Samsung Galaxy S4 Error - SIM Card Removed - Unable to detect your SIM card.

I originally got the Galaxy S4 in December 2013, I have since been through the SIM card not detected error on multiple different replacement phones. I am on my 4th S4 and having the same problem. AT&T has been barely helpful, Samsung even less so.

I followed the diagnostic steps for the software, replaced the SIM card, and been through repeated phone replacements. Needless to say, not fixed...

Samsung and AT&T need to get off their collective cans and fix this problem. Aside from this annoying as all get out reliability problem, I simply love this phone... 

FWIW, I am on the latest 5.0.1 upgrade as of 4/13/2015.

Hello,

Thanks for the reply.

I just came back from Best Buy where the Samsung counter updated the S4 to Lolipop to no avail, the SIM is still not detected, Was then advised to call 888-987-4357 to have the S4 repaired for the no SIM error.

Just got off the phone with Samsung , they want $70 to fix this error as a service estimate , plus I  would have to ship my S4 into them and insure parcel to God only knows where and who knows how long it would take from there 2-4 weeks maybe?

They have really tested my patience with support and not taking responsibility. I am disappointed that they are not owning up to this known, documented acknlwledged error, after I have done so much extensive trouble shooting and wasting all of my lunch breaks at work by running here and there or trying every known somewhat possible fix. Both AT&T and Samsung are using every possible context to push me on to the NEXT program to get a new phone, no THANKS! just get the S$ working again.....

I will say this much, if this garbage keeps up, I will not only be looking for a different phone manufacturer, but also a different carrier. I shouldn't have to upgrade my phone yet just because the MFG can't take responsibility for their defective products...  This is almost as bad as dealing with problems with the major Cable TV company... 

My phone behaved itself since my initial post but this morning when I picked up off the charger it had the dreaded message about no SIM car once more.  During the day (today) it has exhibited the problem 5 times.  I am running 4.4.2 and am waiting for AT&T to let me download something more modern.

I have looked on other forums such as Nexux and Moto and they seem to have the same problem.  So it seems that this is not just a Samsung issue.  The more I look at this problem, the more I am convinced there is a an issue between Android and AT&T.  

//rant_on// I went back to AT&T and they changed the SIM card.  They told me my phone is no longer under warranty and I could have a new phone on NEXT for $0 down.  NEXT is AT&T's way of no longer subsidising phones so, I am not going down that road.  I have a very good deal with AT&T right now for my family and the instant I change anything I get NEXT foiseted upon me.  From now on, I will just buy a phone and put AT&T in the position they want and just have them supply me with minutes and megabytes. //rant_off//

I am still using my phone and it works sometimes.  I now need to buy a new phone at some point.

what apps were these? I know you said transparent clock and waether app but those are very broad terms

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@SillyGrl wrote:

I started having this problem a few days ago.  Only once or twice then pretty much regularly.  Every morning when I wake up I have the SIM card message, and it happened once while I was on a call.  I use my phone a lot for work, so that's no good.  

 

After searching the web and trying the piece of paper to wedge the SIM card in a little tighter (no luck), I resolved that I'd just have to get a new phone.  Then I remembered I'd been having wonking things happen with my transparent clock and weather widget for quite a while.  I'd unistalled, reinstalled, updated etc.  It had been working fine recently, but it still remains suspect.  I totally uninstalled it this morning and I haven't had the message since.  Now, the two may be totally unrelated, but I wanted to pass it along in case it does solve the problem and this could benefit someone else.

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what apps were these? I know you said transparent clock and waether app but those are very broad terms

I had the same issue sporadically through 3 versions of Android with my i337. Got a new SIM card from ATT, to no avail. Today, it could not be cleared by restarting or removing and replacing the SIM card and battery. I was about to do a factory reset, when I saw the previous post about placing a piece of scotch tape on the back of the SIM card to fix it. Much to my surprise and pleasure, it worked! This is the side with the ATT logo, not the side with the contacts, btw. Hopefully my year of frustration with this issue is over.

UPdate: spoke too soon, the problem is back after a few hours...  😞

I've been having this issue as well. It did not occur on the stock 4.2.2 firmware. It started out at 4.3, where my signal would appear as no bars (not a crossed out circle, just 0 bars). I would have to enter airplane mode, or restart my phone to fix it. In 4.4, it changed to stating my sim card was not detected and I would have to restart my phone. In 5.0, it started out by having a no service (crossed out circle) signal, progressed to no sim card - restart.

I got the same line of crap from Samsung and AT&T that the rest of you have. First person I talked to was Samsung (their hardware, their problem). They told me, much like many of you have seen -
1. Release the cache from the update (didn't work).
2. Reset the phone to factory settings (didn't work).
3. Go down to the Galaxy Experience Center at BestBuy to get a download for the OS files (didn't work)
4. The Samsung guy at BestBuy stated there were 2 recourses available
--a. Send my phone to the Samsung repairs in Texas for free under warranty, or $70 outside it, to fix it
--b. Go to AT&T and get the SIM card replaced, although it likely wouldn't work.
--I countered with I could also do c. rollback my firmware to 4.2.2. He warned me doing so would void my warranty, and that I could possibly brick my phone. I told him my phone was well outside of the shoddy 1 year warranty, and that I understood the risks in changing firmware versions.
5. Went to AT&T to get the SIM card replaced. The AT&T employee stated that he had heard of the issue, and the last 2 people who replaced it didn't get the issue fixed that way. Replaced the SIM card. (Didn't work)
6. Called AT&T, asked if there were network upgrades being done to the 3 nearby towers, they stated no, but that this issue was a known issue and that it would be at the manager's discretion to replace my phone as it was out of warranty.


So I perused the internet some more, saw an interesting post. 1 person decided to go to Application Manager and disable all of AT&T and Samsung's bloatware. Others followed suit and it worked for them. I tried it myself, and had fixed my phone for a while. The problem for me was that I had my phone set to auto download updates. The issue returned today, if you can't tell.

I checked my updates, and saw Android System WebView was recently updated. I rolled it back just in case, but I am going to go through my phone once again to see what other bloatware is left.

It would make sense that it was added bloatware that has broken our connections, as bloatware has been added in each firmware update.

[edit for missed step]

Hey  guys!

So I am a current T-Mobile customer going through the EXACT SAME PROBLEM and quite honestly, I am fed up. I have done almost everything and anything possible to try to aleviate this SIM error, but nothing has worked. As a result, I made this petition so that Samsung could finally get some fire under their butts and do something to fix this problem. If you have 10-30 second to sign the petition, that would be great! Maybe then Samsung will figure out the issue, acknowledge it, and fix our phones!!

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Your issue is the same as mine.  Last week my 18 month old Samsung S4 i337 suddenly stopped working with the SIM card error.  I went to AT&T and the clerk said that this was like the 4th-5th one he has seen this past week crapping out with the same error message.  Lucky for him, his Customers upgraded to the S6 and I should do the same.  Wrong.  There is no way on this green earth that a piece of equipment this expensive and sophisticated can go so wrong with its primary function without a fix or solution by the carrier or the manufacturer.  

I have reactivated my old iPhone 3G so I can make calls and get my e-mails so my business can continue to run.  Now I have a Samsung galaxy mini-tablet with Wi-Fi functionality.  Whoopee...  Samsung is no help and AT&T seems to think the new lease-to-own NEXT program is my only solution.  

Based on this experience, I am thinking about taking this issue to the pop news media- has anyone already done this?  Maybe negative pub will get something jarred loose in terms of a solution that does not involve junking a perfectly good piece of equipment that cannot make a phone call.