Just got Galaxy S3. Sim card? - Galaxy S III Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I just got an unlocked international version of Galaxy S3, and I need some help please!!
So, this is my first time using a smart phone, so I don't know what to do AT ALL.. I just got the phone today, and
I went to Walmart to get Straight-Talk($45 unlimited data) but I realized that I need a sim card first??
(Not sure what voodoo thing is either..Sim Free?? Explain please )
When I called Straight-talk to ask things about sim card, they kept asking me what my service provider used to be even thought I kept saying that
I didn't have any because it was an international version. So, now I don't know what to do. Should I get a sim card and then use straight talk to text/call/etc? or can I go without a sim card??
Also, can I use at&t unlimited data($50) without contracts? which sounds better than straight talk.. Need help!! Thank you so much!!

The sim card allows your phone to connect to the network. You NEED one. Call straight talk or go to the website and order one.
You would be able to use AT&T prepaid but if they find out you are using a smartphone they will disable your data.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Related

[Q] Vibrant unlock help.

Hi, I'm new to the forums and new to unlocking phones. But I wanted to unlock my vibrant, I have my unlock and unfreeze codes but when I put a different sim card in it just tells me to call customer care and gives me no option to put in an unlock code. Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong?
Different sim card have to be from different service provider like at&t.
This is first time I hear that unlocking option won't appear after installing different sim card !
I tried using a net 10 trac fone sim card, since I read from other people on here they said it would work. but when i put it in and start the phone i can use my phone but when I go to the call screen it says "sim card crash - Please contact customer service". So Im gonna try an at&t card(with data plan) from my friend hopefully it works. Also I have another question like I said Im new to this stuff. If I still use my tmobile sim card can I still connect to at&t's internet/data?
I would think that to access AT&T's network services, you would need to have the AT&T sim installed in the phone.
You have to put different sim card other than T-Mobile to get unlock code screen !
The_wolf88 said:
You have to put different sim card other than T-Mobile to get unlock code screen !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dude WOLF, not to be rude but if you read I put a NET 10 TRAC Fone sim in, not a t-mobile.
anyways on a better note. I finally have it unlocked! I put in a friends boost mobile sim, Screen popped up and put the code in. sweet.
MoMo Galaxy s said:
Also I have another question like I said Im new to this stuff. If I still use my tmobile sim card can I still connect to at&t's internet/data?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope...you'd need to put in an AT&T SIM that's tied to an AT&T account with a data plan.

[Q] use an Atrix without a sim

I just purchased an Atrix 4g from amazon wireless and got it in today, the ATT rep i spoke to before the purchase said i did not require a sim card to use the phone but its only letting me do emergency calls? Is there any way to bybass this? or do i need to call ATT and unlock it?
Edit: Found an old post for using the phone without a sim card, seems to have worked for now, ill have to try rebooting it and seeing if it stays this way.
Also, should i call ATT and get it unlocked anyway?

3g plan with a 4g phone?

I originally bought a HTC HD2, which I rooted and also had to use the sim card it came with since my old one wouldnt work. Fast forward from than to today, and my friend sold me his tmobile samsung galaxy s2 I put in my hd2 sim into that and I can send/recieve phone calls and send and recieve text, and when I first entered my google account it downloaded all my contacts. I have a 3G data plan, is it true I have to update my plan to 4g to use the data on this phone? or is it my sim card isnt completely compatible and i need to get a new sim from tmobile in order to get data again.
Or can i just root my phone like i did with my hd2, than i would get data back?
I just want and answer from here first before I go to tmobile store, or go only to my account and do everything from there.
aidan1982 said:
I originally bought a HTC HD2, which I rooted and also had to use the sim card it came with since my old one wouldnt work. Fast forward from than to today, and my friend sold me his tmobile samsung galaxy s2 I put in my hd2 sim into that and I can send/recieve phone calls and send and recieve text, and when I first entered my google account it downloaded all my contacts. I have a 3G data plan, is it true I have to update my plan to 4g to use the data on this phone? or is it my sim card isnt completely compatible and i need to get a new sim from tmobile in order to get data again.
Or can i just root my phone like i did with my hd2, than i would get data back?
I just want and answer from here first before I go to tmobile store, or go only to my account and do everything from there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
T-mobile USA?
T-mobile USA's Galaxy S2 is a different device. This forum is for the GT-i9100. T-mobile USA's Galaxy S2 is the SGH-T989. The forum for that device is http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1329

[Q] Using the Galaxy Note without a data plan?

