transfer iphone to prepay
- Thread starter rbattreal
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C
chas_m
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No. Even if you UNLOCKED the iPhone (different than jailbreaking), any new sim card you put in the iPhone will change its phone number.
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I'm unaware of the US way it works but that's not true in the UK.
If you buy an unlocked iPhone here you can put any existing sim in and use it and the number that's on the sim.
Obviously an iPhone4 or 4s needs a micro-sim but you can get a mini-sim cut down or have your number transferred onto a new micro-sim.
Either way you can do what you asked yes.
But I agree with Chas in that it has to be unlocked (sim-free) and jailbreaking doesn't make a difference either way.
If you buy an unlocked iPhone here you can put any existing sim in and use it and the number that's on the sim.
Obviously an iPhone4 or 4s needs a micro-sim but you can get a mini-sim cut down or have your number transferred onto a new micro-sim.
Either way you can do what you asked yes.
But I agree with Chas in that it has to be unlocked (sim-free) and jailbreaking doesn't make a difference either way.
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chas_m
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I had a feeling I should have clarified my answer. 
Mrplow is basically right, but the portion he missed is that after you buy an iPhone you will need to get a sim card from somewhere. I could be wrong, but I think the phone HAS to be activated BEFORE you can jailbreak and then unlock it, thus you will have to get micro-sim card A before you can do all that and THEN you can put in micro-sim card B (your Virgin one).
Take note that the iPhone 4 and 4S use MICRO-sims, not regular ones. As Mrplow said, you might be able to cut down a regular one, but the usual caveats about that apply. I'm assuming your Virgin pre-paid sim is a regular one.
It IS possible that you could buy an unlocked iPhone directly from Apple, then contact Virgin and arrange to get a micro-sim that has your "old" number on it. That would solve the problem as well.
Mrplow is basically right, but the portion he missed is that after you buy an iPhone you will need to get a sim card from somewhere. I could be wrong, but I think the phone HAS to be activated BEFORE you can jailbreak and then unlock it, thus you will have to get micro-sim card A before you can do all that and THEN you can put in micro-sim card B (your Virgin one).
Take note that the iPhone 4 and 4S use MICRO-sims, not regular ones. As Mrplow said, you might be able to cut down a regular one, but the usual caveats about that apply. I'm assuming your Virgin pre-paid sim is a regular one.
It IS possible that you could buy an unlocked iPhone directly from Apple, then contact Virgin and arrange to get a micro-sim that has your "old" number on it. That would solve the problem as well.
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I agree with the above members comments. I actually bought a pay as you go iPhone in UK from Orange, for example. They allow you to hold it for 3 months and then they will provide break codes from apple to allow you to factory unlock it.
Downside is slightly higher call prices for 3 months
Upside, the phone cost 100 pounds cheaper and it eventually is factory unlocked.
J
Downside is slightly higher call prices for 3 months
Upside, the phone cost 100 pounds cheaper and it eventually is factory unlocked.
J
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