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iPhone 4 [How To] Use Straight Talk prepaid with iPhone 4 (and probably 4S)

Discussion in 'iPhone' started by nitsua93, Nov 25, 2011.

Page 21 of 27

nitsua93 Active Member

Member Since:

Jun 5, 2009

Message Count:

969

Device:

iPhone 4 (Black)

LoneRanger068 said: ↑

Found this site very helpful over the last few weeks...thought I'd add a few things I learned during my own transition...

1. I contacted ST customer service via email to ask if I could "test" the new SIM/service with their assigned phone number BEFORE porting over my real number from ATT. They confirmed I could port over any number at any time with no expense to me.
2. When my SIM package arrived, I activated it up with a carrier assigned phone number. Did the APN settings update via the link you provided and VOILA, service worked great. Tested it for a day then called ST CS to port over my number.
3. The ST phone CS said they could NOT port over a number to a SIM card that was already activated. I referred them to the ticket number of their email where they said they could. He checked with a supervisor and came back to say they could "try" but it probably wouldn't work, they'd have to send a new SIM card.
4. We tried porting over, but he was right, it wouldn't work with the "used" SIM card. He ordered a new SIM card to be fed exed to me (at no charge).

Lesson Learned: don't believe their CS when they said you can port your number over later - it's much easier to do it right at the beginning!

So the new SIM arrived, installed it and called to have my existing number ported over. Took less than 1 hour for my ATT number to be disconnected from ATT and ported over to ST. (I was worried about the "up to 2 days" warning, but it was VERY quick and easy!).

CUSTOMER SERVICE
I called to ask for credit for the week between the time I activated my 30 day plan and the time it took for them to send a replacement SIM card. Expiration date extended a week, no problems or questions. Nice!

ROAM vs HOME
I noticed that my phone said ROAM on it for carrier name. I contacted ST again and they assured me that I wasn't roaming, that no matter what it said, as long as I had service, I wasn't being charged anything different, it was all included... still weird tho...

MICROCELL
So then I tried to get my Microcell working. That's when I accidentally discovered that "ROAM" actually means "M-CELL" and that "HOME" means regular ATT network.... my MicroCell DOES work just fine with ST, it just shows up as ROAM. I'm not sure much longer it will work since it's associated with my old ATT account (which no longer exists).

In anticipation of this issue, I tried to have a friend register the MicroCell under his ATT account - but he couldn't because it was still associated with my ATT account (which I couldn't login to since I ported my number away and was no longer a ATT customer!). After 30 minutes with ATT CS, even with the Serial Number of the Microcell, my old phone number and my complete SSN, they still couldn't find my old account that the Microcell was associated with (even tho I only left them yesterday!) and finally she said she had no idea how to access the MicroCell to "release" it - and gave me another ATT technical support number to call.... BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW IT'S STILL WORKING (under my old "dead" account). I just can't administer it or add another number to it, but I'm going to keep using it as long as it works!

Lesson Learned: If you have a MicroCell, deactivate it BEFORE porting your number over, because once you leave ATT they lock you out of your account that you need to administer the MicroCell!

VOICE MAIL
I wasn't sure if saved Voice Mails would transfer over with my ported number, so I recorded them via speaker phone to my computer. Ends up my saved voice mails DID port over to ST! Very cool.

Set up YouMail to replace my visual voicemail - I had used it back in 2009 back when I was on a Treo and so it was fairly easy to get that back up and running.

SPEEDTEST APP
When using ST, for some odd reason my iphone speedtest app shows a "0" download speed - even tho I'm connected just fine to the Internet. The app worked fine with ATT service, and works fine on WiFi and even does a ping test when on ST, it's just the download speed test that doesn't work. Did some research that indicated that the speedtest app wouldn't work with ST, yet I saw screenshots on this string showing that it DID work for some people. But for sure the speedtest app does NOT work for me... found some other non-flash sites to test speed... pretty comparable to previous ATT speed, so I'm very happy!

I don't care about MMS, so I haven't jailbroken yet... but I'm sure I will if I want to play with tethering (mainly for my iPad).

Hope the above narration helps someone else save a few headaches - and thanks again for this string - it was very helpful before and during my transition.

