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at&t go phone sim with iphone

SpaceKitty said:
3G and 3GS iPhones don't need to be unlocked to use a GoPhone sim in them. Just insert the sim and you are ready to go.

If you want data, it's 1MB for $4.99 or 100MB for $19.99. You would need a custom APN uploaded to the phone to use data since the phone blocks data on sim cards not on official iPhone plans.
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Hi. I seem to be getting a lot of conflicting/ confusing info on the AT&T prepaid option. On the one hand, I read that it's as easy as plugging-in a gophone SIM and voilà. On the other hand, I'm being warned that AT&T would contact me and order me to stop using my iphone on a prepaid/ data plan... Now the latter sounds a bit far-fetched but, I suppose anything is possible.

What's the consensus here about this? Again, thanks for all your input.
 
Xperiment said:
Hi. I seem to be getting a lot of conflicting/ confusing info on the AT&T prepaid option. On the one hand, I read that it's as easy as plugging-in a gophone SIM and voilà. On the other hand, I'm being warned that AT&T would contact me and order me to stop using my iphone on a prepaid/ data plan... Now the latter sounds a bit far-fetched but, I suppose anything is possible.

What's the consensus here about this? Again, thanks for all your input.
Click to expand...

They won't contact you. I've been using a GoPhone sim in iPhones since the original iPhone was first capable of being unlocked and have never gotten a warning from AT&T.

On a 3G and 3GS phone, it is easy as just inserting the sim. To use data, you need to add a custom APN to the phone.
 
SpaceKitty said:
They won't contact you. I've been using a GoPhone sim in iPhones since the original iPhone was first capable of being unlocked and have never gotten a warning from AT&T.

On a 3G and 3GS phone, it is easy as just inserting the sim. To use data, you need to add a custom APN to the phone.
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Thanks, Spacekitty. I was using this iPhone on T-Mobile. Am I able to transfer that phone number to a gophone plan? Or do I just live with the AT&T-assigned, new phone number, when I call to activate? I promise I will stop beating this dead horse.

Many thanks
 
Wait, the horse isn't dead just yet! :D

I followed Spacekitty's advice...followed all the steps, downloaded from Unlockit, bought a GoPhone with some minutes, went to another AT&T store and got a new Sim. I just got back home, popped in the new Sim, turned the phone on and....!
Still no service.
Granted, it isn't giving me the "invalid sim" message that it did when I just tried popping the original GoPhone sim in, (guessing it was tied to the GoPhone) but getting the new sim installed isn't giving me any service. Are there any particular settings I'm missing, etc?

(btw..using iPhone 3G v. 3.1.3, 05.12.01 frmwre, 6.0.2 bootlder is any of that helps)
 
Subvamp said:
Wait, the horse isn't dead just yet! :D

I followed Spacekitty's advice...followed all the steps, downloaded from Unlockit, bought a GoPhone with some minutes, went to another AT&T store and got a new Sim. I just got back home, popped in the new Sim, turned the phone on and....!
Still no service.
Granted, it isn't giving me the "invalid sim" message that it did when I just tried popping the original GoPhone sim in, (guessing it was tied to the GoPhone) but getting the new sim installed isn't giving me any service. Are there any particular settings I'm missing, etc?

(btw..using iPhone 3G v. 3.1.3, 05.12.01 frmwre, 6.0.2 bootlder is any of that helps)
Click to expand...

I got my iPhone on go phone. I went to a corprate AT&T Store, said I have an iPhone, can you give me a blank sim card, so I can activate it at home? If they say do you have an Original iphone, say yes. I didn't have to lie, as I do have an Original iPhone. Then I punch out the sim card, and put it in the iPhone. Then I called up AT&T, and gave them the Sim number, and my iPhone's IMEI, and other information. Then i was good to go. I don't use data, but you can install a profile to enable it. In fact, I'm going to put my brother's iPhone 3G on AT&T pre paid. You don't want to mention anything about pre-paid when you go to the store. You don't want the pre-paid sim, you want the post paid one aka blank sim card.


Hope this helps you folks out.
 
Thanks for the info! I live close enough to the AT&T store, so why not.:)

Quick question for you: when you called AT&T and gave them the new sim number and IMEI from your phone, did they ask any questions about your calling plan?
 
