4 iPhone with Prepaid ATT service
Jun 28, 2010, 3:08 pm
#16
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 39
The first challenge is getting the phone - you can't buy it without a new or existing contract.
Your best bet is to wait until it's released in Canada - it will be sold unlocked there from the Canadian Apple Store at prices very similar to the replacement cost price from the Apple Store here in the US.
Your best bet is to wait until it's released in Canada - it will be sold unlocked there from the Canadian Apple Store at prices very similar to the replacement cost price from the Apple Store here in the US.
Jun 28, 2010, 4:27 pm
#18
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 39
Jul 4, 2010, 10:02 pm
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Tri-State Area
Posts: 4,728
Update to my own query: visited AT&T store in Bethesda today. Was told i can use prepaid AT&T in any phone other than iPhone; once it get's pinged as prepaid, AT&T and/or Apple and/or both lock you.
Jul 4, 2010, 11:29 pm
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 11,439
http://www.amirnaor.com/?p=49
Jul 5, 2010, 3:49 am
#21
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 960
Jul 5, 2010, 2:55 pm
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Tri-State Area
Posts: 4,728
From the apple discussions forum: http://discussions.apple.com/thread....D=2493968...an emphatic 'no'
Jul 5, 2010, 3:47 pm
#23
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 960
From the apple discussions forum: http://discussions.apple.com/thread....D=2493968...an emphatic 'no'
http://discussions.apple.com/thread....readID=2493968
as for that thread, it sounds like someone is giving the party line. yes, it is not supported and there are no guarantees. it's possible at&t might block access. occasional use probably won't matter. excessive use might. visual voicemail will not work but nearly everything else will.
for voice and/or texting, you might consider a t-mobile prepaid sim which is less expensive to maintain than at&t, especially for occasional use (as little as $10/year). the main issue with t-mobile is that data is limited to 2g speeds, but if you are mainly going to use it for voice that won't matter much. the other issue is that the iphone must be unlocked, which may not be possible with all models & firmware versions at the moment.
Jul 9, 2010, 7:56 am
#24
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Tri-State Area
Posts: 4,728
Final update
Thanks for everyone's help and comments. Here's my final update
1. I bought a prepaid gophone package for a Samsung phone, cost $29.99 plus tax that included 15 minutes bonus airtime. What I did not know at the time of purchase is that when you activate the sim card that comes with the phone, it automatically is locked to that particular phone (imei lock) for 60 days. I actually inserted the card into an unlocked TMO brand pearl, and then discovered it wouldn't work when inserted into a second phone. So returned the darn package to Radio Shack.
2. A regular prepaid sim card costs $25 plus tax and then you still have to add talk time, a minimum of $25; so total investment is $50 plus tax. At a different ATT store, the sales guy said: 'yea, it'll work w/ the iPhone' but we don't support it.
3. When activating a restored iPhone, you cannot use a prepaid ATT sim account, it has to be a postpaid account.
Bottom line for me - waiting for Team Dev to come out with the hack for 4iOS.
1. I bought a prepaid gophone package for a Samsung phone, cost $29.99 plus tax that included 15 minutes bonus airtime. What I did not know at the time of purchase is that when you activate the sim card that comes with the phone, it automatically is locked to that particular phone (imei lock) for 60 days. I actually inserted the card into an unlocked TMO brand pearl, and then discovered it wouldn't work when inserted into a second phone. So returned the darn package to Radio Shack.
2. A regular prepaid sim card costs $25 plus tax and then you still have to add talk time, a minimum of $25; so total investment is $50 plus tax. At a different ATT store, the sales guy said: 'yea, it'll work w/ the iPhone' but we don't support it.
3. When activating a restored iPhone, you cannot use a prepaid ATT sim account, it has to be a postpaid account.
Bottom line for me - waiting for Team Dev to come out with the hack for 4iOS.