The SIM card inserted in this iPhone does not appear to be supported

[h4mza]

So ive been given an iPhone 4, tried all the SIM cards i have, O2, Vodafone, Orange, Tesco and 3 and they all show up as No Service. I restored my iPhone via iTunes and then i get The SIM card inserted in this iPhone does not appear to be supported. What shall i do? These SIM cards work fine on my other iPhone 4.

 

[thewitt]

Perhaps your free phone is SIM locked to another carrier

 

[h4mza]

Perhaps your free phone is SIM locked to another carrier

I have tried all the SIM cards i have

 

[Applejuiced]

I have tried all the SIM cards i have

Then the phone is not locked to any of those 3 carriers you tried.
It might be locked to AT&T or any other carrier out there.
Its hard to tell to what company the phone is locked to but I guess before it was unofficially unlocked and when you restored to official firmware it locked again to its original carrier.

 

[Macman45]

Yes, but not all networks. the phone could be locked to another provider that you have no sim for.

unlocking means finding which provider the phone was originally using prior to you purchasing it.

You don't mention 3, which might be the one large carrier you have not tried.

Contacting the seller would be your best shot.

 

[h4mza]

The iPhone is a GSM model so i assume it will only work on UK networks? Like i said in OP ive tried many different SIM cards, the only one i haven't tried is T-Mobile and Virgin but i dont think Virgin sells iPhone (or do they?) but some people say T-Mobile is with Orange, so if it doesn't work on Orange then it won't work on T-Mobile, what do you think?

 

[Daveoc64]

The iPhone is a GSM model so i assume it will only work on UK networks? Like i said in OP ive tried many different SIM cards, the only one i haven't tried is T-Mobile and Virgin but i dont think Virgin sells iPhone (or do they?) but some people say T-Mobile is with Orange, so if it doesn't work on Orange then it won't work on T-Mobile, what do you think?

I suggest you try a T-Mobile SIM.

You can get one free online:

http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/shop/free-talk-sim-cards/

 

[Applejuiced]

The iPhone is a GSM model so i assume it will only work on UK networks? Like i said in OP ive tried many different SIM cards, the only one i haven't tried is T-Mobile and Virgin but i dont think Virgin sells iPhone (or do they?) but some people say T-Mobile is with Orange, so if it doesn't work on Orange then it won't work on T-Mobile, what do you think?

How do you know it was locked to a UK network carrier?
Maybe it came from Italy, or the US, Australia etc...
GSM iphones are sold all over the world.

 

[reclusive46]

You could ask Apple as they can see what network the iPhone was first activated on.

 

[Macman45]

The iPhone is a GSM model so i assume it will only work on UK networks? Like i said in OP ive tried many different SIM cards, the only one i haven't tried is T-Mobile and Virgin but i dont think Virgin sells iPhone (or do they?) but some people say T-Mobile is with Orange, so if it doesn't work on Orange then it won't work on T-Mobile, what do you think?

Virgin Media do not support the iPhone, but that wouldn't stop a PAYG sim working, but no, it's not locked to them for sure.

As posted...It could be any country in the world! Tough ask, the T-Mobile idea and maybe 3 could be your only options left.