Verizon S3 to Straight Talk

[kludgemechanic]

Thanks Stephan for all of the info. I have done everything that you have mentioned on my verizon branded S3 but I have a couple of problems. The first one is that I cant add the APN settings, once I press the setting button the only option that I get is "Factory Default". I didnt ever have a Verizon Sim in this S3 as I bought it used off Craigslist with a cracked screen for $70 and fix it myself. Any way the other problem is that if my phone is cut off then back on i get the "Non-Verizon SIM" message again and have to cut it back off. Also after a reboot it ask me if I want to switch to global mode. Any help would be great. Thanks

 

[kludgemechanic]

I was able to add the APN settings after doing a firmware upgrade via Kies, all good there now. Any way to make the data faster such as 4gLTE?

 

[kludgemechanic]

I was able to put in the APN settings but I cant download pic messages? I have checked the setting a hundred times. Has anyone else been able to download pic messages using the info above?

 

[evan snead]

So I did this whole thing and everything seems to work just fine EXCEPT I can't seem do download picture messages!! Any help or ideas here?

 

[Todd Widelitz]

I have an gsm S3 from verizon,and I want to go to Straight Talk because I'm sick of paying $150 a mnth for service,and constantly being told I'm going over 8gb of data, How do I unlock the phone? I've been trying to research on how to,and have a few blogs and such,but I can't find certain files like clockwork mod recovery. I'm not too sure how to do this, so please,if anyone can post a link, destructions, etc, It'd be appreciated. Also,I have searched here,but I get nosebleeds trying to understand what's what.I'm not a technological inept fool,but smart phone hacking is a brand new game to me,so I would like some guidance. Thanks

 

[Kati McMellon]

This was THE MOST HELPFUL thing I have ever read on the internet! you just saved me a **** load of yelling at the people on the phone. I was told my straight talk that my phone was eligible, only to buy it and find out that it wasnt. and walmart would not give me a refund because I had used the code and it was worthless.
I tried these step by step instuctions and within 10 mins, I was up and running on straight talk. Thank you so much!

 

[BeeDragon]

I tried these instructions and I can't get it to work. I can't make a phone call to get a new number because my phone says the AT&T network is unable to connect. I did and online chat with a Verizon rep and she said Verizon's CDMA phones aren't compatible, the GSM setting is only for global travelers who need to use that type of network. I told her I had instructions for switching a CDMA phone in front of me, but the Straight Talk website says my IMEI is not compatible. I tried this way, switching over to GSM and tried to register my phone and it won't recognize my IMEI, SIM number, anything and now it says my $45 service plan PIN is already in use.

 

[hossboglogan]

NOV 21 2013

I have a Verizon Samsung Galaxy S3 SCH i535 (WITH MICRO SIM) and wanted to swap to straight talk. Long story short it works and im using internet and all.
I called at first and talked to straight talk and they said no it wont work with my phone. I was disappointed because I spent $63.92 and the drive to walmart was about 25 mins.
So I decided to try it anyway what the hell right? walmart said i had 14 days to bring back the kit and get full refund so i gave it a shot.
In the kit contains 4 sim cards, 2 regular size sim and 2 micro sims. 2 for att 2 for t-mobile. So I decided to try the micro sim for att.

STEP 1 Go to straighttalk.com to the activation screen follow the steps to activate the sim.

STEP 2 Get your Samsung Galaxy S3 SCH-i535 (Verizon Only) go to settings , more settings, mobile networks, network mode (switch to GSM/UMTS)

STEP 3 Turn off phone, remove verizon micro sim, insert att sim from Straight talk, turn phone back on wait a few moments and try to make a call to a friend so you can get your new phone #. You will recieve a txt later with your number from Straight talk. If it doesn't work immediately please be patient and double check you are in GSM mode.

