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Is it possible to reuse my old micro sim?

M

mstruve

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 21, 2011
158
0
Hi, I've just got an iPhone 5 and am selling my 4s to my brother. I've transferred my number to the new nano sim so the old micro sim is effectively 'blank'.

Is it possible for my brother to transfer his number to the micro sim or does he need a new SIM card?

Thanks
 
mstruve said:
Hi, I've just got an iPhone 5 and am selling my 4s to my brother. I've transferred my number to the new nano sim so the old micro sim is effectively 'blank'.

Is it possible for my brother to transfer his number to the micro sim or does he need a new SIM card?

Thanks
Click to expand...

I can hardly see a carrier reusing a sim, but what the hey, give it a go
 
Applejuiced said:
No, he will need a new micro sim.
You can only transfer the number to unactivated sims.
Your old one was already activated with a different number before so you cant change it now.
Click to expand...

This is completely wrong. You can activate the SIM with any number, you just have to be authourised under the the original account. Don't buy a new one
 
XboxMySocks said:
This is completely wrong. You can activate the SIM with any number, you just have to be authourised under the the original account. Don't buy a new one
Click to expand...

That's what AT&T told me when I contacted them so that's what I passed down to him. You can activate it with any number as long as it wasnt used prior and activated with a different number.
And you dont buy Sims here in the US, the carrier provides them free.
Either way I'd call them up and ask.
 
Ok that's confusing. What do you mean by authorised under the original account?

Thanks
 
So I would have to authorise him to use the micro sim? How would I do that?
 
Ok I just checked with the carrier (O2 uk) and they said that once the number has been transferred the old sim is deactivated and can't be used again.

Hope that clears things up.
 
mstruve said:
Ok I just checked with the carrier (O2 uk) and they said that once the number has been transferred the old sim is deactivated and can't be used again.

Hope that clears things up.
Click to expand...

Hrm. Things must operate different here. We have 4 or 5 SIM's lying around and just recently authourised a MiniSIM on my iPhone 5.
 
Yeah I'm still not convinced tbh. Don't see why a sim would be completely deactivated and useless just because its not associated with an account temporarily. Might give it a go anyway.
 
mstruve said:
Yeah I'm still not convinced tbh. Don't see why a sim would be completely deactivated and useless just because its not associated with an account temporarily. Might give it a go anyway.
Click to expand...

the new Nano Sims can be deactivated and reassigned a new number after a 24 hour period - all other SIMS - regular size and the microsim used in iPhone 4 and 4s can NOT be reused after an initial activation
 
Vegasryn said:
the new Nano Sims can be deactivated and reassigned a new number after a 24 hour period - all other SIMS - regular size and the microsim used in iPhone 4 and 4s can NOT be reused after an initial activation
Click to expand...

This isn't true... I JUST activated a MiniSIM that I've had laying around for quite a few years and used it on my iPhone 5. Carriers just don't want to activate cards you already have and they want you to spend $10 on a new SIM :)

Applejuiced said:
A minisim? Only a nanosim fits in the i5.
Click to expand...

Yes, I cut it down.
 
XboxMySocks said:
This isn't true... I JUST activated a MiniSIM that I've had laying around for quite a few years and used it on my iPhone 5. Carriers just don't want to activate cards you already have and they want you to spend $10 on a new SIM :)



Yes, I cut it down.
Click to expand...

Are you in the US? Other than the new nano sims, the carriers here wont reactivate an old already previously activated sim
 
Vegasryn said:
Are you in the US? Other than the new nano sims, the carriers here wont reactivate an old already previously activated sim
Click to expand...
Yep, like I said, because they want you to buy new ones. They CAN. But they won't. I'm in Canada :)
 
I'm with AT&T and I know for a fact they will not activate a previously used SIM (I just tried a few days ago). And I know it's not because they want you to buy a new one because they don't charge for SIMs in the first place.
 
Kisey said:
I'm with AT&T and I know for a fact they will not activate a previously used SIM (I just tried a few days ago). And I know it's not because they want you to buy a new one because they don't charge for SIMs in the first place.
Click to expand...

Exactly.
In the US they don't charge for sims unless you're on prepaid and even then it's 99cents.
So if anything they're wasting their own money and probably the customers time going to the store.
 
Kisey said:
I'm with AT&T and I know for a fact they will not activate a previously used SIM (I just tried a few days ago). And I know it's not because they want you to buy a new one because they don't charge for SIMs in the first place.
Click to expand...

Strange. They will activate them here in Canada regardless of their age.
 
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