Import iPhone SIM Contacts

Import contacts from your SIM to iPhone (finally!!)

Kiran Konathala • November 28, 2007 • 2 min read

Update : Starting iPhone firmware 2.0, Apple solved the SIM import issue by neatly integrating into the iPhone officially! Look for the option under Settings -> Mail, Contacts, Calendar -> Import SIM Contacts

Apple did a terrible job with SIM contacts – why wasn’t it not implemented when an independent developer can release that for free! Anyways, Apple did a great job with iPhone sans installer. Till SIMport was released, the only option we had to import SIM contacts were to either use an other phone – > Upload contacts Yahoo! Go/GooSync Contacts and so on… all of them needed another phone to do so but not anymore. You can now import SIM contacts to your iPhone just like that!! Insert the new sim in your iPhone, activate it using iNDependence/iBrickr/iDemocracy in case it reports for a foreign SIM!

How do we install it??
Launch installer.app and look for iFon International packages. If it is not found, go to sources(top right) -> add source -> install.ifon.no and save!! Now you should be able to install SIMport. You are all set now 🙂

iPhone_SIM_Contacts_Import.png

Update : A new shinier looking app (iSIM) for doing pretty much like SIMport was released recently. Though GUI and automation is good in this app – steer away from it unless you have some bucks to spare! It ain’t free. SIMport is the way to go!!

165 Discussion Comments

  1. Outgoing calls are no way concerned with Simport. There is no configuration for outgoing calls, if you are able to see the signal and able to recieve calls/sms then your cell provider might have blocked outgoing for various reasons (bill payment delay or something like that).

    Restart your iPhone and try again, if problem persists contact your mobile operator.

  3. What do I do once I have saved the iNdependence_v1.4_beta_3.dmg file on my desktop? How do I open it and can I just select simport from there? I dont need a whole package of stuff, just need to import sim contacts to my new unlocked iphone. Thanx

  4. Well, iNdependence is no way concerned with simport. Simport is available from installer.app as an application. Well you can FTP the file (SSH) but it is complicated and installer.app is lot easier 🙂

  5. Main script installation failed error is actually a common error, most of the times it occurred after so many months of installer.app usage, but if you use Boss Tool to move your applications and ringtones, you might avoid this. So it is better to start off afresh.

  7. I installed the app and when I try opening it, the loading screen stays there for at least 10 mind without ever loading. The sim is comming out of a treo 650 with maybe 100 contacts. Is there an alternate way to import these contacts?

  8. What do you recommend if I want to save the contacts from my iphone to my sim card so that it can be used on a different phone in the future? Are there ever plans for SIMport to have an "export" feature like iSim? That would be awesome!

  9. @ Adam : Did you try the trial version of iSIM? Did it do the same? I am sure any sim should work. I would be interested in knowing the firmware on your iPhone. An alternative way would be to use Funambol app in installer.app to sync the contacts online , that is really awesome!

    @ Pj : Well, premium features come for a price. I would suggest an online means of storing contacts to put them in any phone (smartphone) in the future. iSIM is a paid software. SIMPort might come with such a feature probably, and they might be saving for the SDK. After SDK is released, I might even work on it 😉

  10. problem guys, I have a 16gb iphone and installed the simport app and it imported my contacts but i cant seem to get rid of the icon now. Its annoying and i cant get it to go away i tried going into my packages and its not even listed there? any solutions, please reply or email me with some help thanks sran_88@hotmail.com

  11. I’m having a similar problem as some others here. I installed simport on my buddy’s iphone v1.1.3 but it only imported 79 of 240 contacts. does anyone have any ideas?

    thanks!

  13. I just bought the iphone 1.1.2
    During my testing phase i added alot of new games and other applications from installer. However, evertime i added an application a new icon used to come on the HOME screen.
    After i added few application the screen was full and the Installer icon got disappered.
    THE PROBLEM IS THAT I CANT FIND THE INSTALLER APPLICATION (ICON) ON MY HOME SCREEN ANYMORE NOR CAN I SLIDE DOWN THE HOME SCREEN.
    ANY ADVICE PLEASE TO FIND THE INSTALLER ICON. THANKS

  14. @ Barlas : You should have installed Summerboard to enable the springboard function to scroll through applications. Restore it to 1.1.3 and then use ZiPhone or iPlus (my latest posts) and then proceed with applications 🙂

  18. I have a TV setting in the settings tab of my unblocked iphone. Is it possible to watch live TV, and what do I have to install and where from to make this work?

    Many thanks…

  20. Pingback: Import Contacts from the SIM card into the iPhone | iPhone Passion - the unofficial iPhone news blog

  24. I already ran iPlus 2.0b, the iphone works wonderfull but still SIMport does not work, it takes a few seconds saying “loading and then it goes back to the home page, I have an OTB 1.1.2, now it has changed to 1.1.4 with a 3.9 butloader (it used to be 4.6), can anyone help me please???

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