Can you use iPhone with a Prepaid plan?

[alesley03]

My mom wants to get an iPhone but is currently on some sort of prepaid plan with AT&T. She likes no having a contract. Can she upgrade to an iPhone and still stay prepaid?

[MacBookPro13"]

Originally Posted by alesley03

My mom wants to get an iPhone but is currently on some sort of prepaid plan with AT&T. She likes no having a contract. Can she upgrade to an iPhone and still stay prepaid?

Buy an unlocked iPhone from Apple, put the AT&T pre-paid sim in the iPhone.

More expensive obviously but no contract.

[pilot1226]

Technically yes, but it won't be supported. You have to buy the unlocked phone for $699 and then you have a few options; the best that I've read about is the AT&T Go Phone plan. You'd have to get a SIM card. It's a little bit more legwork for it, but it works.

http://www.tuaw.com/2011/08/10/dear-...-you-speak-of/

It's all relative as to how many minutes, texts, and data you use. If you're a heavy user, there's no sense in doing this.

[alesley03]

Okay, thanks. I know she won't be willing to pay the purchase price of the iPhone and she's not a heavy user. She's new to the tech world in general and just wants to be able to check her email and Google stuff lol. I think she just wants the iPhone because everyone tells her to get it versus any other phone.

Originally Posted by pilot1226

Technically yes, but it won't be supported. You have to buy the unlocked phone for $699 and then you have a few options; the best that I've read about is the AT&T Go Phone plan. You'd have to get a SIM card. It's a little bit more legwork for it, but it works.

http://www.tuaw.com/2011/08/10/dear-...-you-speak-of/

It's all relative as to how many minutes, texts, and data you use. If you're a heavy user, there's no sense in doing this.

[NorthGAIII]

Yes you can...... Just like a regular phone.... I use my wifi at school and home with not problems I have the monthly unlimited talk n text

[Applejuiced]

You dont need to buy an unlocked iphone to use any of the following prepaid services in the US.
AT&T prepaid gophone sims, h20 and RedPocket all work with locked AT&T iphones.
And yes you can use prepaid with no probs and probably cheaper and without a contract if that's what you're looking for.
The best deal I think is redpocket for $59 unlimited talk, text and 2GB of fast AT&T 3G data with all taxes and fee's included.

[SpaceKitty]

Visual voicemail won't work and I'm not sure if FaceTime will work.

[Applejuiced]

Originally Posted by SpaceKitty

Visual voicemail won't work and I'm not sure if FaceTime will work.

Correct, no VV but you can get Facetime, MMS, and data with prepaid services.
You will have to resort to regural dial in voicemail.

[JakeT85]

Check out www.cowboom.com, it is owned by bestbuy and you can get an iPhone 4 with at&t on there for like $250.00 no contract, and every once in a while they have a 4s available for usually around $400.00

[AppLCII]

Great Thread!

I'd like to know if anyone has tried (or is it even possible?) to have a prepaid iphone with non AT&T providers. I currently have cheap prepaid phones with Verizon and T-mobile, but would consider upgrading in the future.

I don't talk on the phone a lot and could get by using mostly wifi connections, with the occasional 3 or 4G connections to check the web.

$60 a month when I use less than $15 a month in airtime is just way, way too much.

[Irish Rose]

Originally Posted by AppLCII

Great Thread!

I'd like to know if anyone has tried (or is it even possible?) to have a prepaid iphone with non AT&T providers. I currently have cheap prepaid phones with Verizon and T-mobile, but would consider upgrading in the future.

My T-Mobile 2GO prepaid sim works fine in my GSM factory unlocked 4S.

[rmhop81]

Originally Posted by Applejuiced

You dont need to buy an unlocked iphone to use any of the following prepaid services in the US.
AT&T prepaid gophone sims, h20 and RedPocket all work with locked AT&T iphones.
And yes you can use prepaid with no probs and probably cheaper and without a contract if that's what you're looking for.
The best deal I think is redpocket for $59 unlimited talk, text and 2GB of fast AT&T 3G data with all taxes and fee's included.

Straight talk is best deal now at $45/month "unlimited". Don't need an unlocked iPhone either just like other 2 you mentioned. They also sell microsims so no need to use a sim cutter either.

[Applejuiced]

Originally Posted by rmhop81

Straight talk is best deal now at $45/month "unlimited". Don't need an unlocked iPhone either just like other 2 you mentioned. They also sell microsims so no need to use a sim cutter either.

Yep, straight talk has some killer deals on prepaid and runs off AT&T network.

[rmhop81]

Originally Posted by Applejuiced

Yep, straight talk has some killer deals on prepaid and runs off AT&T network.

Lol why u act like u knew that yet posted red pocket as best deal?

[dukebound85]

Originally Posted by Applejuiced

The best deal I think is redpocket for $59 unlimited talk, text and 2GB of fast AT&T 3G data with all taxes and fee's included.

Do you like this over the Straight Talk $45 unlimited everything plan? What adv does it have over this as they boh use ATT's network

[rmhop81]

Originally Posted by dukebound85

Do you like this over the Straight Talk $45 unlimited everything plan? What adv does it have over this as they boh use ATT's network

ST map seems to be a little better than h2o and red pocket....but it all uses att anyways. ST data has been faster than the other 2. Otherwise haven't noticed much difference. At $45 it's an awesome deal.

