[lotus000]

I have a Go phone Prepaid acct that I just opened up. I'm on the 3.00 per day unlimited plan. I activated the Go Phone account using the Nokia 2610 phone. The phone works 100% using the Nokia 2610.
I bought an 3G Iphone from ebay. The Iphone has firm 2.2.1 and modem 2.30 so I know the phone can NOT be unlocked. Now according to all that I have read I can just take the sim from the Go phone and insert it in the Iphone.

I used Itunes to restore the Iphone to factory settings. I get a screen that shows a usb cable pointing to an Itunes logo. Then it no sim card installed and it asks to insert a sim. I insert the Go phone sim and it says WAITING FOR ACTIVATION. Then it goes to the home screen but the waiting for activation stays on the screen. You can click dismiss and the note will go away. After that Im at my home screen and I see NO SERVICE. I look in General settings and see I have ATT carrier 3.1 and my IMEI and ICCI numbers are there. I know its reading the SIM card because it shows the ICCI number which is listed on the SIM itself.

How do I get it to show ATT service? BTW just to make sure the Iphone was not damaged I jail broke it and used a Geffey PLUS 2 Sim adapter and popped in a TMOBILE sim. I get TMOBILE service with no problems. I can make calls on TMOBILE.

[GenesisDH]

Did you get an initial $15 credit with activating the Nokia 2610? If so, them you're locked to using the nokia for the time being.

This site mentions this GoPhone IMEI--->ICID locking: GoPhone® $15 Airtime Offer | AT&T

Pardon the mispellings of then and ICCID... I can't edit posts with the iPhone version of this forum.

[lotus000]

Originally Posted by GenesisDH

Did you get an initial $15 credit with activating the Nokia 2610? If so, them you're locked to using the nokia for the time being.

This site mentions this GoPhone IMEI--->ICID locking: GoPhone® $15 Airtime Offer | AT&T

Pardon the mispellings of then and ICCID... I can't edit posts with the iPhone version of this forum.

Yes the only money on the acct is the 15.00 air time credit. So if I use up all the 15.00 credit then ADD more money to the account how do I get the SIM to marry the IPHONE instead of the Nokia 2610? Should I use the 15.00 until I have no money in the account then Pull the SIM and place it in the IPHONE. Will it re marry the Iphone at that time and show ATT service in the top left corner of the IPhone instead of NO SERVICE. Then I can dial 611 and add funds. Is this correct?

According to the ATT 15.00 OFFER it says this "For new GoPhone customers, once the device and SIM is activated SIM cannot be used with any other device for a set period of time."

Should I call the ATT Go Phone department and ask them to Un marry the ICCID from the 2610 and Marry it to the Iphone? Will they do that for me? Or will they say you cant use the Iphone with Go phone plans. If anyone has had experience with this please chime in. The bad part is I ported my number over from Sprint to the Go phone. So there is no turning back.
Thanks for any help with this.

I just called ATT and spoke to the Prepaid acct rep. They said normally the SIm is locked for 6 months. I told him I want to swap to the Iphone and never really wanted to have the Nokia on the account. He told me that is NOT a problem and asked me for the Iphone IMEI. I read it to him and he said it was not allowing him to add it. He transferred me to the ATT Iphone support and he told me that the Iphone 3G cant be on a Prepaid account. I told him to be honest with me and that I know people that are using it on a prepaid Go phone sim. So Im stuck now using the Nokia until I figure this out.

[GenesisDH]

AT&T CS won't let you change the IMEI listed to the 3G because it's not supported or allowed on GoPhone accounts: that's expected behavior/script.

You're probably gonna be stuck for a few months unless you do this:
Use the credit up, port out to a different prepaid carrier for a day or so (probably T-Mobile will do this), and port back in later with a new GoPhone SIM/account (from an AT&T Store, don't mention iPhone in this transaction, FYI). You won't get any initial credit on that SIM, but it won't be married to a particular phone.

After you get the SIM and put credit on it, if you aren't wanting a data package (or even have the phone use data), then you might contact CS to disable data before using the new SIM in your iPhone.

Hope this helps.

[lotus000]

Originally Posted by GenesisDH

AT&T CS won't let you change the IMEI listed to the 3G because it's not supported or allowed on GoPhone accounts: that's expected behavior/script.

You're probably gonna be stuck for a few months unless you do this:
Use the credit up, port out to a different prepaid carrier for a day or so (probably T-Mobile will do this), and port back in later with a new GoPhone SIM/account (from an AT&T Store, don't mention iPhone in this transaction, FYI). You won't get any initial credit on that SIM, but it won't be married to a particular phone.

After you get the SIM and put credit on it, if you aren't wanting a data package (or even have the phone use data), then you might contact CS to disable data before using the new SIM in your iPhone.

Hope this helps.

