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Straight Talk + unlocked iPhone vs. Official Straight Talk iPhone - not equal!

Agent OrangeZ

Agent OrangeZ

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Mar 17, 2010
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Planet Earth
I was wondering if now that Straight Talk is an official iPhone carrier, will iTunes now push official Straight Talk ipcc files to unlocked iPhones with all of the correct settings for data, mms & Visual Voicemail automatically?!???

UPDATE:

After some research, I am finding out that the Straight Talk iPhone is intended for CDMA Straight Talk customers (Verizon's network).

The Model number is A1429 BUT:

Verizon's iPhone 5 is Part #MD655LL

Straight Talk shares the same part number as Cricket. Part #MD105LL

LTE WILL NOT work on the Straight Talk/Cricket iPhone.

You will only get CDMA EV-DO on Straight Talk.

Inserting a Verizon nano sim DOESN'T get LTE either. The toggle button for the LTE appears and the carrier banner changes to Verizon but the data service never changes to LTE. The phone features 3G service only.

The hotspot feature turns ON.

Dial *228XX for provisioning on Straight Talk CDMA.

Those using Straight Talk with HSPA+ SIM cards can probably continue to do so unsupported and unofficially. But the way the "official" Straight Talk iPhone works, probably kills hope for official support for the unlocked models with IPCC files, etc.
 
Last edited:
J

jdlorinser

macrumors member
Jun 20, 2010
58
8
I just called Straight Talk to try to order a Nano sim for my unlocked iPhone 5, and they to me that they don't sell nano sims and the iPhone 5 that they will be selling is the Verizon version...
 
nfl46

nfl46

macrumors G3
Oct 5, 2008
8,345
8,696
jdlorinser said:
I just called Straight Talk to try to order a Nano sim for my unlocked iPhone 5, and they to me that they don't sell nano sims and the iPhone 5 that they will be selling is the Verizon version...
Click to expand...

You would have to get a Micro Sim and cut it to fix the iPhone 5 nano. That's what I did. The template is online or you could buy the $5 nano cutter on eBay or Amazon.

My speeds are around 5mbps up, 2mbps down on Straight Talk with my iPhone 5.
 
Agent OrangeZ

Agent OrangeZ

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Mar 17, 2010
3,014
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Planet Earth
Another funny thing about this iPhone is that Cricket went with it.

It features CDMA ability. But the LTE chipset supports Verizon/Sprint bands.

Cricket's LTE uses band 4. That is a band supported by AT&T's iPhone 5. But AT&T's iPhone doesn't have any CDMA support, so it is not suitable for Cricket. Cricket only has LTE in Phoenix and Tucson for now anyway. But Apple should have enabled CDMA on AT&T's model and made it software dormant, so that these small regional carriers would have options.
 
M

mrbrown

macrumors 6502a
Mar 27, 2004
563
240
Springfield, Missouri
1080p said:
No visual voicemail.
Click to expand...

I've seen reports of both no visual voicemail and visual voicemail on various places on the Internet so far. Maybe it's a configuration issue?

I know with my BYOP SIM (which yes, I know does not support visual voicemail), my voicemail indicator didn't work until I called Straight Talk and they did something on their end.
 
S

Satnam1989

macrumors 65816
Nov 16, 2011
1,200
0
Illinois
Thanks to OP for the post, this just clarifies that its better to order a regular or micro SIM and cut it down to Nano as you/we all will get better speeds on 3G thanks to speedier AT&T network because Verizon 3G is as we all know far from fast.
 
P

packgrad2000

macrumors regular
Sep 19, 2007
114
0
I was wanting to buy a GSM unlocked iPhone 5 and use it one Straight Talk. So, should I just buy it from Apple, and then can I still just buy the SIM from Straight Talk and cut it down? Does anyone know if you can just go to Walmart and get a SIM or does Straight Talk have to ship it to you? I just want to know the best way to get an unlocked iPhone 5 (GSM) on Straight Talk. Thanks.
 
J

justinLONG

macrumors member
Mar 15, 2011
81
0
packgrad2000 said:
I was wanting to buy a GSM unlocked iPhone 5 and use it one Straight Talk. So, should I just buy it from Apple, and then can I still just buy the SIM from Straight Talk and cut it down? Does anyone know if you can just go to Walmart and get a SIM or does Straight Talk have to ship it to you? I just want to know the best way to get an unlocked iPhone 5 (GSM) on Straight Talk. Thanks.
Click to expand...

I went to the local wal mart and asked the sales rep in electronics if they stocked SIM cards... He said they did not carry them in store.
 
P

packgrad2000

macrumors regular
Sep 19, 2007
114
0
justinLONG said:
I went to the local wal mart and asked the sales rep in electronics if they stocked SIM cards... He said they did not carry them in store.
Click to expand...

OK, I guess I'm just going to go the "old" Straight Talk way...buy an unlocked iPhone first, get a SIM from Straight Talk, and then cut it down to nano size. Thanks.
 
S

Satnam1989

macrumors 65816
Nov 16, 2011
1,200
0
Illinois
packgrad2000 said:
OK, I guess I'm just going to go the "old" Straight Talk way...buy an unlocked iPhone first, get a SIM from Straight Talk, and then cut it down to nano size. Thanks.
Click to expand...


