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  1. #1
    John Doe
    Guest
    Is there a practical way to use an iPhone as a GoPhone?

    I know about hardware obsolescence, so it looks like the new AT&T
    Android GoPhone is what I will end up with, but would be nice to
    use the iPhone 3G I currently have for at least a while longer.

    Thanks.



    See More: iPhone as GoPhone?




  2. #2
    JF Mezei
    Guest

    Re: iPhone as GoPhone?

    John Doe wrote:
    > Is there a practical way to use an iPhone as a GoPhone?
    >
    > I know about hardware obsolescence, so it looks like the new AT&T
    > Android GoPhone is what I will end up with, but would be nice to
    > use the iPhone 3G I currently have for at least a while longer.


    Get an AT&T prepaid SIM card (look on Ebay, you can get soe for $10 or
    less). Call AT&T to activate prepaid service on the sim card. Or you can
    do that on-line too (enter the SIM card identity/serial number.)

    Then insert sim card into iphone and voila. Prepaid service on your iphone.



  3. #3
    Doug Anderson
    Guest

    Re: iPhone as GoPhone?

    JF Mezei <[email protected]> writes:

    > John Doe wrote:
    > > Is there a practical way to use an iPhone as a GoPhone?
    > >
    > > I know about hardware obsolescence, so it looks like the new AT&T
    > > Android GoPhone is what I will end up with, but would be nice to
    > > use the iPhone 3G I currently have for at least a while longer.

    >
    > Get an AT&T prepaid SIM card (look on Ebay, you can get soe for $10 or
    > less).


    Or just walk into an AT&T store. They'll give you a SIM card (at
    least they will if you put $100 worth of minutes on (that's 1000
    minutes).

    You might want to not tell them you are using this on an iPhone. You
    won't need to unlock your iPhone for an AT&T prepaid SIM to work.

    > Call AT&T to activate prepaid service on the sim card. Or you can
    > do that on-line too (enter the SIM card identity/serial number.)
    >
    > Then insert sim card into iphone and voila. Prepaid service on your iphone.




  4. #4
    nospam
    Guest

    Re: iPhone as GoPhone?

    In article <[email protected]>, Doug Anderson
    <[email protected]> wrote:

    > > Get an AT&T prepaid SIM card (look on Ebay, you can get soe for $10 or
    > > less).

    >
    > Or just walk into an AT&T store. They'll give you a SIM card (at
    > least they will if you put $100 worth of minutes on (that's 1000
    > minutes).


    it probably won't require that much if you go to a store, and they're a
    buck or two on ebay.

    > You might want to not tell them you are using this on an iPhone. You
    > won't need to unlock your iPhone for an AT&T prepaid SIM to work.


    you *definitely* don't, since iphone on gophone is not supported.



  5. #5
    John Doe
    Guest

    Re: iPhone as GoPhone?

    Doug Anderson <ethelthelogremovethis gmail.com> wrote:

    > JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot vaxination.ca> writes:


    >> Get an AT&T prepaid SIM card (look on Ebay, you can get soe for
    >> $10 or less).

    >
    > Or just walk into an AT&T store. They'll give you a SIM card
    > (at least they will if you put $100 worth of minutes on (that's
    > 1000 minutes).


    Is there any other fee/charge in addition to that 1000 minutes?
    If not, that makes it no different than the T-Mobile 1000 minutes?
    That's excellent, not having to jailbreak the thing.

    Should I disconnect my current AT&T wireless service ahead of
    time, before inserting the new SIM?

    Thanks.






    --
    I see lots of reviews on Amazon that talk about $25 for three
    months service on their new Android pay-as-you-go smart phone, but
    they don't mention the apparent additional basic charge for the
    GoPhone (like $.10 per minute). And then there is the $50
    unlimited plan for a GoPhone. Sounds like they are the same people
    that format my phone bill.



  6. #6
    John Doe
    Guest

    Re: iPhone as GoPhone?

    Todd Allcock <elecconnec AnoOspamL.com> wrote:

    >> Doug Anderson <ethelthelogremovethis gmail.com> wrote:
    >>> JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot vaxination.ca> writes:


    >>>> Get an AT&T prepaid SIM card (look on Ebay, you can get soe
    >>>> for $10 or less).
    >>>
    >>> Or just walk into an AT&T store. They'll give you a SIM card
    >>> (at least they will if you put $100 worth of minutes on
    >>> (that's 1000 minutes).


    >>> You might want to not tell them you are using this on an
    >>> iPhone. You won't need to unlock your iPhone for an AT&T
    >>> prepaid SIM to work.


    > Doesn't AT&T still randomly audit their network for iPhones and
    > shut off those without "proper" monthly plans? (After
    > "warnings" via text message...)


