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UK/O2: iPhone 3G Question - Can I give it to family members after 3-4 months?

applemax

applemax

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 22, 2005
1,032
3
Hi

Might be picking up an iPhone 3G shortly as my current phone just broke! I'm fully aware about the new release in July, but I can't go without a phone for 6 months! My question is if I port my current number to a new iPhone 3G, and a new model is released in July, can I purchase the new model in July and 'switch the SIM cards' between the two iPhones?

Thanks
:)
 
applemax said:
Anyone?:)
Click to expand...

I dont see any reason why not

Aslong as its an o2 sim you will be fine, I have used a std o2 sim in my iPhone and my iPhone sim in a std phone

The only thing you might find, if you are talking about contract phone, is that you might not be able to get an upgrade and might need to get a payg in July
 
paulsalter said:
I dont see any reason why not

Aslong as its an o2 sim you will be fine, I have used a std o2 sim in my iPhone and my iPhone sim in a std phone

The only thing you might find, if you are talking about contract phone, is that you might not be able to get an upgrade and might need to get a payg in July
Click to expand...

Well my plan is that I get the 3G now, and when the new one comes out, I give my current one to a family member and I get the new one by 'switching their SIMS'. So there will be 2 iPhone contracts running simultaneously.
 
You're asking a question that no-one can answer

  1. There's no guarantee of a new iPhone in July
  2. There's no way of knowing whether O2 will allow people to upgrade mid-contract as they did last time since last time the phone wasn't subsidised and this time it is.
  3. Unless they go PAYG from the start on any new iPhone model (O2 waited 6 months last time), then you're not going to get a new iPhone without starting a new contract.
 
Applespider said:
You're asking a question that no-one can answer which may be why you have no replies

  1. There's no guarantee of a new iPhone in July
  2. There's no way of knowing whether O2 will allow people to upgrade mid-contract as they did last time since last time the phone wasn't subsidised and this time it is.
  3. Unless they go PAYG from the start on any new iPhone model (O2 waited 6 months last time), then you're not going to get a new iPhone without starting a new contract.
Click to expand...

That's not the question I'm asking. I'm asking if Person A can get an iPhone 3G now. Then Person B buys a new iPhone in July (if released). Person B only wants a 3G so we swap phones and put our SIMS in them. So Person A has the new phone and Person B has the 3G. I'm sure many people may have done this already.
 
Yes ... the iPhone is locked to O2 so you can give them the phone if they're on O2 but they wont have the unlimited data etc cos thats on your contract (sim)

You'll not get the cheap price when/if new iphone comes out, so you'll have to pay out £380 for the PAYG iphone .... if you're happy with coughing up that cash then by all means go for it
 
synagence said:
Yes ... the iPhone is locked to O2 so you can give them the phone if they're on O2 but they wont have the unlimited data etc cos thats on your contract (sim)

You'll not get the cheap price when/if new iphone comes out, so you'll have to pay out £380 for the PAYG iphone .... if you're happy with coughing up that cash then by all means go for it
Click to expand...

Will this really be the case

3g - 18M contract - unlimited data - phone number 12345
New iPhone - 18M contract - unlimited data - phone number 67890

If you swap the sims, the only difference will be the phone number, both phones will still have unlimited data, and the contract on phone number 12345 will be the same as it was originally, so will be eligible for upgrade after the 18M period
 
applemax said:
That's not the question I'm asking. I'm asking if Person A can get an iPhone 3G now. Then Person B buys a new iPhone in July (if released). Person B only wants a 3G so we swap phones and put our SIMS in them. So Person A has the new phone and Person B has the 3G. I'm sure many people may have done this already.
Click to expand...

Person B is not getting a very good deal. They are getting a five month old phone (with only seven months warranty remaining) and an eighteen month contract.

Person A is grinning like the cat that got the cream. Only thirteen months left on their contract and they've got a brand new phone with full warranty.
 
OllyW said:
Person B is not getting a very good deal. They are getting a five month old phone (with only seven months warranty remaining) and an eighteen month contract.

Person A is grinning like the cat that got the cream. Only thirteen months left on their contract and they've got a brand new phone with full warranty.
Click to expand...

It's a close family member who fully understands and is more than happy to do this. We just need to find out if we can.
 
applemax said:
It's a close family member who fully understands and is more than happy to do this. We just need to find out if we can.
Click to expand...

Just remember the iPhones IMEI number is registered to the SIM card that it is sold with. If one of the phones is ever lost or stolen you will have to be careful how you report it.

Usually when you report it you would just tell them the phone number of the missing phone. O2 would then block the SIM card and lock the IMEI of the phone that is linked to that SIM. Obviously in your case this would cause problems.
 
Only problem i can see

I know when i got my first iphone i registered and transfered an existing number to it, that was classed as 1 port of a number when 3 months later I wanted to transfer another existing number I was told by O2 that you can only transfer 1 number to an iPhone - that said without telling me 3 days later they transfered that number over.

Above bit aside arent sim's and imei's tied to each other? I thought you couldnt transfer sim's between phone?
 
Interesting thread.

I was thinking of doing the same thing as my 02 contract is now up for renewal. I'd like to get the iPhone and then sell it off and buy the new one on PAYG and pay the difference.

I could also wait - but it'll be a long few months lol... I just hope that the differences with the model, assuming a summer release, will be significant enough and not just a storage bump. Why oh why couldn't have they announced in Jan when I was hoping :p
 
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