Unlocked iPhone not accepting other SIM cards

[ipvfletch]

My friend bought an iPhone and found out today if he switches his current AT&T plan to the iPhone, it will require a new 2-year contract and he will have to pick one of the new plans.

The problem is, his current plan is apparently unlimited miniutes/data for $99 a month, and neither Cingular nor AT&T offer that anymore.

So he doesn't want to switch.

So he unlocked his iPhone using the hack posted on the web.

It worked great and all is well (even WiFi) except YouTube doesn't work! I guess the iPhone needs that unlock token sent to it during normal activation (which he didn't get because he hacked it).

Anyways, shouldn't the iPhone accept another SIM card? He just wants to take his existing AT&T SIM card and put it in his iPhone. It's not like he's trying to quite AT&T and go with Verizon!

The folks at the AT&T store said they can't help him do what he wants to do.. Kind of lame...

We even tried my iPhone's SIM card, and that didn't help - it just says "could not activate Edge".

Any ideas?!?

 

[jda182]

from what i understand the only sim that will work in the iPhone is the one that came in it

 

[ipvfletch]

Can you duplicate a SIM card then? Maybe say he lost it and needs a new one, with his cell number and his iPhone's IMEI #?

 

[ColsTiger]

Actually the sim card has to be activated with the IMEI for all the features to work. Your buddy won't be able to do that now after using DVD Jon's technique. It's probably relegated to being a widescreen ipod for the rest of its life.

 

[ColsTiger]

Can you duplicate a SIM card then? Maybe say he lost it and needs a new one, with his cell number and his iPhone's IMEI #?

Nope. It can't be done.

 

[ipvfletch]

Actually the sim card has to be activated with the IMEI for all the features to work. Your buddy won't be able to do that now after using DVD Jon's technique. It's probably relegated to being a widescreen ipod for the rest of its life.

Well, he already loaded the factory image and went back to unlocked state. Then we tried to activate it with my cell #, and realized it was about to sign me up for another contract and also unregister my iPhone (apparently, from what I'm reading on the net).


I find it hard to believe that if he lost his SIM card, there would be no way to get a replacement. I just don't know logistically how they would handle it, and they would probably realize the "lost SIM card" is already locked to another IMEI #, and then they might think we're trying to fraud them or something, so we probably will not go this route..

This just plain old sucks... In addition to all the crap I'm finding (http://forums.everythingicafe.com/threads/iphone-feature-ideas.3416/) with this darned phone, now my friend is getting the shaft on service.. WTF is AT&T doing. I guess they don't care if they piss off a few people here and there - they already got their money..

Well, my friend will get the last laugh when he returns his iPhone and gets his $650 back...

 

[ColsTiger]

Well, he already loaded the factory image and went back to unlocked state. Then we tried to activate it with my cell #, and realized it was about to sign me up for another contract and also unregister my iPhone (apparently, from what I'm reading on the net).


I find it hard to believe that if he lost his SIM card, there would be no way to get a replacement. I just don't know logistically how they would handle it, and they would probably realize the "lost SIM card" is already locked to another IMEI #, and then they might think we're trying to fraud them or something, so we probably will not go this route..

This just plain old sucks... In addition to all the crap I'm finding (http://forums.everythingicafe.com/threads/iphone-feature-ideas.3416/) with this darned phone, now my friend is getting the shaft on service.. WTF is AT&T doing. I guess they don't care if they piss off a few people here and there - they already got their money..

Well, my friend will get the last laugh when he returns his iPhone and gets his $650 back...

He won't get $650 back if the phone's been opened.

You can always use a new sim card on your iPhone, but you have to completely activate it again. If you're activating it with a phone number that has the iPhone plan already on the books, then it's no problem.

 

[vansouza]

ok people one more time...

Well, he already loaded the factory image and went back to unlocked state. Then we tried to activate it with my cell #, and realized it was about to sign me up for another contract and also unregister my iPhone (apparently, from what I'm reading on the net).


I find it hard to believe that if he lost his SIM card, there would be no way to get a replacement. I just don't know logistically how they would handle it, and they would probably realize the "lost SIM card" is already locked to another IMEI #, and then they might think we're trying to fraud them or something, so we probably will not go this route..

This just plain old sucks... In addition to all the crap I'm finding (http://forums.everythingicafe.com/threads/iphone-feature-ideas.3416/) with this darned phone, now my friend is getting the shaft on service.. WTF is AT&T doing. I guess they don't care if they piss off a few people here and there - they already got their money..

Well, my friend will get the last laugh when he returns his iPhone and gets his $650 back...

Read the contract, even the highlights, and know what you are getting into before you buy.

 

[ipvfletch]

It's my friend, not me. I'm happy with my 900 mins plan, and I don't blame him for being selfish about wanting to keep his EOL'd unlimited plan as long as he can. He said he talked to the AT&T rep today and he's already used 4500 minutes this month! (he's ALWAYS on the phone, so I do believe it).

I thought if he returned his iPhone within a couple of days, he got his money back, no?

 

[vansouza]

2 for 2

It's my friend, not me. I'm happy with my 900 mins plan, and I don't blame him for being selfish about wanting to keep his EOL'd unlimited plan as long as he can. He said he talked to the AT&T rep today and he's already used 4500 minutes this month! (he's ALWAYS on the phone, so I do believe it).

I thought if he returned his iPhone within a couple of days, he got his money back, no?

Perhaps then he should keep both plans... and have the best of both worlds; down the road ATT might change their minds... but do not count on it.