# Micro Sim cards for Pay as you Go with Rogers



## dhalver_xeno (Oct 11, 2007)

Anybody know if Rogers is going to have Pay As You Go micro sim cards available tomorrow or whether the micro sim that Rogers sells (usually for the iPad) will actually work with the iPhone 4?

I called 2 Rogers Wireless "corporate" stores this morning and they all said that they had micro sim cards available. After probing a little more it turns out that they are referring to the iPad micro sims and, from what I have been reading on the internet, they can't be used in an iPhone 4.

They insist that a micro sim is a micro sim and that it can be used in the iPhone 4. So unless Rogers has done something to their standard iPad micro sim to make it, or AT&T and the other guys are doing some to their iPad micro sims to specifically make them not work, I can't see it working.

Here's the catch ... they claim they are sure it will work, but I can't buy a micro sim and return it if it doesn't work.

Anybody know more?


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## CpnCrunch (Aug 4, 2010)

Rogers will not give you a microsim for a PAYG account, only for a contract.


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## LebanonDon (Feb 13, 2008)

Yeah the iPad sim cards will not work on the iPhone. When I bought my iP4, the futureshop rep put in a iPad micro sim (by mistake) and it wouldn't activate. I ended up going down to a rogers to fix it, where the Rogers rep pointed out that micro sim was for a iPad....


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## CpnCrunch (Aug 4, 2010)

Here's a reply I got from Rogers: "It seems that an existing PAYG account cannot be used with an unlocked iPhone 4." So you either need to stump up $60/month for a contact or cut your SIM card. I'll probably just wait for a GSM version of the milestone 2 to be released - better phone and no messing about with microsims so no problems with PAYG!


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## dhalver_xeno (Oct 11, 2007)

I'm going to try cutting my wife's existing PAYG sim when I go down to US to pick up my micro sim cutter. Not that it matters any time soon though ... ordered the phone online and won't see it until the end of August.


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## Rounder (Aug 9, 2008)

dhalver_xeno said:


> I'm going to try cutting my wife's existing PAYG sim when I go down to US to pick up my micro sim cutter. Not that it matters any time soon though ... ordered the phone online and won't see it until the end of August.


I have an extra unused Rogers Micro-Sim if you're interested. I got a bunch when I purchased my phones and still have 1 or 2 left. 

If you're able to have the Sim-Card switched with the Micro-Sim (associate your phone number with it), I'll gladly send you one.


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## dhalver_xeno (Oct 11, 2007)

Rounder said:


> If you're able to have the Sim-Card switched with the Micro-Sim (associate your phone number with it), I'll gladly send you one.


Thanks for the offer, but I get the feeling that Rogers isn't going to allow you transfer the number from a PAYG account to a non PAYG micro-sim. It's not that the micro-sim won't work, I think it has more to do with corporate policy and a fear of losing monthly "plan" revenue to unlocked iPhone 4s.

My wife only uses her phone to talk, text, and play games. She doesn't use data and even her voice usage is very limited. We get her a $100 PAYG card that has a 1 year expiry. That $100 generally will last her the whole year. Switching her to a Rogers monthly plan would make no sense because her usage habits aren't likely to change that much and we'd end up paying $65+ a month.


I'm just going to try cutting the sim later and basically just not say anything to Rogers.


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## silentsim (Apr 15, 2006)

Here is the lowdown:

Rogers has 2 forms of dual-format sim cards (Sim+micro in one card).

A preactivated one, which is for iPads ONLY, and a regular one (non activated).

They sell these for 10$ at dealers and stores -I myself have picked up some non activated ones. Apple store also has these.

You can buy a regular non-activated one, and log into your Rogers online account.

Under Hardware, go to CHANGE SIM.

This will allow you to switch sim cards online without the hassle of calling in.

Should work for PAYG- if the change sim option is there.


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## panzergruppe (Nov 16, 2007)

Not sure whether Fido do the same, I ordered iPhone online but I'm with Fido prepaid as I don't use cellphone often (still have $140 airtime). If they do not want me to switch I may have to cut it myself also.


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## dhalver_xeno (Oct 11, 2007)

silentsim said:


> Should work for PAYG- if the change sim option is there.



Logged into my wife's PAYG account and didn't see an option to change sims.


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## silentsim (Apr 15, 2006)

dhalver_xeno said:


> Logged into my wife's PAYG account and didn't see an option to change sims.


Call in, say your Sim broke so you went to the rogers store and bought a new one. and give them the new sim card #. its a dual format sim so they should activate it.


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## CpnCrunch (Aug 4, 2010)

No, it is not possible to switch your PAYG account to a microsim. There is no 'change sim' option for PAYG accounts, and rogers has explicitly said that it is not possible. Basically rogers does not support PAYG for the iphone 4 - they want you to shell out $60/month for a contract.


