SIM card swapping?

effreyj

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Sep 9, 2011
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I just ordered a new wooden backed Moto X and am returning my other Moto X. Can I just take the SIM card out and put it in the new one, or do I have to actually activate the SIM card that comes in the new one?
 
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I just ordered a new wooden backed Moto X and am returning my other Moto X. Can I just take the SIM card out and put it in the new one, or do I have to actually activate the SIM card that comes in the new one?
You can go ahead and just Swap, Ive done it before with no problems :)
 
Depends on the carrier. I use Sprint, and had to activate the new phone. (Despite swapping the SIM card.) It wasn't hard to do, though, I did it on-line and it took a couple of seconds.
 
I'm on Verizon.

You will have to tell them you are using a new phone, then. With GSM phones just swapping SIMs is usually good enough, but Verizon, Sprint, and the other carriers using that technology need to authorize the phone.
 
I'm on Verizon and when swapping from my Galaxy Nexus to a Galaxy S3 I purchased, I just swapped SIMs and all was fine, no need to call or do anything online, it just worked....I'll be swapping my SIM from the S3 to the motoX when it arrives today....so I can post back this afternoon and let you know how it went.

Justin
 
I'm on Verizon and when swapping from my Galaxy Nexus to a Galaxy S3 I purchased, I just swapped SIMs and all was fine, no need to call or do anything online, it just worked....I'll be swapping my SIM from the S3 to the motoX when it arrives today....so I can post back this afternoon and let you know how it went.

Justin

Be sure to cut that card as its a nano SIM....as I believe the S3 takes a mini SIM

Posted via Android Central App
 
I'm on Verizon.
If you are on verizon, all you do is pop the SIM out of the Moto X you are returning ("the old SIM"), take the SIM out of the new Moto X ("the new SIM") and pop the old SIM into the new Moto X to activate. You can save the new SIM, but i believe they may invalidate them after a period of time of not being activated.
 
as an update, I ordered a sim-cutter and adapter (so that I can slip my sim back into my S3 if needed untill it is sold) to chop my verizon SIM down to nano-size. However, in the mean time, I have a pre-paid T-mo SIM that I had previously hand cut down to Mico size....so using the directions found here: http://www.airportal.de/nanosim/How_to_cut_Mini_and_Micro_SIM_to_Nano_SIM.pdf I chopped it on down to Nano size and popped it in and its working just fine.

Justin
 
You will have to tell them you are using a new phone, then. With GSM phones just swapping SIMs is usually good enough, but Verizon, Sprint, and the other carriers using that technology need to authorize the phone.
Actually you do not need to tell Verizon with LTE devices. Just swap the SIM. Their system picks it up on the back end. Now, if you have a EVDO device that does global roaming, then you have to tell Verizon.

I move my VZW LTE Sim between multiple devices all the time for work. (One Verizon line, many devices), as well as swapping my personal Verizon SIM between my LTE devices too.

As for Sprint.. I have no clue how they work.
 
as an update, I ordered a sim-cutter and adapter (so that I can slip my sim back into my S3 if needed untill it is sold) to chop my verizon SIM down to nano-size. However, in the mean time, I have a pre-paid T-mo SIM that I had previously hand cut down to Mico size....so using the directions found here: http://www.airportal.de/nanosim/How_to_cut_Mini_and_Micro_SIM_to_Nano_SIM.pdf I chopped it on down to Nano size and popped it in and its working just fine.

Justin
Another option... activate the Nano SIM that comes with the X, and use adapters to "up size" the SIM to fit into the S3 or other devices as needed..

For adapters, I use these -> Amazon.com: Nano to Micro/Normal SIM Card Adapter for Apple iPhone 5 4S 4G 3GS 3G: Cell Phones & Accessories and these -> Amazon.com: iCoolkit New iPhone Nano SIM Card to Micro /Stander/ full SIM card Tray Adapter Holder: Cell Phones & Accessories
 
Another option... activate the Nano SIM that comes with the X, and use adapters to "up size" the SIM to fit into the S3 or other devices as needed..

For adapters, I use these -> Amazon.com: Nano to Micro/Normal SIM Card Adapter for Apple iPhone 5 4S 4G 3GS 3G: Cell Phones & Accessories and these -> Amazon.com: iCoolkit New iPhone Nano SIM Card to Micro /Stander/ full SIM card Tray Adapter Holder: Cell Phones & Accessories

I have a few different adaptors but I read a lot where they get stuck and destroy your phone so I have never used them.
 
I have a few different adaptors but I read a lot where they get stuck and destroy your phone so I have never used them.
as loing as the SIM stays in the adpater, you'll be ok. Sometimes this means holding a phone in an odd position to insert the sim/adapter..

My Galaxy S3 and S4 need me to face the screen up to the ceiling, battery opening to the floor, to insert so the SIM doesn't fall out of the adapter.
 
Actually you do not need to tell Verizon with LTE devices. Just swap the SIM. Their system picks it up on the back end. Now, if you have a EVDO device that does global roaming, then you have to tell Verizon.

I move my VZW LTE Sim between multiple devices all the time for work. (One Verizon line, many devices), as well as swapping my personal Verizon SIM between my LTE devices too.

As for Sprint.. I have no clue how they work.

Sorry for the misinformation. I am on Sprint, and I did need to activate the new phone, despite swapping the SIM.
 
Hi there. I am hoping that someone can give me some help/advice and I apologize if my questions seem uninformed. I currently have a Droid Razr and I wish to upgrade to a Moto X when my Verizon contract runs out next Tuesday. What I am wondering is, what happens if I buy a Moto X outright through Moto Maker. If the sim card from the Razr fits, can I just switch them and not activate the one that came with the new phone? I would love to do that because I still have unlimited data which I will lose if I buy a new phone through Verizon, but I have a feeling that that is hoping for too much. If I can't do that, does it pay to buy a phone outright or is it not worth it? Is it better to just go the usual route through Verizon and kiss the data goodbye? Can you even show up at Verizon with a new phone (that works on their system) and ask them to give you a contract/plan? Just and fyi, my only other real choice for a carrier is AT&T because Sprint and T-mobile coverage is really spotty where I live and vacation. Thank you very much for any insights!
 
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what happens if I buy a Moto X outright through Moto Maker. If the sim card from the Razr fits, can I just switch them and not activate the one that came with the new phone?
yes, you can. But if you buy the Moto X off contract, there is no reason to as you won't lose your UDP. Only if you use your upgrade on your UDP line will you lose your UDP.
 

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