UK visitor - Using iPhone with an activated sim from an android phone

[vans44]

I have some AT&T pay as you go sims for useduring our holiday to America.

I tried to activate them using iPhone IMEI numbers but without sucess. I read on another forum that I had to use a non Apple IMEI number, I did and they activated.

Now that they are activated can I use them in our iPhone 4 and 3GS (X2)?

Will I get 3G?

Sorry if these are basic questions but in the UK you don't have to activate sims or use an IMEI number, you just put the new sim in the iPhone and it works

[Kerry78]

Hi You cannot use a AT&T prepaid sim card with a iPhone !
Can't u just take a UK PAYG sim card with u on ur travels?
Have a look at those Giff Gaff Sims they seem quite reasonable

Regards and welcome to the forum!

[ilikewireless ACE - Czar]

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Kerry78 wrote:
Hi You cannot use a AT&T prepaid sim card with a iPhone !
Can't u just take a UK PAYG sim card with u on ur travels?
Have a look at those Giff Gaff Sims they seem quite reasonable

Regards and welcome to the forum!

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Kerry78 is right. AT&T does not currently support iPhone on prepaid. Here's an article from AT&T web:http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB110787#fbid=eyFN38aE0Ae

However, you can still use your iPhones on the AT&T network on another plan that does not require a long term contract - http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB113269#fbid=eyFN38aE0Ae.

You can call the "From Overseas" number listed here: https://www.att.com/econtactus/callUs.jsp?serviceGroup=wireless#wireless

I am fully aware that it is a hassle if you have to start and stop service at AT&T stores. So if you can do them by phone, that will be excellent.

[Wild Banchi ACE - Professor · Accepted solution]

Yes, you can use your newly activated SIM cards in all of your iPhone models. I've used my SIM in my iPhone 3GS and it worked great, and I recently trimmed it using a microSIM cutter to fit the smaller SIM slot of my recently acquired iPhone 4. I've gotten 3G service on both phones, just no mobile data.

Good luck!

[vans44]

"Hi You cannot use a AT&T prepaid sim card with a iPhone !
Can't u just take a UK PAYG sim card with u on ur travels?"

The reason why I want to use American sims is simply the cost. It will be a lot cheaper to use At&T sims while in America than UK sims. For various reasons we will be using the phones quite a lot

[vans44]

Thanks for all the replies

Wow this is complex. I suspect that carriers in the UK and USA use different names for similar services.

I am wanting to use the $50 monthly unlimited plan. I thought all I had to do was activate a SIM, indicate at activation that I wanted to use the $50 plan and then when I arrrive in America, buy a $50 voucher. I thought the unlimited plan included data for web browsing. However, if I understand these replies that is not the case if you have an iPhone?

Wild Banchi

"Yes, you can use your newly activated SIM cards in all of your iPhone models. I've used my SIM in my iPhone 3GS and it worked great, and I recently trimmed it using a microSIM cutter to fit the smaller SIM slot of my recently acquired iPhone 4. I've gotten 3G service on both phones, just no mobile data."

Thanks for the reply

Was the sim you used in the 3GS or 4 activated using an IMEI number from a different phone?

[stufried]

Android and iPhone use different APNs.  I would try forcing my phone to a different APN setting using the settings at:

tp://www.unlockit.co.nz/mobilesettings/

[vans44]

"

Android and iPhone use different APNs.  I would try forcing my phone to a different APN setting using the settings at:

tp://www.unlockit.co.nz/mobilesettings/"

Thanks, by chance I had stumbled across that site only a couple of hours ago and it looks like it might work.

However, my worry is about activating a card using the IMEI of one phone and then moving the sim to another phone with a different IMEI. Are sims in some way "locked" to the phone for which they were activated?

My confusion is because in the UK we do not activate sim card and never have to use the IMEI number so the sim can be used in any phone.

[Wild Banchi ACE - Professor · Accepted solution]

Hi vans44,

Yes, the SIM I used in both iPhones was originally activated with a different phone's IMEI number - not even a smartphone.

[vans44]

Thanks Wild Banchi, that has answered my question.

[Wild Banchi ACE - Professor]

You are welcome!