New O2 3G SIM with iPhone "No Service"

[blueharvester]

I have just bought an new iPhone 3G and have a new 3G SIM card (my old SIM was non-3G). I turned the phone on last night for the first time, but since then I have had no service. It did display a message saying that activation may take some time.

How long does this usually take? Is there anything I can do to speed it up?

 

[Psyxologos]

I have just bought an new iPhone 3G and have a new 3G SIM card (my old SIM was non-3G). I turned the phone on last night for the first time, but since then I have had no service. It did display a message saying that activation may take some time.

How long does this usually take? Is there anything I can do to speed it up?

if you ported from another carrier it should take a couple of days. Otherwise it should be a matter of hours...

 

[bartelby]

Have you called O2?

When I changed my non 3G sim for the 3G sim, and kept my old number, it was instant.

 

[blueharvester]

I was already with O2 and I'm keeping my number. Should I just phone customer services or is there a particular number I should call?

 

[bartelby]

I was already with O2 and I'm keeping my number. Should I just phone customer services or is there a particular number I should call?

There is an iPhone specific number to call, but I don't know it.
It's probably on their website.

EDIT:
iPhone Pay Monthly Dial Charges
From your iPhone 2302 Free
From a landline 0870 607 2302 National rate
Opening hours Monday - Friday 08:00 - 21:00
Weekend 08:00 - 20:00

Same number if you're on PAYG but they charge more

 

[Psyxologos]

There is an iPhone specific number to call, but I don't know it.
It's probably on their website.

it is 202 for pay monthly (general) and 2302 for iphone

 

[Joe23]

Do you get service if you try your old SIM card? My friend was in the same position as you - she spent ages on the phone with O2 as she believed her old SIM card wasn't "3G enabled" and that she had to use the new one supplied with the iPhone.

Turns out the old SIM card worked just fine and there wasn't a real reason for having a new SIM card.

Worth a go, at least.

 

[sallythemac]

SIM activation can take up to 72 hours. O2 usually say 48. Turning both your old phone and your new phone off and on once an hour can sometimes help the process. I take it you did an upgrade? If so you will not be able to use your old SIM, as that will be disconnected at some point. If it's been over 72 hours i would go to where you purchased it. It may mean the connection has to be resubmitted to o2.

With regards to using old SIMs, you should really use the SIM that comes with the phone unless you are definite you have a fairly recent (less than 6 month old) SIM and it's a 3G SIM. But if you have done an upgrade, the your old SIM WILL be disconnected.

 

[blueharvester]

Got it sorted thanks. I phoned the number that bartelby had outlined above. The guy on the phone said that no 3G SIM had been activated on my account. So I just gave him the number on my SIM, he activated it and I was up and running within the hour.