How AT&T USA Users Can Get a Prepaid Tmobile SIM Card For 3G Usage on Nokia N900

October 18th, 2009 • • 49 comments

This is a tip for the USA readers currently under AT&T contract, but want to enjoy 3G data on the Nokia N900. Since the N900 does not support AT&T’s 3G frequency, you have to use a T-mobile SIM card. Tmo’s Flexpay Monthly plan doesn’t require a long-term contract, so you can just get one at their stores without signing your soul away for the next two years.

Nokia N900 Tmobile

Step 1. Go to a Tmobile store and tell them you want a Flexpay monthly account. Tell them you already have a phone to use it with but you don’t have it with you at the moment. Check the reason at the end of instructions.

Step 2. They’ll ask which plan you want. Since you already have AT&T, you probably don’t need minutes on the T-mobile account. The cheapest option is $29.99 for 300 Whenever minutes with unlimited weekends.

Step 3. Tell them you’ll add the extra services (like the data plan) later on.

Step 4. Sign the papers, then leave the store with your new Tmo SIM card.

Step 5. Insert the SIM card into the Nokia N900 and register/login at my.t-mobile.com with a computer or laptop. Tmobile will not recognize the Nokia N900, so change the phone in your dashboard to one of the Nokia phones. The default for me was a Tmobile G1. I changed it to the Nokia 5310.

My t Mobile

Step 6. Go to Manage Services and add data access for your account. It is $9.99 per month for unlimited web.

Plan & Services

Step 7. That’s it. Now you have a Tmobile SIM to use 3G on the Nokia N900. After taxes, it adds up to about $50 a month. The good news is that you’ll be able to end the plan anytime you want. This is a temporary fix until a Nokia Maemo device compatible with AT&T’s 3G frequency comes out.

Step 1a. If you tell them that you have it with you, they will scan the N900 for the IMEI number. Since it is not in their system, they will force you to pay the $24.99 data plan instead of $9.99.

Switch or Second SIM?

I don’t think you’ll enjoy using the N900 with an EDGE connection. 3G or Wifi is a must, but it will cost another $50 per month for current AT&T customers. Will you switch or get a second SIM for the Nokia N900?

  • http://n900guide.com Roger S

    Thanks for posting this!

    Do T-Mobile's prepay options offer any hope of a cheaper route to data than $50/mo, do you think?

    In Amsterdam, I bought a 10-euro card from T-Mobile that let me make calls or access the internet, until the 10 euros were consumed. (Which didn't take long, of course.)

    With a phone account from another carrier, paying $30/mo in order to enable the data plan seems, well, hm-m … I can't think of a strong-enough word to indicate how upside down it is in how the carriers want us to do things.

    Roger S

  • Morrison

    hi guys the only reason i can think of for ppl not changing to a different network is wanting to keep your old number. In the UK it is possible to switch from one network to another and KEEP your same number. Is this possible in the US too? If so, why is it such an issue. I mean pricing might be a little different, but come one the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages in this case dont they?

  • http://www.atmasphere.net/wp Jonathan

    I think this is 50 bucks for the forseeable future …. There have been no announcements about a second N900 coming with support for additional NAM carriers. Still a good deal for such a data-centric device. iPhone plans are quite a bit more …

  • cvbruce

    I am suspicious when they say unlimited web. Does that mean port 80 only. If so, I'm not interested. I would need access to many more ports, for email, etc.

  • http://thenokiablog.com Mark Guim

    they also offer a data-only SIM, but requires a 2-year contract. Price is 39 per month.

  • http://thenokiablog.com Mark Guim

    it is possible, but we would have to pay an early termination fee if we are still under contract and want to transfer over the number. I'm not exactly sure… but it could be around $200.

  • http://thenokiablog.com Mark Guim

    Everything works so far. I've used the web and email w/o any problems. Is there another port you'd like me to check?

  • cvbruce

    It could just be the dumbing down of terms for the general masses. What about VOIP, Skype, IM services, etc? Twitter, Flikr (I think those are port 80 anyway. I'm talking the api's not the web pages.

