Confused about sim card for new phone

jimmysuggs

Well-known member
Nov 15, 2009
63
1
0
Visit site
So I got my 4S and I'm trying to get the actual phone part working. I figured I'd just remove the sim card from my 3GS and put it into the 4S, but now I see that the sim card from the 3GS doesn't fit in the 4S. So this leaves me with the question of how I get my existing number onto the 4S? Until i can do that, I can't make calls. Is there some way to tell the 4S that I'm already a customer? Or do I need to take the phone (and the old phone) into the apple store? Or something else? I'm really new at this and a little confused.

Help?
 

noaim

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2010
1,564
84
48
Visit site
So I got my 4S and I'm trying to get the actual phone part working. I figured I'd just remove the sim card from my 3GS and put it into the 4S, but now I see that the sim card from the 3GS doesn't fit in the 4S. So this leaves me with the question of how I get my existing number onto the 4S? Until i can do that, I can't make calls. Is there some way to tell the 4S that I'm already a customer? Or do I need to take the phone (and the old phone) into the apple store? Or something else? I'm really new at this and a little confused.

Help?

you can activate the new phone by plugging into itunes or calling your carrier..
 

jimmysuggs

Well-known member
Nov 15, 2009
63
1
0
Visit site
Well that's another question, because I thought I did activate my phone. But I guess if I had, I'd be able to actually use my phone as a phone? I went through the process that popped up when I first started the phone up but I guess I did something wrong. Itunes doesn't seem to offer a method of activating the phone. I keep reading online that I'm supposed to "follow the instructions itunes," but I can't see any instructions. Nothing pops up when I plug my phone in. Can anyone tell me how I'd go about activating my phone in itunes? Or just the phone itself?
 

noaim

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2010
1,564
84
48
Visit site
Well that's another question, because I thought I did activate my phone. But I guess if I had, I'd be able to actually use my phone as a phone? I went through the process that popped up when I first started the phone up but I guess I did something wrong. Itunes doesn't seem to offer a method of activating the phone. I keep reading online that I'm supposed to "follow the instructions itunes," but I can't see any instructions. Nothing pops up when I plug my phone in. Can anyone tell me how I'd go about activating my phone in itunes? Or just the phone itself?

its supposed to come up when you first plug it in the first time. You went the untethered route which is now available.. if you still cant make calls you may have to contact your carrier

keep in mind at&t servers were slammed today if your on at&t it might take a while to get activated.
 

jimmysuggs

Well-known member
Nov 15, 2009
63
1
0
Visit site
I went through whatever process you go through when you first turn on the phone, but I didn't realize that was the activation process. In any case I didn't have any problems, though I also didn't get a "you're activated" message. Nor did I get an 'activation failed" message. It basically just chose settings and picked a wireless access point and what not. I did tell the phone not to bother with icloud, I wonder if that screwed me up somehow?

In any case, does anyone know how to try the activation process in itunes? I'd happily give it another shot, but I can't figure out how to do it. Every site just says "plug in your phone and activate through itunes." I'd love to- but how?

Also I should probably note that I restored my 4S from a backup of my 3GS before I activated (I think). Could this have screwed me up somehow? Should I just start over entirely and restore my phone as totally new (and hope for the best)?
 
Last edited:

SnapThrow

Well-known member
Jul 1, 2009
734
18
18
Visit site
Is the 4S an upgrade from the 3GS? If so when you activate it will grab your number and after you restore from an iTunes (or iCloud) backup you're done. If the 4S is attached to another number you will have to activate it first then contact your carrier to move the number. Start with a phone call but you may have to go to a store to get a new SIM.

I'm not sure about your iTunes problem... but you can always start over as long as you have a good backup to restore to.
 

jimmysuggs

Well-known member
Nov 15, 2009
63
1
0
Visit site
It is an upgrade from a 3GS, yeah.

Thing is- I can't figure out HOW to activate. I'm guessing it was supposed to happen when i first started up the phone, but it didn't. And I don't mean it failed to activate, I mean the activation process never took place. So now I need to figure out HOW to attempt to activate again, but this is where I'm stumped. The phone doesn't wanna even try and itunes won't show me how.

Does anyone know how to try and activate your phone, beyond the initial attempt when you start it up for the very first time? Because I'm past that step now and the phone never even attempted to activate. It just ran me through some choices and went right to the first page of apps.

Man this is confusing...
 

jimmysuggs

Well-known member
Nov 15, 2009
63
1
0
Visit site
Okay well restoring the phone to new didn't fix the problem. I was able to go through that start up process again but once again- no activation. Or none that I saw anyhow. I was able to enter my apple ID, choose to use siri, choose to use icloud, but no screen that said "activating" or anything like that.

I think tomorrow i'm just gonna go to an AT&T store with my old and new phone and ask them to activate it for me. I'm clearly doing something wrong but I'm guessing it'll take them about 3 seconds to diagnose and fix the problem.

In the meantime- my god I love this phone. The difference in speed between this and the 3GS is like the difference between shooting a bullet and throwing one.
 

johndhynes

Well-known member
Dec 23, 2010
385
17
0
Visit site
A lot of people, including me, could not activate on AT&T. Swapping SIMs would work, but 4 and 4S use microSIMs. I went to the AT&T store and they put a new microSIM in my 4 with the number that was in my 3GS. This was after I took the card out of the 4 and put in my 4S, which was all I needed to activate it. :)
 

jimmysuggs

Well-known member
Nov 15, 2009
63
1
0
Visit site
Thanks johndhynes, I'm gonna go to an AT&T store later today and my number ported over to the new phone.

Nice to know that'll solve the problem.
 

SnapThrow

Well-known member
Jul 1, 2009
734
18
18
Visit site
I upgraded to the 4S on one of my numbers (it was a 3GS) and then went into a corporate AT&T store and had them swap the numbers between the two iPhones (the second now being my "old" 4) with no problem. I even ask jokingly that I feel like I am "getting around" their upgrade pricing rules by doing this and the sales rep said it was no problem. Anyway, I think a trip to the store will solve your activation problems.
 

Trending Posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
260,014
Messages
1,765,323
Members
441,221
Latest member
CØR