Should I use the iPhone IMEI or find some dumb phone to use when activating a gophone sim for the iPhone 4?
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Activating AT&T PAY-GO
- Thread starter RetiredInFl
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Search you will find the topic discussed several times. Basically they are going to know you tried to trick them.
Everything I have read here and elsewhere on the web said there was no problem using an iPhone on AT&T (or T-MO if unlocked) PREPAID.
I'm only wondering if it matters which IMEI is given upon online activation. You can enter all ZEROS when activating a GOPHONE SIM online.
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I'm not entirely sure how the prepaid system works, but at least for post paid accounts, it doesn't matter what phone you sign up with and what phone you end up using because AT&T will know.
It should't matter since its prepaid anyways.
Goodness gracious .. some of the replies I am getting are totally off the wall and not even closely related to my simple question. 
Anyway .. here is what I just did and it worked perfectly fine with my iPhone 4 which is currently still on Postpaid:
I got a new Go-Phone SIM off eBay for $3.00 a couple months ago.
Put it in the micro-sim cutter I got off eBay last year
Put the sim in my iPhone 4 (still on a prepaid plan)
I went online to the gophone "activate" website.
I entered the SIM number from the card
I entered all ZEROS for the IMEI
I added $15 in minutes to play with (the card had 0)
I put it in the iPhone and it came right up and I have no problem making and getting calls.
Now I have to decide to either port the current postpaid number to Google Voice or port it to the gophone sim. I barely use 400 minutes in a year and use GVextensions for free SMS. 100mb of data is plenty for me for a month.
So for $85 for 1000 minutes off eBay which should easily last me 1 year + $20/month for 100mb data w/rollover I'm spending $325/year instead of ~$1000+ a year with taxes and junk fees. The only data I really use is email and a rare web access for Google.
Anyway .. here is what I just did and it worked perfectly fine with my iPhone 4 which is currently still on Postpaid:
I got a new Go-Phone SIM off eBay for $3.00 a couple months ago.
Put it in the micro-sim cutter I got off eBay last year
Put the sim in my iPhone 4 (still on a prepaid plan)
I went online to the gophone "activate" website.
I entered the SIM number from the card
I entered all ZEROS for the IMEI
I added $15 in minutes to play with (the card had 0)
I put it in the iPhone and it came right up and I have no problem making and getting calls.
Now I have to decide to either port the current postpaid number to Google Voice or port it to the gophone sim. I barely use 400 minutes in a year and use GVextensions for free SMS. 100mb of data is plenty for me for a month.
So for $85 for 1000 minutes off eBay which should easily last me 1 year + $20/month for 100mb data w/rollover I'm spending $325/year instead of ~$1000+ a year with taxes and junk fees. The only data I really use is email and a rare web access for Google.
sounds like you had all the info all along. I think it should have been posted as a how too. Glad it's working well for you and your happy.
The only info I didn't have was the question I asked in the OP which I just took a shot and it worked.
Yeah, just realize AT&T PayGo kind of blows chunks. $100 won't go very far unless you never really use the device. No roaming off AT&T, and data is absurdly expensive ($20 for a lousy 100MB...talk about a rip-off!) You might think 100MB is plenty because you don't use it much but you'll be shocked to see how quick you can blow through it with just routine iPhone data usage (email etc)
AT&T and H20 Prepaid both work just fine.
I just finished this experiment with many variables all successful for calls, text messages and voicemail.
First I bought a AT&T gophone for $10 and $15 prepaid card from Frys.
Went home activated the gophone online using the new dumb gophone info with the new SIM that came inside the dumb gophone kit.
Next went to AT&T store told them I lost the SIM and need a replacement. I didnt even bring the phone with me I only gave them the phone # of the new account no other info. They gave me a brand new SIM free of charge no questions asked. Went home popped the new SIM in and works great they tied the new SIM to the phone # at the store by simply clicking a scanner on a new SIM after they keyed in my phone # into the computer. You need to do this to get a SIM not locked to the gophone.
I have tested the SIM in my old 3G and Apple Peel 520 iPod Touch works great.
I even cut the SIM down and test it in my iPhone 4 and works great no need to unlock or jailbreak the iPhones. I tried it both non jailbreak and jailbreak either works fine no need for an unlock its AT&T SIM with AT&T iPhones. The SIM just needs to be not locked to a particular phone like a gophone but thats easy to get around as described above. No need to worry about IMEI or anything else I used the info from the dumb gophone.
I now have that SIM in my 3G using a SIM adapter been working fine for 2 weeks even works with bootlace android LOL.
I have also bought a H20 SIM (uses AT&T system no need for unlock either) from Bestbuy for $10 (comes with $7 credit was a nice surprise) activated it in the same gophone and it works fine in all the same tests. That SIM is currently in my Apple Peel 520 still works fine.
The AT&T is good if you need this phone daily 10 cents minute expires in 30 days.
H20 is better if your using as backup emergency phone 15 cents minute but good for 90 days.