  • http://twitter.com/lichmd lichmd

    I have an existing AT&T contract but have, as many others have, become increasingly disenchanted. I think I'll follow you're excellent advice here, use Google Voice to get around the phone number issue and test the service on TMob for a couple of months. If it looks good I'll dump the AT&T plan end of year and move over to TMob only

  • http://thenokiablog.com Mark Guim

    Tested voip on the TMO connection. I used Skype (built-in on the N900) and left a voicemail on my AT&T iPhone. It works. Here's a screenshot. http://twitpic.com/m0zyj

  • http://thenokiablog.com Mark Guim

    Can we port our number to Google voice yet? That would be awesome

  • Name

    jesus christ how complicated things are in US…

  • jldugger

    Surely there's a point where 200 dollars one time is cheaper than an 50 dollars a month.

  • Dattrini

    This phone is what the Nokia N97 should have been…why in the world did they decide to use T-mobile's 3g network is beyond me..SMH. Anyways I have an iphone and a nokia N97.. I want this damn N900 but an extra 50 bucks is kinda tough..I guess I will think about in the next few days..but there is no way I'm going back to T-mobile..thanks nokia…

  • Dattrini

    Hey Mark, did they happen to announce a release date on this N900..I was just wondering how much longer I would have to wait..

  • Andraeseus

    I am definitely going to switch to t-mobile. not jus tbecause i want the n900 so badly but mainly because they are just over all cheaper and they treat there long term customers a lot better. I have been with at&t for as long as my mom has been with t-mobile which is about 10 years. it costs me like 130 bucks for the minute plan i need with unlimited data. for my mom to add me to her plan it will cost about 60 bucks a month for unlimited data and texting and minutes. t-mobile is jus tflat out cheaper.

  • brunkhorse

    Yikes $50 is pretty steep just to use internet! I would find it way to inconvenient to keep switching out the sim cards too everytime I needed to use the web. I'd def just switch over to tmobile and port my ATT number to a prepaid line.

  • michaelbat

    I will be switching to Tmobile this week. I am totally fedup and frustrated with AT&T's lack of service. From the day they got the iphone everyone except them knew they were not prepared for the influx of people coming over and how much it would overwhelm the network.

    Right now all iphone customers have the best service out there and non iphone customers on AT&T are busy dealing with 15-20 drop calls a day and very slow 3G service speeds. AT&T are only catering to the iphone customers while the rest suffers.

    I am getting my voicemails 3 days late and my text messages are received by my friends and family 2 days after i send it.

    I am switching to tmobile to enjoy my N900 there. Bye Bye AT&T it was nice knowing you.

    P.S when AT&T exclusive with Apple ends next year there will be a mass exodus of customers leaving them.

  • http://twitter.com/ming387 Ming Zhang

    $50 + whatever AT&T plan you are paying a month to use the N900 is outrageous.

    The better idea is to ask a friend/relative to add a line ($9.99) and add data plan ($9.99) to that line. This way you end up paying like $20.00+ taxes/fees a month.

    $50 T-Mobile plus taxes and fees (ending up with over $60+) is not an idea at all. Might as well sign up for 1 year contract and get a free phone to sell on eBay and use the money to pay for the bills.

  • gskimmel

    With AT&T, the early termination fee is $175 minus $5 for each month of service you had with them.

  • http://www.facebook.com/manuel.kimmerle Manuel Kimmerle

    Isn't the T-Mobile Sidekick Option another cheaper possibility? It's $1/day, which makes it around $30/Month.
    But this is only for data, voice will be extra depending on usage.
    Disadvantage is that you have to refill your account every now and then when it'll get low.

  • DanT

    That's a bit of an over generalization. I switched from Alltel to AT&T back in 2008 and haven't ever had a dropped call. It may have something to do with where you live or the phone you have. I'm from Texas and I have good coverage in most places.

  • Name

    STUPID STUPID STUPID NOKIA!

    Why would you idiots make bands for t-mo but not at&t where most of the true NAM Nokia users are?!

    Congrats on the “$834 million quarterly loss, smartphone share down to 35%”. It's decisions like this that makes me shake my head.

  • olighak

    I actually did just that, I signed up with a Nokia 6301 for which I have no use for whatsoever and will end up on ebay, but will use the sim in my N900.

  • michaelbat

    Well , am just speaking based on my experience. I live in New York City metro.

  • warren2600

    HAHAHA no way i'm getting this phone.
    good thing i checked the wireless radio support before i clicked the pre-order button.

    nokia=fail

  • zxl14551

    of tiffany jewelry on ebay are cheaper than tiffany jewellery outlet store, why is that?

