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Neo.cmg · Jul 11, 2007, 12:45 PM

I was wondering if any existing AT&T/Cingular Wireless customers had purchased an iPhone for themselves and attempted to replace the SIM card from their old phone in place of the one shipped with the iPhone.

I currently am an AT&T Wireless customer with a business account and 2-year contract expiring in Feb. '08. A generic smartphone unlimited data plan for $19.99 is an optional upgrade for my account listed in my account profile page, so I was simply wondering if anyone has had any success in pursuing this route (i.e. transferring an existing and activated AT&T/Cingular Wireless SIM card to a newly purchased iPhone and upgrading the voiceplan to include a generic/windows mobile smartphone data package). Obviously, the benefits to me would include avoiding activation and early termination fees as well as retaining my roll over minutes.

I remember someone earlier posted they were an AT&T business customer as well and tried transferring their service through the iTunes activation process, but ran into problems which they were going to follow-up on. However, I never learned what resolution came of that person's experience.

Any experiences that could be shared with regards to this issue, would be appreciated.

Thanks!

icruise · Jul 11, 2007, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by Neo.cmg

I was wondering if any existing AT&T/Cingular Wireless customers had purchased an iPhone for themselves and attempted to replace the SIM card from their old phone in place of the one shipped with the iPhone.

As far as I know, you have to use the SIM that the iPhone came with. You can take that card and use it in another device, but you can't do the opposite.

Obviously, the benefits to me would include avoiding activation and early termination fees as well as retaining my roll over minutes.

Are you saying that being a business customer makes your situation different from that of a normal AT&T customer? Because normally if you're an existing customer and you buy the iPhone you don't have to pay an activation fee or lose your rollover minutes.

Neo.cmg · Jul 11, 2007, 01:32 PM

Being an AT&T Wireless customer with a business account is pretty much the same as being a customer of another wireless carrier as far as I can tell. Currently, AT&T Wireless is not offering it's business customers iPhone service plans--they are consumer plans only. Though, both voice and unlimited data services exist to business customers at modestly discounted rates from the consumer plans. Thus, the ability to swap in my current SIM card in place of the one which ships with the iPhone would I think allow me a way around this hurdle.

I had a feeling, as you do, that being unable to do as I've proposed might be the case, but I really haven't heard of any first-hand experiences saying a person unsuccessfully tried doing this. It would be elightening to actually see an example of this, and perhaps what AT&T customer service did to handle such a situation for one of their business customers who purchased an iPhone.

David2213 · Jul 12, 2007, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by icruise

As far as I know, you have to use the SIM that the iPhone came with. You can take that card and use it in another device, but you can't do the opposite.

supposedly you can take your iphone to the apple store and they can switch a sim card out for you. ( i dont have an iphone, but my friend does and he went and had it done) They said that you can do it yourself by opening it up by pressing the little pinhole on the top (which i thought looked like a reset button). i would call the apple store first though and make sure before taking apart an iphone.

icruise · Jul 12, 2007, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by David2213

supposedly you can take your iphone to the apple store and they can switch a sim card out for you.

Can you clarify what you mean by that?

I know for sure that you can't just take a non-iPhone SIM card and use it in an iPhone, and I've even tried taking an activated iPhone SIM card and putting in another non-activated iPhone. It didn't work.

David2213 · Jul 12, 2007, 12:54 PM

The way i understood what my friend told me is that he had apple put the sim card from his blackberry pearl(AT&T) into his iphone. Maybe i misunderstood what he was telling me. I'll check with him and report back.

David2213 · Jul 12, 2007, 01:03 PM

Ok i just talked to him. I was wrong, he said that by popping off the back you can readjust the sim card that is in there if you are having problems with it. He didnt replace it with the one from his blackberry, he took out the iphone one and then put it back in because he was having some kind of problem with it. He did take it to apple though and they showed him how to do that.

Sorry for the confusion.

Neo.cmg · Jul 12, 2007, 03:59 PM

Yeah, I understand that the SIM card is user-accessible. I'm just curious if I initially activate the phone through iTunes, cancel that service plan, and then swap in another SIM card I have from an older, activated AT&T wireless account whether the iPhone will be just as functional...

icruise · Jul 12, 2007, 04:42 PM

Originally Posted by Neo.cmg

Yeah, I understand that the SIM card is user-accessible. I'm just curious if I initially activate the phone through iTunes, cancel that service plan, and then swap in another SIM card I have from an older, activated AT&T wireless account whether the iPhone will be just as functional...

I'm 99% that it won't. The iPhone is tied to the SIM, so it'll only work with that SIM (although the iPhone SIM will work with other devices).