Phone died, buying new one - Will sim work in my new phone?

[rickstevens]

My current phone died, in the process of buying a new unlocked phone will I be able to use my sim card in my new phone or do I have to register it with PM?

Yes, I will make sure it is compatible but once that is done and I know PM works in that phone can I use my sim card in the new phone?

Thank you.

[rickstevens]

Nice...was going to buy the same phone as you...thought this one was priced right and went for it....

Stay safe and healthy.....

Rick

[darlicious]

@rickstevens 

Nice...im a Samsung fan myself. I have the A3 and it's still going strong.

[rickstevens]

Hey there..

A20 Samsung Galaxy.....

Have a great night.

Rick

[darlicious]

@rickstevens 

That's great to hear! What kind of phone did you end up going with? Its great that you assigned a solution to @AE_Collector who helped you the most.....enjoy your new phone!

@AE_Collector  You got another one congrats....your almost at one a month.

[rickstevens]

Hello All;

Thank you to everyone who replied.....I did buy a new phone and it works fantastic...I love this community, everyone is friendly and helpful.

Again thank you...

Stay safe and healthy...

Rick

[LurganIeUk]

Took me almost two hours to replace the screen the first time! Just before my daughter and her husband were both to upgrade their 6S Plus phones and hand them down to my wife and I, she dropped hers. It had a good case and no signs of damage but the digitizer went nuts opening and closing things rapidly on its own. When I found a replacement screen/digitizer for $25 on Amazon I decided to give it a go. I agree, I would never attempt changing just the screen Glass. Since then looking online again I realize I may have lucked getting the right thing the first time I ordered one.

If you have 2 6s phones. You can consider making 1 phone out of 2 by doing a mother board transplant. It takes time but can be done. Not sure if 6s has imei number on back of phone or on SIM tray. SIM tray can be moved and since most don’t know what an imei is don’t worry about that as the truest place to find imei is in settings>general>about which comes directly from the mother board. 

Then my iPad Air-2 (bought 4 days before the new 2017? iPad was released) sounds as though with that design they are no longer seperate parts anyway. Searching screen with digitizer I see significant numbers of complaints from purchasers that they only received the glass. So basically mass confusion added to arbitrary 4th generation, 5th generation, 6th generation numbering for ipads! There seems to me to be two different lists if generation numbering.

While Apple makes improvements in products.....Apple is Apple since day one....they continue make them hard to repair as a DIY and have parts available....and if you do they will sue you. 

Anyway, thanks for all the input... Maybe their should be a phone repair area in the community? Sorry to bore everyone else here. I shall open up the 6s plus today and see what's up (hopefully)! It would be great to get it going again as we both use iPads and both were using iPhones which do get along well together. Our desktop and laptop are both Windows 10 but they are both used for somewhat unrelated functions to our day to day iPhone/iPad use.

Let us know how you do please. I was a MSDOS/Windows guy from day one. But after Windows 10 it drove me to a second hand Mac.  I shall never return....life is much nicer without Microsoft😚😚😚. That is a story that I could talk about for days...but won’t. 

[AE_Collector]

Took me almost two hours to replace the screen the first time! Just before my daughter and her husband were both to upgrade their 6S Plus phones and hand them down to my wife and I, she dropped hers. It had a good case and no signs of damage but the digitizer went nuts opening and closing things rapidly on its own. When I found a replacement screen/digitizer for $25 on Amazon I decided to give it a go. I agree, I would never attempt changing just the screen Glass. Since then looking online again I realize I may have lucked getting the right thing the first time I ordered one.

Then my iPad Air-2 (bought 4 days before the new 2017? iPad was released) sounds as though with that design they are no longer seperate parts anyway. Searching for screen with digitizer I see significant numbers of complaints from purchasers that they only received the glass. And seems like mass confusion  with arbitrary 4th,, 5th, 6th generation numbering for ipads! There seems to me to be two different lists of generation numbering for various models.

Thanks @LurganIeUk for your help. Maybe there shoukd be a phone repair area in the community? Sorry to bore everyone else here. I shall open up the 6s plus today and see what's up (hopefully)! It would be great to get it going again as we both use iPads and both were using iPhones which do get along well together. Our desktop and laptop are both Windows 10 but they are both used for somewhat unrelated functions to our day to day iPhone/iPad

AE_Collector

[LurganIeUk]

Yeah motivated me to look for it at least! And, I surprised myself and found it. On the charger now. 

I did have the idea that @LurganIeUk  mentioned that it could be a loose connector inside. Wow were they small and difficult to get connected properly. But I kept putting off opening it up again. Maybe I will now.

