Will a T-Mobile SIM card work in my iPhone? They are both GSM/EDGE.

Will a T-Mobile SIM card work in my iPhone? They are both GSM/EDGE.

Out of the box, the GSM version of the Apple iPhone (up to the iPhone 4) and the iPhone 4S will only work on Apple approved GSM providers (i.e. AT&T).

T-Mobile SIM cards can be used in an iPhone that has been jailbroken and unlocked via third party software. There are a variety of commercial and non-commercial software options available which unlock the iPhone.

Though unlocking has become very common for users that do not want to be tied to a particular carrier or bound by a contract, users should understand that unlocking is performed 'at your own risk'.

For more info on jailbreaking, including HOWTOs, tips, articles about tweaks and jailbreak apps and more, visit our iPhone Jailbreaking section.

Newest iPhone FAQs

VIEW ALL FAQS

tags: 
Technical
Technical

Comments

Anonymous replied on

hello i would like to know if i take the sim card out my htc inspire 4g to put in iphone 3gs i will have the same data plan

Anonymous replied on

this is true my brother from another mother you can oull out sim card with a pin. ( :
tmobile and att are the only ones I think

Katelyn replied on

So, I have T-mobile right now. I don't wanna switch to Attt or Verizon, but I would like an iphone. Can I unlock it to work for the iphone? If so can you please explain to me the steps.

Jai Burdick replied on

LIsten everybody, ther are 2 types of iphones, GSM and CDMA, im not going into the differences between them but gsm WILL HOLD A SIM CARD but it has to be compatible with the phone, CDMA phones WILL NOT hold a sim card, if you wnt to find out more just google, difference between gsm ad cdma

Anonymous replied on

actually if you go on apple.com you can see that it does hold a sim card and it comes with a sim ejector

Anonymous replied on

At the time of the poster above, he would have been using the original iPhone. That version didn't come with a SIM slot opener thingy like the newer generations do. The SIM slot was sort of un-advertised in the original.

Anonymous replied on

yes actually I have a first generation iphone, ive had it since the first month they were produced. Every iphone has a sim card tray!

iphone freak replied on

yea you dont know crap of what you are talking about shut you mouth

Anonymous replied on

Actually this is not true. I was able to do this. You have to make the SIM card a proper fit. Apple confirming you is not a reliable source because obviously they are not going to tell you that it is possible...DUH!

Anonymous replied on

actually u can put a sim car in the iphone just not the 4g and u can use a papper clip to open them but if you are using any other carrier besides att u need to jailbrak it!! and i work at radioshack so i kno!

Anonymous replied on

the your apple insider also confirm you're an idiot. cuz he sure as hell told me i am for posting this 4 years later.

Matthew replied on

The top of the Iphone does have a sim card tray. ALL gsm phones must use a sim card and it must be user removable. The phone will be locked, but im sure in the near future, someone will develop the software to unlock it so you can use it on other gsm networks, such as tmobile.

Anonymous replied on

you said in the near futur hahaha, you need to search more, the first time I unloched my phone was 7 years ago.

Anonymous replied on

So you unlocked your iPhone four years before it was even invented? That's pretty amazing. Time travel much?

kpatters replied on

I worked my way backwards in order to get to my theory. For Apple the end result is to have a 3G compliant/capable phone. This could only mean that you would either need to get a new iPhone at the end of your two year contract when the standard changes or upgrade to the new standard. Why produce a phone with a technology that will soon be obsolete? As opposed to making one that uses current technologies(GSM, GPRS, EDGE), with future technologies dormant!(WCDMA, 3G)

Maybe the iPhone is a GSM/CDMA hybrid and has a virtual sim-card. This makes the most sense to me because of what I have red on many other websites about the inability for anyone to remove the 'sim-card' and the indication that the iPhone will have, in the near future, 3G capabilities. Some website and reviews of the iPhone claim that there is no 'sim-card'.

It is possible for the chip-set for the iPhone(which is not talked about - at all)to have the features for GSM, GPRS, EDGE and CDMA coexisting. If you pop over to QUALCOMM you could find out more about WCDMA technology and chipsets that make it possible for a device like the iPhone to not warrant a 'sim-card'. This would explain why it would make sense for Apple to use a WCDMA chipset(which would extend the iPhone's abilities to work with 3G technology)with dormant features, until they are ready to offer this service to their new iPhone consumer base, with only just the GSM, GPRS and EDGE available now.

From my non-technical understanding of CDMA, you don't need a 'sim-card' like with a GSM phone because the security features and storage capabilities rely on the handset and the network of the CDMA platform which does not need a third component like a 'sim-card' for sending or storing any data specific information that may or may not be needed by your handset or network for a call to be made or for data to be transfered.

So the question of whether there is or is not a 'sim-card' in the iPhone and whether you can remove it or not is still speculative but the fact that this is not talked about from Apple's side is interesting, given the future prospects of the iPhone.

check out:
http://www.cdmatech.com/products/multi_band.jsp
http://www.cdmatech.com/products/msm6275_chipset_solution.jsp

Anonymous replied on

You are pretty much a moron. You probably, like, believe in jesus and stuff. Dumb.

Anonymous replied on

No your a moron

Anonymous replied on

You are a fucking stupid prick, go and suck your dads cock. If i ever find you you piece of shit i will blow your fucking kneecaps off

Anonymous replied on

I Thougt this was about i-phones.........not about your nocturnal habits and deep south rituals..............!!

Anonymous replied on

YOU are an idiot. This is an information forum. Not for bashing.

Anonymous replied on

I feel sorry for creatures like you. It's very hot down where you wil be.

Anonymous2 replied on

once you die you'll see if jesus is real or not. :)

Anonymous replied on

WOW very interesting!!! GROW UP should u even have an iphone considering the both of you are immature idoits...........now back to what you were here for.

Anonymous replied on

People mature and inmature. Clearly it's easy to start threatening folks because It makes the inmature feel tough, an emotion not yet mastered. I am just trying to learn how to get a locked att iPhone to work on other networks without losing any of the ATT installed features like visual voice mail...

Sebi replied on

Man, you are stupid. If you even read anything, the iPhone has a pinhole at the top that opens the drawer for the SIM card. You have to look into stuff if you want the truth.

Anonymous replied on

if you notice, his post was in 2007 before the iphone came out you fucking idiot

John replied on

LMA0 UR THE iDi0T CUZ i G0T MY iPH0NE 0N END 0F MAY 2007 iDi0T RiGHT 0FF THE APPLE MARKET. S0 iPH0NE WAS 0UT MiGHT HAVE N0T BEEN 0UT WERE U LiVE BUT SURE THE F**K WAS WERE iM AT.

Anonymous replied on

L3RN 2 TYP
Because no one wants to try and read that..

iphone freak replied on

wow you are an idiot go catch a life

Anonymous replied on

Its simple. Bought an Iphone "unlocked" from Apple store.
Use Tmobile service : T-Mobile Value Plans for Individuals. 59.99
includes, Unlimited Talk, Text and Date with up to 2GB of high Speed data.

T-mobile sells and will put the smaller sim card that is compatable with your IPhone for you.
( you dont have to "cut" it yourself).

If you were previous TMobile customer or with a different carrier, you will have to pay $200 to move to this plan and maybe pay for a new Iphone if you dont already have one but will save you a lot of money in the long run the following year (s) to come.

Verrison, AT&T and Sprint are like $119 a month (I can't remember) eitherway 59.99 or see TMobiles Chart for other options 49.99 a month includes 500 whenever min, unlimeted, 2GB high speed etc....
is still a lot less.

Enjoy the savings!

Pages