I have a 1st gen iPhone that is starting to have some problems.
The wifi on it is a bit squiffy, sometimes showing and acting like it's on the Edge network when I'm on a wifi network, even at home. Most importantly, it doesn't charge up using the dock or the cable, indicating that the power port on the iPhone is damaged or possibly corroded. My first plan is to do what I can to clean that port out, so it will charge and be the device I've loved for a year and a half.
If that doesn't work I'll have to buy an iPhone 3G - the snag is that the 3G isn't offered with any kind of prepay plan, which I have.
I've read a few articles online - here, here, and here - that all indicate that it's possible to buy a 3G, swap out the SIM, activate it, and the 3G will work with a prepay plan.
I'm a bit skeptical, though, and have some questions:
1. Will the Apple Store or an AT&T store sell a 3G without a plan? If not, is there another retailer I could try?
2. Reports on 3G functionality are inconsistent, but that feature isn't that important to me - will any other connectivity features be affected?
3. What is the activation process like when putting a SIM from one iPhone into another?
4. Can I expect to read "current account cannot be used with the iphone" during activation?
5. There seem to be different prepay plans available through AT&T - does it matter which one I have?
I know both Apple and AT&T will be of no help to me, since this is technically against the rules, but if anyone has experience with this, I'd appreciate any information you could offer me.
(And please don't tell me to just bow up and get a contract. Even though my credit is much improved since my foolish college years, AT&T still wants a $500 deposit from me before they'll give me a damn contract; I'd actually save $100 buying a non-contract 3G. Besides, 2 years is a ridiculously absurd contract period.)
The wifi on it is a bit squiffy, sometimes showing and acting like it's on the Edge network when I'm on a wifi network, even at home. Most importantly, it doesn't charge up using the dock or the cable, indicating that the power port on the iPhone is damaged or possibly corroded. My first plan is to do what I can to clean that port out, so it will charge and be the device I've loved for a year and a half.
If that doesn't work I'll have to buy an iPhone 3G - the snag is that the 3G isn't offered with any kind of prepay plan, which I have.
I've read a few articles online - here, here, and here - that all indicate that it's possible to buy a 3G, swap out the SIM, activate it, and the 3G will work with a prepay plan.
I'm a bit skeptical, though, and have some questions:
1. Will the Apple Store or an AT&T store sell a 3G without a plan? If not, is there another retailer I could try?
2. Reports on 3G functionality are inconsistent, but that feature isn't that important to me - will any other connectivity features be affected?
3. What is the activation process like when putting a SIM from one iPhone into another?
4. Can I expect to read "current account cannot be used with the iphone" during activation?
5. There seem to be different prepay plans available through AT&T - does it matter which one I have?
I know both Apple and AT&T will be of no help to me, since this is technically against the rules, but if anyone has experience with this, I'd appreciate any information you could offer me.
(And please don't tell me to just bow up and get a contract. Even though my credit is much improved since my foolish college years, AT&T still wants a $500 deposit from me before they'll give me a damn contract; I'd actually save $100 buying a non-contract 3G. Besides, 2 years is a ridiculously absurd contract period.)
