not sure if anyone can help me answer this, but i'm about to get a slightly used iphone (1st gen). now i'm already an AT&T customer and have a SIM card, what do i need to transfer my number into the iphone? jailbreak is an option, or i can call up AT&T?

 

All you have to do is transfer the SIM card into the new phone. No need to call AT&T to notify them of the change. You can use the phone right after the change, number will be the same as your old phone. That is assuming you can change the SIM card in the iPhone.

 

add a data plan before inserting the sim in the iphone. thats only if you dont already have a data plan

 

If you plan on adding the $20/mo data plan, you don't even have to mess with the SIM card. Just make sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed, then connect the iPhone to your computer. You MIGHT have to do a full system restore of iPhone depending on the state of it, but once done it'll come up with the welcome/activate screen as if you bought a new one from the store. One of the options is to activate the iPhone using an existing AT&T phone number. (The other option, I think, is to create a whole new AT&T account.) That's what I did a year ago when I got mine. Still have the same phone number.

 

Pictures
1. MacLife.com - How To Remove the iPhone SIM Card

Video
1. YouTube - iPhone SIM Card Removal
2. YouTube - Remove The iPhone SIM Card

Pictures & Video
Some site I've never heard of...

It's pretty painless. Also relatively painless is going the iTunes route, by activating it the traditional way. This might be annoying if you save data to your SIM and want to hang on to it for the future.

Also, I highly recommend upgrading to the iPhone 2.0 software when it releases on July 11. Version 1.x does not fully wipe the iPhone and using some basic forensic software, previously deleted data can be recovered from the phone. Check the link below for more information...

Apple Insider: Secure Data Wipe Built Into iPhone v2.0 Software

Enjoy it when you get it though. It's a great phone and fun as hell to play with. But if you're content with AT&T service and can stomach a fresh contract and the $30 data plan, why not just get the iPhone 3G? It's only $200 to start and a used one sells on Craig's List for that amount or more.

 

well i want to play with this used iphone for a while before plunging 2 years of my life to AT&T - this one i'll be getting is free and also i'm pretty content with the relatively low cost bill i have now and i find EDGE/GPRS speed OK since i have a 3G phone from work and the speed seems only a bit faster.

 

I'm keeping my gen iphone for a while and getting a 3g for my wife. For my use the edge is fine. If I LOVE here phone I"ll upgrade. I do love my iphone though. FYI iphone 1 will also be available to use iphone 2.0 software.

 

the iphone GPRS/EDGE data plan is only $20/month, right?

 

YES.

 

ok just got the phone today and looks like it's forcing me to activate (with my current/old SIM card) via itunes and in the end it tells me i MUST sign another 2-year contract which is BS.

looks like jailbreak is the only choice. any other suggestions?