Subvamp said:
Thanks for the info! I live close enough to the AT&T store, so why not.:)

Quick question for you: when you called AT&T and gave them the new sim number and IMEI from your phone, did they ask any questions about your calling plan?
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My metod was activating my account. Because it sounds like you already have one, say you lost your old cell phone, and want to replace it, and have a new un used sim card, and phone. Do not say its an iPhone, if you do, they will refuse to help. (in my case) So say its a regular cell phone if you have too. they should only need the sim card number and imei of the iPhone.
 
Subvamp said:
Wait, the horse isn't dead just yet! :D

I followed Spacekitty's advice...followed all the steps, downloaded from Unlockit, bought a GoPhone with some minutes, went to another AT&T store and got a new Sim. I just got back home, popped in the new Sim, turned the phone on and....!
Still no service.
Granted, it isn't giving me the "invalid sim" message that it did when I just tried popping the original GoPhone sim in, (guessing it was tied to the GoPhone) but getting the new sim installed isn't giving me any service. Are there any particular settings I'm missing, etc?

(btw..using iPhone 3G v. 3.1.3, 05.12.01 frmwre, 6.0.2 bootlder is any of that helps)
Click to expand...

Same scenario as Subvamp, says "No Service" instead of "Invalid SIM" now. Called AT&T, gave the IMEI number....they knew it was an Iphone by the IMEI #(was planning on saying it was a normal cell phone). She said no Iphone on prepaid... Now what? Any thoughts from Spacekitty?
 
I was under the impression that the iPhone must be unlocked to use the prepaid sim card. I have had customers try it in my office when buying a used iPhone from me (on a 3g not tried a 3gs) and it only worked on an unlocked phone. not sure about the part where the sim is locked to the original phone but I have heard that several times.
 
chargit said:
I was under the impression that the iPhone must be unlocked to use the prepaid sim card. I have had customers try it in my office when buying a used iPhone from me (on a 3g not tried a 3gs) and it only worked on an unlocked phone. not sure about the part where the sim is locked to the original phone but I have heard that several times.
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No. On the iPhone 3G, and 3GS. You can stick in any AT&T sim card and be fine for voice calls. Heck I can shove in a T-Mobile simcard. it will say invalid sim though. On the Original iPhone, any sim card, but the one you activated it with will not work. If I put my pre-paid sim in my 2G iPhone, it goes into "connect to iTunes" screen. Then when connected to iTunes. it doesn't bypass thats screen as I don't have the iPhone $20.00 data plan. In short, an iPhone 3G, or 3GS running the stock firmware will accept any AT&T sim card, but If you don't have the iPhone $30 data plan, data will NOT work, unless you change the APN settings.

Hope that clears it up a bit.
 
well we are talking about prepaid correct? cause my experience is just the opposite. in fact sold one this week and the customer had a blackberry with data and it would not work in the 3g. had to take it to att and they gave him a new sim card and it worked. the iPhone was unlocked with blackra1n. sold one to a kid 2 weeks ago. he had a prepaid sim. sold him a 3g and it would not work. I unlocked it with blackra1n and it worked. these are just two examples of many. Im not saying this is how it supposed to work but that is what i have experienced. I dont personally have a prepaid sim and I have not tried it on a 2g or a 3gs. and I dont know alot about jailbreaking I just fix iPhones (parts replacer!!)
 
chargit said:
well we are talking about prepaid correct? cause my experience is just the opposite. in fact sold one this week and the customer had a blackberry with data and it would not work in the 3g. had to take it to att and they gave him a new sim card and it worked. the iPhone was unlocked with blackra1n. sold one to a kid 2 weeks ago. he had a prepaid sim. sold him a 3g and it would not work. I unlocked it with blackra1n and it worked. these are just two examples of many. Im not saying this is how it supposed to work but that is what i have experienced. I dont personally have a prepaid sim and I have not tried it on a 2g or a 3gs. and I dont know alot about jailbreaking I just fix iPhones (parts replacer!!)
Click to expand...

Yes we are talking about AT&T prepaid and YES, a prepaid sim will activate any 3G and 3GS iPhone without unlocking.

Only the original iPhone needs to be unlocked.

I don't know what to tell those above who are having problems, it should just work.
 
OK....just ran an experiment!!

I got tired of running around getting sim cards and fighting with the AT&T reps, so I bought a used G3 on Craig's List that was UNLOCKED. I got the new Unlocked phone running with T Mobile prepaid right at the mall kiosk. Took 5 minutes. So, I came home, took the leftover Prepaid AT&T card I had from the GoPhone, popped it into the UNLOCKED new 3G, and voila...instant service!

So to compare, I took my new working T Mobile sim and put it into the LOCKED G3, and no service.

