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How to use iPhone4 in the US

mayerling

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
2,357
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

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Dec 16, 2007
Messages
5,184
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

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Sep 16, 2009
Messages
2,345
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

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 14, 2004
Messages
3,880
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

Ideal_Rock
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Mar 4, 2010
Messages
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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. :D
 

qtiekiki

Ideal_Rock
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Messages
3,880
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

Ideal_Rock
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Mar 4, 2010
Messages
2,357
qtiekiki|1300724006|2876531 said:
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

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
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13,234
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

Ideal_Rock
Joined
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Messages
3,880
mayerling|1300725088|2876543 said:
qtiekiki|1300724006|2876531 said:
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

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
2,357
AprilBaby|1300726184|2876556 said:
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

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
2,357
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

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Dec 16, 2007
Messages
5,184
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

Ideal_Rock
Joined
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Messages
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Italiahaircolor|1300731223|2876634 said:
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

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Sep 16, 2009
Messages
2,345
mayerling|1300732208|2876650 said:
Italiahaircolor|1300731223|2876634 said:
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!
 
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