VZW S3 intermittently saying "No SIM"

[KamelJabber]

Sooo, same exact issue, same exact replies from Verzion.

It's kind of like the bermuda triangle. At and around my home I get "No Sim" and can not place phone calls or send text messages.

I was in DC for a few days it worked flawlessly.
At work 7 miles away, it works flawlessly.
But what is the point if I can't use my phone where I use it most.

Went to a Verizon store and the tech swapped out the SIM. Still not working.
What am I supposed to do? I get the usual, tech ticket tower issue response from VZ.

Are we saying we can't have a Galaxy S3?

At the very least I'd be happy if it would switch to 3G

 

[jreh77]

i cant believe this BS..i can browse the web..really fast btw..but when i send a text..i get that no sim..im not sending in my phone i dont wanna go thru that BS..i am embarassed to be working for verizon haha..i know its not a tower problem..they just dont wanna admit they messed up or samsung did..something needs to be fixed!!!

 

[jreh77]

i hope it gets fixed..i work in DC on the weekends..i need it..i never had problems with service anywhere with verizon..something is wrong..i really hope verizon fixes this soon..i need texting and phone calls in my life lol..i can recieve texts..but not send or do outgoing calls..idk what it is..but its weird that i can browse the web with no problems..VERIZON PLS FIX THIS! LOL

 

[CountryGravyYum]

If the issue was picked up by a news agency such as CNN or CNET then we could get some movement.

 

[overweightXman]

Just experienced the no sim issue twice in the last hour myself, frustrating as hell.....For everyone experiencing this, do you have the "Phone Info" app installed to turn 4g off? could it be that app causing the issue?

 

[anon(473434)]

Have the problem on 2 phones. Just got off the phone with support and they said there are no known issues with it.
She had me remove the battery and sim..which I already did. She said she will call back in 25 min

 

[djjaeger82]

When you guys are in an area that has this issue, what is your "Mobile Network Type" (Settings->About Device->Status). Mine seems to only act up in EHRPD:13 areas. If it drops do 1xRTT:6 then the msgs tend to go thru. Also it seems like in the last few days calls have been working better, but sending texts triggers it almost every time in certain locations. So frustrating to have to send a text 30 times to get it to go thru once. Its gotta be some kind of phone + network interaction issue, hopefully it can be resolved with a firmware update :-(

 

[dmcman73]

I had this happen to me last night and here is what I think: The times I received a "No SIM" error were times when I was in a known weak cell service area which is in the basement of my house, I won't be able to text or make/receive phone calls. Every phone I have ever owned from a standard phone to smart phone has always had a connection problem in the same area. Now for some reason, when my S3 loses cell service (not data service, two separate radios) and it drops to no bars, the No SIM error pops up. Once it gets a connection back it takes about 30 seconds for the No SIM error to go away once service is restored. I was able to reproduce it over and over again, lose voice (no bars at all) get the error, get at least 1 bar back the error went away and I was able to do this without rebooting or taking my SIM card out, in fact the SIM card is the same one that was in my Razr when I had it.

It could be how the phone is handling the disruption of service in thinking if it lost voice service all together that it thinks the SIM card is the cause of it. When I am in an area with a strong service I have never received the error.

 

[jcondon]

Same problem here, i'm in poughkeepsie NY area. Only occurs in 3G areas, and at the store they thought I was nuts since they couldn't replicate it in their 4G area. While at the store twice in the last 2 days 3 other people complaining about the same thing.

I am at the Southern end of the coverage area (Fishkill) and got this once on Saturday. It cleared it self in a few seconds. I have not had the issue since. The one time it happened I was on the balcony of my apartment and get a decent signal there I think.

On 9 I couldn't believe how many dead spots there were between Fishkill and the southern most part of Poughkeepsie. Saturday we were running errands and much of 9 was 3G.

 

[KamelJabber]

UPDATE: with my 14 days return closing in I decided to return the phone.
I can't believe that VZ would be pushing a service that causes their phones to lose out on their PRIMARY purpose, to MAKE PHONE CALLS/TEXT.

I have no problem if LTE is not ready or in Beta; default users to 3G, so we can MAKE A PHONE CALL/TEXT. When available or needed, I'd gladly switch to 4G.

