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SIM Switch from 3GS to 2G

M

mteevin

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 11, 2009
8
0
Hello all,

I recently dropped my 3GS and the glass is cracked to hell...I have a friend who repairs the glass, but he is backed up at the moment and won't be able to turn it around as quickly as I'd like. My question is regarding using my 3GS SIM in my old 2G iPhone while I wait for my phone to be repaired. Will this work? I have at&t and have never jailbroken or unlocked my phone.
 
mteevin said:
Hello all,

I recently dropped my 3GS and the glass is cracked to hell...I have a friend who repairs the glass, but he is backed up at the moment and won't be able to turn it around as quickly as I'd like. My question is regarding using my 3GS SIM in my old 2G iPhone while I wait for my phone to be repaired. Will this work? I have at&t and have never jailbroken or unlocked my phone.
Click to expand...

It will only work if the SIM that is in the 3GS is the same exact SIM that came out of your original iPhone when you upgraded.

On the original iPhone, the SIM was registered to the iPhone when it was activated. The original iPhone won't activate any SIM card unless you sign up for a new contract or take it to AT&T to have them activate it.

However, if it is the same exact SIM card as before, it will work no problem. Just stick it in and it should automatically work.
 
Do you know if the at&t store will charge me anything if I bring my 2G in there to be activated using my old SIM? It's a temporary fix for about a week. Also, would there be any issues popping the SIM back in the 3GS when I get it back if I go this route?
 
mteevin said:
Hello all,

I recently dropped my 3GS and the glass is cracked to hell...I have a friend who repairs the glass, but he is backed up at the moment and won't be able to turn it around as quickly as I'd like. My question is regarding using my 3GS SIM in my old 2G iPhone while I wait for my phone to be repaired. Will this work? I have at&t and have never jailbroken or unlocked my phone.
Click to expand...

Yes the sim from the 3GS will work in the 2G with no problems. I switch my 3GS sim between my 3GS, 3G and 2G iPhones all the time.
 
can anyone explain why I got two different answers? im just looking to shed some light on the issue before I go pick up my 2G.
 
You can switch them, it's a legit activated AT&T sim, and it should even allow the phone to be activated if it's currently at the "slide for emergency" screen.
 
hexonxonx said:
Yes the sim from the 3GS will work in the 2G with no problems. I switch my 3GS sim between my 3GS, 3G and 2G iPhones all the time.
Click to expand...

Only if the SIM has been activated in the original iPhone before. If you buy an original iPhone on eBay, you can't just put any AT&T SIM card in it.


Jeffrosproto said:
You can switch them, it's a legit activated AT&T sim, and it should even allow the phone to be activated if it's currently at the "slide for emergency" screen.
Click to expand...

That will work only if the 3GS SIM card came with the original iPhone.
 
When I sold my 2G on Craigslist, the buyer popped his AT&T SIM into the phone and it worked perfectly. I don't see how this would be any different.
 
Kadman said:
When I sold my 2G on Craigslist, the buyer popped his AT&T SIM into the phone and it worked perfectly. I don't see how this would be any different.
Click to expand...

Was your first gen iPhone jailbroken by chance?

Listen, if anyone knows the original iPhone, it's me. I've had 4 different original iPhones. The original iPhone will not activate with any SIM card without affecting your plan and contract. If you go through the activation process, you're downgrading your iPhone plan to $20 data and 200 free texts. Also, I think your contract will reset unless you call AT&T and have them switch your iPhone. I've done it.
 
It will make you set up a new data plan, back to the one that came with the original Iphone. I tried to do this yesterday as my 3Gs went into a coma for 3 hours. It's not automatic and has to be set up through ITunes. I didn't complete the change as I didn't want to mess up with my billing.
 
karenmb said:
It will make you set up a new data plan, back to the one that came with the original Iphone. I tried to do this yesterday as my 3Gs went into a coma for 3 hours. It's not automatic and has to be set up through ITunes. I didn't complete the change as I didn't want to mess up with my billing.
Click to expand...

Yup! That's what it will do. It will modify your account to the first generation plan and it may even reset your contract.

To do it officially, you must call AT&T and tell them that you're downgrading your iPhone and they'll set you up with that plan without renewing your contract, but it will mess with your billing.
 
With 3.0 forward, we have no problem in switching sims. It doesn't matter if the phone was activated with that sim or not, it just works. Not sure why others say it won't.
 
TheSpaz said:
Was your first gen iPhone jailbroken by chance?

Listen, if anyone knows the original iPhone, it's me. I've had 4 different original iPhones. The original iPhone will not activate with any SIM card without affecting your plan and contract. If you go through the activation process, you're downgrading your iPhone plan to $20 data and 200 free texts. Also, I think your contract will reset unless you call AT&T and have them switch your iPhone. I've done it.
Click to expand...

No, the contract won't restart with a two year contract all over again if you actiavte and chhose that you are replacing the current iPhone with the one you are activating.
 
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