eBay or B&M for iPhone SIM?

[tmodlou]

I bought an iPhone 3GS from a friend of mine. It's going to be used mostly for data and only a little for voice/text. It's also going to be near WiFi most of the time and only occasionally on the cellular network. Therefore, I'm thinking a GoPhone pay-by-the-day or pay-by-the-minute plan with a data pack add-on would be the best way to go.

So which is better? Buy a SIM from a brick&mortar at&t store? Or buy it off of eBay? Or should I get a GoPhone package, toss the included GoPhone and harvest the SIM? Anything I need to keep in mind while activating for an iPhone 3GS?

Thanks in advance.

[mommusic]

I believe you can go to ATT store and they will give you a sim with airtime purchase.

[ryan s]

Whatever you do, don't use a GoPhone SIM.

Go on ebay, search "ATT SIM," go to the right side of the screen and sort "Price: Lowest first" and buy 2-3 of the cheapest all-orange cards in order to have a backup SIM.

[tmodlou]

Whatever you do, don't use a GoPhone SIM.

Go on ebay, search "ATT SIM," go to the right side of the screen and sort "Price: Lowest first" and buy 2-3 of the cheapest all-orange cards in order to have a backup SIM.

Thanks. I ended up visiting an att store. The whole process was much simpler than I expected: Bought refill credit and the SIM was free. When I got home I popped the SIM in the 3GS, activated the iPhone, transferred the $10 refill into the account, used $5 of that to buy a data package and changed the APN. Everything seems to be working fine.

I think the FAQ needs some updating.

[su_A_ve]

I locked the sim when I got it by activating it with the cheap flip phone and then found out it was locked. I had not purchased any money for it, but did get a number.

Went to the store, and they swapped the sim to a blue AT&T sim and transferred the account. Didn't even had to purchase a refill.

[seank]

Whatever you do, don't use a GoPhone SIM.

Go on ebay, search "ATT SIM," go to the right side of the screen and sort "Price: Lowest first" and buy 2-3 of the cheapest all-orange cards in order to have a backup SIM.

What is wrong with a GoPhone SIM?

[ryan s]

The GoPhone SIM will lock itself to the phone it is activated in (or inserted into after activation). You can't take it out and move the card to another phone until after 6 or 8 months.

[seank]

So what is the other option then?

[su_A_ve]

So what is the other option then?

Read the whole thread. Go to an AT&T store and have them replace it with a blue AT&T SIM. They'll transfer the account over to it. Free. In most cases, no need to purchase minutes, but ymmv.