vB Easy Archive - iPhone 2.0 and SIM Cards

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iPhone 2.0 and SIM Cards
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Posted by: Patrick G.

My wife and I are on an AT&T family plan. Her contract has expired, and mine expires 06/2009, and according to my online account summary, I am not eligible for a device upgrade until 02/2009. On July 11, when the iPhone 2.0 is released, can I simply upgrade my wife's phone (since her contract is up) to the iPhone, and then just stick my SIM card in it so I can use my number and plan with the new phone? Will this work?

Posted by: XanderMac

No, unfortunately it wont. You'll have to unlock the iPhone before you can use a different SIM card, but it shouldn't take too long for it to be unlocked.

Posted by: asnpcwiz

This has been discussed many many many times here. Everything thinks it'd be possible, but some have questioned how the dataplan will work. Assuming dataplans are tied to phone number your wife would have the dataplan that you need for your iPhone. Therefore, if you haven't already, you may have to get a dataplan for yourself and her.

Posted by: asnpcwiz

Quote:

Originally Posted by XanderMac

No, unfortunately it wont. You'll have to unlock the iPhone before you can use a different SIM card, but it shouldn't take too long for it to be unlocked.

Unlock the phone to use it on the same carrier?

Posted by: XanderMac

Quote:

Originally Posted by asnpcwiz

Unlock the phone to use it on the same carrier?

In his situation, Yes. Or to travel and use a Pre-Paid SIM. There are a lot of reasons to unlock if you think about it.

Posted by: asnpcwiz

I understand multiple reasons for unlocking, but in his situation they are both on ATT on the same family plan. He's not doing anything different than what you would do if you were to upgrade to a new phone...just put his exiting ATT sim into an ATT phone...why would he need to unlock?

Think of it this way, if his phone died and he got a new ATT phone or just wanted to use his wife's...would he have to unlock? No.

Posted by: XanderMac

Quote:

Originally Posted by asnpcwiz

I understand multiple reasons for unlocking, but in his situation they are both on ATT on the same family plan. He's not doing anything different than what you would do if you were to upgrade to a new phone...just put his exiting ATT sim into an ATT phone...why would he need to unlock?

Think of it this way, if his phone died and he got a new ATT phone or just wanted to use his wife's...would he have to unlock? No.

The upgrade will be on his Wife's number, so the phone will have to be activated to her SIM card. For him to use his SIM card the phone would have to be unlocked.

Posted by: asnpcwiz

Quote:

Originally Posted by XanderMac

The upgrade will be on his Wife's number, so the phone will have to be activated to her SIM card. For him to use his SIM card the phone would have to be unlocked.

Well, since you are so persistant I guess you must be right. Is this only an ATT thing? My wife and I both have T-Mo and I have no problem.

Posted by: XanderMac

Quote:

Originally Posted by asnpcwiz

Well, since you are so persistant I guess you must be right. Is this only an ATT thing? My wife and I both have T-Mo and I have no problem.

Its an iPhone thing I'm afraid. Its locked to 1 sim and 1 sim only, even if you have another valid AT&T sim it won't work in the phone. It sucks but that's how it is designed. Like no other phone right....

Posted by: mZimm

Quote:

Originally Posted by asnpcwiz

Well, since you are so persistant I guess you must be right. Is this only an ATT thing? My wife and I both have T-Mo and I have no problem.

It is an iPhone thing, not ATT specific. All iPhone 3G's have to be activated in store at time of purchase, thus will be activated to the line that they are connected with. Therefore, in order for the phone to be used with a different SIM, it must be unlocked.

Posted by: raulr

Quote:

Originally Posted by asnpcwiz

Well, since you are so persistant I guess you must be right. Is this only an ATT thing? My wife and I both have T-Mo and I have no problem.

I agree with you. Sim locks tie to a particular carrier's sim. Activation on the iphone is only needed once. After that, using another AT&T sim should work fine as it does today without the need for an unlock. You would always be able to add the data plan to you line, so that's no problem. What won't work is visual voicemail without being tied to an iphone plan.

Posted by: XanderMac

Quote:

Originally Posted by raulr

It doesn't work like that today! If you use another at&t SIM you'll ge the "invalid SIM" message and be prompted to activate the phone thru iTunes.

"Contrary to earlier reports, the SIM card is removable via a small drawer on the top of the iPhone, but other AT&T SIM cards will not work in the iPhone. That's especially troubling, as it completely defeats the biggest advantage of using a GSM phone with a SIM card. Some people have multiple phones and like to change the SIM card between their different handsets. Also, you can't use the SIM card to import contact information from another handset.
"

http://reviews.cnet.com/smartphones...7-32309245.html

Posted by: blakmaj1k

Quote:

Originally Posted by raulr

iPhones are special devices. They use only the sim it was activated with regardless of carrier specialty. You need to unlock the iPhone for use with any other sim card.

Posted by: Patrick G.

Follow-up question regarding the 8GB version vs. 16GB version...

Can I simply save money and get the 8GB version and then upgrade later via removable storage, or is that storage space something that can't be upgraded and/or added to?

Posted by: XanderMac

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick G.

Follow-up question regarding the 8GB version vs. 16GB version...

Can I simply save money and get the 8GB version and then upgrade later via removable storage, or is that storage space something that can't be upgraded and/or added to?

No, you cannot upgrade the storage. It's fixed storage with no expansion slot.

Posted by: Patrick G.

Okay, and can you confirm what exactly "No MMS" means on this phone? Does that simply mean that you cannot send or receive text messages to/from the iPhone?

Posted by: XanderMac

You can send and receive SMS (text messages) but not MMS (photo) or video (video,,,,) messages.

If someone trys to send you an MMS you will receive a message with a username/password and be directed to go to www.viewmymessage.com to see the photo.

With current iPhone plans, even if you swap your SIM into a capable MMS phone you still won't be able to send/receive MMS as it's blocked on your account. Apparently the $20 that iPhone owners pay isn't worth the same as the $20 that other smartphone owners pay.

AT&T have also been suspected of blocking Data in other phones that you put your iPhone SIM card into.

Posted by: asnpcwiz

Ok ok ok, I conceded, I said XanderMac may know more about the subject than me, now everyone get off my back. I also said I tried it with my T-mo phones and it worked, but that it may be different. Sorry to cause so much trouble.