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How to use my original number for iMessage and text with pre-paid number?

F

funnyatleast

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 18, 2011
43
0
Currently I have a SPRINT US IPHONE 5 (unlocked) under a Sprint contract. I am traveling to Grenada (island) for a couple of months.

In Grenada I am going to get a prepaid SIM which would gives me a new phone number. Would I be able to keep texting through my imessage SPRINT number if I have the prepaid sim card in the phone?

So essentially I want to use my prepaid for everything, but I want to be able to text my friends in the US using my SPRINT US number that is tied to my apple ID.
 
Applejuiced said:
You cannot use the old US number while using another sim from another carrier.
You can do it using your apple ID though.
Click to expand...

thats exactly what i want!

so i just have to leave my apple ID attached? But when texting how do i chose which one to use when imessaging
 
funnyatleast said:
thats exactly what i want!

so i just have to leave my apple ID attached? But when texting how do i chose which one to use when imessaging
Click to expand...

The person on the other side receiving the text should see your email address linked to your AppleID. Though when it comes to sending a text message, the other person will see your new number ;)
 
preyan said:
The person on the other side receiving the text should see your email address linked to your AppleID. Though when it comes to sending a text message, the other person will see your new number ;)
Click to expand...

First of all thank you everyone for the responses.

My prepaid card WILL NOT have data. My campus has wifi everywhere.

I just wanted to clear this up.
When I text my US imessage friend they will see my email address.

What happens when my US imessage friend, imessages my original phone number? I mainly want to make sure that I will receive those imessages (phone/comp)

I hope all this makes sense, if not I will make a more descriptive post.
 
funnyatleast said:
First of all thank you everyone for the responses.

My prepaid card WILL NOT have data. My campus has wifi everywhere.

I just wanted to clear this up.
When I text my US imessage friend they will see my email address.

What happens when my US imessage friend, imessages my original phone number? I mainly want to make sure that I will receive those imessages (phone/comp)

I hope all this makes sense, if not I will make a more descriptive post.
Click to expand...

You will not get the messages if he sends them to your phone number.
You will only receive it if he sends imessages from Apple devices only to your apple ID email. So make sure he uses your email and not your US phone number.
And you will only be able to send and receive those messages when you're connected to wifi since you wont have data away from wifi.
 
funnyatleast said:
First of all thank you everyone for the responses.

My prepaid card WILL NOT have data. My campus has wifi everywhere.

I just wanted to clear this up.
When I text my US imessage friend they will see my email address.

What happens when my US imessage friend, imessages my original phone number? I mainly want to make sure that I will receive those imessages (phone/comp)

I hope all this makes sense, if not I will make a more descriptive post.
Click to expand...

Tell your friends to delete your number and only have your email address in their contacts. That way, they won't make the mistake if texting you instead ;)
 
iMessage is not much different than a text message when changing number.

So if you change your number:
  • You will not be able to send messages from your old number
  • You will not be able to receive messages sent to your old number
 
preyan said:
Tell your friends to delete your number and only have your email address in their contacts. That way, they won't make the mistake if texting you instead ;)
Click to expand...

jafingi said:
iMessage is not much different than a text message when changing number.

So if you change your number:
  • You will not be able to send messages from your old number
  • You will not be able to receive messages sent to your old number
Click to expand...

last question, i am assuming once i take out the sim card, my phone number can't even be reached through computer imessage correct?
 
Would it be possible to iMessage via a US number while using another carrier abroad by keeping your US sim in another iPhone in the US and have iMessage logged in on that phone?
 
funnyatleast said:
last question, i am assuming once i take out the sim card, my phone number can't even be reached through computer imessage correct?
Click to expand...

Correct. Only by your Apple ID.

When you activate iMessage on a new sim card, your iPhone sends a text message to Apple to verify the number. So when you take it out/replaces it, you can no longer be reached by phone number.
 
Cergman said:
Are you sure? When I got my T-Mobile test drive phone I was able to log into my Apple ID on there and iMessage with my phone number while I just left my AT&T 5s on my desk all week.
Click to expand...

100% sure.
If you have another simcard inside with a different phone number you cannot receive imessages send to that old phone number that is not active inside that phone.
You can receive imessages send to your apple ID. Not your phone number.
 
Applejuiced said:
100% sure.
If you have another simcard inside with a different phone number you cannot receive imessages send to that old phone number that is not active inside that phone.
You can receive imessages send to your apple ID. Not your phone number.
Click to expand...

But I'd have a secondary iPhone activated with my current AT&T sim and a different one in my main phone so that would still activate iMessage, right?
 
Cergman said:
But I'd have a secondary iPhone activated with my current AT&T sim and a different one in my main phone so that would still activate iMessage, right?
Click to expand...

Im not really sure what you're asking or how you think this will work.
You will only receive imessages from that phone number on the iphone that has that simcard active with that particular phone number and installed inside the phone.
Not on any other devices besides that one using that phone number actively.
 
Cergman said:
But I'd have a secondary iPhone activated with my current AT&T sim and a different one in my main phone so that would still activate iMessage, right?
Click to expand...

Yeah this should still work with a secondary iPhone. As long as your US phone number is listed as one of the options to receive iMessage with, it should be fine.

But you can run the risk of receiving/sending international text message if it reverts to SMS for some reason. Safer to just send iMessage through Apple ID over number.
 
funnyatleast said:
last question, i am assuming once i take out the sim card, my phone number can't even be reached through computer imessage correct?
Click to expand...

You get iMessage (which uses data) and a text message (which uses a SIM card/phone number). You can take out your SIM card and still use iMessage, but remember, people can then only contact you at the email your Apple ID is on eg. joesoap@hotmail.com
 
Cergman said:
Would it be possible to iMessage via a US number while using another carrier abroad by keeping your US sim in another iPhone in the US and have iMessage logged in on that phone?
Click to expand...
As long as both iPhones are associated to the same iCloud account and are enabled for iMessage, then yes. You can even set the US number as the default to start new conversations with. Remember to disable "Send as SMS" to avoid racking charges for international messaging.
 
Just wanted to chime in as I did exactly this (Sent and received imessages from a phone number that was tied to a different SIM).

To do this on the new phone I had to log in with iMessage and enable sending and receiving from the other #.

Under the iMessage settings you can go in and select to receive from your other numbers. You can even go in and set it to start conversations from your other #.

For those using test drive from t-mobile and do this, please remember to deactivate iMessages before turning in the phone otherwise that number will still be tied to your iMessage account.
 
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