So (at least in my case) it looks like any AT&T prepaid/GoPhone sim WILL work, but only in an Unlocked phone.

Whew.:D
 
Subvamp said:
OK....just ran an experiment!!

I got tired of running around getting sim cards and fighting with the AT&T reps, so I bought a used G3 on Craig's List that was UNLOCKED. I got the new Unlocked phone running with T Mobile prepaid right at the mall kiosk. Took 5 minutes. So, I came home, took the leftover Prepaid AT&T card I had from the GoPhone, popped it into the UNLOCKED new 3G, and voila...instant service!

So to compare, I took my new working T Mobile sim and put it into the LOCKED G3, and no service.

So (at least in my case) it looks like any AT&T prepaid/GoPhone sim WILL work, but only in an Unlocked phone.

Whew.:D
Click to expand...

Just so you know, the 3G doesn't need to be unlocked to use that GoPhone sim. I have a GoPhone sim in my 3G right now activated and working with a a Pick a Plan. The phone is locked and working fine.
 
EUREKA! It works!

And here's all I did:;)

Since I bought an unlocked iPhone, I was planning on selling this new locked one. So, I connected it to iTunes to restore it and erase all my info out of it. I look down at it to see if it's done, and it's got AT&T service from the GoPhone sim that's in there! WooHoo!

So there you go folks....Spacekitty was totally correct...just RESTORE your locked iPhone to factory settings, and the GoPhone sim will work just fine. Then just plug your phone back up and get all your contacts etc back.

So now I have 2 iPhones. Guess I'll give the other one to my girlfriend.:D
 
Subvamp said:
EUREKA! It works!

And here's all I did:;)

Since I bought an unlocked iPhone, I was planning on selling this new locked one. So, I connected it to iTunes to restore it and erase all my info out of it. I look down at it to see if it's done, and it's got AT&T service from the GoPhone sim that's in there! WooHoo!

So there you go folks....Spacekitty was totally correct...just RESTORE your locked iPhone to factory settings, and the GoPhone sim will work just fine. Then just plug your phone back up and get all your contacts etc back.

So now I have 2 iPhones. Guess I'll give the other one to my girlfriend.:D
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It worked for me too!! RESTORE the phone. That was the ticket. Thank you everyone, especially SpaceKitty and Subvamp for saving me a lot of money $$$
 
I hate to bring this post back from the dead but lets say i got to wal-mart and buy a gophone with sim. then i just activate the sim online without outting it in the gophone but just put the sim into my iphone hook it up to itunes and restore? Im looking at getting a locked 3gs from CL. Thanks.
 
famous600 said:
I hate to bring this post back from the dead but lets say i got to wal-mart and buy a gophone with sim. then i just activate the sim online without outting it in the gophone but just put the sim into my iphone hook it up to itunes and restore? Im looking at getting a locked 3gs from CL. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Yes that's all you need to do. The sim doesn't need to be in the GoPhone during activation. The online activation just needs the GoPhones IMEI # and a number that's on the sim card. It activates the sim and it will activate the 3GS once you put it in. MMS should work as long as you let iTunes update the carrier settings after you restore.
 
Great i was gonna PM you but im not an advanced enough user yet haha. so after i register the card pop it in the iphone connect to itunes and restore? good to go? then just throw the gophone away? haha just wannamake sure before i buy another damn iphone. can you use the app store btw? everything else work normally?
 
famous600 said:
Great i was gonna PM you but im not an advanced enough user yet haha. so after i register the card pop it in the iphone connect to itunes and restore? good to go? then just throw the gophone away? haha just wannamake sure before i buy another damn iphone. can you use the app store btw? everything else work normally?
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Yes it's that easy and everything will work except for data. You would need a special carrier file uploaded to the phone to enable data.

Don't throw the GoPhone away because you may want to activate a line again sometime in the future.
 
and for the data i have to visit that link above on my phone safai and change the numbers around? should i activate data on the sim before i put it in the iphone or after i change the numbers? im really not familair with pick your plan so just being careful.
 
famous600 said:
and for the data i have to visit that link above on my phone safai and change the numbers around? should i activate data on the sim before i put it in the iphone or after i change the numbers? im really not familair with pick your plan so just being careful.
Click to expand...

If you have Pick a Plan, whatever data package you buy won't become active until your next billing date so don't upload a carrier file to your phone until then. If you start using data now without a data plan, it will be very expensive and use up your call credits in no time.
 
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