Invalid sim error with Iridium 9555 and Telstra $10 post paid plan
Submitted: Sunday, Nov 24, 2013 at 18:12
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Paparata R
After reading lots of useful information on this site I arranged a $10 post paid plan with Telstra. I arranged global roaming and ensured 1900 calls are not barred. I left it a few days but still get
invalid sim error. I contacted Telstra again and was assured global roaming was active and no outgoing calls we're barred. Any suggestions?
Reply By: Tony F8 - Sunday, Nov 24, 2013 at 18:52
Sunday, Nov 24, 2013 at 18:52
Take it back to Telstra and let them work it out? I would not worry about global roaming as it is a sat phone. Have had a 9505 irridium for 10 plus years and never had a problem.
Mine is on a $30 a month sim, only because I did tags and have left it at that. Surprisingly Telstra will be very helpful if you tell them you use it in remote areas for the purpose of emergencies,( funny you should have to explain that to them hey). Just pester them till it is sorted.
Cheers
AnswerID:
522042
Reply By: Allan B (Member, SunCoast) - Sunday, Nov 24, 2013 at 19:18
Sunday, Nov 24, 2013 at 19:18
Didn't know you could get a Telstra Iridium $10 Post Pay plan.
I thought $30 (now $35) was the cheapest.
Are you sure that it is not a Prepay SIM? That will not work in a Satellite service and in fact you will get an "
Invalid SIM" message if you try it.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: craigandej - Sunday, Nov 24, 2013 at 19:59
Sunday, Nov 24, 2013 at 19:59
Yes you can get a $10 casual plan, Telstra just don't advertise it.
Cheers
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Allan B (Member, SunCoast) - Sunday, Nov 24, 2013 at 21:08
Sunday, Nov 24, 2013 at 21:08
Thanks.
I need to look into that.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Jack - Sunday, Nov 24, 2013 at 21:13
Sunday, Nov 24, 2013 at 21:13
I will look into that as
well, as I have the $30 plan. Surprisingly, Telstra did not tell me about their $10 plan. Naughty naughty!!!
Jack
FollowupID:
802955
Reply By: Slow one - Sunday, Nov 24, 2013 at 19:53
Sunday, Nov 24, 2013 at 19:53
I had the same problem with a $10 casual telstra plan. Although they told me the card had been enabled for global roaming, it wasn't.
I then had the card enabled over the phone and all was
well.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: craigandej - Sunday, Nov 24, 2013 at 20:03
Sunday, Nov 24, 2013 at 20:03
I have the same plan. I told Telstra what it was for, they were very helpful, and I think from memory they told me to activate global roaming online.
Used it numerous times this year in
Cape York when first on scene at a head-on.
Cheers
FollowupID:
802949
Reply By: Member - Boobook - Monday, Nov 25, 2013 at 06:24
Monday, Nov 25, 2013 at 06:24
Ring Telstra and get them to re-enable international roaming again. They frequently stuff it up. Also you must make it quite clear that you want roaming as in 'I travelling overseas', not the ability to call overseas from Australia which seems to confuse them.
I have a $10 plan but did notice that it disappeared from their web site. It is possible that they disabled the ability to use it on the sat phone because it is too user friendly.
Also my experience is don't even mention a Sat phone to the staff in a
shop. Most of them will tell you it's not possible and will try to sell you other plans which are on their web site.
Also try your other, or someone else's normal post paid sim that's enabled. See if that works.
Let us know how you go.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Chris_K - Monday, Nov 25, 2013 at 09:42
Monday, Nov 25, 2013 at 09:42
Hi all
We also got the Iridium 9555 with a post paid plan...when it didn't work first up - the guy at Telstra (very helpful) said you need to say you want a "full service" SIM. Seemed to work for me.
Chris
AnswerID:
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Reply By: George_M - Monday, Nov 25, 2013 at 18:30
Monday, Nov 25, 2013 at 18:30
Hi Paparata.
How long have you had your Motorola 9555, and from whom did you buy it?
George_M
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Paparata R - Monday, Nov 25, 2013 at 18:47
Monday, Nov 25, 2013 at 18:47
Hi George,
got it about 2 weeks ago from Electric Bug in
Adelaide. They seem to be associated with Pivotel as they tried to get us to buy a Pivotel plan. I got back to Telstra today and asked them again to activate global roaming. They said it was already activated but did it again anyway. They also confirmed that the SIM was full service. I'm beginning to wonder if the phone is locked somehow or if Telstra have closed the loophole that allowed this plan to work with Iridium phones.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: George_M - Monday, Nov 25, 2013 at 19:04
Monday, Nov 25, 2013 at 19:04
Thanks Paparata
With these types of issues there is either a problem with the SIM or a problem with the handset (IMEI) access to the network.
