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Using iPhone 3G as a GoPhone?

benhollberg

benhollberg

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Mar 8, 2010
2,170
7
I have this old iPhone 3G that my sister has been using but she hardly uses any minutes or anything. I have heard of people getting a GoPhone SIM card and putting that in an iPhone and it working just like a GoPhone. Does this happen to be true and if so, does it require any kind of Jailbreak? Another thing, even if it doesn't come with data that is fine, she doesn't need a data plan. Thanks.
 
benhollberg said:
I have this old iPhone 3G that my sister has been using but she hardly uses any minutes or anything. I have heard of people getting a GoPhone SIM card and putting that in an iPhone and it working just like a GoPhone. Does this happen to be true and if so, does it require any kind of Jailbreak? Another thing, even if it doesn't come with data that is fine, she doesn't need a data plan. Thanks.
Click to expand...

This is very possible. :]
I have an iPhone 4 and I've done the GoPhone thing for well over 2 months now. Just go to the AT&T store, set up a GoPhone account, get JUST the SIM card (tell them you already have a phone ready to use), put it in, and you're done! No jailbreak required and no data plan required either.
 
Thanks, that's great to know. I will give it a try and hopefully all goes well.

Do you all happen to know what the best plans are for the GoPhone?
 
And to piggyback... are there gophone plans with data that work for the iphone? I'd like to use it for some sporadic tethering with my jailborke/unlcoked 3g.
 
T-Mo seems to have an interesting data plan. $1.49/day unlimited. Seems perfect for a "prepaid" type of plan. I probably need data maybe 4-5 days out of a month. The rest I could live with WIFI.


Ooops, I see someone else brought this up as well. Sound like a good deal.
 
Even if T-Mobile is a little cheaper I would like to stay with AT&T and I do not want to Jailbreak. Thanks for all the suggestions.
 
realmarim said:
If you mange to get your Iphone factory unlocked you can use the GoPhone plan from AT&T and set it up as describe here:

http://techniknews24.blogspot.com/2010/11/good-news-for-all-us-tourists-pre-paid.html

For the unlocking part it might be worth to contact your provider and tell them that you will travel abroad frequently and will have to use various sims for business reasons. Worked for me on various networks in Ireland :).
Click to expand...

1st you don't need to unlock your US iPhone to use any AT&T sim even prepaid will work.
2nd theres no official unlocking to any US iPhones. They are bought locked to AT&T and stay locked even after the contract expires. Gotta love the US looking out for the consumer:D
 
as long as the Prepaid SIM is from AT&T you just have to stick it in...
if you want to use it in another carrier prepaid plan then you would have to jb and unlock...
 
Hi everyone, this seems like a great board with a lot of helpful members. I found it by googling gophone sim in iphone. I've read different threads on this and it's obvious that "a pay as you go" gophone card can be used in an iphone.
Here is my situation:

1. I have a jailbroken unlocked 3GS iphone
2. I went ahead and ordered a really cheap Nokia from AT&T without any service (hoping that it hadn't been activated)

The phone arrived with the sim card in the phone and an already assigned phone number.
I believe that this means the sim card is activated to the gophone for the next 6 months and I will not be able to use it in my iphone.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do next.
Many thanks in advance.
 
fmen said:
Hi everyone, this seems like a great board with a lot of helpful members. I found it by googling gophone sim in iphone. I've read different threads on this and it's obvious that "a pay as you go" gophone card can be used in an iphone.
Here is my situation:

1. I have a jailbroken unlocked 3GS iphone
2. I went ahead and ordered a really cheap Nokia from AT&T without any service (hoping that it hadn't been activated)

The phone arrived with the sim card in the phone and an already assigned phone number.
I believe that this means the sim card is activated to the gophone for the next 6 months and I will not be able to use it in my iphone.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do next.
Many thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

I would go to an AT&T store and say something happened to your phone. Then just ask for a new SIM only. I don't know if this would work but it probably would based on what others said earlier.
 
Thanks for the quick replies...

I think that the AT&T store employees are getting wiser.

I dropped in last week with an AT&T sim card and asked if they could activate it for me. I told them I had an unlocked phone at home and wanted to buy some Gophone minutes. The guy told me to bring the phone in and he would be glad to activate the card and phone for me...

Would this work?:

1. Call AT&T and tell them my dog ate the gophone sim card and
that I happen to have another sim card handy. (from ebay)
2. Have them activate the new card using the gophone IMEI.
3. Buy some minutes and insert card in iphone
 
fmen said:
Thanks for the quick replies...

I think that the AT&T store employees are getting wiser.

I dropped in last week with an AT&T sim card and asked if they could activate it for me. I told them I had an unlocked phone at home and wanted to buy some Gophone minutes. The guy told me to bring the phone in and he would be glad to activate the card and phone for me...

Would this work?:

1. Call AT&T and tell them my dog ate the gophone sim card and
that I happen to have another sim card handy. (from ebay)
2. Have them activate the new card using the gophone IMEI.
3. Buy some minutes and insert card in iphone
Click to expand...

It would probably be a lot easier if you just ordered one of the 10 dollar gophones off the website.

EDIT: Better yet, here is a 5 dollar one:

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-ph...efurbished)&q_sku=sku4320235#fbid=Qfgo_ez4wPP
 
fmen said:
@zephxiii,

speak of the devil...that is the exact phone I ordered.
Unfortunately, it comes activated with the sim installed plus a phone number, as indicated in my original post.
So, I am back to square one.
Click to expand...

I would do the same thing that I said earlier. Go to an AT&T store and say something happened to your phone. Say you already have a phone that you can use but just need a new SIM.
 
Well if you have a gophone, just take it with you into the store and get a new sim for the account you want to use.
 
The 411

Hi folks:I got the att go phone: Nokia 2720. $6.00. It came with the sim inside, BUT, it was not activated. If you follow their instructions, you're supposed to charge it, turn it on, and push the "1" button. That activates and links it to the sim. They even say that you have 36 days or so to activate or your number will no longer be held for you.
Just now I put my iPhone sim (with a micro holder) in the go phone and called a friend. No problem.
 
zephxiii said:
Well if you have a gophone, just take it with you into the store and get a new sim for the account you want to use.
Click to expand...

If I take the gophone with me to the AT&T store, won't they activate/lock the new sim card to the gophone for at least 6 months? We seem to be going around in a circular pattern here.
 
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