Using iphone 3g with pay as you go sim cards

[littleboy683]

Okay so I decided I want to keep my iphone after my contract is up but i dont want to sign on to att for another 2 years to renew my contract. So i want to know if i can buy a pay as you go sim card that just has calling and texting on it. Is this possible, i've heard of it working before. I know nothing about these pay as you go sim cards so if this is possible can someone explain to me how to do it and how much one of the sim cards costs for lets say, 400min and unlimited text NO data.

[GenesisDH]

If you're only planning to use about 400min/month and don't make any AT&T-AT&T calls, I'd suggest porting to T-Mobile. You can get 500min+unlimited text for about $40/month.

If you're wanting to stick with AT&T...
AT&T's GoPhone - PayAsYouGo options are as follows:
$.25/minute
$1/day (allows unlimited AT&T calls) with an additional $.10/min for non-at&t calls (There is an unlimited N&W option for $20/month)
$3/day or $60/30days* for unlimited calls

*$60/30days feature is for the .25/min plans.

So, 400min would equate to $100 on .25/min or $40+ on the $1/day plan (not including the daily charge). Depending on how many days you use your phone, it might be best doing the $60/30days unlimited talk&text or going on a Pick Your Plan (below) or T-Mobile (top of post) setup.

Texting costs .20/message, $5/200, $10/1000, and $20/unlimited (free if on the $60/30days plan)

The way you'd get a SIM for PAYG: go to an AT&T store and ask to start up a new GoPhone - Pay As You Go account. Have at least $25 to use as an initial balance fillup (they might try to charge you for the SIM otherwise), and don't tell them it's for an iPhone (advice: bring a different GSM phone for activation).

After you get the SIM activated and before you put in your iPhone, to be on the safe side contact AT&T Customer Service (1-800-901-9878 or 611) to have them block data on the account. That will give you less risk of using up your balance on random data charges (the iPhone loves to nickel and dime on the data connection).


There's also GoPhone - Pick Your Plan that could work too:
$29.99+tax 200min (.15/min deduct on calls)
$39.99+tax 300min (.1333/min) + 500 N&W + free M2M
$49.99+tax 400min (.125/min) + 3000 N&W + free M2M
$69.99+tax 650min (.108/min) + free N&W and M2M
Texing costs the same as PayAsYouGo

PYP requires a recurring credit/debit card or e-check payment. You must have the payment info (and pay for the first month of service) before activation completes.

The instructions to get PYP are similar to PAYG above, but the Customer Service Number you'd need to contact later is 1-866-499-7888.

[littleboy683]

wow that was amazing, basically exactly what i needed. So if i were to do the tmobile thing 500min and unlimited text, how would i go about doing this, step by step. And does this stuff only work for the iphone 3g or does it work for the 2g too.

and if i was going to stay on att and do the $60/30 days unlimited tlk and txt after i get the sim card and call customer service i just put it in my iphone, i dont need to jailbreak or unlock the iphone of anything like that?