What the heck. It is out of use. You just might have some time available. Go for it. You have nothing to  lose. AND when using your finger to press the connectors into place you do get a “FEEL” for a completed connection.  It feels soooooo good.  😀😀😀

[AE_Collector]

@LurganIeUk 

No freebies to lose switching plans. The only things that can be lost potentially in switching plans are some types of new customer promos like the data add-ons. All the rewards etc stay put through as many plan changes as you can throw at the system!

AE_Collector

[AE_Collector]

Yeah motivated me to look for it at least! And, I surprised myself and found it. On the charger now. 

I did have the idea that @LurganIeUk  me tinned that it could be a loose connector inside. Wow were they small and difficult to get connected properly. But I kept putting off opening it up again. Maybe I will now.

Thanks @LurganIeUk 

AE_Collector

[darlicious]

@LurganIeUk  Wowsers! Lots of good info on repairing Apple products and how to utilize icloud and Dropbox for pics. I think you might be the new iphone/Apple guru now that @iPhoneUser seems to have dropped off the face of the earth. Maybe  he'll answer the bat signal?!!

@AE_Collector  Looks like if you are up to the challenge @LurganIeUk can walk you thru any steps on screen replacements and the like on your devices.

[LurganIeUk]

This is the first thing to do for black screen. I have done it on a 5S successfully. Even if you cannot see it charging or not.....plug it into a charger first for a couple of hours. 

See Here. It also covers the DFU mode. 

[LurganIeUk]

@AE_Collector 

Thanks for the explanations. It would be nice to have things share properly but I just can’t risk Having something go rogue with moving larger files like pictures.

Other than buying a $1300 phone with larger memory (which I can’t justify) I try to keep my phone clear of pics. Of course there are some show and tell pics of recent stuff, family and grandkids.

I have 4 options. 

1. Dropbox on iPhone and iMac (I have Dropbox on MacBook too..this allows to move files back and forth Mac wise)

Attach phone to iMac and all pics will copy to Dropbox. 

Move out if Dropbox to desired directory on iMac. 

Verify and delete pics off of phone and out of Dropbox. 

2. Make sure all pics on your iPhone or iPad also show on your Mac.

Then drag the pics from the Photo App to the desktop of Mac.

Verify the pics are on desktop. 

Delete from Photo App — which removes from all other devices with cloud turned on

Move Pics from desktop directory to desired directory on Mac. 

3. From Mac copy pics to a digital picture frame. 

4. Copy to thumb drive and play pics on TV or use Apple TV. 

Edit: If you want pics back on devices then copy from directory on Mac to desktop and drag to Photo App on Mac. 

If it could easily be set to use wifi only that would be good but a cell hot spot is just wifi to the connected devices. Things have changed a bit and over the non spring/summer months I too am on the 250mb plan then we go to 5Gb over the cabin months. 

If you switch over in summer would it not be better to get another number and drop it later?

You will loose your freebies won't you?

Also for a guy who makes devices last forever and who had never lost or broken a device, My iPhone 6S Plus screen went black. I had previously done a $25 DIY screen replacement that was good for 6 months then went black...lights out... dead.

Did you follow the instructions from iFixit to replace screen? And have you checked them for your current issue? Like iPhone dropped and battery connection has loosened?

So, SIM Card moved back to android in the mean time. Then 2 year old grandson drops my iPad which put a crack across the screen but it is still working. Then another bump fractured one of the halves badly but still working (writing in it now). But the digitizer has about had it now months later and it is starting to go crazy on me. Also about 6 months ago someone (me) inadvertently lightly stepped on closed laptop and cracked it’s screen. Also working but highly annoying to use.

I have heard that Apple with give you a new refurbished iPad for $100 when you want a battery replacement. May be sam for screen? I just don't trust those repair shops and kiosks. From what I see...you are a telephone company guy that likes electronics?? 

So I am running on a shoe string here, one more equipment failure and I’m likely disconnected from the world.

Yikes......that won't do.....especially for the next few months. 

Was going to order new iPad and iPhone screens and get to work on them but I find it almost impossible to decipher the wording on eBay and Amazon for replacement screens and whether they are one complete screen or glass only without digitizer then some mention lcd like it is a different part again....

Search for screen and digitizer. I have bought a number of them on eBay. iPhone 5s or SE for about $21 for screen and digitizer. The digitizer may be ok but the process to remove the old glass and have a contraption to align the new glass (with glue) is not worth the savings. You are doing it yourself so buying both digitizer and screen as a unit is peanuts vs going to a repair shop or worse yet the Apple store (that is now closed). But keep in mind if you are a stickler....the new screen and digitizer is NOT OEM. 

So was going to search for a place that does it local for reasonable $ (neither worth the $250 or so from Apple) but not leaving house much now at all!

