iPhone 3GS came with sim card in it

[Killquake]

Hi, I just got my new 3G S and when i opened it, i went to take out the sim card from my old 2g iPhone. When i opened up the new 3G S, there was already one in it, I still just put my old sim in it and its working... Whats the new SIM for? Thanks

 

[aethelbert]

Not everyone has a SIM to put in.

 

[Tallest Skil]

Uh, people who've never had an iPhone?

 

[-aggie-]

For a minute there I thought you were the guy whose 3GS was as hot as a pizza.

 

[Killquake]

For a minute there I thought you were the guy whose 3GS was as hot as a pizza.

Haha sorry, don't really know what I was thinking when i wrote the original post

 

[zacheryjensen]

Hi, I just got my new 3G S and when i opened it, i went to take out the sim card from my old 2g iPhone. When i opened up the new 3G S, there was already one in it, I still just put my old sim in it and its working... Whats the new SIM for? Thanks

I swear that nobody reads their instructions...

iPhones come with a new SIM because the old SIM is going to keep your old iPhone working even if there is no associated cellular service. In the documentation about upgrading to a new phone it tells you that you should NOT SWITCH THE SIM CARDS. When you activate your new phone in iTunes, AT&T or whoever will switch your accounts around so that your account is now associated with the new SIM card. It took a few hours for that to really work when I did it on launch day, fyi.

The reason for this, and not just using your old SIM (which does work, btw, and can be used in the interim) is because with iPhone, any particular device that has ever been activated in iTunes with any particular SIM will always activate with that SIM in the future, regardless of account status related to that SIM. This is how you get to keep using your old iPhones as iPods or what have you without having to worry about swapping out SIM cards every time you do an update.

So, to summarize: Do not swap SIM cards until after you have activated the new phone, then swap until the old one does not work, then swap back. Now both old and new iPhones will activate in iTunes even though the old SIM won't connect you to a phone network.

 

[rjohnstone]

I swear that nobody reads their instructions...

iPhones come with a new SIM because the old SIM is going to keep your old iPhone working even if there is no associated cellular service. In the documentation about upgrading to a new phone it tells you that you should NOT SWITCH THE SIM CARDS. When you activate your new phone in iTunes, AT&T or whoever will switch your accounts around so that your account is now associated with the new SIM card. It took a few hours for that to really work when I did it on launch day, fyi.

The reason for this, and not just using your old SIM (which does work, btw, and can be used in the interim) is because with iPhone, any particular device that has ever been activated in iTunes with any particular SIM will always activate with that SIM in the future, regardless of account status related to that SIM. This is how you get to keep using your old iPhones as iPods or what have you without having to worry about swapping out SIM cards every time you do an update.

So, to summarize: Do not swap SIM cards until after you have activated the new phone, then swap until the old one does not work, then swap back. Now both old and new iPhones will activate in iTunes even though the old SIM won't connect you to a phone network.

Your statement is very inaccurate.

I bought both of my 3GS phones at an AT&T store and they pulled the new SIM cards out of the new phones and tossed them in the trash and put my original iPhone SIM cards into the new phones.
The only reason new iPhones come with a SIM card is for new AT&T customers.
You can toss the pre-installed SIM cards if you are an existing customer.

My original iPhone works just fine as an iPod now without any SIM card installed.
I just leave it in Airplane mode unless I need to use WiFi for the App store.

 

[calvy]

Your statement is very inaccurate.

I bought both of my 3GS phones at an AT&T store and they pulled the new SIM cards out of the new phones and tossed them in the trash and put my original iPhone SIM cards into the new phones.
The only reason new iPhones come with a SIM card is for new AT&T customers.
You can toss the pre-installed SIM cards if you are an existing customer.

My original iPhone works just fine as an iPod now without any SIM card installed.
I just leave it in Airplane mode unless I need to use WiFi for the App store.

Bought mine at the Apple store and they gave me the new phone, activated it, and didn't touch my old one. Old phone is dead for cell phone service, but works as an ipod touch as the poster above said. And my new iPhone with new SIM card has my old account info.

 

[TMar]

Your statement is very inaccurate.

I bought both of my 3GS phones at an AT&T store and they pulled the new SIM cards out of the new phones and tossed them in the trash and put my original iPhone SIM cards into the new phones.
The only reason new iPhones come with a SIM card is for new AT&T customers.
You can toss the pre-installed SIM cards if you are an existing customer.

My original iPhone works just fine as an iPod now without any SIM card installed.
I just leave it in Airplane mode unless I need to use WiFi for the App store.

Well, way to correct an "inaccurate" response with another one. The SIMs are in there so they don't have to open the box to activate the phones. They can do it all by scanning the box. The ICCID is the ID of the SIM (you can find this number on the box). You can only have one ICCID tied to a line (with the iphone).

It's seems that not all of the the AT&T sales people are always on the same page. When I got 3g on release, the rep took the SIM card out and threw it away. Then put another brand new one in. Yesterday when I got my new 3gs they didn't use my old SIM, just plugged it and activated it. You can use the old SIM, you can use the new SIM (once associated), you can use any new AT&T SIM as long as the ICCID is associated with your number.

 

[rjohnstone]

Bought mine at the Apple store and they gave me the new phone, activated it, and didn't touch my old one. Old phone is dead for cell phone service, but works as an ipod touch as the poster above said. And my new iPhone with new SIM card has my old account info.

That was Apple's decision to leave the new SIM in there, but it is not "required" as zacheryjensen stated.
Your old iPhone will work a a Touch without a SIM card in it.
The iPhone does not require a SIM once it has been activated.

 

[avaloncourt]

For a minute there I thought you were the guy whose 3GS was as hot as a pizza.

He also seemed shocked in another thread that it was made in China.