iPhone 5S can't get through activation due to faulty sim card reader

[nipj]

I have an iPhone 5S with a faulty sim card reader. Otherwise, it is fully functional via wifi. (Well, I should say "was" fully-functional.)

I wiped the phone clean of data and settings so as to prep it for gifting. But, now I can't get through the activation process.

In the activation process, I get past the wifi network setup and then after it says "may take a few mins to activate phone" I get a "please insert a SIM card." msg. Again, there is a SIM card in the phone but the reader is not working.

I tried to restore in Itunes using a backup but it also demanded a SIM card to continue.

Any ideas on what I can do?
This phone is now useless unless I can get past this step in activation.

Thanks.

 

[tl01]

Have you tried replacing the sim?

 

[nipj]

Have you tried replacing the sim?

Yup. Tried different sims that are known to work.
Pretty confident that the SIM reader is shot. (The moisture indicator in the slot shows red.)

 

[iphonehype]

iTunes I may be wrong.

 

[daijholt]

Yup. Tried different sims that are known to work.
Pretty confident that the SIM reader is shot. (The moisture indicator in the slot shows red.)

Nothing you can do I'm afraid. You can't activate it without a sim; it's physically impossible since the server has to verify its presence to continue.

 

[Newtons Apple]

Time for repair to see if they can fix the reader.

 

[Beenblacklisted]

if its new apple will replace or fix,

 

[nipj]

Bummer. Thanks everyone.