AT&T unregistered SIM problem

Last edited by gerio on Thu Feb 21, 2008 7:33 am, edited 1 time in total

Ever since AT&T got 3G up and running in the Jackson, MS area (sometime before Christmas), I, as well as several people I know, are having the same problem. When one travels from an EDGE area to a 3G area, the phone will sometimes revert to an "Unregistered SIM" state. It doesn't happen every time with everyone, except my girlfriend and her V3xx. Almost daily, she has to perform the same fix that we all do, which is to pull the battery & SIM card, them re-install. We all have V3xxs and I have a Razr2 V9, and I don't know if anyone with other makes of phones are having this problem. I'm speaking on behalf of all of us. We all travel around different areas of the metro area, which is where the problem is originating. We're all in our mid 30s to 40s and we're not going through some fluke or a bunch of upset kids mad about some ringtone that won't download. . We are having a REAL problem here that is costing us hard money and time. And every call to Customer Support, as pleasant and helpful as they want to be, gets us answers like "push the SIM card all the way in" or " replace the SIM card" which we've all done. We're not getting anywhere with this. I've spoken highly of AT&T and we're still happy with our service otherwise, but we've run out of patience and we need some contact info other than the usual "Call customer service" answer. I do not expect and answer from this user forum, but it seems that at least one of the mods could point us to a higher office to contact. We're really tired of this going on. I can take my documentation of this problem to the State Public Service Comission as well as the State Attorney General. We know these folks pretty well, and that's the absolute LAST route I want to take. But I'm pretty serious when I say that we're all out of patience with this. I'm not asking for a solution from the community here, just a different avenue to seek a solution to this problem with.

Thanx for any help.

Geri O

I know you aren't looking for a solution, but does this happen with any other kind of phone? I ask because my husband has a V3xx and it does the same exact thing when going from a GPRS to EDGE area (we live a fairly rural area). I on the other hand, have never had a problem with the hand offs between bands but I never have Motorola phones. Just a thought - maybe a different brand of phone might help . but I hope you get your issue resolved!

No, as I mentioned in the OP (I think), all of us happen to have V3xxs and I have a V9. I've not had the opportunity to see if another model of 3G-capable phone is having the problem. Now, when I was using the iPhone, it never had the problem, but of course, it's NOT 3G capable. I'd still be using the iPhone if I could hear the thing ring and not have to shove the thing down my ear to hear someone talking. And I'm not deaf, I just had a hearing check and at 50 years old and in the live sound production business, I still have 100% of my hearing. And because I take care of my hearing in loud environments. I don't expect to keep this kind of hearing as I get older, but for now, I CAN hear, LOL.

Geri O

It's possible that you'll need a Motorola firmware update. My last phone was an e815, granted it was a CDMA phone, but it used to eat the battery alive when in a bad area for EVDO. They developed a fix for this, so I thought I'd bring it up as a possible, that Motorola just seems to have weird issues with 3g technologies, no matter whose they are.

there is no reported issues w/ the moto v3xx with edge - 3g hand off, or visa versa so it could be a temp network glitch in your area havent seen aything but then again i usualy dont for SE states

you could always try to unlock the phone or debrand it.

I have gone thru warranty exchange (800-801-1101) over and over and have had 3 replacement V3xx phones sent out and continued to get the error mentioned above. After repeated attempts, they finally offered to change my equipment. They upgraded me to the Razor2 V9. Within the first 3 days I got the error again. After another round of complaints, I got my rep to issue me a NEW (non-refurb) phone to try, thinking it may be some glitch in the refurb process. I got the error in less than 24 hours this time. Customer service even gave me the phone number to Motorola (866-289-6686)

And unlike some of you, I travel the exact same route every day, and the error is never the same place, never the same time, so I more-or-less excluded the part about traveling different areas of the metro.
I, too am in my mid 30s, and consider myself a mature professional working for the Drug Enforcement Administration. I am not some kid who is complaining about my predict-a-text functions, or things like that.
To add to this, there is another officer here that has the V3xx Platinum phone and the same issues.
I went into the local retailer in Flowood (Dogwood) and talked to a lody about getting away from Motorola completely. While I was in the store, another rep overheard my conversation and offered this little bit of input.
The unregistered sim error is a know design flaw with the V3xx. We get those several times a day in this store.
According to this rep, there is a flaw in the new V3xx line. The metal retaining clip that holds the sim in place allows the card to lose contact with one or more brass pins (if only for a second) under certain conditions, like twisting in your pocket or something similar. This then requires a reboot of the phone to recognize the card again.
As for my new V9, she informed me that the little plastic tab that 'assists' you in removing the battery is just thick enough to cause a similar issue. It is forcing the battery (under certain conditions) to push or flex the sim socket, causing the pins to lose contact with the brass sections of the card, recreating the issue of unregistered sim.
What she suggested for the Razor2 V9was to fold the plastic tab UNDER the battery so it is out of site with the battery installed (or clip the tap off completely)
It has now been 4 days and no more issues have been seen. I will update this thread if the error returns.

I hope this helps isolate your issues.
Eric (DEA)

There is a firmware update from motorola directly that fixes this issue.

I contacted AT&T warranty exchange again this morning and now they are stating that this is a "known" issue.
Their resolution is to go to the local Corporate office (Robinson Rd.) and have them install the SIM into another phone, cycle the power, then give you the SIM back. Violla - it's all fixed. (I kind-of doubt this miricle fix).
I mentioned to the customer "service" rep that this was a complete inconvenience to me to drive to the other end of Jackson just to wait in line, have them do hokus-pokus on my SIM, and send me on my way.
Oh well,at least they are admitting there is an issue.

Putter, that's farther than I've gotten with this issue. Like you, we are experiencing the problem with both V3xxs and my V9. I kinda suspect some hocus pocus regarding that "SIM card flexing" idea. I can say that mine doesn't fail in the same place every time, but I think that's because I ride along and don't know I have a problem until I pick up the phone.

Since you know this area, our problems are up and down HWY 49 from Richland to Florence, I-20 from Brandon to Pelahatchie, Lakeland Drive from Flowood to Pelahatchie, Star-Brandon Road from Star to Brandon. See a pattern here? These routes are all in areas that transition from EDGE to 3G and back again.

I have a few V3s and a couple of other GSM phones lying around the office. I can try that trick of moving the SIM card to and from another phone myself. That still doesn't add up, though. The firmware update makes the most sense of anything I've heard yet, aside from a network issue with AT&T. And I've not heard anything about other brands and models of phones having the problem.

Manator, how does one go about getting the firmware update? I would think that AT&T would offer this.

Putter. good luck with your issues. I"ll keep you posted. And I must say and thankfully so, you guys do a bang-up job! Take care,

Geri O

AT&T unregistered SIM problem

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