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## JustAMacUser (Oct 21, 2007)

CpnCrunch said:


> No, it is not possible to switch your PAYG account to a microsim. There is no 'change sim' option for PAYG accounts, and rogers has explicitly said that it is not possible.


While I'm not disagreeing with you, I am curious if you could cite a source for this explicit statement from Rogers?


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## CpnCrunch (Aug 4, 2010)

Rob @ Rogers (RogersRob) on Twitter

"Hi, sorry for the delay. It seems that an existing PAYG account cannot be used with an unlocked iPhone 4."


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## Mrsam (Jan 14, 2006)

You can use the dual format SIM with a pay as you go account no problem.. Rogers will just view it as a "grey market" device.


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## CpnCrunch (Aug 4, 2010)

JustAMacUser said:


> While I'm not disagreeing with you, I am curious if you could cite a source for this explicit statement from Rogers?


I posted a reply yesterday, but it hasn't shown up for some reason. Do posts with links get automatically deleted?!

Anyway, just have a look at RogersRob on twitter.


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## CpnCrunch (Aug 4, 2010)

Mrsam said:


> You can use the dual format SIM with a pay as you go account no problem.. Rogers will just view it as a "grey market" device.


Well, as I pointed out above Rogers specifically says you CANNOT do this (at least, not with an existing PAYG account). Where did you get this info?


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## Mrsam (Jan 14, 2006)

CpnCrunch said:


> Well, as I pointed out above Rogers specifically says you CANNOT do this (at least, not with an existing PAYG account). Where did you get this info?


You absolutely can. Go to a dealer tell them you need a new SIM, the SIM they will give you will be a dual format SIM. The dealer can even activate the SIM for you in store so you don't have to deal with Rogers over the phone.


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## CpnCrunch (Aug 4, 2010)

Mrsam said:


> You absolutely can. Go to a dealer tell them you need a new SIM, the SIM they will give you will be a dual format SIM. The dealer can even activate the SIM for you in store so you don't have to deal with Rogers over the phone.


Have you actually tried this? Does it work just with a new PAYG account, or also an existing one?


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## Mrsam (Jan 14, 2006)

CpnCrunch said:


> Have you actually tried this? Does it work just with a new PAYG account, or also an existing one?


Nop, I don't have prepaid. It'll work with a new account or an existing account.


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## CpnCrunch (Aug 4, 2010)

Mrsam said:


> Nop, I don't have prepaid. It'll work with a new account or an existing account.


So why do you think it will work? What information do you have? Rogers have said it will not work, and right now that is the only concrete info we have.


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## Nik_Ars (Mar 22, 2010)

Well I'm confused now. I don't have a PAYG account but I am interested in getting a unlocked iPhone 4 and put it on a rogers PAYG account. I see they have the iPhone 4 Micro Sim for sale on their online site, but is that only for contracted phones? Would it be better just to buy a Normal PAYG Sim, and cut it down to size?


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## JustAMacUser (Oct 21, 2007)

CpnCrunch said:


> I posted a reply yesterday, but it hasn't shown up for some reason. Do posts with links get automatically deleted?!
> 
> Anyway, just have a look at RogersRob on twitter.


This appears to be the tweet that confirms it: Twitter / Rob @ Rogers

Personally I think the issue is that Rogers does not want to (right now) transfer a PAYG account to a micro SIM. I think if one gets one of those new SIMs that is regular-sized but also has the pre-cut spots to convert it to a micro SIM it will work. I would imagine that if one can coerce a Rogers' rep to moving the account to a new micro SIM there would be no other difficulties. Continuing with this thought, it I think cutting an existing prepaid SIM card down to a micro SIM size would also work. These are my opinions based on what I've read across the Internet and some personal experience over the years. I have nothing of substance to prove it at the moment.


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## Mrsam (Jan 14, 2006)

The only SIMS Rogers is now shipping to dealers are dual format SIMS, I really don't see why you guys seem to think this would be an issue? Rogers can't prevent you from using the micro portion of the dual format SIM in your iPhone 4. It doesn't matter if they don't actually want to support it, any dealer will be able to reassign your phone number to a dual format SIM.


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## dhalver_xeno (Oct 11, 2007)

Mrsam said:


> The only SIMS Rogers is now shipping to dealers are dual format SIMS


Maybe for contract accounts, but that's not true for PAYG accounts. I bought a new PAYG sim last week and it wasn't dual format.


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## JustAMacUser (Oct 21, 2007)

dhalver_xeno said:


> Maybe for contract accounts, but that's not true for PAYG accounts. I bought a new PAYG sim last week and it wasn't dual format.


The point is a SIM card is a SIM card. From a technical perspective there is no difference between a SIM and a micro SIM--the pinouts are identical. Eventually dual-format SIMs will be the only available because, quite honestly, from a manufacturing point of view it is much cheaper to produce that on a single line than to have two separate lines for two separate styles of SIM cards.

