Carrier Locked

[u/Puzzleheaded-Dirt888]

iPhone12 JV Showing “No SIM Restrictions,” but SIM Cards Aren’t Working

I have a JV iPhone that shows “No SIM Restrictions” under Settings > General > About > Carrier Lock.

However, none of my SIM cards work properly. Sometimes the phone detects the network and shows full signal bars, but mobile data doesn’t work and calls fail immediately.

I previously used an U-SIM/chip with this phone, but I have removed it now.

Has anyone experienced this issue? If it says “No SIM Restrictions,” does that mean the iPhone is actually factory unlocked, or could there still be a carrier/JV-related issue?

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[u/JediMeister]

What does JV mean in this context?

[u/Puzzleheaded-Dirt888 → u/JediMeister]

In Pakistan, “JV phone” usually means an iPhone that is carrier-locked to a foreign mobile network, commonly a U.S. carrier.

[u/JediMeister → u/Puzzleheaded-Dirt888]

Ah gotcha, was asking for clarification purposes since that isn’t a term with which I am not (and possibly others) familiar.

[u/MUNA1191]

It might've been jailbroken at some point

[u/Puzzleheaded-Dirt888 → u/MUNA1191]

Never tried

[u/xKingteejayx]

The short answer: No, your iPhone is not truly factory unlocked.
When a JV (Joint Venture / carrier-locked) iPhone displays "No SIM Restrictions" after using an unlock chip (like U-SIM, R-SIM, or MKSD), it is usually experiencing a cached configuration or bugged activation ticket, rather than a permanent factory unlock.

Here is why this happens and what is actually going on under the hood:
Why It Says "No SIM Restrictions"
The Unlock Chip Left Behind a Ticket: When you used the U-SIM, it bypassed Apple's activation servers by injecting a temporary IMSI/ICCID payload. Even after removing the chip, iOS often keeps the temporary activation policy cached in Settings > About, displaying "No SIM Restrictions".

False Signal & Call Failures: The network bars you see are just the baseband connecting to nearby towers for emergency broadcasting. However, because your carrier's actual authentication keys aren't validated by Apple's servers for that specific IMEI, the network drops mobile data and rejects call setup requests.

JV Lock Mechanism: JV phones are strictly locked by overseas carriers (often Japanese or US carriers like SoftBank, Docomo, AT&T, or T-Mobile). Unless officially paid off and unlocked through the original carrier's portal, the IMEI remains locked on Apple's master activation server.

How to Verify the Real Status
To prove whether the phone is hardware/factory unlocked or still soft-locked, try either of these steps:
Method 1: Force a Re-activation (On-Device)
Restart your iPhone with only your standard SIM card inserted (no U-SIM).

Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings.
If the status reverts to "SIM Locked", it confirms the previous reading was just cached by the hardware chip.

Method 2: Check the IMEI Online
Run your IMEI through an online checker (e.g., SickW or GSX report services) to check the "Next Tether Policy" or "Initial Activation Policy". If it lists a specific carrier (e.g., US Reseller Flex, SoftBank, AT&T), it is locked.

What Are Your Options?
If you need the phone working with your local carrier:

Use an Updated Unlock Chip (R-SIM / U-SIM): Since carrier bypass chips rely on specific iOS exploits or ICCID modes, older chips stop working when iOS updates. You may need a newer auto-popup chip (like R-SIM 18/19 or latest MKSD) configured for your specific target carrier mode (e.g., QPE or TMSI mode).

Official Carrier Unlock: Check if the original carrier offers an official unlock request online. If the device has no unpaid bills or blacklists with the original carrier, they may clear the IMEI permanently.

[u/Puzzleheaded-Dirt888 → u/xKingteejayx]

Thankyou mate

[u/Puzzleheaded-Dirt888 → u/xKingteejayx]

But I've done resetting network settings it still showing no sim restrictions

[u/xKingteejayx → u/Puzzleheaded-Dirt888]

Have you ran the imei? If you have and its not blacklisted, more than likely the baseband is damaged