    Did they ever? Why would they care after your two year contract
    was over? How did they tell that the detected iPhone wasn't a full
    priced unlocked iPhone? Wouldn't that drive customers to other
    networks?
    --















    > Path: news.astraweb.com!border6.newsrouter.astraweb.com!

    news.glorb.com!feeder.erje.net!eternal-september.org!feeder.eternal-
    september.org!.POSTED!not-for-mail
    > From: Todd Allcock <elecconnec AnoOspamL.com>
    > Newsgroups: misc.phone.mobile.iphone,alt.cellular.attws
    > Subject: Re: iPhone as GoPhone?
    > Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2011 12:18:34 -0600
    > Organization: A noiseless patient Spider
    > Lines: 25
    > Message-ID: <j4o6pu$mo6$1 dont-email.me>
    > References: <4e6ea119$0$8505$c3e8da3$cc4fe22d news.astraweb.com>

    <4e6ef894$0$31112$c3e8da3$b280bf18 news.astraweb.com> <2139g0tmqc.fsf
    ethel.the.log> <130920111205528274%nospam nospam.invalid>
    > Mime-Version: 1.0
    > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
    > Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
    > Injection-Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2011 18:18:39 +0000 (UTC)
    > Injection-Info: mx04.eternal-september.org; posting-

    host="E978h5tgYTQZYN+BLAIOkw"; logging-data="23302"; mail-complaints-
    to="abuse eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX1/Uw+
    0Jthwe1haVoJv7PJ1K6J08oBmuzjE="
    > In-Reply-To: <130920111205528274%nospam nospam.invalid>
    > X-Mailer: QMAIL 3.0.9.4402 / Windows CE 5.02 / ARM
    > Cancel-Lock: sha1:OPS459Xsv4RbM3vnu0IiPjr91uU=
    >




  7. #7
    Doug Anderson
    Guest

    Re: iPhone as GoPhone?

    nospam <[email protected]> writes:

    > In article <[email protected]>, Doug Anderson
    > <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    > > > Get an AT&T prepaid SIM card (look on Ebay, you can get soe for $10 or
    > > > less).

    > >
    > > Or just walk into an AT&T store. They'll give you a SIM card (at
    > > least they will if you put $100 worth of minutes on (that's 1000
    > > minutes).

    >
    > it probably won't require that much if you go to a store, and they're a
    > buck or two on ebay.
    >
    > > You might want to not tell them you are using this on an iPhone. You
    > > won't need to unlock your iPhone for an AT&T prepaid SIM to work.

    >
    > you *definitely* don't, since iphone on gophone is not supported.


    By "not supported" you mean that AT&T says that you aren't allowed to
    use the iPhone as a prepaid phone. But as far as I can tell, they do
    nothing to enforce that on phones that are no longer under contract.




  8. #8
    Doug Anderson
    Guest

    Re: iPhone as GoPhone?

    Todd Allcock <[email protected]> writes:

    > At 13 Sep 2011 12:05:52 -0500 nospam wrote:
    > > In article <[email protected]>, Doug Anderson
    > > <[email protected]> wrote:
    > >
    > > > > Get an AT&T prepaid SIM card (look on Ebay, you can get soe for $10

    > or
    > > > > less).
    > > >
    > > > Or just walk into an AT&T store. They'll give you a SIM card (at
    > > > least they will if you put $100 worth of minutes on (that's 1000
    > > > minutes).

    > >
    > > it probably won't require that much if you go to a store, and they're a
    > > buck or two on ebay.
    > >
    > > > You might want to not tell them you are using this on an iPhone. You
    > > > won't need to unlock your iPhone for an AT&T prepaid SIM to work.

    > >
    > > you *definitely* don't, since iphone on gophone is not supported.

    >
    >
    > Doesn't AT&T still randomly audit their network for iPhones and shut off
    > those without "proper" monthly plans? (After "warnings" via text
    > message...)


    I'm sure they woudl like us to believe that they do that. I've seen
    no evidence that they make any real attempt to audit for iPhones that
    are no longer under contract though.




  9. #9
    Doug Anderson
    Guest

    Re: iPhone as GoPhone?

    John Doe <[email protected]> writes:

    > Doug Anderson <ethelthelogremovethis gmail.com> wrote:
    >
    > > JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot vaxination.ca> writes:

    >
    > >> Get an AT&T prepaid SIM card (look on Ebay, you can get soe for
    > >> $10 or less).

    > >
    > > Or just walk into an AT&T store. They'll give you a SIM card
    > > (at least they will if you put $100 worth of minutes on (that's
    > > 1000 minutes).

    >
    > Is there any other fee/charge in addition to that 1000 minutes?


    No, no other fees.

    > If not, that makes it no different than the T-Mobile 1000 minutes?


    Yes, almost the same. I think T-mobile gives you a small discount
    when you spend $100.

    One disadvantage is that AT&T charges .20 per text, which is twice
    what t-mobile charges.

    Although AT&T allows you to combine prepaid with a monthly text plan
    of $9.99 for 1000 texts. (This is what my son has.)

    > That's excellent, not having to jailbreak the thing.
    >
    > Should I disconnect my current AT&T wireless service ahead of
    > time, before inserting the new SIM?


    I don't know the answer to this.



  10. #10
    Doug Anderson
    Guest

    Re: iPhone as GoPhone?