STEP 4 To get network working. Go to settings, more settings, mobile networks, access point names.
you will see LTE - Verizon Internet grayed out. hit the setting button (lower left on phone below screen) select add new access point.
Enter only the settings listed below:
Name : Straight Talk
APN : tfdata
Port : 80
MMSC : http://mms-tf.net
MMS Proxy : mms3.tracfone.com
MMS Port : 80

Next
Select the APN you just created.
(You can also find these settings at Straight Talk's web site)
Network is working just fine for me but I notice where it used to say 4G lte it says just "E" with up and down arrows showing transfer data. But its fully functional. Happy satisfied and never had to root anything or hack or whatever the kids do these days. So before I end this post i would like to say Pandora works just fine facebook app and others, But you cannot have an active call and internet at the same time. I really cant remember if verizon does that or not oh well bye bye verizon.
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This straight talk business is wildy sketchy.. I have a verizon gs3 and an activated at&t sim card and its just plain not working at all. Rooted and cyanagenmod now and still nothing.. calling is barred and it says its roaming but st doesn't even offer roaming services. Someone help me.

 

[Stephan Blake]

@hosboglogan.... Its not sketchy you just have to be patient. Now are you using Straight talk ATT SIM or just an ATT sim????

Im running android version 4.1.2, and the phone model number is SCH-I535..... check those to verify they are the same. If so then you did something wrong in the steps i have provided. This is how i got mine working. And i did it on the first try. If you do not have the SCH-I535 Global version these steps will not work. Also if you've had your phone disconnected for delinquent payments, you may have a bad ESN.... not 100% because ive never had a phone shut off due to lack of payments or even had a bad ESN.

Hope this helps any!

IN MOBILE NETWORKS this is what you should see if you have the VERIZON SCH-I535 RUNNING 4.1.2 ONLY!!!!!!!!!!!

This has not been confirmed with any other phones!

 

[BeeDragon]

Straight Talks website says my Verizon Galaxy S3's IMEI is compatible, tells you to go buy a $60 non-refundable activation kit and then it wouldn't activate. I went in to Walmart a few days ago hoping an actual person could help me. (I actually went to Best Buy since someone told me they did ST, they were who I got my phone from, and they seem knowledgeable but they said Best Buy only has a Straight Talk contract through Sprint and my area doesn't have Sprint. He said Shopko or Walmart deal with ST. Went to Shopko and they had no Straight Talk, went to Walmart and they aren't allowed to help apparently due to rules Verizon has imposed on them, they don't want non-Verizon people helping customers off of their network.) I tried these instructions and it didn't work. I called Straight Talk with a number Walmart gave me to bypass the "Press a # for this option" menu and go straight to a representative. He said my phone isn't eligible for Straight Talk and when I told him the website says it's compatible, he just said, "It's not eligible, have a nice day." When I was at Walmart they said they could return the activation kit as a one time courtesy because they have a lot of issues with people not being able to activate their phones and they just return them and take the loss. I now have a Straight Talk account with an inactive AT&T SIM card linked to it, but it no longer lets me even try to activate it because I've typed in the PIN for the $45 30-day plan and it thinks it's already been used. I'm headed back to Walmart today and I hope the same guy is there and that they will return it. I've always been happy with Verizon's service, I just wanted something cheaper. I guess I'll stick with my $155/2 phones/shared 2GB cell phone bill for now.

 

[Stephan Blake]

I don't understand what you mean by activate your phone. All you're activating is the sim. Forget your phone exists and all you have is a sim card and 30 day plan. Goto straight talk activate sim , then enter pin for 30 day service, wham 30 days of service. Now pop it in your phone. Nothing complicated about it. Take your phone battery out and look for model #. if you dont see Model : SCH-i535 Then your phone isnt the same. If the service pin has been already used and its not on that sim then you did something wrong. End result if you lost your 30 day service pack , you may need to chalk that one up and get another and try again. i reassure you there is service in your area. Here is the service map

Service Area

 

[DarrenAPalmer68]

Great instructions! Thank you very much for taking the time to do this. I just have one issue with sending MMS messages, I can't! Lol. Is there a fix? If not I can deal with it, I will just email pics if I have to.

 

[Stephan Blake]

double check your APN settings

 

[RD-5150]

I was wondering I Live in a rural area where I can only run off of Verizion towers .And all the straight talk phones they sell up here run off of them towers all the sim cards you purchase from straight talk are for AT&T..(
AT&T Compatible Micro SIM Card-AT&T Compatible SIM Card)...
Will the Samsung Galaxy S III SCH-I535 run off of the Verizion towers with thier AT&T sims if i buy a unlocked one or will it try and run off of the AT&T towers..Any help would greatly be appreciated it.I would really like to get a Galaxy-I535 cause my eye sight is not verry good and thier screen is a 4.8.Or is there any phone i can use with a screen around that size I can use on a Verizion tower through straight talk.I can learn how to reflash a phone I flash PS3 and reinstall os on comps.Im not asking to do anything illegal it would be my phone and im not trying to get free service.I just sent back a BLU Studio 5.3 II D551a GSM Dual-SIM Android Phone that I got for Christmas cause they told me I would have to run it off of the AT&T towers..I Would get this one back if anyone could help me to get it to work..I live in AVA MO.65608 Heres the specs for the BLU....