But to force me on a network that renders my phone useless is way overstepping your superiority. VZ is plain old to big to care about a few customers

 

[eggman211]

Just spoke with Verizon Tech Support again. This is what I was told:

"Your request has been escalated to the System Performance Team and there seems to be a network system issue in your area . These issues are usually resolved in 24-72 hours."

 

[KamelJabber]

Haha, guess who else heard that reply.

ALL OF US.

It's a scripted escalation response. Good luck. I'll reorder the phone when/if this gets fixed. Personally, I couldn't keep the phone in it's current state

 

[kellerbl]

I am having this problem only when I'm at work - even outside the building. My colleague with a RAZR Maxx has no problem with this 4G location inside the building. I have no problem in other towns nearby with or without 4G, only when I'm at work, so it is clearly a tower specific issue with the phones. I've talked to so many different tech support people and they always are unaware of the problem. This reminds me so much of my DroidX problem when it started turning itself ON after Gingerbread was downloaded to it. No one would admit there was a problem - not Verizon nor Motorola. That problem was magically fixed on an update pushed out a few months ago with no acknowledgement. At least this time when I returned to my local Verizon Wireless store for the second time yesterday (because the on-line tech said I should try a replacement SIM and if that did not work, a replacement phone), the sales guy I had spoken to earlier said he found on internal forums that this was happening all across the U.S., so it isn't phone specific and it seems to be with respect to certain towers. He said because of how widespread it was, there would likely be some update made soon, but he had no knowledge of anything.

My own testing showed that this morning at work I made 4 calls in a row without problem, but at noon, when traffic would be heavier, I could not get a single call through and nothing but "No SIM". Since I only have a smartphone for work, this isn't going over well with me.

 

[Fuseboxer]

I am at the Southern end of the coverage area (Fishkill) and got this once on Saturday. It cleared it self in a few seconds. I have not had the issue since. The one time it happened I was on the balcony of my apartment and get a decent signal there I think.

On 9 I couldn't believe how many dead spots there were between Fishkill and the southern most part of Poughkeepsie. Saturday we were running errands and much of 9 was 3G.

My problem occurred over on route 52 AND 82 Fork Brinkerhoff area... I think that tower is next to the Verizon store on Route 9 north... I have a weak signal at home but I run through a Verizon network extender... No problems there except for the the phone thinking it's in Melville Long Island. I will be out that way tonight

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Android Central Forums

 

[Activating]

Brand new s3, brand new account. Cannot activate phone, after the first screen where you select your language I get a "SIM initialization failure"
"A SIM card is needed to operate this phone. Please turn off your phone and insert your SIM card."
Tried factory reset, insert & re-insert. Contacts look great, you can see the fine lines where it made contact.
I'm not looking forward to this...:'(

 

[jcondon]

My problem occurred over on route 52 AND 82 Fork Brinkerhoff area... I think that tower is next to the Verizon store on Route 9 north...

I think you are correct and that is the same tower I would be off of. I made a couple of quick calls last night with no issues.

 

[hemp1217]

I am on my third phone and fourth SIM card (got the third phone last evening). I have been working with Level 2 support for 10-days and a network trouble ticket person for two. I have extreme difficulty sending texts or making calls at work (at home and elsewhere, not too many issues). My Fascinate 3G worked fine at this location for two years.

When I place a call or attempt to send a text message, the phone goes from showing 4G with 2-3 bars, to the circle with a line across it, to displaying the Out of Service Area message, it then has a slight delay then shows the No Sim message at the top left of the phone, a few seconds later some service bars are displayed, then about 5 seconds later the 4G logo is again displayed.

Today is the end of my 14 period, so I have to make a decison regarding what to do next. :-\

 

[CountryGravyYum]

I am unable to find videos on YouTube showing the issue. I have a few videos and should be posting them this evening. In one my phone rebooted after trying to send a text message.

 

[hemp1217]

I am unable to find videos on YouTube showing the issue. I have a few videos and should be posting them this evening. In one my phone rebooted after trying to send a text message.

CountryGravy, I had the reboot issue with the first phone...both with a failed text and with a failed voice call. Luckily that issue has not repeated across the 2nd or 3rd phone.

 

[Activating]

Is there an official Verizon response to this issue?

Also, is it true that you can't activate an S3 in a 3g area or is verizon tech support pulling my leg? I don't want to go the the VZW store and have it work only to have the same problems you guys are having with intermittent SIM failure.