I just got an unlocked galaxy note that I want to use without a data plan so I tried transplanting my AT&T flip phone sim to the note but I get a message saying "sim not allowed mm#3". So of course I can't make any calls other than emergency. Does AT&T restrict smart phones to use only sims that have data plans? Do I need to root and use cyanogen to get this to work? Does anyone if that will even work?
Thanks
Hish
U sure it's unlocked? That message usually means it isn't...
Use the free unlock available, I used it without issue on my note. You'll should be able to use ANY Sim with an unlocked phone, regardless of data or no data.
The Amazon seller advertises it as unlocked. That's all I can say for sure. Does the unlock you refer to require root? Would you happen to have a link to the unlock?
Thanks for the help.
icenight89 said:
U sure it's unlocked? That message usually means it isn't...
Use the free unlock available, I used it without issue on my note. You'll should be able to use ANY Sim with an unlocked phone, regardless of data or no data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A little searching goes a long way sir. Googling "i717 Sim unlock xda" would have got you what you needed.
You don't need root, but you do need a custom recovery. Twrp is easily installed via Odin.
http://str8pt.blogspot.ca/2013/06/unlock-simfree-method-for-galaxy-note.html?m=1
Sure, you are right and normally I do search...everyone's run a stop sign at least once right?
Thanks for the help ice.
Hish
icenight89 said:
A little searching goes a long way sir. Googling "i717 Sim unlock xda" would have got you what you needed.
You don't need root, but you do need a custom recovery. Twrp is easily installed via Odin.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, at&t won't let you use any smart phone without a data plan. They will just add it to your bill.
But this phone won't connect to the network without an updated sim card.
You don't need root access or network unlock to run an at&t sim, you just need a sim made for a smartphone.
rangercaptain said:
Yes, at&t won't let you use any smart phone without a data plan. They will just add it to your bill.
But this phone won't connect to the network without an updated sim card.
You don't need root access or network unlock to run an at&t sim, you just need a sim made for a smartphone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm fairly certain you are incorrect. Its your sim card and you can put it in whatever phone you choose.
With that being said I am in Canada and on Rogers, so I can't very well confirm this. Maybe someone else can weigh in?
If an unlocked phone uses another carrier sim you get a screen to enter unlock code.
He is using an at&t sim so its going to connect to the voice/sms network automatically in an at&t branded phone if the sim is compatible.
That old flipphone sim won't work in a smartphone. The OP either needs to upgrade the sim or call at&t and have the sim reprovisioned (if they can).
---------- Post added at 12:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:29 PM ----------
And when the OP calls at&t they will tell him to use that phone he will have to buy a data plan.
rangercaptain said:
If an unlocked phone uses another carrier sim you get a screen to enter unlock code.
He is using an at&t sim so its going to connect to the voice/sms network automatically in an at&t branded phone if the sim is compatible.
That old flipphone sim won't work in a smartphone. The OP either needs to upgrade the sim or call at&t and have the sim reprovisioned (if they can).
---------- Post added at 12:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:29 PM ----------
And when the OP calls at&t they will tell him to use that phone he will have to buy a data plan.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes that's true, I'm not disagreeing with you here on the connectivity.
The later however is false. I know for a fact LTE capable smart phones are backwards compatible with "3g only Sims" aka his flipphone sim, so what you're saying is incorrect. I work with this kind of equipment on a daily basis at work.
The later is also false. All he needs to do is go to a corporate store and say he lost his old phone and sim with it, and needs a replacement. They'll provide a new one, and link it to his existing account and merely charge him a replacement fee.
I thought Canadians were polite . . . Amigo, you're just offering your opinion, but I just went through this with at&t for my sister-in-law. She had an old HTC flipphone and wanted my HTC smartphone with a great keyboard. We put her old sim in and got that error code. We went to an at&t corporate store, and they gave us a new sim and we left with a working phone. After a day of using it she got a text message saying a two gig data plan was required. When she didn't acknowledge that, they cut off the account.
The sim was free. Don't tell me I'm wrong when you don't really know what you're talking about.
I can sim swap between my work phone which is a flip phone and an iPhone 3GS both are on at&t without any issues so I'm not sure what you guys are having trouble with. I believe what the OP is asking for would require spoofing an IMEI of a flip phone aka dumb phone.
There should be some info on how to do that in the at&t Galaxy Tab forums.
Good luck
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda app-developers app
You can use an old flip phone sim card in the Note. I have an older Cingular 3G Sim card (now at 8yrs old or maybe older) that I have been using in my last few smartphones. Including the Note. Worked perfectly fine. And because my phone was Canadian I was able to add the MediaNet unlimited data plan for only $10 a month. Been using it that way for years without an issue. I have even tested it in AT&T branded smartphones briefly and never had any issues.
Edit: Searching the web, that error may mean there is an outage in your area. If you physically look at the Sim Card what color, words, and pic is on the card? Sim could be worn out also. But in the end ATT will not let you use that plan with this phone for long before charging you.
rangercaptain said:
I thought Canadians were polite . . . Amigo, you're just offering your opinion, but I just went through this with at&t for my sister-in-law. She had an old HTC flipphone and wanted my HTC smartphone with a great keyboard. We put her old sim in and got that error code. We went to an at&t corporate store, and they gave us a new sim and we left with a working phone. After a day of using it she got a text message saying a two gig data plan was required. When she didn't acknowledge that, they cut off the account.
The sim was free. Don't tell me I'm wrong when you don't really know what you're talking about.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The two posts following yours confirmed what I was originally saying sir, and quite frankly I do know what I'm talking about. I work ICT for a North American wide company and regularly travel to the states supporting events that require this kind of connectivity.
As for you're sister in law, she probably got that message because a background app was attempting to use data, and it wasn't disabled on the phone, thus the text. This I have also encountered.
Back on topic, I agree there may be a network outage in your area. But if all else fails a visit to the AT&T store can't hurt. Worst case scenario just sell the note on Craig list
Lol here in the US we dont have kijiji, but an alternate called craigslist. I do believe using the sim unlock method plus deactivating data might work. Try using the phone in another area to confirm ices theory of an outage.