I havnt test the Cellular Data I keep it turned off. I only use these for Apple Developer Beta Experiments and as Emergency Backup iPhones. I also have WIFI pretty much everywhere and a iPhone 4 contract with AT&T as primary phone. So maybe someone who is using the prepaid setup as primary phone can chime in on cellular data info.
Let me know if you have any questions but I think this should cover everything.
I just finished this experiment with many variables all successful for calls, text messages and voicemail.
First I bought a AT&T gophone for $10 and $15 prepaid card from Frys.
Went home activated the gophone online using the new dumb gophone info with the new SIM that came inside the dumb gophone kit.
Next went to AT&T store told them I lost the SIM and need a replacement. I didnt even bring the phone with me I only gave them the phone # of the new account no other info. They gave me a brand new SIM free of charge no questions asked. Went home popped the new SIM in and works great they tied the new SIM to the phone # at the store by simply clicking a scanner on a new SIM after they keyed in my phone # into the computer. You need to do this to get a SIM not locked to the gophone.
I have tested the SIM in my old 3G and Apple Peel 520 iPod Touch works great.
I even cut the SIM down and test it in my iPhone 4 and works great no need to unlock or jailbreak the iPhones. I tried it both non jailbreak and jailbreak either works fine no need for an unlock its AT&T SIM with AT&T iPhones. The SIM just needs to be not locked to a particular phone like a gophone but thats easy to get around as described above. No need to worry about IMEI or anything else I used the info from the dumb gophone.
I now have that SIM in my 3G using a SIM adapter been working fine for 2 weeks even works with bootlace android LOL.
I have also bought a H20 SIM (uses AT&T system no need for unlock either) from Bestbuy for $10 (comes with $7 credit was a nice surprise) activated it in the same gophone and it works fine in all the same tests. That SIM is currently in my Apple Peel 520 still works fine.
The AT&T is good if you need this phone daily 10 cents minute expires in 30 days.
H20 is better if your using as backup emergency phone 15 cents minute but good for 90 days.
I havnt test the Cellular Data I keep it turned off. I only use these for Apple Developer Beta Experiments and as Emergency Backup iPhones. I also have WIFI pretty much everywhere and a iPhone 4 contract with AT&T as primary phone. So maybe someone who is using the prepaid setup as primary phone can chime in on cellular data info.
Let me know if you have any questions but I think this should cover everything.
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I am using a iPhone like a GoPhone, this thread talks about how I learned to do it: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1045219/
You could have avoided all the running around to AT&T stores, and buying a phone by simply buying a GOPHONE sim on eBay for $3 and activating it. You can also buy a 1000 minutes refill PIN (good for a year) for $85 (less another $5 in rebates and cashback). So 8cents a minute for 1000 minutes good for a year is the net result.
For me, If I use 500 minutes a year it's a lot. 100mb is plenty for data and worse case I can get 2nd 100mb (unused rolls over) and I'm still way ahead of the game.
I read that thread but it takes a simple process and makes it twice as difficult as it should be.
Simply buy a gophone sim off eBay for $3 and activate it ONLINE. No running to AT&T to give them stories about lost phones or lost cards or replacing cards, no calling ATT to activate. Takes 1 minute and done. The only delay is waiting for the card to arrive from the eBay seller.
Is there any GoPhone or AT&T MVNO prepaid plan that offers something similar to Tmobile's Webpass feature (unlimited data access for $1.50 per 24 hour period) ? Ive searched around a bit but havent seen a per day data plan yet......
I have mine on Tmo prepaid, love the webpass feature (rarely use it since I have wifi at home and office). My GF is now with GoPhone since her iPhone4 is locked to AT&T.
I have mine on Tmo prepaid, love the webpass feature (rarely use it since I have wifi at home and office). My GF is now with GoPhone since her iPhone4 is locked to AT&T.
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Cool thanks everyone for the info.
I actually wanted to go through all the steps just to perform the experiment and see if it really works for AT&T and H2O prepaid and it does.
I have 2 iPhone 4's on AT&T contract so I only need the sim's for experiments. They will probably expire so I will grab one from eBay and try that next.
How much time do I have on the eBay sim before I need to activate it? I would like to have sim's on backup for later use.
Also is there a way to activate the eBay prepaid sim using only the iPhone itself like I can with my gophone or will I need either my gophone or the Internet???
Thanks again for the info and tips this thread is getting really good solid info out.
TB07-NJ said:
Cool thanks everyone for the info.
I actually wanted to go through all the steps just to perform the experiment and see if it really works for AT&T and H2O prepaid and it does.
I have 2 iPhone 4's on AT&T contract so I only need the sim's for experiments. They will probably expire so I will grab one from eBay and try that next.
How much time do I have on the eBay sim before I need to activate it? I would like to have sim's on backup for later use.
Also is there a way to activate the eBay prepaid sim using only the iPhone itself like I can with my gophone or will I need either my gophone or the Internet???
Thanks again for the info and tips this thread is getting really good solid info out.
You have 60 days from activation (if you don't add minutes) before they expire. If you don't activate them they are good forever.