[dukebound85]

Originally Posted by rmhop81

ST map seems to be a little better than h2o and red pocket....but it all uses att anyways. ST data has been faster than the other 2. Otherwise haven't noticed much difference. At $45 it's an awesome deal.

Is it merely change sims and good to go?

I think I read about mms and voice mail issues but not sure if that is old issues/news or not

[rmhop81]

Originally Posted by dukebound85

Is it merely change sims and good to go?

I think I read about mms and voice mail issues but not sure if that is old issues/news or not

Yes, u can even order microsim from them also. No visual voicemail or mms. Both are not an issue for me. Use viber for mms that works well and google voice for voicemail so not a big deal.

[RotaryP7]

H2o Wireless, Red Pocket, Straight Talk, Simple Mobile. There's a lot. The best one IMO is Monthly 4G on T-Mobile, however you will only get 2G speeds. It is unlimited data though.

[Applejuiced]

Originally Posted by rmhop81

Lol why u act like u knew that yet posted red pocket as best deal?

Originally Posted by dukebound85

Do you like this over the Straight Talk $45 unlimited everything plan? What adv does it have over this as they boh use ATT's network

I knew it but only thing I dont like and I wouldnt suggest it over redpocket is Straighttalk will cancel you line if you use too many minutes, texts or data. What is considered "too much" is up to them to determine and will vary by location. And their data is throttled and slow compared to RP.
With Redpocket is something predetermined and they will tell you straight out how much they consider "too much" 8000 minutes per month and 20,000text/mms messages. You go over they shut you off till the end of the month. But you gotta be really on 24/7 and using your phone like crazy to go over those amounts. And their 2GB data is fast HSPA+ using AT&T's network so users report 5-7mbps downloads on the regural.
Never mind the 100mb per day limit on ST, that's a joke a right there.
Then for the rest of the day your data is useless.

[Ajones330]

Not too shabby a deal with straight talk...

[rmhop81]

Originally Posted by Applejuiced

I knew it but only thing I dont like and I wouldnt suggest it over redpocket is Straighttalk will cancel you line if you use too many minutes, texts or data. What is considered "too much" is up to them to determine and will vary by location. And their data is throttled and slow compared to RP.
With Redpocket is something predetermined and they will tell you straight out how much they consider "too much" 8000 minutes per month and 20,000text/mms messages. You go over they shut you off till the end of the month. But you gotta be really on 24/7 and using your phone like crazy to go over those amounts. And their 2GB data is fast HSPA+ using AT&T's network so users report 5-7mbps downloads on the regural.
Never mind the 100mb per day limit on ST, that's a joke a right there.
Then for the rest of the day your data is useless.

I've heard the same thing with h2o and red pocket. They all run on the exact same plan just a different name. All these plans are all the same... You use too much and they cut you off or slow your data. All of these reviews are all the same as well.....if you're a power user the result is going to be the same. If you are reasonable with how you use the service and you will be fine. I understand it's unlimited etc...but that doesn't mean anything bc that's not really the case and most tech people should know that.

[Applejuiced]

Originally Posted by rmhop81

I've heard the same thing with h2o and red pocket. They all run on the exact same plan just a different name. All these plans are all the same... You use too much and they cut you off or slow your data. All of these reviews are all the same as well.....if you're a power user the result is going to be the same. If you are reasonable with how you use the service and you will be fine. I understand it's unlimited etc...but that doesn't mean anything bc that's not really the case and most tech people should know that.

I hear you but I think with RP at least you know where your limits are.
2GB of data and after that its no data till the end of the month or you can buy another 1GB for an additional fee. No throttling or daily limits on data.
8000 minutes and 20,000 messages is their cap so you can at least know what you're getting and how much per month.
I sound like a commercial If I didnt have a family plan and a good FAN discount with AT&T I would have switched a long time ago.

[rmhop81]

Originally Posted by Applejuiced

I hear you but I think with RP at least you know where your limits are.
2GB of data and after that its no data till the end of the month or you can buy another 1GB for an additional fee. No throttling or daily limits on data.
8000 minutes and 20,000 messages is their cap so you can at least know what you're getting and how much per month.
I sound like a commercial If I didnt have a family plan and a good FAN discount with AT&T I would have switched a long time ago.

i'm sure if u halfway there it would be a problem too. Look at how AT&T is handling the throttling....most peeps that hit 2gb are getting that text message. how much of a FAN discount are you getting that you're still willing to stick with AT&T? lol

[Applejuiced]

Originally Posted by rmhop81

i'm sure if u halfway there it would be a problem too. Look at how AT&T is handling the throttling....most peeps that hit 2gb are getting that text message. how much of a FAN discount are you getting that you're still willing to stick with AT&T? lol

I think the FAN I get is 29% on minutes and data plans but nothing off on Text plans.
So in the end with taxes for 3 iphones all with unlimited data, texts and talk its $177 per month.
Not much savings in the end to switch to prepay and the subsidy every 18 months for each line is nice.