Will my verizon wireless LG G3 work if i switch over to straight talk

[Copenhagenman]

I have a LG G3 and i have a plan threw verizon but they seem to be robbing me blind. Will a AT&T sim card from straight talk work in it?

 

[Winblad]

Most of the people providing responses don't know what they're talking about.

Straight Talk started using Verizon 4G LTE a long time ago, utilizing Verizon 4G LTE prepaid tower infrastructure, and you use the Verizon compatible ST SIM to keep it on Verizon towers.

I just got done with an almost 4,000 mile road trip using my originally Verizon - purchased Samsung Galaxy S3 with the CDMA SIM provided by Straight Talk, although porting my old number made it slightly more difficult than a direct conversion with new number.

I still run on Verizon 4G LTE speeds, and did so in many states during my road trip.

My little brother is with AT&T and had NO service in many of the places my Verizon CDMA coverage through Straight Talk was working perfectly... 4 bars against the AT&T GSM 0-1 bar unreliability.

My recommendation is to make absolutely sure your specific model is or can be unlocked and be compatible with ST before attempting it. I was told repeatedly that my S3 would not work, and it's worked just great. I've posted and received SMS messages great, including lots of photos and videos, just as I always had before with Verizon, at about half the price, with all of the Verizon 4G LTE functionality I had before.

Don't blindly take what others might be providing in the way of false or ill-informed responses and contact Straight Talk with your specific ESN or IMEI (which has to be clean). If all checks out well, go for it.

I even bought another used Samsung S3 on eBay that is a Verizon specific model (to make sure I remained on the more reliable Verizon towers), that came with the VZW ST SIM, and I had it activated within 5 minutes of receiving it. It's worked perfectly, too, on the Verizon 4G LTE network. No problems whatsoever, calls, texts, SMS, photos, videos, etc.

 

[Pphish20]

I don't think it will. Verizon runs on a CDMA network, while AT&T uses GSM. The two are incompatible. Also, CDMA phones have the SIM card built into the circuitry on their motherboards. Unlike the micro-SD cards, they cannot be removed. Unless your G3 can use GSM, you're out of luck. BTW, many people confuse the micro-SD's with SIM cards. They are not the same. Sorry to break the news.

Wrong! Wrong!I keep setting this no sim thing posted as fact... What year are u living in? And why don't u do research b4 posting on a TECH forum?!u will be hard pressed to find a phone (much less a flagship device) that DOESN'T have a sim card slot these days! Vzw has how many business clients that travel regularly and need to use their phone overseas?

 

[Someone Somewhere]

If you're a business customer, you'd likely use roaming rather than a foreign SIM that would mean you couldn't use your normal number.

 

[Pphish20]

And yet, soooo very many do this exact thing! I personally have found at least 5 working fixes for gsm compatibility for my ls990 Sprint g3... Almost all of which require rooting and a little "know how" mind u, I can only get hspa+ speeds with T-Mobile, but these speeds are often faster than what I was getting with sprint spark which I could rarely get anyway... I can think of one stock based ROM off the top of my head(cloudy g3) that will allow gsm use for vs985... Even some of the better answers here contained plenty of misinformation. As far as the FCC ruling about carriers not being able to lock devices to only work on their network, true, but the g3 was made prior to this decision, and u still have to pay off phone b4 the carrier is required to unlock and it's only for devices newer than the g3.yea and vzw unlocked out of the box... Please, this is Verizon your talking about! While lgg3 variants may share some bands,u may have to unlock the band on top of rooting and loading custom firmware to get the device working on your desired network (however for most US network it's not that complicated) for some g3 variant u could purchase an unlock code to use another sim... Still, even if purchased from carrier, this does not guarantee full compatibility on a competitor's network. The best solutions for this device all contain rooting and READING... yes learning is a requirement for adv features! I'm skeptical of those claiming to have just popped an at&t sim in their device and BAM it's working... For those of u claiming it will work because u did it with your iPhone 5c or [insert generic device name] all I have to say is go post your unsubstantiated claims on a forum where people don't come to receive to actual answers for device specific tech problems... Google+is full of community pages that are just begging to hear from u!(heavy breathing) Now I apologize for my long winded ego driven response but my god I expected more from the Tom's guide forum! The best solution is: root, read, and learn (not necessarily in that order) to access ADV device capability, which the g3 has plenty of... Or u can continue overpaying Verizon to remain ignorant

 

[Heather_13]

Verizon utilizes GSM for LTE. ***ALL*** Verizon phones that are capable of LTE have a SIM CARD slot. With that being said, ***ALL*** Verizon phones are factory unlocked from the start.

****YES**** you can use a Straight Talk, Cricket, AT&T, T-Mobile, MetroPCS, TelCel, Boost Mobile sim in it.

Just be aware of the LTE phones WITHOUT GSM bands but still use a sim (a.k.a Verizon's LG G-Vista)

But the heavy hitters (S3, S4, S4, Note 2,3,4 G2, G3, Droid Series) They can be used with any sim, and run UP TO 4G (HSPA+) T-Mobile Sim in VZW will run LTE though. (and if you travel enough, your AT&T sim will occasionally pick up a LTE signal) wherever it is they use Band 4.

