I entered the passcode incorrectly too many times -> led to iPhone being erased. After restoring it, I got a no SIM card error.
It turns out that indeed, there was no SIM card. It also turns out that this is the first time I've looked for a SIM card. I think when I received the iPhone, it was already activated (for AT&T) and did not actually have a physical SIM card, so maybe it was using eSIM all along, right from the beginning (this iPhone is from September 2021, iPhone 13 Pro Max)?
The moral of the story is that erasing the iPhone (or what happens after the passcode is entered incorrectly too many times; this may be a policy setting implemented by where I work) puts the iPhone cellular service in a non activated state. This requires contacting AT&T to give you a new eSIM. I think getting a new eSIM could be done online, though I didn't try that option.
It turns out that indeed, there was no SIM card. It also turns out that this is the first time I've looked for a SIM card. I think when I received the iPhone, it was already activated (for AT&T) and did not actually have a physical SIM card, so maybe it was using eSIM all along, right from the beginning (this iPhone is from September 2021, iPhone 13 Pro Max)?
The moral of the story is that erasing the iPhone (or what happens after the passcode is entered incorrectly too many times; this may be a policy setting implemented by where I work) puts the iPhone cellular service in a non activated state. This requires contacting AT&T to give you a new eSIM. I think getting a new eSIM could be done online, though I didn't try that option.