S3 with straight talk?

[AG1790]

Does anyone know if you can use the s3 with straight talk? I've asked att and straight talk and they both said no but I thought I'd ask here to see if anyone has used the s3 on straight talk before I attempt to unlock it.

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[Insp_Gadget]

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1787983-Galaxy-S3-on-Straighttalk

 

[RumoredNow]

Straight Talk recently got put in a position by AT&T that they have ZERO AT&T compatible SIMs to distribute. They now only offer T-Mo compatible SIMS.

The big question is which variant of the Galaxy S3 you have. It will need the 1700 MHz band for you to get anything better than EDGE data in most of the country.

However, in some parts of the country, T-Mo has moved H+ over to 1900 MHz and AT&T style phones now get H+. Here's an independent map. Sightings of T-Mobile 3G/4G/HSPA+ coverage on 1900MHz (PCS/UMTS band II)

Another option is that AT&T compatible SIMs for Straight Talk are now on eBay - at a greatly increased price. You could get one of those and use it for your activation...

 

[Insp_Gadget]

The SGH-I337 is the AT&T version. The T-Mobile version is the SGH-T999.

 

[RumoredNow]

The SGH-I337 is the AT&T version. The T-Mobile version is the SGH-T999.

The i337 (from the OP's signature) is a Galaxy S IV and the OP asks about S III. They have not said which variant of S III they want to put on straight talk. Maybe it's a typo in the post and they do want to put their current S IV on ST. That's why I tried to clarify about radio frequency and the availability of the ST AT&T compatible SIMS...

 

[Insp_Gadget]

The i337 (from the OP's signature) is a Galaxy S IV and the OP asks about S III. They have not said which variant of S III they want to put on straight talk. Maybe it's a typo in the post and they do want to put their current S IV on ST. That's why I tried to clarify about radio frequency and the availability of the ST AT&T compatible SIMS...

Ahh, you're quite correct about the S4. But I have to assume that since it (the S4 in the OP's signature) is an AT&T variant, that the OP is using AT&T, and therefore, the S3 they are asking about is likely an AT&T variant (not a T-Mobile one). I guess that's the point I was really trying to make. Thanks for the correction.

 

[RumoredNow]

Ahh, you're quite correct about the S4. But I have to assume that since it (the S4 in the OP's signature) is an AT&T variant, that the OP is using AT&T, and therefore, the S3 they are asking about is likely an AT&T variant (not a T-Mobile one). I guess that's the point I was really trying to make. Thanks for the correction.

I too had that baseline assumption that the OP was on AT&T currently. So we believe she has 850/1900 MHz on board whatever phone she's asking about. There are areas where T-Mo is now using 1900 for H+ so a T-Mo compatible SIM from ST would work well in those (admittedly few) spots. There are also ST AT&T compatible SIMS to be had on eBay, even though ST can not supply any. People are activating those every day and paying ST to ride AT&T towers...

So the answer that AT&T and Straight Talk both gave her of "No" is not the complete answer... It comes back to "Maybe."

It would be nice if the OP would chime in with more info.

 

[Insp_Gadget]

I too had that baseline assumption that the OP was on AT&T currently. So we believe she has 850/1900 MHz on board whatever phone she's asking about. There are areas where T-Mo is now using 1900 for H+ so a T-Mo compatible SIM from ST would work well in those (admittedly few) spots. There are also ST AT&T compatible SIMS to be had on eBay, even though ST can not supply any. People are activating those every day and paying ST to ride AT&T towers...

So the answer that AT&T and Straight Talk both gave her of "No" is not the complete answer... It comes back to "Maybe."

It would be nice if the OP would chime in with more info.

My guess is that AT&T told her "No" so they wouldn't lose a post-paid contract customer to Straight Talk. Straight Talk probably told her "No" because they don't have any new AT&T SIMs to sell (probably holding whatever stock they have for repairs/replacements).

As for the rest... As long as the phone supports the necessary frequencies (which we are assuming it does if it is an AT&T variant), then there's no technical reason the OP couldn't use the S3 with Straight Talk on AT&T's towers (if she can get an AT&T-compatible SIM). Otherwise, given the current Straight Talk/AT&T debacle, she may be forced to go with a T-Mobile-compatible SIM or find a supplier on eBay, etc. like you said.

I think we've covered all the options. (Unless anyone else has better ideas.) The rest will depend on what the OP decides to do.

(Edit: She probably got her answer from the HF thread I linked, and went on her way.)

 

[Atom Splitter]

FWIW, Yesterday, I purchased a new S 4 (AT&T variant) and put a Straight Talk AT&T sim in it that I had and it fired right up. Called Straight Talk activation and well, The sig says it all. Only downside is I have no LTE. No problem for $45 a month tho. I'm also 3GBz in with no throttle. Hope this info helps somebody.

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[AG1790]

I have the s4 on att but a friend had the s3 and was asking about it so I looked here. I will have him look to see what model it is but it is the att s3.

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[nuprotocol]

FWIW, Yesterday, I purchased a new S 4 (AT&T variant) and put a Straight Talk AT&T sim in it that I had and it fired right up. Called Straight Talk activation and well, The sig says it all. Only downside is I have no LTE. No problem for $45 a month tho. I'm also 3GBz in with no throttle. Hope this info helps somebody.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2

How are your data speeds on HPSA+? I can't believe you haven't been throttled yet. I keep hearing horror stories about it. lol But I'm kinda willing to switch to pay just 45 for unlim everything. Does MMS work?