This is not the 90's, that whole VZW is CDMA only thing is done and over. (P.S. - Even Sprint has a few SIM capable phones that may be unlocked)

Please learn facts and stop steering people in wrong directions.

-MD, Xda

Cablemel,

PLEASE help me out here! You seem to know what you're talking about a bit more than most I have discovered in my 2 days of searching! EVERYONE keeps posting everywhere about how all of these prepaid, Sim enabled, generic, aftermarket, overseas and "other" cell phones cannot be used with Verizon service because they are GMA and not CDMA...

Maybe I'm just finding all older info and threads, but obviously, at least all 4g, devices that take a SIM card can be used for Verizon ( or other) plans.

I just purchased the pre-paid Verizon Transpyre for my son on Black Friday at WalMart for only $29 since his Iphone broke and he isn't quite eligible for an upgrade yet (yes, I had to obtain a Sim card first since Iphones dont use them, had Verizon activate it temporarily on old broken phone as I didnt want to tell them what I was doing since they want you to use the prepaid for 6months before switching it to a plan), put it in the Transpyre and it activated with his existing number on my plan, no problem.

Here's where I am not as knowledgeable, and hoping you can help! I now want to get him a standalone Smartwatch for Christmas and want it to work with the Verizon Sim card. I dont just want one of the ones that sync (through Bluetooth) for notifications, I want one that works independently for texts/calls, etc like the Gear s2, with your SIM card, without you having to pair it with or even have your phone with you.

We are new to Smartwatches, so I would love to start with a cheaper, generic version as I hear alot of them are actually better than the name brand ones anyway, but the generic, cheaper ones that take the SIM cards to work as standalone devices all claim that they are GMA and not compatable with Verizon because Verizon is CDMA.....being that this is no longer true with the phones, is that also not true of the watches?

So could I purchase any Smartwatch that takes the same SIM card and have it still work with his Verizon Transpyre???
If you have any insight/suggestions at all, PLEASE help me out.... been searching for days and not finding any legitimate info!!!
Thanks!

 

[Brosbong]

I don't think it will. Verizon runs on a CDMA network, while AT&T uses GSM. The two are incompatible. Also, CDMA phones have the SIM card built into the circuitry on their motherboards. Unlike the micro-SD cards, they cannot be removed. Unless your G3 can use GSM, you're out of luck. BTW, many people confuse the micro-SD's with SIM cards. They are not the same. Sorry to break the news.

You're an idiot. All Verizon phones now come factory unlocked WITH gsm capabilities as mandated by the fcc. Yiud have to be a complete moron to confuse a SIM card with a micro ad card. Also, all of the New Verizon phones come with removable SIM cards because of the reason I listed above. Check your facts before answering a post

 

[Brosbong]

I will get an Verizon LG VISTA ( prepaid) LTE
next week will see if it gonna work with SIMPLE MOBILE or NOT

 

[ericsdamann1]

I don't think it will. Verizon runs on a CDMA network, while AT&T uses GSM. The two are incompatible. Also, CDMA phones have the SIM card built into the circuitry on their motherboards. Unlike the micro-SD cards, they cannot be removed. Unless your G3 can use GSM, you're out of luck. BTW, many people confuse the micro-SD's with SIM cards. They are not the same. Sorry to break the news.

Incorrect. Not all ( or really even all that many, for that matter) cdma phones have the sim card built in - that's a feature almost strictly practiced by sprint, usually older sprint devices.
Had to interject

 

[Mr_Moore]

I have a LG G3 and i have a plan threw verizon but they seem to be robbing me blind. Will a AT&T sim card from straight talk work in it?

The LG G3 was made to work through a multitude of providers, it just has to be unlocked.

 

[certarzip]

I just added my old VS985 (LG G3) to straight talk tonight. don't waste your time calling ST or VZ tech support no point they can't help. VZW does not lock their 4G phones- unless reported lost of stolen. so if you own the own you can take it to any network.

So a VZW LG G3 will work on Straight talk. Yes I got the CDMA sim from ST first.

I started off in a rough spot since I did a factory wipe first before retiring the old G3 to the drawer. So I was stuck at activation screen. The way I got around it wasn't with top left right and bottom buttons, all that did is turn on ease of access usage. I powered my phone off and then turn on hardware mode (the mode where it thinks your screen is cracked). On this screen it also shows you the imei number with a bar code on the bottom of screen. I left this screen up while i went to ST website. I put this number in and had then click check my device for capability. First two times it said sorry not compatible but then the 3rd time it worked. then all smooth sailing form there. As of 5-1-17 VZW LG G3 works on straight talk. With 4G LTE speed.