[Q] Trying to use as a tracfone.

I called tracfone to activate a Verizon galaxy s4 I got from a friend who switched att and iphone 5. When tech support tried to activate it they said the phone was locked and I needed to have Verizon unlock the phone.
I cannot get a hold of my friend as he's on a business trip for a week. Is there a way to unlock this myself? or can I only have Verizon do this. And if I can do this myself, will I have quirky setup and need workarounds for use?
My galaxy has a verizon sim card and a 32gb data card. My phone model number is i545 if iirc.
Thanks for any advice.
-=Mark=
rmjohnson144 said:
I called tracfone to activate a Verizon galaxy s4 I got from a friend who switched att and iphone 5. When tech support tried to activate it they said the phone was locked and I needed to have Verizon unlock the phone.
I cannot get a hold of my friend as he's on a business trip for a week. Is there a way to unlock this myself? or can I only have Verizon do this. And if I can do this myself, will I have quirky setup and need workarounds for use?
My galaxy has a verizon sim card and a 32gb data card. My phone model number is i545 if iirc.
Thanks for any advice.
-=Mark=
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To help you get started with replies quicker I'll say that it is mostly dependant on which firmware you have and also if you have root.
those two factors will allow you to know if you can use any of the unlocking apps by chainVire if they are still around. someone will point it out to you I hope. On the go, can't show you myself. Best of everything in your efforts but read around. I'm sure someone has done it before. Welcome to XDA. I seen that was your 1st Post. Awesome!
That app is for unlocking the sim card. My track phone doesn't need a sim card.
Can I maybe just remove the sim card and have it work? Or do I need the sim card for the s4 to work at all?
Idk why they told you it is locked, all Verizon phones legally have to be carrier unlocked because of their deal with the FCC.
Translated from Calligraphy
Okay, I also remember they asking for an MEID off my S4 and this one only has an IMEI number.
Will this make it not compatible? I don't want to pay to unlock this thing if it won't work with Tracfone afterwards.

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