You can eliminate the SIM as a problem (or confirm it) by borrowing another Telstra cell phone SIM and putting it in your Motorola 9555. Most Telstra plans have international roaming activated as standard. Just borrow the SIM from a family member, neighbour or work colleague, pop it in, and see if it will register on the Iridium network.
Make sure you have a clear view of the sky (sorry - had to say that).
You can call the borrowed SIM's mobile number to see if your handset rings, BUT don't answer it - it will cost you (or the SIM owner) about $4.00!
You can eliminate the handset as an issue (which is unlikely in your case) by asking the seller to
check with Iridium that it had not been blocked from the network for some reason.
Let us know how you get on.
George_M
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Boobook - Monday, Nov 25, 2013 at 19:11
Monday, Nov 25, 2013 at 19:11
I don't think there is any concept of locking the handset. Motorola 9555 phones will work on one and only one network, Iridium.
I bought
mine in HK and got it back here and it just worked. They have to work world wide.
Like George says, try another full plan Telstra SIM. I am sure Telstra still haven't enabled yours correctly still. Once I went through 4 calls and all assured me it was ok then the last one said oh it hasn't been enabled for roaming... Doh.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Paparata R - Monday, Nov 25, 2013 at 19:15
Monday, Nov 25, 2013 at 19:15
Again many thanks George.
First problem was not following instructions. I had the SIM in the wrong way. So after installing it correctly I get further. The phone registers with the Iridium network and displays Registered and displays the time.
Then a few seconds later it displays Acquiring Network and now at that point I get
Invalid SIM message
I will try to get hold of another SIM and see if it works
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: The Explorer - Monday, Nov 25, 2013 at 19:17
Monday, Nov 25, 2013 at 19:17
.....plus I would
check if sim works by placing it in a normal phone. I just checked my 9555 with $10 casual sim and works so some suggestions by others that "loophole" maybe closed is incorrect.
Cheers
Greg
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FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Paparata R - Monday, Nov 25, 2013 at 19:25
Monday, Nov 25, 2013 at 19:25
Thanks. Just tried the SIM in my mobile phone and can call out and receive calls
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Boobook - Monday, Nov 25, 2013 at 19:35
Monday, Nov 25, 2013 at 19:35
Does it say
Invalid SIM or
Invalid Account?
Invalid account points to you having a pre paid SIM not a plan SIM.
Are you 100% sure it is a plan post paid?
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Paparata R - Monday, Nov 25, 2013 at 19:38
Monday, Nov 25, 2013 at 19:38
Definitely
Invalid SIM. And I can confirm that the SIM is associated with a post paid plan. I just looked at my plan using MyTelstra. Interestingly despite two requests to activate global roaming, paying the $300 deposit, MyTesltra tells me International Roaming is inactive. I am checking with them about this discrepancy now
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Paparata R - Monday, Nov 25, 2013 at 20:30
Monday, Nov 25, 2013 at 20:30
OK upshot is that despite 2 attempts previously, global/international roaming was not active and I had been fed a pack of lies previously. They have assured me it is active now but I will believe it when I see it
Pays to be tenacious with Telstra by the look of it
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Paparata R - Monday, Nov 25, 2013 at 22:05
Monday, Nov 25, 2013 at 22:05
Thanks to everyone who contributed. The phone is now able to send and receive calls using a Telstra $10 post paid plan which has international roaming activated.
For those that follow these are my tips and observations
1. You need to setup a $10 post paid casual plan. This is not advertised on Telstras websites but is available. Go to a store. Do not mention the words satelite phone, just say you want a separate number which you will not use much.
2. Have global roaming activated. If you do not have a 6 month history with Telstra you will be required to deposit $300.
3. Do not trust any Telstra employee and when told global roaming is activated take it with a prince of salt. Set up online access to your account using MyTelstra. There you can see if international roaming is activated. I was told numerous times it was active but then found on MyTelstra it was inactive and this that finally convinced a customer service person that the previous attempts to activate international roaming had failed.
4. If you still have problems make sure that the sim is full service and 1900 calls are not barred
5. Rather than speak to Telstra customer service I used online chat service
Telstra live chat
AnswerID:
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