    John Doe <[email protected]> writes:

    > Todd Allcock <elecconnec AnoOspamL.com> wrote:
    >
    > >> Doug Anderson <ethelthelogremovethis gmail.com> wrote:
    > >>> JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot vaxination.ca> writes:

    >
    > >>>> Get an AT&T prepaid SIM card (look on Ebay, you can get soe
    > >>>> for $10 or less).
    > >>>
    > >>> Or just walk into an AT&T store. They'll give you a SIM card
    > >>> (at least they will if you put $100 worth of minutes on
    > >>> (that's 1000 minutes).

    >
    > >>> You might want to not tell them you are using this on an
    > >>> iPhone. You won't need to unlock your iPhone for an AT&T
    > >>> prepaid SIM to work.

    >
    > > Doesn't AT&T still randomly audit their network for iPhones and
    > > shut off those without "proper" monthly plans? (After
    > > "warnings" via text message...)

    >
    > Did they ever?


    Yes, I wonder about this.

    > Why would they care after your two year contract
    > was over? How did they tell that the detected iPhone wasn't a full
    > priced unlocked iPhone?


    Well, at least recently their stance was that they insisted that
    all iPhones have contracts and data plans. Even if the iPhone was a
    full priced unlocked iPhone.

    As you say though - I don't know that they've ever made a serious
    attempt to enforce that.

    > Wouldn't that drive customers to other
    > networks?


    I suspect they don't really mind driving cheapskates like me to other
    networks.



  11. #11
    J B
    Guest

    Re: iPhone as GoPhone?

    On 13/09/2011 01:17, John Doe wrote:
    > Is there a practical way to use an iPhone as a GoPhone?


    Just briefly ...

    My niece lived in america and had an AT&T iPhone on a contract.
    She now lives here in England, so *I* jailbroke and unlocked it for her
    to use a UK Voda sim in.
    When she went back to the usa this spring, she bought a GoPhone sim and
    used that, then put the Voda sim when she came home to England

    --
    J B



  12. #12
    Doug Anderson
    Guest

    Re: iPhone as GoPhone?

    "Elmo P. Shagnasty" <[email protected]> writes:

    > In article <[email protected]>,
    > Doug Anderson <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    > > Or just walk into an AT&T store. They'll give you a SIM card (at
    > > least they will if you put $100 worth of minutes on (that's 1000
    > > minutes).

    >
    > But will they give you the RIGHT SIM card?
    >
    > The iPhone SIM is smaller than a standard SIM...


    For the iPhone 4, you are right. For early iPhones, it is a standard
    SIM.

    Of course, if you are brave, you can take a normal SIM card and simply
    cut it down!

    http://www.techradar.com/news/comput...cro-sim-681020



  13. #13
    John Young
    Guest

    Re: iPhone as GoPhone?

    In article <[email protected]>,
    Doug Anderson <[email protected]> wrote:

    > "Elmo P. Shagnasty" <[email protected]> writes:
    >
    > > In article <[email protected]>,
    > > Doug Anderson <[email protected]> wrote:
    > >
    > > > Or just walk into an AT&T store. They'll give you a SIM card (at
    > > > least they will if you put $100 worth of minutes on (that's 1000
    > > > minutes).

    > >
    > > But will they give you the RIGHT SIM card?
    > >
    > > The iPhone SIM is smaller than a standard SIM...

    >
    > For the iPhone 4, you are right. For early iPhones, it is a standard
    > SIM.
    >
    > Of course, if you are brave, you can take a normal SIM card and simply
    > cut it down!
    >
    > http://www.techradar.com/news/comput...wn-ipad-or-iph
    > one-4-micro-sim-681020


    And you can use the iPhone 4 sim in a 3Gs with an adapter.



  14. #14
    nospam
    Guest

    Re: iPhone as GoPhone?

    In article <[email protected]>, Doug Anderson
    <[email protected]> wrote:

    > > > You might want to not tell them you are using this on an iPhone. You
    > > > won't need to unlock your iPhone for an AT&T prepaid SIM to work.

    > >
    > > you *definitely* don't, since iphone on gophone is not supported.

    >
    > By "not supported" you mean that AT&T says that you aren't allowed to
    > use the iPhone as a prepaid phone. But as far as I can tell, they do
    > nothing to enforce that on phones that are no longer under contract.


    they don't seem to actively block it, but if you need to call at&t for
    anything (or visit a store) they will see what device you are using.

    you also have to use a custom apn since the default one won't work but
    that's minor.



  15. #15
    nospam
    Guest

    Re: iPhone as GoPhone?

    In article <[email protected]>, John
    Doe <[email protected]> wrote:

    > > Doesn't AT&T still randomly audit their network for iPhones and
    > > shut off those without "proper" monthly plans? (After
    > > "warnings" via text message...)

    >
    > Did they ever? Why would they care after your two year contract
    > was over? How did they tell that the detected iPhone wasn't a full
    > priced unlocked iPhone? Wouldn't that drive customers to other
    > networks?


    when your contract is over, you go month to month on whatever plan you
    were on.

    if you pop a sim from a dumbphone into an iphone (and probably android
    too), the system will notice and give you a complimentary upgrade to
    the smartphone plan with a data plan.

    with prepaid, iphones are not supported at all, however, other
    smartphones are.



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