Boost gave me a free SIM card update but shows up as invalid

Found my issue. Samsung Galaxy phones 10e and under were unable to update their sim cards, where it just does not work nor are you able to go back to your old sim card as the updated network does not support it. As I had a galaxy s8, my phone was not supported. Wished customer support just told me that when I activated this sim card. I only found out as a staff at the boost mobile store near my house told me. Had to buy a new phone to be able to get calls, text and data.

My Samsung  S10e is working again and it is entirely thanks to this discussion!

Luckily, I have been with Boost long enough to be eligible for phone unlocking. I submitted a request via chat on their website on Monday. Tuesday afternoon I received an email confirmation that my phone would be unlocked "within a few hours" and to keep it powered on with the Sprint SIM card in it. My big gamble was: which SIM card do I leave in it? My old one, which still connects to the network but is no longer associated with my phone number, or my new SIM card which is tied to my phone number but is "invalid" according to the phone?

I chose to leave the old SIM card in, so at least I knew it registered on the network. I never saw any message appear on my phone after a few hours and thought the attempt had failed. But left it on, with the old card in, overnight.

This morning there was still no message on my phone, but on a whim I went to Settings>Software Update>UICC Unlock and pressed it. After a minute of spinning and thinking it told me my phone was unlocked! So I powered down, put the "new and improved" SIM card back in and voila! I'm back in business on the new network with a fully unlocked phone.

I tried contacting Samsung through chat and they were unable to help me with this issue either. I can't tell if it's a sim card issue as I do not have another phone to insert it into. Guess I'll try visit a boost mobile store when I get the chance. 

Ask Boost to unlock ur device. This happened to me and I was without service 6 days I got a message over my phone said update...then your device is unlocked so I put the new sim in and it worked. Try it contact boost and ask for ur phone to be unlocked from carrier

I tried to tell them it would make a difference since boost switched to t mobile towers and they told me no it wouldn't. But guess what..maybe I need a job at Boost

I just bought a Samsung Galaxy A02s FROM Boost!
Is this phone affected by this SIM card problem because I have yet to get the phone to work. 

and I spent time on the house phone as well as chat to figure this out.

How can they NOT know this is a problem?

Guys my phone did this too...no service no way to get a call about the phone being unlocked...connect to wifi request phone be unlocked..took about 4 days message came across sim card unlocked free to use any sim...put in the new sim card from boost and it worked...I have to file a claim with the FCC and someone contacted me back bc now every hour or so my phone says activate device I just hit the home button and it shows in notification drop down device not activated but I have service call text and data. The FCC is looking in to fixing the problem. I suggest u start there and let them know ur issue and let them resolve it. 

https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us

I just decided to reactivate my BOOST Galaxy S8 on Boost again after a year of not using it. 

I've been on chat with 5 different people in 2 days, because when I put the SIM in I get the "Invalid SIM" and "Please contact Sprint to unlock your device."

This last person I talked to just said I can't use my phone at all and need to purchase a new one. I asked for my device to be unlocked and could only verify the last number I had, and not the one before that so they refuse to unlock my device, although the time limit was enough on the previous number. But only 8 months on the newer number. I'm so incredibly frustrated that when reactivating online it said my phone is compatible ( as it should be it was purchased from Boost) and out of 5 people she was the only one to tell me that my phone is incompatible. 

I tried explaining that if they just unlocked it I could use it, and I didn't want it unlocked to take it elsewhere, and even if I wanted to I don't see the big deal I own the phone. My service is active for 2 days now, and I can't use the phone, and I can't afford to buy a new one like she so kindly suggested, so now my month of service is wasted too?

Will Boost be able to unlock a phone remotely if the SIM card in it is showing as invalid?

Ticket # xxxxxxxx

I am extremely distressed because I cannot call out nor receive phone calls. I have been without service since last Thursday. Tomorrow, it will be a week.

I am a Senior, over 65 years old, and mostly only use my phone to make and receive calls. After all, it is a telephone!

You sent me a SIM card, requiring me to install it to update my network service. It was faulty. I went to the Boost Mobile store, and was asked to purchase another one.

