Can I use a pay-as-you-go sim card in an iPhone?

Disclaimer: I know next to nothing about how sim cards work or what unlocking actually means. :frown:

I have a Virgin Mobile pay-as-you-go sim card. As far as I understand, this sim card IS my phone number, which I have to keep when I head back to the UK later this year. I want to upgrade my phone from the cruddy black-white version I have now and I really want to get an iPhone. No idea if this is even possible though. Is it true that the iPhone in the UK only works on the O2 network? If I get an unlocked iPhone (is THAT possible?) then can I use my Virgin pay-as-you-go sim card?

As far as I understand, the iPhone is just an iTouch with the phone capabilities. Meaning, I hope, that the wifi capabilities would be open to whatever is available in the area, rather than a dedicated connection on the phone network. So can I use my sim card to cover the phone call/texting aspects of the iPhone and depend on local wifi for internet connection? Or is this just wishful thinking from a wannabe technophile... :rolleyes:

Thanks for any responses!

Reply 1

TommyWannabe

Well you're right that the iphone is exclusive to O2, and cannot be bought sim-free.

If you did buy an unlocked one, it would be an extortionate amount of money (talking £400-500).

Completely not worth it.

Reply 2

jcb309

Do you live in New York?
Well, if you do, here in Hong Kong we have "grey market" iPhones, they are unlocked and are sold 'unofficially' in stores, even though officially they are sim-locked.

Maybe go to Chinatown in NY they will probably sell unlocked iphones..., or there will probably be semi-legal places that you can unlock them. I got my nokia phone unlocked for about 50HKD...thats around 5 euros, and now I can use my UK O2 Pay-as-you-go card, my German sim card and my HK sim card..!

Reply 3

Marineio

The wifi capabilities of the iPhone are standard wifi. You can connect to any wifi network regardless of phone capabilities.

Reply 4

chris007as

you can jail break it or use a turbo sim
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-GEVEY-PLUS2-Turbo-Sim-Unlock-for-3G-iPhone-2-2-1-FW_W0QQitemZ110377979887QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPDA_Accessories?hash=item110377979887&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1690|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1309

Reply 5