    You will find the newest tiffany jewelry on sale fashion release on their official website.

  • Elad

    Does SSH work on that plan?

  • http://thenokiablog.com Mark Guim

    Let me know how I can test that and I'll tell you if it works.

  • Elad

    To test if SSH works, you can either install the ssh package on the N900 (I have it on the N800). To test that the connection is working, try athis command from the shell:

    > ssh -v sdf.lonestar.org

    If you get something like this:

    OpenSSH_5.1p1 Debian-6, OpenSSL 0.9.8k 25 Mar 2009
    debug1: Reading configuration data /home/elad/.ssh/config
    debug1: Applying options for *
    debug1: Reading configuration data /etc/ssh/ssh_config
    debug1: Applying options for *
    debug1: auto-mux: Trying existing master
    debug1: Control socket “/tmp/ssh_socket-elad@sdf.lonestar.org:22″ does not existdebug1: Connecting to sdf.lonestar.org [192.94.73.1] port 22.
    debug1: Connection established.

    and then it asks for a password, it works. If it just hang and not connecting, it doesn't. If you can just post the output of the command using both Wi-Fi and T-Mobile 3G that would be great.

  • nokiasymbianfreak

    Hey Mark Guim, Please Pleas Please! Respond to me: Will Nokia Make an ATT Frequency For the N900! Please Find out for us Nokia Fans on ATT which is certainly more than T-Mobile(n97,n95,n96) UMTS only on ATT not on T-mobile. Do some of your magic and please talk to someone high up with Nokia and see if they possibly will make a phone that will be compatiable with ATT's 3G network.
    Thanks

  • Charles

    I did this, this past weekend. I must say, TMobile is just so easy to deal with. Now if they just had the coverage….

  • Richard

    I'm happy that us T-Mo customers finally get a decent 3G device, and that it happens to run Maemo! All the other 3G devices from Nokia worked on AT&T's 3G, not T-Mobile. So you AT&T types- stop complaining about the N900's 1700 MHz.

  • Elad

    This trick does not work anymore. Now T-Mobile blocks the internet if you have the $10 package and an non T-Mobile phone. You do need the unlimited web for smartphones package for the N900.

  • http://thenokiablog.com Mark Guim

    still works. just select one of the dumbphones on the dashboard as ur phone.
    screenshot from today: http://is.gd/5l3J3

  • http://thenokiablog.com Mark Guim

    still works. just select one of the dumbphones on the dashboard as ur phone.
    screenshot from today: http://is.gd/5l3J3

  • chris

    you could use a 6in1 sim card. just rip your att and your tmobile sim in your 6 in 1 using a usb sime reader. switch service using in-phone function.

  • chris

    you could use a 6in1 sim card. just rip your att and your tmobile sim in your 6 in 1 using a usb sime reader. switch service using in-phone function.

  • Jeff Thompson

    A stupid question: How to remove the battery to change the SIM card? (Not in the manual!)

  • Jeff Thompson

    Found the answer: You have to slap against your hand. Kinda scary.

  • ridwanzero

    Its all about chasing shadows.
    By that I mean latching on to this or that latest, most innovative idea that some self styled money making guru has put out in the hope it’ll go viral and make them a lot of money off the backs of all the headless chickens who will follow them blindly down a blind alley. Its a shame but a truism nonetheless that people will follow where someone they see as an expert leads. Even if they lead them to certain disaster, which is what most of the gurus tend to do to their flocks.
    The trick is to recognize a shadow when you see it!

    http://www.onlineuniversalwork.com

  • MINISTERWAYNE

    How do you “change the phone in your dashboard to one of the Nokia phones”?

  • http://mytweettalk.blogspot.com/ adam

    I agree with u totally. http://mytweettalk.blogspot.com/

  • http://mytweettalk.blogspot.com/ adam

    T mobile is more complicated to get data service with a non t mobile phone. But with att you can get data unlimited for only 15 bucks per month for non att phone. I would love to have one n900 for att 3g version. But damn nokia is not listening to us. http://mytweettalk.blogspot.com/

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  • http://www.fbloise.com Frankie Bloise

    excellent advice, thanks mark!

  • http://www.fbloise.com Frankie Bloise

    excellent advice, thanks mark!

  • Bossonster1995

    so i have to go to the store itself, or can i do this online?
    also, can anyone tell me if they have any frequent problems with this phone, im looking to get one.

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