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pkalaits's profile

Voyager

 • 

2 Messages

Wednesday, April 13th, 2011 11:25 AM

Closed

Gophone prepaid micro SIM options for iPhone 4?

Hello,

 

I have a European (factory unlocked) iPhone 4 (similar to those on AT&T although unlocked). I am coming next week to San Francisco, CA for a two weeks stay and I would like to use my iPhone 4 for voice and data (prefrably on a prepaid plan). So my questions are...

1. Can I go to an AT&T retail store and ask for a Gophone microSIM for iPhone 4? Do they give micro SIM cards for prepaid? Should I just ask for a normal SIM and use a microSIM cutter?

2. What is the cost of the SIM card? Do they give it for free if I add a certain amount of funds to my account?

3. If I use the $2 Unlimited Daily Talk and Text plan what is the the biggest data feature package that I can add in my account?

4. Is there an addon package thatn can reduce the international long distance rates to Europe (currently $0.49)?

 

Thanks

Pavlos

Accepted Solution

Official Solution

Master

 • 

5.9K Messages

13 years ago

 


@pkalaits wrote:

Hello,

 

I have a European (factory unlocked) iPhone 4 (similar to those on AT&T although unlocked). I am coming next week to San Francisco, CA for a two weeks stay and I would like to use my iPhone 4 for voice and data (prefrably on a prepaid plan). So my questions are...

1. Can I go to an AT&T retail store and ask for a Gophone microSIM for iPhone 4? Do they give micro SIM cards for prepaid? Should I just ask for a normal SIM and use a microSIM cutter?

 

You'll need to just obtain a regular sized SIM and use a SIM cutter.  iPhones are not supported by at&t for use with a prepaid account, so they aren't going to provide you with a microSIM with prepaid provisioning.  Additionally, prepaid data will likely not work on the iPhone 4; voice and SMS should - but the lack of data may change your plan for using it. 😉

 

2. What is the cost of the SIM card? Do they give it for free if I add a certain amount of funds to my account?

 

$25 - but yes, if you'll fund the account while you are in the store then a corporate at&t store should provide the SIM at no charge.

 

3. If I use the $2 Unlimited Daily Talk and Text plan what is the the biggest data feature package that I can add in my account?

 

at&t's largest prepaid data plan is 100 MB for $20 - you can add it as many times as you need to; but as said earlier, it's probably not going to function with an iPhone.  (Other smartphones can be used for prepaid service with data on at&t - it's only the iPhone that is not supported.)


4. Is there an addon package thatn can reduce the international long distance rates to Europe (currently $0.49)?

 

I don't believe there are any "add-on" packages available for at&t's prepaid service to reduce the international long distance rates.

 

Thanks

Pavlos


 

Accepted Solution

Official Solution

Teacher

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16 Messages

13 years ago

It worked fine that last time I was in the US a few months ago. I did "meddle" with it; first: getting my Australian carrier to unlock it so I could use an AT&T SIM, and second: enabling the data.

 

Once I even had some interaction with AT&T prepaid support, who complained at first but shut up when I pointed out that neither I nor the phone was ever contractually connected with AT&T, so as far as they were concerned my iPhone was just another GSM phone. Since the question I was asking then wasn't iPhone-related, I was able to get the issue resolved.

 

So, yes, I use my iPhone on AT&T prepaid. The reason I'm on the forum now is that I heard about the new prepaid data plan, researched it, and saw a question I could answer. I'll be back in the US in a few months, so I'll find out then if it still works, but I don't expect any problems.


@Wild Banchi wrote:
So are you actually using an iPhone on a prepaid GoPhone account? The last I heard was that they were no longer provisioned for prepaid use and had to be meddled with to work. I have wanted one since last year, but cannot get one because I'm on a prepaid GoPhone plan...

 


 

Teacher

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16 Messages

13 years ago

It looks like there may be a new data plan starting next week, so check the gophone website then. I doubt they'll have any special international packages, though.

 

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phone-plans/pyg-cell-phone-plans.jsp

 

I had an unlocked iPhone from Australia over a year ago. I walked into the AT&T store, told them I forgot the phone but needed a GSM prepaid SIM and they sold it to me, no problem. More than free, they actually gave me a bonus when I deposited money then, though that may have been a special at the time. You can probably do the same now, but I doubt they'll have prepaid microSIMs, so you'll likely need a cutter.

 

At the time I was able to find via Google ways to enable AT&T data. You needed programs to allow you to modify files on the iPhone, but it can be done. I don't remember the details, though.

Voyager

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2 Messages

13 years ago

Thanks guys for the promt reply!

 

@nospamboz: So you succesfully used data with your iphone when you were there or did you have connection problems?

Teacher

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16 Messages

13 years ago

Yes, I had 3G prepaid data working the whole time I was there, and each subsequent time since then. There was one time when I had to re-do the data enabling when I allowed iTunes to update the carrier settings, but I just searched again, found the info, and re-did it.

Master

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10.2K Messages

13 years ago


@nospamboz wrote:
Yes, I had 3G prepaid data working the whole time I was there, and each subsequent time since then. There was one time when I had to re-do the data enabling when I allowed iTunes to update the carrier settings, but I just searched again, found the info, and re-did it.

So are you actually using an iPhone on a prepaid GoPhone account? The last I heard was that they were no longer provisioned for prepaid use and had to be meddled with to work. I have wanted one since last year, but cannot get one because I'm on a prepaid GoPhone plan...

 

Master

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10.2K Messages

13 years ago

Hmm. That is very interesting. You're lucky you got the phone unlocked and Customer Service let you pass through. iPhones originally are not designed/intended for prepaid accounts. I shall learn from your success. 😉

Teacher

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16 Messages

13 years ago

According to this Australian forum thread, AT&T do sell microsims at their stores. Apparently whether they sell it to you is up to the whim of the salesperson, so if you can't buy it at one store, try another. Good luck.

 

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1296230&p=14

Contributor

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1 Message

13 years ago

So do I need special knowledge for it, or is it enough to buy a micro-sim with pre-paid data plans?

Master

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10.2K Messages

13 years ago

I see, I see. Thanks!

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