--Matthew

Great to know everything works for you! Have you tried using the Speedtest app when you're not on your Microcell?

nitsua93, Apr 21, 2012

#201

cjbird likes this.
InfinitiProject Active Member

Member Since:

Sep 23, 2010

Message Count:

725

Device:

Samsung Galaxy S3

Well, today was the day where I would get off of AT&T and on to Straight Talk. I go to two different WalMarts and neither have SIM card packages, only phone packages and refill cards.

Is online the only way you can get a SIM card? I don't care if I have to cut it, I just want the service and try to avoid buying a phone package just for it.

EDIT: I went ahead and ordered the unlimited plan and SIM due to free overnight shipping. Hopefully I'm home by the time FedEx comes around Tuesday.

InfinitiProject, Apr 22, 2012

#202
LoneRanger068 New Member

Member Since:

Apr 21, 2012

Message Count:

3

Device:

iPhone 4 (Black)

Great thought... just unplugged microcell, turned off wi-fi and retested: speedtest.net app still shows a zero download speed along with a 249 ping and .78 Mbps upload.

nitsua93 said: ↑

Great to know everything works for you! Have you tried using the Speedtest app when you're not on your Microcell?

LoneRanger068, Apr 22, 2012

#203
nitsua93 Active Member

Member Since:

Jun 5, 2009

Message Count:

969

Device:

iPhone 4 (Black)

LoneRanger068 said: ↑

Great thought... just unplugged microcell, turned off wi-fi and retested: speedtest.net app still shows a zero download speed along with a 249 ping and .78 Mbps upload.

That's strange. Maybe you could try when you believe you're connected to another tower.

nitsua93, Apr 22, 2012

#204
LoneRanger068 New Member

Member Since:

Apr 21, 2012

Message Count:

3

Device:

iPhone 4 (Black)

Good call. Works fine on another tower... Also did a side-by-side comparison with my friend's iPhone (he's still on AT&T)... Over 3 tests I got better ping and we had relatively equal dl speeds...

LoneRanger068, Apr 22, 2012

#205

nitsua93 likes this.
nitsua93 Active Member

Member Since:

Jun 5, 2009

Message Count:

969

Device:

iPhone 4 (Black)

LoneRanger068 said: ↑

Good call. Works fine on another tower... Also did a side-by-side comparison with my friend's iPhone (he's still on AT&T)... Over 3 tests I got better ping and we had relatively equal dl speeds...

That's awesome! Someone in thread showed an iPhone 4S getting 9 mbps download speed!

nitsua93, Apr 22, 2012

#206
Devil_slayer Member

Member Since:

May 16, 2010

Message Count:

79

Device:

iPhone 5 (Black)

Does the sim works in canada?

Devil_slayer, Apr 22, 2012

#207
InfinitiProject Active Member

Member Since:

Sep 23, 2010

Message Count:

725

Device:

Samsung Galaxy S3

Devil_slayer said: ↑

Does the sim works in canada?

Nope.
http://www.straighttalk.com/Coverage

InfinitiProject, Apr 23, 2012

#208
InfinitiProject Active Member

Member Since:

Sep 23, 2010

Message Count:

725

Device:

Samsung Galaxy S3

Just came home from picking up my package at FedEx, got my number ported in less than 5 minutes, and went straight to the speed test.

All I have to say is: HELL YES! I love the speed!

Now... to get that HOME text off on iOS 5.x.x... anyone figure that out yet? iBackupbot method doesn't work anymore.

Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk

InfinitiProject, Apr 25, 2012

#209
Nahum365 Well-Known Member

Member Since:

Jul 16, 2011

Message Count:

1,605

Device:

iPhone 5 (White)

InfinitiProject said: ↑

Just came home from picking up my package at FedEx, got my number ported in less than 5 minutes, and went straight to the speed test.

All I have to say is: HELL YES! I love the speed! [picture]

Now... to get that HOME text off on iOS 5.x.x... anyone figure that out yet? iBackupbot method doesn't work anymore.

Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk

That's faster then my iPhone on AT&T!

EDIT: Wait you have HSPA+. That makes sense.

Nahum365, Apr 25, 2012

#210

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