This is what VM intends to do with Android accounts.
Seems someone was able to go to an apple store and get a virgin sim without a new phone. They had already bought iphones from the apple store a few months back. Seems odd but in case anyone has an unlocked iphone bought from the apple store and wants to try their luck getting a virgin sim with service for $1 a year then maybe it will work for you too.
It might indeed work if one could get the sim.
That being said I do not know what is unique about the sim unless they are being tracked by ICCID number since the sim the Apple Store usually gives out (SIMGLW436C) indicates it would work Boost, Virgin, and Sprint.
Certainly Virgin Mobile could easily verify whether the sim being used was associated with an iPhone purchase from the Apple Store during the offer period although it may not have written its software to do that.
Even if it "works", there is the question of the legality (theft of service) and the morality of the matter to contend with.
Of course in addition, Virgin Mobile could at any time determine that the account had been improperly established and bill for the service at the appropriate rate.
ETA:
I looked at the Inner Circle pages and there is in fact an activation link--so the process might indeed work
https://activate.virginmobileusa.com/#/your-device
One analyst estimates the promo might result in sales of 300,000 phones.
If one applies the "Ting retention" factor (the ratio Ting projected to retain accounts migrated from RingPlus) this may be a sensible move for VM after the free service ends.
I completely forgot that the sims are generic. Hmmm. Makes the story sound even less plausible or just a big mistake.
They said that the system let them activate because it was a sim free model from the apple store and that other carrier iphones wouldn't work. That could be how they filter them. However I am not so sure how true that is since they didn't appear to try to activate carrier iphones. So it may just be a theory or something the apple store said.
Can't believe Virgin didn't consider migrating everyone on Android to R+.
Virgin Mobile has extended the promo through August 31, 2017.
Just like r+ did with ting
:sick: :sick: :woohoo: :woohoo: :sick: :sick: :silly: :silly: :blink: :blink: :S
Same sprint service. Lol
Funny when I left VM they begged me to stay. Only to do this to android customers. Nice
You can now bring your own iphone to virgin and get the unlimited service for $1 for 1 year. Nice if you were not keen on the sprint free year deal due to hard credit pulls or other issues.
https://www.virginmobileusa.com/plans/bring-your-device.html
Wow, what a find! Thanks!
So I just ordered sim cards for our unlocked iPhones (which are on freedompop currently).
And it looks like freedompop provides the information you need to port out right on their website.
Just in case I run into problems with the port out, does anyone know of a way to get free numbers from another provider? H2O seem to have closed the loophole where you could activate a sim without topping it up.
google voice for $3?
Freedompop should work. I think they just need to be something that isn't sprint.
A few bucks should get you a number from somewhere. Tmob prepaid? Especially with service for a year for a buck that isn't a big cost
Thanks. Yeah it looks like freedompop will work.
I'm a little worried if the Aug 31 deadline includes the transfer of the number and I'm left relying on freedompop or waiting for a sim to arrive.
Google Voice is a good idea. Will cost nothing to set one up and then it's available in an emergency
Only for iPhone? why?
I am trying it for someone in the family. Not much to lose for $1. Ordered a sim. The activation doesn't let me use our own sim as it only gives paid plan options during the activation. Guess I'll have to wait.
Looks like it is available until September 29, 2017.
Please let us know if the GV number works--I know some people who might be very interested in this.
@JTSR71 You can get an almost free phone number from FreedomPop LTE SIM account which worked for me when I signed up for Sprint 1 year free. Does anyone know if Virgin Mobile charge extra for taxes and fees every month like Sprint? If so, how much?
So the SIM not work in a non-iPhone?
Virgin Mobile is moving to an all-iPhone concept, although Androids can remain for now. Only iPhones, and only specific iPhones for this promo. (Basically, it has to be a multi-carrier iPhone that works on both Sprint and a non-Sprint carrier.) Whether or not the SIM will work in a non-iPhone is irrelevant for plan activation, since the phone has to be pre-approved by IMEI/MEID. (It might be possible to swap to an Android later, although I have read nothing about that possibility.)
The iPhone you're using for the Virgin promo does not need to the same phone active on the line you're porting.
Assuming the same set of rules as for the Sprint promo--- FreedomPop numbers will work for porting, if they are on the FP GSM network (Freedompop SIM plan, not the Sprint BYOD plans). Google Voice numbers will work, although there is some question about whether 'all' Google voice numbers will work. (The number has to appear as a cellular number in the system, not as a VOiP number.) There's an extra step to release a number from GV for porting, with a small charge to release the number.
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As far as I can tell from extensive reading, and some testing (for the similar Sprint offer), any T-Mo, VZW, or AT&T subsidiary or MVNO would work for a number to port. For the Sprint offer, I confirmed that T-Mo Pay-As-You-Go , GoPhone Pay-As-You-Go (AT&T Prepaid now), Tracfone, and FreedomPop GSM all passed muster. (Although I did not actually complete the process with all those options.) (Minimum cost for setting up either of the 2 first routes is around $20, although you might be able to shave a few $.) Tracfone allows a user to re-activate a device with a new number and keep the balance after porting out the original number-- a kind of rare possibility. For most carriers, any balance you have will be forfeit.
Did you get any confirmation email when you ordered the sim?
Do you know if FreedomPop means both the global sim and the LTE sim?