[Solved]SIM Card Different Than Thunderbolt?

[GSDer]

As I was stepping through the Verizon pre-order pages for the SGS3 I received a pop-up that informed me that the SIM card in my Thunderbolt wouldn't work, and that they'd be including a new one in the shipment. I was hoping to use my Thunderbolt as 'insurance' just in case the radios in the SGS3 suffer the same problems as earlier Samsung phones - I figured I could just move the SIM back to the Thunderbolt and at least have a functional phone while I dealt with the issue.
Am I missing something about the difference between the two phones? Is there some other way I can utilize the Thunderbolt in case things go south with the SGS3?

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[stainiu]

Re: SIM Card Different Than Thunderbolt?

Yes they changed the LTE sim card for all the phones released after the Bionic. I found this out the hard way when I bought my Gnex on ebay, and tried to switch out the card. The new card is smaller, I am not sure why they did this.

 

[Ry]

Micro-SIM vs Mini-SIM

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[NotJustAPhone]

You can get adapters to use the smaller micro SIM cards in the ThunderBolt. I use one to swap the card from my Galaxy Nexus to my Thunderbolt.

Adapters cost about a buck from sellers on Amazon.

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[dpham00]

Yes they changed the LTE sim card for all the phones released after the Bionic. I found this out the hard way when I bought my Gnex on ebay, and tried to switch out the card. The new card is smaller, I am not sure why they did this.

Not all phones. My rezound uses a standard sim just like the thunderbolt.

 

[broadwayblues]

I just bought an adapter. Once you have the micro sim, you are set no matter what lte phone you end up with. I was able to use the micro sim in a droid charge without an adapter. I just lined up the sim card just right and it worked great until the plastic adapter came in from Amazon.

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[TemporalBeef]

Re: SIM Card Different Than Thunderbolt?

Without an adapter, you'll have to go to a VZW store and have the SIM swapped out, which usually only takes a few minutes.

 

[Cruiserdude]

Re: SIM Card Different Than Thunderbolt?

I recommend you do what I did and make your own adapter if you need to. The plastic ones online are crap. Have Verizon send you a new micro-SIM, and line it up with your old mini-SIM, making sure the gold contact part is in the EXACT same place. Then trace around it with a Sharpie. Go to the garage and get your Dremel, and remove all the material inside the square you traced, until you can fit the new micro-SIM snugly inside the old mini-SIM, being careful not to break the thin sides. There's your adapter, its free, immediate, and will last much longer than a plastic one.

 

[edgefever]

I recommend you do what I did and make your own adapter if you need to. The plastic ones online oare crap. Have Verizon send you a new micro-SIM, and line it up with your old mini-SIM, making sure the gold contact part is in the EXACT same place. Then trace around it with a Sharpie. Go to the garage and get your Dremel, and remove all the material inside the square you traced, until you can fit the new micro-SIM snugly inside the old mini-SIM, being careful not to break the thin sides. There's your adapter, its free, immediate, and will last much longer than a plastic one.

Can I borrow your Dremel?

 

[sloc88]

Re: SIM Card Different Than Thunderbolt?

Or you could just buy one of these:
Amazon.com: Micro Sim Card Cutter+4 Sim Adapter for iPhone 4 4G 4th: Cell Phones & Accessories