Ever since that day, I have been cut off from communication with loved ones! This is totally unacceptable. How much longer will I have to be without service? This is unfair, and I should be given a new phone and a rebate for my un-used days of service.

I have a week-old Ticket with customer service.

I am extremely distressed because I cannot call out nor receive phone calls. I have been without service since last Thursday. Tomorrow, it will be a week.

I am a Senior, over 65 years old, and mostly only use my phone to make and receive calls. After all, it is a telephone!

You sent me a SIM card, requiring me to install it to update my network service. It was faulty. I went to the Boost Mobile store, and was asked to purchase another one.

Ever since that day, I have been cut off from communication with loved ones! This is totally unacceptable. How much longer will I have to be without service? This is unfair, and I should be given a new phone and a rebate for my un-used days of service.

I have been with boost for over 10yrs I have a Samsung galaxy s10e and was working fine till they switched my sim card to the new expanded network then my phone became disabled. I had to buy a new phone because I need a phone for calls and texts because I don't have a house line and that is the only way my family and I stay in touch. I'm so disappointed in them now that I have read these messages and see I'm not the only one having issues with the new sim card

In case anyone is jumping to the bottom of this thread, this is exactly what you need to do if you are getting "Invalid Sim Card" on a newly purchased Boost Mobile phone with the 5G Sim Card Activation Kit.  Credit to @cecilia-fx 

1) Have your IMEI and CCID available and ready
2) Log into your Boost Mobile account on a device through their website (BoostMobile.com)
3) Use the chat service and ask for help activating your phone
4) Link them to this thread that we are on right now, and tell them that your phone is part of the old system, and needs to be unlocked in order to enter the new Expanded Network system
5) They may push back on you and say that it is only for people who are 12+ month users of the device, just reiterate to them that you do not have another option and that you need this phone to be unlocked
6) Remain polite throughout this process, I know getting aggressive can work with customer/tech support but I was able to remain pleasant the entire time so it was not a pre-requisite for me receiving help.  Just remain confident in this being a solution and you know that it will work to fix your Sim Card Invalid error.
7) When they submit the request for your phone to be unlocked, it could take 24-48 hours (It took about 3-4 hours for mine to be unlocked)
8) Once your phone is unlocked, you will receive an update to your phone, do the update which requires a restart.  Once you power your phone back on, you will be connected to the Boost Mobile network.
9) Finish all updates to get the old system Activation check off your phone and enjoy your new phone.


Good luck to anyone trying to get their new phones working through Boost Mobile, and hopefully they'll just make this standard practice so we don't have to BEG them to unlock our phones.

I REALLY feel your struggle. I have the S9 and Boost sent me the new 5G chip as well and it rendered my phone useless. The only thing they tried to tell me was sorry, and that they were trying to work on the phone. I have been without service on that phone for 1 whole week. Each time I call Customer Support, I got the same thing. They try to trouble shoot and finally sends me to Tech Support who does the same thing and then tells me to wait 24-72 hours for an update that has not come in a week. Then I am asked if I called Samsung? (Myself?) You are Tech Support, why haven't they called. Then they call and keep me on the line with Samsung until they answer and hang up. Samsung trouble shoots my phone and tells me that the Galaxy S9 will not work on the 5G network and can cause damage if tried to activate one in the phone. After 6 days I am finally told that I need to get a new phone because the chip doesn't work. The same thing I have been telling them from day one. So when I tell them that they sent me a chip that they knew was not going to work and knew what it would do to my phone and tells me that I need to buy a new phone so they can activate it. Well the one I have worked perfectly BEFORE the new chip and now it will not work with any chip at all. ALL THEY CAN SAY IS SORRY?!?!?! Oh and they say I need to get a new phone anyway because they are converting to 5G and they older phones will not work. SO WHAT! My phone was working fine and I liked to have it that way again. Customer Service and Tech Support are the WORSE!

CL SMOOTH

Boost Customer for 10 years

I actually had to go to a Boost store and have the arrogant tech there swap my phones for me. I tried online and the AI chatbot was no help at all. If you have a Boost Mobile store near, it might pay to have them do it for you.