I just picked up a 3g 8gb(2.1 modem 02.11.07) if I try to put an att sim into it reads "no sim", If I put a t-mobile sim it shows dots where the bars should be. Do you think the phone is defective or do you think someone tried putting 2.1 firmware back onto the phone?
That's what I would do... plug into iTunes... hit restore and then jailbreak with quickpwn. If it STILL doesn't work then I would say it's a defective SIM. Of course a t-mobile SIM will show zero bars b/c the phone is locked.