What exactly are you looking for....I will search for you if you like. I use iFixit and it is perfect to use. You can download pics of what you are doing and what I do is scotch tape each screw etc to the pic. It is worth the extra step. Tools for iPhones usually come with part. I did buy the pliers with 2 suction cups to pop the screen off. 

[LurganIeUk]

@AE_Collector 

In my Android (Or maybe it is my laptop) I could go into my list of Wi-Fi networks and mark any one or more as metered.

I’ll take your advice in that on.  I have no idea what metered wifi means in this case nor do I see any use for it. But of course you can make a list of networks that will have a remembered  password  and your device will automatically logon when you are within reception. 

Thus I could mark my cell phone hotspot network as metered which is likely an old telephony term for anything that comes with usage per minute charges. Then my device would not use a metered Wi-Fi network to do things it was blocked (in other settings) from doing on cell data versus wifi etc.

I kind of get what you are saying. My home wifi is underused compared  to my allotment and I negotiated free unlimited just in case I go back to legal internet TV. The only thing I can see as useful if you can remember to reset your data usage on iPhone at every new cycle to refer to.  It would be interesting to compare phone data stats to PM account stats. 

[AE_Collector]

@LurganIeUk 

In my Android (Or maybe it is my laptop) I could go into my list of Wi-Fi networks and mark any one or more as metered. Thus I could mark my cell phone hotspot network as metered which is likely an old telephony term for anything that comes with usage per minute charges. Then my device would not use a metered Wi-Fi network to do things it was blocked (in other settings) from doing on cell data versus wifi etc.

AE_Collector

[AE_Collector]

@LurganIeUk 

Thanks for the explanations. It would be nice to have things share properly but I just can’t risk Having something go rogue with moving larger files like pictures. If it could easily be set to use wifi only that would be good but a cell hot spot is just wifi to the connected devices. Things have changed a bit and over the non spring/summer months I too am on the 250mb plan then we go to 5Gb over the cabin months. 

Also for a guy who makes devices last forever and who had never lost or broken a device, My iPhone 6S Plus screen went black. I had previously done a $25 DIY screen replacement that was good for 6 months then went black...lights out... dead. So, SIM Card moved back to android in the mean time. Then 2 year old grandson drops my iPad which put a crack across the screen but it is still working. Then another bump fractured one of the halves badly but still working (writing in it now). But the digitizer has about had it now months later and it is starting to go crazy on me. Also about 6 months ago someone (me) inadvertently lightly stepped on closed laptop and cracked it’s screen. Also working but highly annoying to use.

So I am running on a shoe string here, one more equipment failure and I’m likely disconnected from the world. Was going to order new iPad and iPhone screens and get to work on them but I find it almost impossible to decipher the wording on eBay and Amazon for replacement screens and whether they are one complete screen or glass only without digitizer then some mention lcd like it is a different part again.... So was going to search for a place that does it local for reasonable $ (neither worth the $250 or so from Apple) but not leaving house much now at all!

AE_Collector

[LurganIeUk]

@AE_Collector 

Not sure  what metered wifi is. But I do know where a lot of free wifi is available. Some of the second hand iPhones I have purchased still had permission to use Shaw Go. Which is real  handy.

iPhones do have a meter to show data usage.  You have to reset it at the start of every new billing period.  See here. 

[LurganIeUk]

@AE_Collector 

Well “the Cloud” will be the problem with pictures not sharing between devices. My first couple of run ins with the cloud let to it being turned off completely orcas (or as?) close to completely as I could figure out.

Do you want to share pics across all devices?

If yes you have to update iCloud settings on all devices.

All devices sharing will have to have access the cloud using data or internet.

We (normally) spend most of the summer at our cabin with no internet. We go home for 1 or 2 days per week and visit with in-laws every other day while at the cabin so I get wife then.

You get wife or wifi. Either way makes sense. 🙂🙂(House bound....day11) 

If wifi is accessed  then sharing will happen. 

My old phone plan had 1Gb LTE per month. I had my laptop set to use my phones data to send the odd email.

Got it....you used phone as a hot spot. 

It wasn’t even noon yet on the first day of my renewed plan when I start getting data use texts.

I only turn data on when I want to use it. Otherwise it is off. I only have 250mb.   And when on data you want  to minimize what “hidden” things are using data on phone and any devices using your phone as a hot spot. I recently used my iPad for email etc. while using my phone hot spot.  And for some reason that seemed to gobble up the data vs just using the phone only to check mail......so no more hotspot usage till I figure out why my iPad gobbled the data. 

My laptop thought “Great..WiFi... time to start uploading thousands of pictures to the cloud”. I got it shut down at 750 Mb of my monthly 1 Gb of data consumed with 30 days to go.

