T-Mobile prepaid SIM

[Europa]

I'm going to get a prepaid SIM to use on my unlocked 3G. I want to port my Sprint # to T-Mobile, can that be done for a Prepaid T-Mobile account? I do not want to get a data plan on T-Mobile and I actually want to completly disable data since I already have a data plan with AT&T on my 3GS. Can data be disabled on T-Mobile when you're using an iPhone? It's probably not included with the prepaid SIM accounts, so the phone wouldn't try to check for email and such (and incur huge charges since I would have no data plan) when I'm off WiFi, right?

[posborn49341]

I don't know if things have changed but about a year and a half ago I had a T-Mobile pre-paid card and data wasn't a problem (in that you don't have it, so it doesn't work, and you don't get charged). I could be wrong but I asked back then about porting a number to a pre-paid and they said it couldn't be done (something about the number being attached to the card already or something).

[Europa]

Just got a prepaid T-Mobile SIM for for my 3G. Got 30 minutes for $10 (they have 1000 for $100). Gonna test it out and if the service is good, get another SIM and port my Sprint # (during the activation it asked if I wanted to get a new # or port one from another carrier) and get some more minutes. Good way to put the old 3G to use as a back up phone. I'll save a lot money by doing this and canceling the Sprint account since I hardly ever use it and most of the minutes are just going to waste. No data on the T-Mobile prepaid plan.

[posborn49341]

Great, thanks for posting the info as I have a 2G that I was thinking about unlocking and using in the same way. You may already know this but the plus (besides the cheaper per minutes price) about spending over a $100 is that the minutes are good for one full year rather than expiring after 30 or 60 days.

[Europa]

Well, the service seems fine, but the battery is draining fast (would prob go from 100% to 0 in less than 24 hrs in standby with no usage). I haven't used many minutes on it, but every time I look at it, the T-Mobile logo is active. I did notice it drop service and quickly reconnect once. I'm not sure if it's draining fast because the T-Mobile service isn't good (the map shows strong service in my area) or if it's due to a 3.0 jailbreak or unlock issue.

BTW, the signal strength is almost always 5 bars.

I'm testing it with WiFi off and location services off right now.

Anyone else having a similar problem?

[azedi]

Hi Europa,

I have an iphone 2g and was thinking...should I get the at&t or t-mobile prepaid.
But I recently heard at&t prepaid would be canceled for the iphone.
So I got a few questions about the t-mobile sim card.

1. Would I be charged data if im not on wifi, or would it just not connect.
Because I am mostly going to check email and such over wifi and dont want data!

2.Which plan should I get? I heard that there is also a sidekick plan too.

Thanks in advance

[styfle]

What about the reverse of that? Could you use prepaid on ATT/Tmobile and pay per month for unlimited data?

[Europa]

Hi Europa,

I have an iphone 2g and was thinking...should I get the at&t or t-mobile prepaid.
But I recently heard at&t prepaid would be canceled for the iphone.
So I got a few questions about the t-mobile sim card.

1. Would I be charged data if im not on wifi, or would it just not connect.
Because I am mostly going to check email and such over wifi and dont want data!

2.Which plan should I get? I heard that there is also a sidekick plan too.

Thanks in advance

It won't work with a prepaid AT&T SIM (you'll just get a "No Service" reading if you put a prepaid AT&T SIM into an iPhone running 3.0), you'll have to use T-Mobile or a local GSM carrier. You will not be charged for data because there is no data included in the prepaid SIM's. When you are off of WiFi, you will have phone service, but no data. If you plan on using a lot of minutes, go with the sidekick plan, it's a dollar a day. If you plan on not using a lot of minutes, go with the prepaid minutes plan, the cards range from $10 for 30 minutes to $100 for 1000 minutes.

[azedi]

@Styfle I am pretty sure there's is no more unlimited data on at&t because they are losing a lot of money from that. But I am not sure about t-mobile

@Europa Thanks! Just wondering, Do I have to buy a prepaid sim card with a phone included or do i just buy the sim? Because I am new to t-mobile

[Europa]

@Europa Thanks! Just wondering, Do I have to buy a prepaid sim card with a phone included or do i just buy the sim? Because I am new to t-mobile

Either way will work. It just depends if you have a retail T-Mobile Store where you live. AFAIK, you can only purchase the the stand alone SIM's at a retail T-Mobile Store. They cost $10 in Vegas and you have to activate them in the store. The phones only cost $20 at Walmart. I just took out the SIM card and put it in my iPhone and just threw away the phone, the battery, the charger, and the headset because I had no use for that stuff.