BLU Studio 2 II D551A 5.3" Phone

GENERAL 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2
3G Network HSDPA 850 / 1900 - D551A
SIM Dual SIM (Mini-SIM, dual stand-by)
Announced 2013, February
Status Available. Released 2013, February
BODY Dimensions 150 x 77 x 10.8 mm (5.91 x 3.03 x 0.43 in)
Weight 210 g (7.41 oz)
DISPLAY Type IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Size 540 x 960 pixels, 5.3 inches (~208 ppi pixel density)
Multitouch Yes
SOUND Alert types Vibration, MP3 ringtones
Loudspeaker Yes
3.5mm jack Yes
MEMORY Card slot microSD, up to 32 GB
Internal 4 GB ROM, 512 MB RAM
DATA GPRS Class 12 (4+1/3+2/2+3/1+4 slots), 32 - 48 kbps
EDGE Class 12
Speed HSDPA, 7.2 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps
WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot
Bluetooth Yes, v3.0
USB Yes, microUSB v2.0
CAMERA Primary 8 MP, 3264 x 2448 pixels, autofocus, dual-LED flash
Features Simultaneous HD video and image recording, geo-tagging, touch focus, face and smile detection, image stabilization
Video Yes, 720p@30fps
Secondary Yes, 2 MP
FEATURES OS Android OS, v4.1 (Jelly Bean)
Chipset MTK 6577
CPU Dual-core 1 GHz Cortex-A9
GPU PowerVR SGX531
Sensors Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Messaging SMS(threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Email, IM
Browser HTML5, Adobe Flash
Radio Stereo FM radio
GPS Yes, with A-GPS support
Java Yes, via Java MIDP emulator
SNS integration
MP3/AAC/WMA/WAV player
MP4/DivX/XviD/WMV/H.264/H.263 player
Organizer
Voice memo/dial
Predictive text input
BATTERY Li-Ion 2200 mAh battery
Stand-by Up to 960 h (2G) / Up to 820 h (3G)
Talk time Up to 26 h (2G) / Up to 14 h (3G)....

 

[RD-5150]

No ideas?........

 

[Brenda LaPrade]

Thanks so much. All connected & non-verizon sim message gone too. YEAH!!!

 

[seahawk1984]

Thanks so much for starting this thread, especially to Stephan Blake for posting the step by step instructions!

I would also like to say that if anyone has to contact Straight Talk with assistance activating the ATT sim card that comes with the start up kit, tell them that you are activating an ATT phone, it will save you a lot of headache. I told the gentleman on the phone that I was activating a verizon Samsong Galaxy SIII, and that I could do it using the SIM (after reading this post), and he insisted that I would have to do it using the CDMA format. I told him that it would not work that way, he insisted that it would! So I said "Ok, lets do it using the CDMA method!". After he was all done setting it up, he told me that it would take an hour for it to finalize, and told me reboot after an hour, and input a code. I said "Ok, I'll be calling you again tomorrow when this don't work". The following day I called them again, because it didn't work. But this time the lady on the phone asked me if I was activating an ATT phone...... I said...."Yes", and it went so much smoother, was done and off the phone in about 20 minutes with the ATT sim card activated, and then I followed instructions that Stephan Blake posted..... Works like a charm!

So again, if you need to call Straight Talk for any reason during setup, just say "I'm activating an ATT phone"... =)

Good Luck! =)

 

[xWildxChildx]

This works great. Thank you for this extremely detailed guide you are a life saver!

 

[JoAnne Ruman]

Ugh. I feel like an i.d.iot. It seems I have the right phone (same as you) and your instructions are awesome. But it still won't work!

 

[JoAnne Ruman]

It is telling me my sims card does not allow access to this network. Any ideas?