Yikes...not good. You could have updated the cloud settings to not do that. Then move the settings back once back at home on wifi. 

If I recall correctly Android had a way to mark Certain Wi-Fi networks as metered but Apple doesn’t.

Maybe....I don’t know. My Android days are over and forgotten. 😀

[AE_Collector]

@LurganIeUk 

Well “the Cloud” will be the problem with pictures not sharing between devices. My first couple of run ins with the cloud led to it being turned off completely or as close to completely as I could figure out. We (normally) spend most of the summer at our cabin with no internet. We go home for 1 or 2 days per week and visit with in-laws every other day while at the cabin so I get wifi then. My old phone plan had 1Gb LTE per month. I had my laptop set to use my phones data to send the odd email. It wasn’t even noon yet on the first day of my renewed plan when I start getting data use texts. My laptop thought “Great..WiFi... time to start uploading thousands of pictures to the cloud”. I got it shut down at 750 Mb of my monthly 1 Gb of data consumed with 30 days still to go. If I recall correctly Android had a way to mark Certain Wi-Fi networks as metered but Apple doesn’t.

AE_Collector

[LurganIeUk]

Here is the Free Version of Dropbox. 

[LurganIeUk]

Have you looked at Dropbox?

See here. 

[Mimi33]

We have our own ID only because of the storage issue.  We both get the 5 GB so we don't have to worry about running out. iCloud is full so I pay a dollar US funds a month for extra storage (4 devices under my ID). It wasn't much but with the dollar it's getting expensive...LOL

[LurganIeUk]

@AE_Collector 

My wife and I both use the same Apple ID which works great when adding or switching devices. So, by adding your new phone before removing the old one almost everything updates to the new phone except pictures stored on the device.

Pictures should move too. Check your iCloud settings. 

Or it seems to be that way for me at least. But I am far from an expert on this stuff (as many of you can now tell).

See this. Or check Apple website. 

My wife and I each have our own Apple IDs 

That allows an iCloud email account each 

Both iMac and MacBook are split by account for non shared use. 

But since you both have same account.....set up of iCloud account for pics on EACH device. Ie. while any device is logged on to my Apple ID, my set up will show a pic taken on my iPad, iPhone, MacBook, and iMac

[LurganIeUk]

One more idea. 

Get the iPhone 4S and 5S unlocked if not already. Tell me the original carrier and will send you information for getting unlocked free. 

[LurganIeUk]

I want to delete the old phone for two reasons: The 5G of free storage is shared with all devices under the same Apple ID.  

Set up a new Apple ID for 5s and 4s to over come the limited storage....and get 5G more. 

That is the one negative thing about Apple.  My spouse can upgrade from his 4s.  LOL...ancient phones, I know, but they still work so well I hate to dispose of them.  

Upgrade a 4s? Or upgrade from a 4s, upwards?

Appreciate everyone's help and suggestions.  I feel much better about pulling the plug (SIM card) on the 5s.  Stay safe.

An iPhone with no sim or an old used sim is:

an iPod

a camera

a music player

can iMessage 

can FaceTime

can be used for storing pics or music 

can be used for email 

and as mentioned can phone 911

and??

[JoyLuck]

---

@Mimi33 wrote:

I want to delete the old phone for two reasons: The 5G of free storage is shared with all devices under the same Apple ID.  That is the one negative thing about Apple.  My spouse can upgrade from his 4s.  LOL...ancient phones, I know, but they still work so well I hate to dispose of them.  Appreciate everyone's help and suggestions.  I feel much better about pulling the plug (SIM card) on the 5s.  Stay safe.

---

You can keep your old phones for emergency purposes. You can use it to call 911 without a SIM card in it. Take the phone with you on long road trips or out camping.

[Mimi33]

I want to delete the old phone for two reasons: The 5G of free storage is shared with all devices under the same Apple ID.  That is the one negative thing about Apple.  My spouse can upgrade from his 4s.  LOL...ancient phones, I know, but they still work so well I hate to dispose of them.  Appreciate everyone's help and suggestions.  I feel much better about pulling the plug (SIM card) on the 5s.  Stay safe.

[Mimi33]

Yes, Carlaspapa, I feel they are very good phones.  I don't beleive in purchasing a phone where I am locked into a contract for years so it is expensive to purchase an unlocked iPhone outright.  I keep my phone for at least 6 years and not many brands last that long.

[LurganIeUk]

@Mimi33 

Any of your Apple products that are signed on to the SAME Apple account will share contacts, pictures etc. But keep in mind you also have to make sure you control this in the iCloud account settings. 

[gblackma]

@Mimi33  if you are selling or getting rid of the phone don't forget to remove it from your Apple ID.