Best thing to do! I am doing this my self when I reach states in a month! Atleast I know that AT&T network is good and provides sufficient 3G/4G Data (not LTE jus 4G HSPA+)
 
P

packgrad2000

macrumors regular
Sep 19, 2007
114
0
Satnam1989 said:
Best thing to do! I am doing this my self when I reach states in a month! Atleast I know that AT&T network is good and provides sufficient 3G/4G Data (not LTE jus 4G HSPA+)
Click to expand...

I just got back yesterday into the States (I live in Indonesia) and will be here for the next six months, so the no-contract Straight Talk plan is perfect for me. I thought about doing Verizon for 6 months, and then canceling (the phone would work in Indonesia), but the ETF is still $350 and the monthly bill is around $100. I'd probably do the same thing if I were living here permanently. I honestly don't understand why more people don't buy an unlocked phone and get a cheaper plan (whether ST or Virgin or whatever) since it's so much cheaper in the long run.
 
S

Satnam1989

macrumors 65816
Nov 16, 2011
1,200
0
Illinois
packgrad2000 said:
I just got back yesterday into the States (I live in Indonesia) and will be here for the next six months, so the no-contract Straight Talk plan is perfect for me. I thought about doing Verizon for 6 months, and then canceling (the phone would work in Indonesia), but the ETF is still $350 and the monthly bill is around $100. I'd probably do the same thing if I were living here permanently. I honestly don't understand why more people don't buy an unlocked phone and get a cheaper plan (whether ST or Virgin or whatever) since it's so much cheaper in the long run.
Click to expand...

People need to start being smarter and considering all those great deals on used iPhone's on Craigslist and Kijiji rather than jumping into contracts. I buy almost all my iPhone's off there each year when it comes time for me to upgrade (I usually sell couple weeks before launch and purchase 1-3months post launch just to save $100-$250 on average) They all have warranty, always check serial.
 
M

msharpmu

macrumors regular
Oct 17, 2006
104
0
So, if I have an iphone5 (att/gsm), I can buy a micro SIM and cut it down to fit in my phone and it will work. I get that part. But my visual vm and mms will not work unless I do the t-mobile work around... is that correct?
 
sracer

sracer

macrumors G4
Apr 9, 2010
10,284
13,017
where hip is spoken
msharpmu said:
So, if I have an iphone5 (att/gsm), I can buy a micro SIM and cut it down to fit in my phone and it will work. I get that part. But my visual vm and mms will not work unless I do the t-mobile work around... is that correct?
Click to expand...
Not quite. You may be able to use the T-Mobile workaround to get MMS working. Reports of success are mixed. There is no method for getting visual VM to work.
 
W

webworks415

macrumors 6502
Dec 20, 2008
282
12
I'm a little confused. I thought Straight Talk was an AT&T MNVO? So why are these "official" ST iPhones running on Verizon's network?
 
K

KoukiFC3S

macrumors 6502a
Jul 4, 2010
536
1
Very interesting. I pay $30 a month with Virgin, but I do want a 5 and Virgin doesn't carry it.

This would let me use an iPhone 5 & also access verizon's better coverage.

Downsides is that data is limited to 2GB and it's 3G only.
 
B

Bob Coxner

macrumors 6502a
Mar 24, 2011
854
58
webworks415 said:
I'm a little confused. I thought Straight Talk was an AT&T MNVO? So why are these "official" ST iPhones running on Verizon's network?
Click to expand...

Depending on where you buy Straight Talk it can run on AT&T, TMo or Verizon. The "official" one runs on VZW Straight Talk but you can add a sim card to run it on AT&T or TMo Straight Talk.
 
S

Satnam1989

macrumors 65816
Nov 16, 2011
1,200
0
Illinois
webworks415 said:
I'm a little confused. I thought Straight Talk was an AT&T MNVO? So why are these "official" ST iPhones running on Verizon's network?
Click to expand...

Straight talk is running on various networks, its not owned by any 1 network particularly. It has contracts with AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon and Sprint.

AT&T & T-Mobile provide Straight talk users with GSM/HSDPA/HSPA+ Service
Verizon & Sprint provide Straight talk users with CDMA EVDO/3G Service.

Straight talk gives you service with which ever provider has the best coverage in your area. For years Straight talk users have been using iPhone's on AT&T 3G network, making it more cluttered. Since Verizon is pushing for LTE rather than its 3G service when it comes to new customers, their 3G network is becoming free'd up a little more so Straight Talk is seeing it a great way to offer 3G service to its users through Verizon...with AT&T you still get great speeds but will most likely be caped sooner (2.5-3GB/month Vs Verizon the limit may be higher due to slower overall speeds)
 
designs216

designs216

macrumors 65816
Oct 26, 2009
1,046
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Down the rabbit hole
sracer said:
Not quite. You may be able to use the T-Mobile workaround to get MMS working. Reports of success are mixed. There is no method for getting visual VM to work.
Click to expand...

I used Apple's iPhone Configuration Utility and the settings to enable MMS were disabled. Is this because my phone is locked to AT&T's network?
 
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