Does your phone say “SIM not provisioned”, “SIM not provisioned for the voice”, “EE SIM not provisioned” or something related when you insert a new SIM card? We’re here to help you out!
The “SIM not provisioned" error is a common, or maybe one of the rarest, issue you can encounter on your phone. It's common in the sense that anyone can experience it, and rare in the sense that it happens when you insert a new SIM card into your phone.
And with that, you won't be able to make calls, send text, connect to the mobile network, or do anything on n the SIM card. There’s one common thing about the SIM not provisioned error: it occurs most times with a new SIM card – one that is waiting to be registered or activated.
Nonetheless, there are a couple of ways to fix it, with the focal point of contacting your carrier provider. But before finally walking down to your network provider, try these tricks to resolve the SIM card not provisioned on your device!
How to fix SIM card not provisioned on your device:
- Toggle on/off Airplane mode
- Give your phone a fresh restart
- Eject, clean, and reinsert the SIM card properly
- Try to activate or re-register the SIM card
- Swap the SIM card or try it with another phone
- Update the Android Carrier Services app
- Seek help from your network provider
- Get a SIM card replacement
1. Toggle on/off Airplane mode
The basic step on how to fix SIM not provisioned on your phone is to turn on Airplane mode for a few moments and turn it off again. Doing so will cut off your phone from the network and re-establish it. That should solve the problem if a temporary network glitch caused it.
Also, if it’s a newly registered SIM card, toggling on/off Airplane mode can help activate it.
To do that;
- Open the Quick Setting pane on your Android or the Control Centre on your iPhone.
- Tap the Airplane button to disable your mobile connection.
- Tap the Airplane button again after a minute to reconnect to your mobile network
2. Give your phone a fresh restart
If turning on/off Airplane mode didn't do the trick, it's time to restart your device. Like other smartphone-related issues, rebooting your phone could fix the SIM not provisioned problem.
The process is simple: power off your phone, wait for a few seconds, then turn it on again. Rebooting your device refreshes the system and re-establish a connection between your device, the SIM card, and your network provider.
3. Eject, clean, and reinsert the SIM card properly
Whether you’ve been using your SIM card for ages or it’s a new one, you may run into the “SIM not provisioned problem” if the SIM card is dirty, inserted improperly, or damaged. To fix that, we recommend you eject, clean, and reinsert the SIM card properly.
We guess you’re familiar with ejecting your SIM card. If not, you can refer to its User Manual. Nonetheless, most modern smartphones with an inbuilt battery require you to use a SIM ejector tool, while older/entry-level smartphones require you to uncover the phone first.
Just check your device's manual if you don't know-how, then follow these steps to get that done.
- Power off your phone completely.
- Eject the SIM card tray on your phone.
- Check the SIM card for dirt, dust, or other foreign particles. If found, use a dry, soft cloth to clean it gently.
- Additionally, you can blow dry air into the SIM port with a compressed can. Do not do that with your mouth!
- After that, reinsert the SIM card properly and power on your phone.
Wait for a few minutes for the network to come up. And, if your phone still says “SIM not provisioned”, try the next solution below.
4. Try to activate or re-register the SIM card
If you’ve just purchased your SIM card, be sure it has been registered properly. Otherwise, it won’t work, and you may continue to receive the “EE SIM not provisioned”, or “SIM not provisioned for the voice” error on your device.
Most times, it takes your SIM card to be activated within 24 hours. Other times, it doesn't take up to that. However, some network providers may require you to perform a special task – such as making a call – before your SIM card gets activated. If you’ve not done that, you need to.
To know what action your network provider requires to activate your new SIM card, you can check the leaflet that came with the SIM card, call them, or follow the instruction given to you during the registration period.
If that didn’t solve the problem, then you might need to re-register the SIM card. And sometimes, your carrier may block the SIM card if not activated within a designated time. For instance, the MTN network in Nigeria requires you to use the SIM card – make a call, browser, or send a text – within 24 hours. If not done by the user, they’ll block it until it is re-registered.
If the SIM not provisioned mm#2 Straight Talk persists, contact your network provider for more info about what you need to do.
5. Swap the SIM card or try it with another phone
If you’ve got a phone with dual SIM cards, try swapping the SIM card with SIM not provisioned - o2 to the second slot. The reason you’re receiving the error might be because of a spoilt SIM port.
Also, you should try the SIM card on another device to confirm if the problem is from your device or the SIM card itself. To do this, turn off your phone and eject the SIM, then insert it into the other phone.
If you still encounter the same problem afterward, try another solution below.
6. Update the Android Carrier Services app
Also, it's certainly possible you got the "SIM not provisioned” or “SIM not provisioned for the voice” problem because of an outdated or buggy Carrier Service app on your Android device.
The Carrier Service app on your Android phone is dedicated to having a streamlined connection between your phone and network provider. Your phone may be unable to communicate with your network provider if something is wrong with the carrier app. In that case, you need to ensure it's up to date.
Here’s how to update the Carrier Service app on your phone:
- Launch the Play Store
- Tap your profile icon at the top right.
- Select My apps & games
- Locate Carrier Service in the Update list, then tap the Update button to install the latest version.
- Reboot your device and wait for a few minutes to see if your phone no longer shows the SIM not provisioned error.
7. Seek help from your network provider
If the problem persists, that’s a sign that your SIM card has failed to be registered or activated. In that case, you need to visit your carrier provider for help with the problem.
It’s best to visit their nearest connect point (Office) to fix the issue. Otherwise, you can contact them via their social media platforms or call their customer care number.
Surely, they’ll tell you to try some of the fixes we’ve mentioned above. Tell them what you’ve tried earlier. And possibly, they’ll help you find a solution to the SIM not provisioned issue on your device.
8. Get a SIM card replacement
Last but not the least, you should get a SIM replacement if none of the solutions above worked for you. Chances are that your SIM card is damaged, expired, or blocked by your carrier.
Still, you'll need to visit your carrier provider for this; they may be able to help you swap or upgrade the SIM card to a new one, so you don't lose your phone number. However, if you don’t care about that, you can get a new SIM card and activate it from a nearby local shop.
