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

Using my Blackjack's SIM in iPhone?

B

bdkennedy1

Suspended
Original poster
Oct 24, 2002
1,275
528
I hate my Blackjack and want to get an iPhone. My Blackjack has an AT&T SIM card.

My question is do I need to have an unlocked iPhone in order to use my AT&T SIM card? Or can I just buy a fresh iPhone and put the SIM in it?
 
bdkennedy1 said:
I hate my Blackjack and want to get an iPhone. My Blackjack has an AT&T SIM card.

My question is do I need to have an unlocked iPhone in order to use my AT&T SIM card? Or can I just buy a fresh iPhone and put the SIM in it?
Click to expand...

You will need to unlock it. The iPhone SIM works in other phones but not vice versa. It also needs to be activated before it works at all.
 
Thank for the reply :)

Can iFuntastic unlock the phone? If I get one I don't want to leave the unlocking process in the hands of someone else I don't know.
 
bdkennedy1 said:
I hate my Blackjack and want to get an iPhone. My Blackjack has an AT&T SIM card.

My question is do I need to have an unlocked iPhone in order to use my AT&T SIM card? Or can I just buy a fresh iPhone and put the SIM in it?
Click to expand...

Why would you want to use your Blackjack SIM if you're going to be using it on ATT? You can't transfer contacts or any other data from it onto the iPhone.
 
Because I want the same phone number. I don't care about the contacts or data.

JBaker122586 said:
Why would you want to use your Blackjack SIM if you're going to be using it on ATT? You can't transfer contacts or any other data from it onto the iPhone.
Click to expand...
 
I don't understand how you can do this. I thought my phone number was locked to the SIM. When I moved from my RAZR to the BlackJack, I just switched the sims and that was that.

JBaker122586 said:
You can keep the same number without having to unlock or use an old SIM.
Click to expand...
 
No, because the plan with that phone number is locked to my Blackjack for 2 years. If I want to have AT&T switch the phone number to a different SIM I would have to pay the $150 fee to get out of the plan.

marykay9507 said:
can't you just transfer your number over?
Click to expand...
 
bdkennedy1 said:
I don't understand how you can do this. I thought my phone number was locked to the SIM. When I moved from my RAZR to the BlackJack, I just switched the sims and that was that.
Click to expand...

Nope, your phone number is linked to your account, not your SIM card. Think about it, if you lose your cell phone, you get a new phone with a new SIM card but keep the same number.

When you purchase the iPhone, it comes with a SIM card already in it. You bring it home, connect to iTunes, and start the activation process. You then select that you already have an AT&T account and would like to keep your number. Then finish the activation and your good to go. Your previous contract and SIM card are deactivated, but if you for some reason wanted to, you could put your iPhone SIM in your Blackjack and it would work fine.
 
Did something change in this activation process I'm not aware of? How is it that when I plugged my SIM into my mom's RAZR, my phone number was now on the phone and hers was on my BlackJack?

Sorry for asking so many questions, but I just don't want to get ripped off. Buying a phone is like buying a freakin' car.


JBaker122586 said:
Nope, your phone number is linked to your account, not your SIM card. Think about it, if you lose your cell phone, you get a new phone with a new SIM card but keep the same number.

When you purchase the iPhone, it comes with a SIM card already in it. You bring it home, connect to iTunes, and start the activation process. You then select that you already have an AT&T account and would like to keep your number. Then finish the activation and your good to go. Your previous contract and SIM card are deactivated, but if you for some reason wanted to, you could put your iPhone SIM in your Blackjack and it would work fine.
Click to expand...
 
bdkennedy1 said:
Did something change in this activation process I'm not aware of? How is it that when I plugged my SIM into my mom's RAZR, my phone number was now on the phone and hers was on my BlackJack?

Sorry for asking so many questions, but I just don't want to get ripped off. Buying a phone is like buying a freakin' car.
Click to expand...

The iPhone is not subsidized by ATT. So therefore you can buy it whenever you want. It will just commit you to a new 2year contract when you activate it. If fact, if you are eligible for a new phone from ATT you can get a free phone and then buy the iPhone.
 
Thank you for explaining that! I was going to buy a used iPhone, but I would rather have a new one.

Thanks for everyone's help!

skubish said:
The iPhone is not subsidized by ATT. So therefore you can buy it whenever you want. It will just commit you to a new 2year contract when you activate it. If fact, if you are eligible for a new phone from ATT you can get a free phone and then buy the iPhone.
Click to expand...
 
I have a similar issue as the OP, I currently have ATT with a Blackjack II and i want to switch to the iphone 3G. I've already bought a used iphone 3G, but im afraid i might have made a mistake. I'm pretty sure i have the 3G plan with my blackjack, would the SIM card work in the iphone that i bought? Is there any activation process that i have to go through? Should I have just bought a new iphone 3G through ATT?
 
Phone and sim card are independent of each other in most cases excluding some weird circumstance. There is little incentive to make a phone-locked sim card.
 
HOLD UP! I could switch my plan from my current phone (samsung slm-for ATT) to the iphone? I'd just have to add data, sign the 2 year contract again, and pay the no commitment pricing ($400), and then I'm good to go?
 
Wait a minute....

wife had a Blackjack 1.... bought a Blackjack 2.... swapped sim cards... called att told them what we did... no issues... bought an iPhone 3g... swapped sims again... called att told them... and again no issues... same number same sim...no issues..... no problems!
 
Don't listen to any of these people because they obviously don't know what they're talking about by reading some of the replys.

Your phone number is attached to your sim card and you can take it out of your blackjack and put it in the iPhone 3G if you are already with AT&T. I bought my iPhone 3G off eBay with no contract and all I had to do was take the sim out of my old flip Motorola phone and put it in the iPhone. You can also transfer your numbers if you save them to the sim card on your old phone. Their is an import contacts from sim card option on the iPhone. If you get the iPhone from a store then they will make you sign a contract and probably just move your number to a new sim.

Just remember this only works for the 3G as the original iPhone worked differently and required an unlock to use a different sim card.
 
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