This is not to say conventional SIM cards are not out there. It may take awhile for the new style to disseminate to all the retail outlets.


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## Mrsam (Jan 14, 2006)

dhalver_xeno said:


> Maybe for contract accounts, but that's not true for PAYG accounts. I bought a new PAYG sim last week and it wasn't dual format.


It's called old inventory? It's not like a dealer is gonna throw away all their old SIM cards.


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## dhalver_xeno (Oct 11, 2007)

Mrsam said:


> It's called old inventory? It's not like a dealer is gonna throw away all their old SIM cards.


Really? I thought they took all the old sim cards and trucked them out to the desert to bury next to those fabled E.T. cartridges that Atari mass dumped in the 80's...

Way to illustrate the obvious Houdini. The point is not every dealer is giving away the new dual format sims. Rogers may be shipping the new sims, but that doesn't necessarily mean you're going to get a new sim unless you ask for it. The dual format sims being what is called "new" inventory?


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## Mrsam (Jan 14, 2006)

dhalver_xeno said:


> Really? I thought they took all the old sim cards and trucked them out to the desert to bury next to those fabled E.T. cartridges that Atari mass dumped in the 80's...
> 
> Way to illustrate the obvious Houdini. The point is not every dealer is giving away the new dual format sims. Rogers may be shipping the new sims, but that doesn't necessarily mean you're going to get a new sim unless you ask for it. The dual format sims being what is called "new" inventory?


No, the point is if you ask for a dual format SIM, a dealer will give one to you. and yes, the dual format SIMs are "new" inventory. There really isn't a reason for a dealer not to give you a dual format SIM if you request one, there has been no communication from Rogers stating dual format SIMs cannot be used with pay as you go accounts.


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## cedarman (Sep 4, 2010)

Rounder said:


> I have an extra unused Rogers Micro-Sim if you're interested. I got a bunch when I purchased my phones and still have 1 or 2 left.
> 
> If you're able to have the Sim-Card switched with the Micro-Sim (associate your phone number with it), I'll gladly send you one.



hey rounder, i dont suppose you have an extra rogers micro sim left do you?
I live kind of remotely, and the only Rogers outlet near me wants to charge me $25!
It just p***s me off!
cheers


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## NewGuy (Jun 23, 2005)

silentsim said:


> Here is the lowdown:
> 
> Rogers has 2 forms of dual-format sim cards (Sim+micro in one card).
> A preactivated one, which is for iPads ONLY, and a regular one (non activated).
> ...


This worked fine for me. Thanks for the tip.


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## Hamiltonian (Jun 20, 2008)

Any reason people really want PAYG with Rogers specifically? I found the fido pay per minute rates better, and obviously with Fido you still get the Rogers network. 

I had no problems buying a $10 microsim from Fido and activating it online with my new unlocked iPhone. Currently I'm keeping my usage low and paying $10/month.


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## rivet (Aug 10, 2008)

With rogers you can pay $100 for 365days, they also have the 1cents evening/weekend plan.



Hamiltonian said:


> Any reason people really want PAYG with Rogers specifically? I found the fido pay per minute rates better, and obviously with Fido you still get the Rogers network.
> 
> I had no problems buying a $10 microsim from Fido and activating it online with my new unlocked iPhone. Currently I'm keeping my usage low and paying $10/month.


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## rivet (Aug 10, 2008)

I went to a rogers store and get my sim card cut down to a micro-sim for my iphone 4. Now the only problem is that I can't use the sim on a regular phone any more, last time I try it, it nearly break the sim card tray of my iphone 3g.


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## rivet (Aug 10, 2008)

How is fido cheaper, I saw they have 30 cents/minutes, while rogers have 25 cents/m, and 15 cents/m after 5 minutes per day.


Hamiltonian said:


> Any reason people really want PAYG with Rogers specifically? I found the fido pay per minute rates better, and obviously with Fido you still get the Rogers network.
> 
> I had no problems buying a $10 microsim from Fido and activating it online with my new unlocked iPhone. Currently I'm keeping my usage low and paying $10/month.


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## Macified (Sep 18, 2003)

rivet said:


> I went to a rogers store and get my sim card cut down to a micro-sim for my iphone 4. Now the only problem is that I can't use the sim on a regular phone any more, last time I try it, it nearly break the sim card tray of my iphone 3g.


you can get a micro sim to sim adapter that fits the micro sim into a sim sized card. I bought a sim cutter though ebay and it came with 4 adapters (total price $7).


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## rivet (Aug 10, 2008)

Thanks, do you have an ebay link on what kind of adapters should I buy? 



Macified said:


> you can get a micro sim to sim adapter that fits the micro sim into a sim sized card. I bought a sim cutter though ebay and it came with 4 adapters (total price $7).


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