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Will I still be able to use my existing SIM?

H

hobo

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 13, 2005
124
0
I'm looking to order an iPhone this weekend, but I have an excellent plan for $25 per month right now that I'd like to keep. I've read the tutorials on how to use my existing SIM, but people keep mentioning that iTunes 7.4 will not allow it to work.

I have iTunes 7.3 still installed, and I don't plan on updating quite yet. If I order my iPhone and stay on iTunes 7.3, will I still be able to get my iPhone to work with my current SIM? After I do this, I'd upgrade to iTunes 7.4, since some people are saying that it will still work after an update.

Does anyone know what will happen? I don't want to get my iPhone only to have no solutions. Will the software (I'll be using these steps) still allow me to do what I want? I think it should since it's still iTunes 7.3 that I have, but I don't know for sure.
 
I dont think so, you'll have to activate using the sim card thats preinstalled on the iphone.
 
Even if I have iTunes 7.3 installed still? This version allowed people to use old SIM cards. People who used iTunes 7.3 to do so are still able to use the "wrong" SIM cards after updating and syncing with 7.4, but 7.4 will not allow people to go through the process.
 
Why do you want to still use your current SIM? What is the point in having an iPhone and not having a data plan?
 
I havent tried it but I thought it wanted its preinstalled sim.
Why do you want to use an old sim anyway?
 
I had a Nokia 6682 that died a couple of weeks ago. I knew that I wanted a new iPod if they had a touch screen. They do! I saw them on the release day and knew that I wanted an 8GB Touch. That would cost me $300. The replacement for my 6682 was $75, used.

I don't want to be on a Razr for the remaining 11 months of my contract. So I'd pay $375 and I'd have an 8GB iPod with WiFi and an outdated (but good enough for me) cell phone with no data plan and a great deal on the plan I have now.

Someone then pointed out that the refurb iPhone is $350. Perfect, I save $25 and now I have two devices in one, but I also get a better phone (1.3MP v 2.0MP camera, for one. Not great, but still better!). Oh, and I'd have an 8GB iPod with Wifi and no outdated cell phone. Plus, upgrading my plan would cost me more than $25 a month that I pay now. I make just over minimum wage, and not a lot of hours.

I'm worried less about an iPhone than the iPod Touch. If I always have my phone with me, I'll also have my iPod there to not worry about. If I had two separate devices, I'd need more pockets and would have to worry about having both things!
 
I still dont get it, so you want to use the iphone on an old accounts settings for $25 a month?
I dont think you can activate an iphone thru ATT without signing up for a data package.
 
You're going to be very unhappy the first time it downloads a voicemail unless you have a data block on that account.
 
Why would you want a $400 cellphone if you only make minimum and very few hours like you said. Also an iphone plan with data and after taxes its going to cost you around $80 a month or so
 
Why are you so against this idea? I've thought through all of this already. It's cheaper for me to get one device (iPhone) than it is to get two (iPod Touch + 6682). I have data turned off on my plan. I won't be able to use YouTube or Visual Voicemail, and a few other features. I'm fine with this. So the iPod Touch will have YouTube. I can watch that skateboarding dog again!

I'm fine with what features I won't have. I don't have emails that are so important I need to check them while I'm in the middle of a field. There's enough WiFi saturation in my life where it'll check often enough anyway.

Like I said, I know exactly what I'm getting into. All I asked was if it was possible. I did not ask what your opinion on what I should do is. If you can get me a better deal than $350 + $25 a month for these features, then you can speak up. If you can't help with my question, then don't bother. It's a "yes" or "no" answer. If I'm going to have to do something special, then tell me.

Look at the title of the thread. Are you answering it?

Sorry for being argumentative, I just want a simple answer and so far everyone has failed.

edit: canuck4 came close with the first reply, but I guess didn't get that I wanted to use my old SIM so I WON'T pay $80 a month. $25 < $80. I can afford $25 per month easily. I wanted a new iPod, and I can get an iPhone for cheaper, so I want to do that. I'm not "losing" any features that I want.
 
If you plan on hacking the phone and not using the original method of activating it thru AT&T then I think the only features you'll be able to use is Ipod, wifi, internet, email etc....
The phone and sms wont be usable.
Now if you activate it and setup a plan thru AT&T then it wont allow you not to have a data plan and having an Iphone on your account.
Unless there's an unlock software that would unlock it for ya and somehow have edge turned off and all features besides youtube and visual voicemail.
If you dont have any data plan on your account and the iphone starts using up data, cause it does all the time without you knowing about it. Then your bill would be skyhigh.
 
OK, so since you all are having problems answering my question, read this. It says the following:

WiFi: No Change.
Visual Voicemail: Does not work on my Pay-as-You-Go phone. Tapping Voicemail calls the old fashioned voice system.
EDGE/Data: Works according to the plan you are on. If you had unlimited data, you probably still do.
Text messages: SMS works. MMS may work.
Email: Works over WiFi. Works over EDGE.
Stocks & Weather: Work over WiFi, should work over EDGE.
Non-internet Apps: Seem to work fine including camera, iPod, etc.
Syncing Works.
YouTube: Does not work. No FLV/Flash support on iPhone. Widget does not work.

So, it says that calls work, SMS works, Email works over WiFi, but I can't use YouTube or Visual Voicemail.

I just want to know if iTunes 7.4 will Sync it and take away these functions. I know that's a risk as long as Apple puts out software updates, but will the most recent one take these features away?
 
While you should be able to use an old SIM card with the iPhone, the iPhone will not use the SIM without activating it through iTunes. You can't activate without signing up for a DATA plan. I think that they are going to force you to one of the current voice plans also, but I could be wrong.

Now, you can call AT&T after activation and remove the data plan. I removed the data plan on my first activated SIM, as that had a new number, and I traded SIM cards with my RAZR to move my old number to the iPhone. I did have to activate it, though, and sign up for the data plan on the old number.

According to AT&T, you are free to change plans and add or remove features (such as data), but you just can't cancel the service without incurring the cancellation fee.

I synced my iPhone with 7.4, and it did not have a problem with the old SIM.

-jt2
 
Thanks for that. I guess my plan now is to buy the iPhone, and then when it comes I'll use iTunes 7.3 to do the hack and then upgrade. If it won't let me use my old SIM (which has data on it, just not in a plan, it's charged by the kb), then I'll probably ask you for some help, if that's OK.
 
hobo said:
Thanks for that. I guess my plan now is to buy the iPhone, and then when it comes I'll use iTunes 7.3 to do the hack and then upgrade. If it won't let me use my old SIM (which has data on it, just not in a plan, it's charged by the kb), then I'll probably ask you for some help, if that's OK.
Click to expand...
You do not, in any way, want data charged by the KB. My 53 page phone bill is a testament to that. Either use the unlimited $20 feature, or call and get any data capabilities REMOVED from your plan. You'll spend more than $20 in per KB data charges a month just leaving the phone sit on your desk for a whole month.

Asking questions here is all all about learning, so feel free to do it.

-jt2
 
Oh, goodness. I mentioned earlier in this thread that I will have it off by the time I receive my iPhone. Here is my plan:

1. Order iPhone
2. Call AT&T to shut off all data
3. Receive iPhone, use hack in iTunes 7.3 for current SIM
4. Upgrade to iTunes 7.4
5. Sync

Do you see any problems with that? I've seen people say that if I use any firmware updates on the phone it won't work. Does this mean I probably won't have the iTunes Wireless Store or whatever? It's not too important, as I don't use iTunes to buy music, but it's still just a question.
 
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