So what if I go to Walmart and buy another Go phone and put the NEW sim into the Iphone? During the Online Go phone activation it should ask me to enter the IMEI. I would just enter the Iphone IMEI and activate it. Would that work? It will have a new number and then later I will try to get ATT to move my number over to that SIM. Will the Iphone activate with the automatic 15.00 credit and leave me stuck again?
Thanks

[GenesisDH]

Originally Posted by lotus000

So what if I go to Walmart and buy another Go phone and put the NEW sim into the Iphone? During the Online Go phone activation it should ask me to enter the IMEI. I would just enter the Iphone IMEI and activate it. Would that work? It will have a new number and then later I will try to get ATT to move my number over to that SIM. Will the Iphone activate with the automatic 15.00 credit and leave me stuck again?
Thanks

It's possible you can't get the new account activated using the iPhone's IMEI (as it isn't allowed on GoPhone). And even if it does activate, you probably won't get the activation credit.

With the way that $15 activation credit promotion works, you won't get the $15 credit on the account without activating with (and for new GoPhone accounts, locking the SIM to) the bought phone. This seems to be true with current postpaid users (activating the phone to get a 150 minute credit on the current month's bill) or existing GoPhone users (to get a $15 credit) as well.

IMO, going to an AT&T store and having them make a new GoPhone account with funds is a better idea (and effectively cheaper too). Just wondering, is there a reason why you can't go to an AT&T store?

You could look into the number transfer idea you mentioned after you get a new GoPhone account, but I'd strongly suggest using the older GoPhone account's credit up before attempting this (AT&T might cancel the account during the number transfer). YMMV with this part.

[lotus000]

Originally Posted by GenesisDH

It's possible you can't get the new account activated using the iPhone's IMEI (as it isn't allowed on GoPhone). And even if it does activate, you probably won't get the activation credit.

With the way that $15 activation credit promotion works, you won't get the $15 credit on the account without activating with (and for new GoPhone accounts, locking the SIM to) the bought phone. This seems to be true with current postpaid users (activating the phone to get a 150 minute credit on the current month's bill) or existing GoPhone users (to get a $15 credit) as well.

IMO, going to an AT&T store and having them make a new GoPhone account with funds is a better idea (and effectively cheaper too). Just wondering, is there a reason why you can't go to an AT&T store?

You could look into the number transfer idea you mentioned after you get a new GoPhone account, but I'd strongly suggest using the older GoPhone account's credit up before attempting this (AT&T might cancel the account during the number transfer). YMMV with this part.

So I should go to an ATT store and ask them to setup a new Gophone acct. Will they just give me a SIM with a new number on it without making me buy another phone? IF so what do I do with that new SIM? Do I insert it into the IPHONE direct, or Insert it into my original Gophone Nokia 2610? Will the SIM already be active when they give it to me so it wont lock me to the Nokia 2610 again? I want to stay away from that 15.00 air time credit lock. I dont care about losing the 15.00 at this point.


I just want the steps that people have used to use the Iphone 3G and the Gophone SIM. ATT said they would have no problem adding an Iphone 2G to my Gophone acct. It is the 3G that is not supported.

[GenesisDH]

Yeah, you can simply go to an AT&T store and ask to start a GoPhone Pay As You Go account. Just tell them you don't have your phone with you, but it is an AT&T branded one. It's not neccessary to buy a phone from them.
They'll ring up a SIM, activate it, and ask if you want to put money/minutes on the account, you can do that if you want.

Since your current phone number is on another AT&T account they can't port it in, but they might (keyword) be able to get a number transfer done. As I said, YMMV.

Once you bought SIM and head out the door, you should be able to just put it into the iPhone without issue.

Hope this helps.

[lotus000]

Originally Posted by GenesisDH

Yeah, you can simply go to an AT&T store and ask to start a GoPhone Pay As You Go account. Just tell them you don't have your phone with you, but it is an AT&T branded one. It's not neccessary to buy a phone from them.
They'll ring up a SIM, activate it, and ask if you want to put money/minutes on the account, you can do that if you want.

Since your current phone number is on another AT&T account they can't port it in, but they might (keyword) be able to get a number transfer done. As I said, YMMV.

Once you bought SIM and head out the door, you should be able to just put it into the iPhone without issue.

Hope this helps.

I will tell them that I left my phone at home, but what if they ask me for the IMEI of the phone I want to use? Will I be in the same situation with them locking the IMEI to another phone? I cant tell them I have an iphone so Im just getting prepared as what to say.

[GenesisDH]

Originally Posted by lotus000

I will tell them that I left my phone at home, but what if they ask me for the IMEI of the phone I want to use? Will I be in the same situation with them locking the IMEI to another phone? I cant tell them I have an iphone so Im just getting prepared as what to say.

Most places I've gone to don't ask for an IMEI, but if they do, just ask them to use a store-model phone or a phone they use to check if a SIM is working.
If all else fails, if they state they can set it up with the 2G's IMEI, then I guess you could use that.

The only case the IMEI locking would occur is if you bought one of the phones that are part of the $15 credit promotion. You should be fine going otherwise.

[insanelygreat01]

I am in the exact situation as you. I bought the nokia 2610. acivated. got locked in. I did manage to go to ATT and luckily there servers were down so they gave me a new (free i might add) unactivated sim card. I called em up and they said they need an IMEI #. I dont care if I need to get a whole new account and # I just want this to work! I already have the one sim locked to the nokia. can i activate the new unactivated sim card using the IMEI # from the nokia or will that lock me in also? Im using a 2g iPhone btw too. PLEASE HELLP!!

[leletyM3]

Wow I guess my GOPhone SIM is locked for 6 month as I have the same problem