Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

New iPhone 6 Plus without SIM Card?

Beards

Beards

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Mar 22, 2014
1,401
688
Derbyshire UK
Guys,
I will shortly receive my first iPhone, an iPhone 6 Plus and I have one question which I can not seem to find an answer to.

Basically I have used Android phones since day one but now Apple have finally released a phone with a much larger screen size I am now very keen to complete my Apple hardware (already own 2xiPad Air's and a new 27" iMac).

The trouble though is where with Android I could simply set up and use the phone without a SIM until I was ready (I could use the phones Wifi for everything bar being a normal phone), I have heard though with an iPhone it is different, in that in order to set up and use the phone you must first Activate the phone and for this you will need a SIM Card.

The circumstances of the phone will be as follows:-
Purchased from Apple Online UK without a SIM Card or Carrier for use in the UK.
I intend to purchase a new monthly contract SIM only deal with the 3 Network shortly after receiving the phone.

The thing is; I would dearly love to learn and use the handset for a short term just to be sure I am committing myself wisely to another SIM only contract and obviously for my own sake to ascertain if it is now time to go Apple as my main device.

So...... The question again would read ~ Can I use a new iPhone 6 Plus without a SIM card for a limited time?

Thanks in advance :)
 
Beards said:
Guys,
I will shortly receive my first iPhone, an iPhone 6 Plus and I have one question which I can not seem to find an answer to.

Basically I have used Android phones since day one but now Apple have finally released a phone with a much larger screen size I am now very keen to complete my Apple hardware (already own 2xiPad Air's and a new 27" iMac).

The trouble though is where with Android I could simply set up and use the phone without a SIM until I was ready (I could use the phones Wifi for everything bar being a normal phone), I have heard though with an iPhone it is different, in that in order to set up and use the phone you must first Activate the phone and for this you will need a SIM Card.

The circumstances of the phone will be as follows:-
Purchased from Apple Online UK without a SIM Card or Carrier for use in the UK.
I intend to purchase a new monthly contract SIM only deal with the 3 Network shortly after receiving the phone.

The thing is; I would dearly love to learn and use the handset for a short term just to be sure I am committing myself wisely to another SIM only contract and obviously for my own sake to ascertain if it is now time to go Apple as my main device.

So...... The question again would read ~ Can I use a new iPhone 6 Plus without a SIM card for a limited time?

Thanks in advance :)
Click to expand...

Yes...its not an issue at all...
 
nateo200 said:
Yes...its not an issue at all...
Click to expand...
Sorry, could you amplify on that a little.
As in will I get a warning message to insert a SIM card and if I don't do it there is a procedure to follow?
Apologies but this is all new territory for me.
 
You need a SIM card to activate an iPhone.

Read this: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3406

Order a free Pay&Go SIM card from Three or someone today...no need to top it up or spend any money, just pop it in, activate your iPhone, take it out (or leave it in).

Most retail stores sell SIMs for £1 too. Make sure you get a nano SIM though. Most cards now have multiple sizes and you pop out the right one - kinda like Russian dolls.
 
andy9l said:
You need a SIM card to activate an iPhone.

Read this: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3406

Order a free Pay&Go SIM card from Three or someone today...no need to top it up or spend any money, just pop it in, activate your iPhone, take it out (or leave it in).

Most retail stores sell SIMs for £1 too. Make sure you get a nano SIM though. Most cards now have multiple sizes and you pop out the right one - kinda like Russian dolls.
Click to expand...
Thanks for that additional info and the link, appreciated.

So it is true..... You do need a SIM first.
Why on earth is a SIM a necessity, especially if the SIM needed would not be the one you would eventually use?
 
It is a bit odd.

However, when you start using your real SIM, you do not need to restore or reactivate the phone. Simply swap the SIM and wait a few seconds.
 
andy9l said:
You need a SIM card to activate an iPhone.

Read this: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3406

Order a free Pay&Go SIM card from Three or someone today...no need to top it up or spend any money, just pop it in, activate your iPhone, take it out (or leave it in).

Most retail stores sell SIMs for £1 too. Make sure you get a nano SIM though. Most cards now have multiple sizes and you pop out the right one - kinda like Russian dolls.
Click to expand...
Andy,
I am still waiting for my iPhone 6+ to arrive but in the meantime I have noticed the information in the link you kindly provided has been changed and is no longer supported by Apple.
Does this mean the principle in getting the phone running no longer needs a SIM card to Activate and you can instead use your Wifi.

I must admit This would make setting up the phone so much easier until I find the time to get down to the Carrier's shop (3 Network UK) and obtain a SIM only contract.
 
sammich said:
I'm not sure how it works in other countries, but I just stick any old nano SIM in there to get through the activation stage. I would say that you could just find a colleague or friend who has a nano SIM phone (iPhone 5/S should be pretty easy to find) and just pop theirs in yours.

Have a look at this posting: http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/108275/activate-iphone-with-any-sim
Click to expand...
Thanks....
Interesting comments.... although they related to over a year back and since then Apple have changed something (as in the other link by Andy which is no longer supported).
Also, there was one comment from someone in the link you gave who mentions if the phone is unlocked (which mine definately will be) you don't neccessarily need a SIM for activation.
This is what I am thinking..... Set up the phone using my home wifi and insert a SIM later.
 
It's my understanding that you NEED a SIM to activate the phone for the first time.

When you buy from a store they ask you 'would you like me to activate it now?' - you don't get that when you order online. I assume that's the only way to skip the SIM issue.

I needed a sim to activate my iPhone 6 Plus and my iPhone 6 recently.

Just order a free SIM online from Three. There is literally no catch or negative: https://www.three.co.uk/Support/Fre...sAdQ&gclsrc=ds&aidset=1#sim-order-form-mobile
 
I already have the Three SIM Andy. I ordered it earlier after we first spoke thanks.
Although I have the SIM it's not the contract I will eventually be using.
I also appreciate being an unlocked phone I can swap and change the SIM to my liking. However, when I read elsewhere from someone stating you can Activate without a SIM it threw me completely.
When the phone gets here I'm going to connect it to both my Wifi and my iMac and see what happens. If it does indeed first demand a SIM then no problem I'll comply. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back