How to use iPhone4 in the US

[mayerling]

Fellow PSers, please help.

FI has an iPhone4 which he recently purchased in the UK. Over here, you get your iPhone through a specific network and you can ask your network to unlock it for you so that if you pop any SIM in (UK or from abroad), you can still use your iPhone.

Now, FI is visiting the US soon for a couple of weeks and he'd like to get a US SIM so he can use his phone while he's over there. Are there any US networks that can give you a SIM (with data) to use with your iPhone?

Thanks.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

In the US, the iP4 (AT&T version) doesn't use a SIM...but it's supported by both Verizon and AT&T.

ETA: You may want to have your FI reach out to those carries and ask for the options he has...or research them online.

 

[chemgirl]

I'm sure you probably know this, but if he can't get a sim, make sure the phone is set to "data when roaming off" so he doesn't get huge charges.

 

[qtiekiki]

AT&T iPhone 4 DOES use a SIM (a micro SIM). I am not sure if you can get a prepaid micro SIM, but you can get a regular SIM and cut it into a micro SIM. DH cut my SIM from my iPhone 3GS into a micro SIM for his iPhone 4 when he got a new phone. Google "traveling to US iPhone 4"... I found some forum threads about this situation.

 

[mayerling]

I find it hard to believe that it doesn't use a SIM. In Europe, it uses a microSIM and presumably apple doesn't make a different model for the US market. OK, I'll google it. I was just hoping PSers might know something about this.

 

[qtiekiki]

I am pretty sure you won't be able to get a prepaid micro SIM because the US wireless carriers want people to have contracts for the iPhone. Your husband will most likely need to get a regular prepaid SIM and cut it.

 

[mayerling]

I am pretty sure you won't be able to get a prepaid micro SIM because the US wireless carriers want people to have contracts for the iPhone. Your husband will most likely need to get a regular prepaid SIM and cut it.

It's the same in the UK. You need to have a contract to get the iPhone, but after getting it you can ask the network to unlock it. You have to keep paying them until the end of your contract, but you can choose to get signal from a different carrier and you're able to use your phone in a different country. Anyway, it doesn't seem like this will work out...

 

[AprilBaby]

My Ip4 from ATT does have a SIM card and I can use it in Europe so there must be an agreement with the European carriers to use his here. Check with your carrier about the options to use his existing card and adding international calling. That's how mine work when I go to Europe.

 

[qtiekiki]

I am pretty sure you won't be able to get a prepaid micro SIM because the US wireless carriers want people to have contracts for the iPhone. Your husband will most likely need to get a regular prepaid SIM and cut it.

It's the same in the UK. You need to have a contract to get the iPhone, but after getting it you can ask the network to unlock it. You have to keep paying them until the end of your contract, but you can choose to get signal from a different carrier and you're able to use your phone in a different country. Anyway, it doesn't seem like this will work out...

Yeah... For years, AT&T was the exclusive carrier for iPhone, and they will not unlock it. Verizon, now, carries iPhone, but AT&T still will not unlock it. They require their customer to get the international plan to use the iPhone overseas.

 

[mayerling]

My Ip4 from ATT does have a SIM card and I can use it in Europe so there must be an agreement with the European carriers to use his here. Check with your carrier about the options to use his existing card and adding international calling. That's how mine work when I go to Europe.

That wouldn't work. We don't want to pay roaming charges. We just want to be able to switch SIMs when we're in the US.

 

[mayerling]

New idea: is it possible to bring over one of our older iphones, and just get a pay-as-you-go SIM for it? Preferably one with a data plan?

 

[Italiahaircolor]

I had NO idea that the iPhone used a SIM card. They didn't remove mine from the 3g when I upgraded. Interesting...

You could always buy a prepaid phone here in the US. Some of them have digital plans and are pretty cheap. Look into brands like Virgin and even the primary carries have pay-as-you-go options.

 

[mayerling]

I had NO idea that the iPhone used a SIM card. They didn't remove mine from the 3g when I upgraded. Interesting...

You could always buy a prepaid phone here in the US. Some of them have digital plans and are pretty cheap. Look into brands like Virgin and even the primary carries have pay-as-you-go options.

I guess the main thing is that we don't want to be bound to getting a new phone on the basis of where we happen to be in the world. I suppose I'm just surprised because this problem doesn't seem to exist in Europe.

 

[chemgirl]

I had NO idea that the iPhone used a SIM card. They didn't remove mine from the 3g when I upgraded. Interesting...

You could always buy a prepaid phone here in the US. Some of them have digital plans and are pretty cheap. Look into brands like Virgin and even the primary carries have pay-as-you-go options.

I guess the main thing is that we don't want to be bound to getting a new phone on the basis of where we happen to be in the world. I suppose I'm just surprised because this problem doesn't seem to exist in Europe.

We're in Canada and its harder to get a phone unlocked here. We actually both have UK phones for use when we travel because they were so cheap and allow for sim cards in different European countries. The rest of the world really needs to catch up!