Last Updated on October 7, 2022 by Ron D. Morgan
Qlink is a free government cell phone service. It is part of the Lifeline program support, which is a government initiative that provides eligible residents with free wireless service.
If you’ve activated your Qlink SIM Card, and your SIM isn’t working, this post is for you. Most times, you will see the error message ‘No SIM CARD Installed’ if your SIM card isn’t working.
There are several reasons why your Qlink SIM Card isn’t working. But one common reason could be that your SIM card isn’t placed correctly in the SIM tray.
Continue reading to find out other reasons your SIM Card isn’t working and tips to get your SIM working in no time.
Why Is My Qlink SIM Card Not Working?
a. Minor Glitch On Your Phone
A minor glitch or bug on your phone can cause a SIM card error. The glitch can be caused by multiple programs working in the background. This can add stress to your device’s hardware. One way to fix this is to restart your device.
b. Phone On Airplane Mode
Another reason may be that your phone is in airplane mode. It could be that you turned on the airplane mode icon without knowing. When your phone is on airplane mode, the device can’t connect to the Qlink wireless network.
That means that on airplane mode, you can’t make and receive calls. You can send or receive text messages, and you can’t use mobile data. You need to remove the phone from airplane mode to enable it to connect to the Qlink network.
c. SIM Card Placement
SIM card placement matters. It could be that the SIM Card shifted when you dropped your phone. The Qlink SIM Card must be to sync with your phone’s internal connectors. To fix this, you have to check the SIM placement.
d. Dirt On SIM Card
Dirt and grime can get inside your SIM Card over time. Dust on a SIM Card can interfere with a wireless network connection. To resolve this, you need to check for grime and clean grime off the SIM.
e. Outdated Firmware Software
Also, it could be that your phone is running on an outdated firmware software version. Firmware is the software that powers the essential parts of your phone.
If the firmware version in your phone has not been updated in a while, it can affect the functionality of your phone.
Companies do release new versions of firmware from time to time. These new versions come with more robust features. To solve this, you need to check for and download the latest firmware version on your phone. You will find out how to do this in the latter part of this post.
f. Inaccurate Activation Process
If you just bought your Qlink SIM pack or device and your SIM card is not working, it could be that you have activated the SIM card.
Another reason could be that you actually completed the activation process, but it didn’t go through.
To fix this, you have to repeat the activation process for your Qlink service. Don’t worry; we will guide you on how to correctly activate your Qlink SIM Card.
How To Fix The Qlink SIM Card Not Working Issue
These are some of the steps you can apply to get your SIM working in no time.
a. Check For Flight Mode
The first step is to check for and remove your phone from flight/ airplane mode. The airplane icon will be active if your phone is in flight/ airplane mode.
To remove your phone from flight mode on iPhone, open the Top Menu by Swiping down from the top screen. You will see the airplane accord. If the airplane/ flight icon is active, tap on the icon to remove the device from airplane mode.
To remove an Android phone from airplane mode, Swipe Down to show the Top Menu. If the airplane/ flight icon is active, tap on the icon to remove the device from airplane mode.
b. Power Cycle Your Device
Power cycling your device simply means forcefully turning off your device. The process helps to fix minor bugs and glitches on your device.
To perform a power cycle on your phone, Press and hold the Power button for a few seconds. After your phone is off, wait for 30 seconds and power on the phone again.
c. Check The SIM Card Placement
Open the SIM tray on your device and remove the SIM Card. Check the SIM Card placement. Make sure the SIM Card is placed to sync with the internal connectors on your device.
The SIM Card placement method depends on your phone. For an iPhone, the gold rectangular foil should face upward. While for most Android phones, it should be placed face down.
Also, check for dirt on the SIM Card and tray. Hold a can of compressed air close to the SIM tray to blow off dust and grime from the SIM slot. You can also clean the dust using a small microfiber cloth.
d. Try SIM On Another Device
This process helps to confirm if the SIM card is damaged. Place the SIM Card in another compatible phone. If it works on the phone, it means there is an issue with the other phone.
If it doesn’t work on the new phone, it means there is an issue with the Qlink SIM Card.
e. Complete The Activation Process
If you just bought the Qlink SIM Card kit or you are trying to switch the SIM to another phone, it is advisable to complete the activation process. Follow the steps below to activate your Qlink SIM Card.
How To Activate Qlink SIM Card
. Insert SIM Card
Open the SIM tray on your phone. Remove the old SIM Card, and replace it with your Qlink SIM Card.
. Reset Network Settings
This process enables you to delete the previous network settings and connect to Qlink wireless network.
For IOS users, go to Settings> General> Reset> Reset Network Settings> Enter 4-digit PIN Code> Confirm Reset Network Settings.
For Android users, go to Settings> System> Advanced> Reset Options> Reset Wi-Fi Mobile & Bluetooth> Confirm Reset Settings
Follow the Video Tutorials here to complete the process.
f. Update Device
To check for and update to the latest firmware version on your phone do this. Connect your phone to a Wireless Network> Go to Settings> Tap on About Phone> Select Check For Updates> Select Install> Wait for some minutes for the installation process to complete.
g. Contact Qlink Customer Support
If you’ve tried all the tips here and none has worked so far, you have to contact Qlink customer support. Contact Qlink customer support at 885-754-6543.
Conclusion
This post has outlined some possible tips to fix the Qlink SIM Card not working issue. The tips here should help you fix the issue in no time.
If none of the tips works for you (which is unlikely), we provided a Qlink support number to reach out to their tech support team.
Hi, I’m Ron D. Morgan. TECODY IS MY BRAINCHILD. I’ve worked in a tech startup in the last 7 years. I decided to branch out and start TECODY as a side project to provide tech troubleshooting tips for readers.
Got my two friends who are Nerd Heads too and here we are. The aim here is to provide readers with accurate info to help them resolve basic troubleshooting issues with Network and devices. You can always reach out to us via our Contact Us Page.