just unlucky. :)

I is a kollege stoodent. Bee nice.

t2g7th7b

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#34213 28-Apr-2006 14:44

Last month I did a master reset on my SE Z600 and it stopped working, tried with nokia 6610 still the SIM not recognised. I wonder if master reset touched the SIM card???

paradoxsm

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#34242 28-Apr-2006 22:06

All in the last 6 months, all the new 128k ones with the slightly older chips.
All different hansets too, Nokia 1100 was to blame for two going puff due to failure of handset (I've had so many problems with the phone which is the simplest handset on the market)

Nokia 6210 does bend them a fair bit, some phones seem to put a little too much contact pressure on them resulting in them squishing the contacts and COB inside inwards.

All good, now, all replaced with the latest revisions which hopefully will live as long as my "BellSouth" one I got in 1997 which still goes strong. :-)