SIM Card

Want a second carrier for your iPhone that won’t break the bank? Try Visible by Verizon Wireless

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated August 4, 2021

It wasn’t long ago that I shared my personal experience with using the Google Fi cellular service as a secondary carrier on my iPhone. But my curiosity pertaining to a dual carrier setup on my iPhone led to me to research several other Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), and you can probably take a few accurate guesses as to where that rabbit hole took me.

Upon being blown away by Google Fi’s cellular reception and data speeds, I decided to drop AT&T as my primary carrier and switch over to T-Mobile. To those asking why – the T-Mobile network powers Google Fi in my region, and the un-carrier provided an enticing offer after announcing its new truly unlimited Magenta MAX plan earlier this year for a fraction of what I was paying AT&T.

Fix cellular data errors after updating to iOS 14

Guest Author ∙ September 18, 2020

After updating your iPhone, it is possible that the baseband firmware which controls your cell signal got corrupted. You may see an alert on your phone that says that the cellular update failed, or you may see a message in your cellular settings that says an update is required to use cellular data on your device. This can be frustrating to deal with, but this article will walk you through some basic troubleshooting and then an advanced solution if all else fails.

How to import contacts from a SIM card to iPhone

Sandy Writtenhouse ∙ July 6, 2020

If you have a SIM card containing contacts that you want to put on your iPhone, this is easy and only takes a few minutes.

First, make sure that the SIM card you have will fit into your iPhone. To find out which size SIM card you can use with your iPhone, check out Apple’s support page.

Now, if you know the card fits, here’s how to import the contacts from that SIM card to your iPhone.

How to change the SIM PIN on iPhone

Sandy Writtenhouse ∙ Updated February 19, 2019

Do you need or want to change your iPhone SIM PIN? Maybe you entered the code from your cell phone carrier and want a more secure SIM PIN or were able to create one yourself and just want to change it now. Either way, it takes just a few minutes.

Here’s how to change the SIM PIN on iPhone.

Further proof a dual-SIM is coming to this year’s iPhone X Plus

Bryan M. Wolfe ∙ July 31, 2018

The iOS 12 beta 5 update released earlier this week has offered further proof Apple plans on providing a dual-SIM on this year's so-called iPhone X Plus. This same news was first teased by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in November 2017. The latest details were first discovered by 9to5Mac.

How to turn SIM PIN on and off on iPhone

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated August 7, 2018

Find My iPhone is a great way to secure your iPhone in case it is lost or stolen, but it doesn't do much to protect your SIM card. Indeed, without a PIN enabled on your SIM, anyone with access to your SIM card can use it to make phone calls, send messages, and use cellular data.

Sim-free iPhone X now available through Apple

Andrew O'Hara ∙ December 4, 2017

Several weeks after launch, you now have the option of purchasing the iPhone X unlocked and SIM-free through Apple in the US. Even better, you can get an iPhone X with delivery by December 12th.

FreedomPop’s new SIM gives you unlimited WhatsApp usage, 200MB data and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 17, 2016

FreedomPop today announced a new SIM aimed at fans of the popular messaging app WhatsApp. The new SIM gives you unlimited WhatsApp usage in the United States and more than thirty countries worldwide, plus 200 megabytes of additional cellular data and 100 voice minutes. You can also earn additional free data every month by adding friends and completing partner offers.

5 alternatives to a SIM eject tool for easy SIM removal

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated September 8, 2020

SIM eject tools are really useful for getting SIM cards out of iPhones and iPads, and honestly, I would recommend everyone who owns one of these devices carry at least one of them at all times, whether in your wallet or on a key ring.

Of course, there are always those times when you're out and about and you don't have a SIM eject tool on your person when you really need one. So what alternatives can you use instead?

In this piece, we'll talk about five alternatives to a SIM eject tool that you can use to get the SIM card out of your iPhone or iPad.

Tim Cook reaffirms Apple has no desire to become a MVNO carrier

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 24, 2016

Apple CEO Tim Cook was interviewed at Startup Fest Europe in Amsterdam today by retired European Commissioner for Digital Agenda, Nellie Kroes.

Asked if Apple would consider launching its own telecommunications service to cut off carriers, Cook responded by ruling out an Apple MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator).

Cook said his company lacks the expertise to do so and reiterated that Apple is in fact quite content with the things carriers do.

Can’t activate your iPhone? Here’s why and how to fix it

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated July 13, 2020

It would be really nice if every single time you went to activate your new or restored iPhone, everything worked without any flaws, but that's just not how man-made things work.

If you are having issues activating your iPhone after buying a new one, or after restoring your device in iTunes, we have some troubleshooting ideas that you can put to the test to solve the problem once and for all.

How to find your iPhone IMEI number

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated July 2, 2018

There are many scenarios where you will need your iPhone's IMEI number. One of the most common is when you want to purchase a third-party carrier unlock so that you can use your iPhone with another carrier other than the one it's programmed to work with from the factory. In this tutorial, we'll show you three different ways that you can find your IMEI number with ease.