iPhone and Virgin Mobile sim

[holmessweetholmes]

Ok, I'm a bit clueless about these things, so... My friend is giving me her iPhone 3 (having upgraded to a 4). However, I have a BlackBerry on a contract with Virgin, which doesn't finish until January. I assumed that I therefore can't use the iPhone until I can get a new contract with another provider, as Virgin don't do iPhones.
Then someone said 'Can't you just put your Virgin sim in the iPhone?' So, can I?
TIA

Depends on whether the iPhone is 'locked'.

If you buy a phone from car phone warehouse then their phones are unlocked in that you can stick in whatever sim you want. If you buy a phone off Virgin or O2 or Orange then they 'fix' the phone so that it will only accept their sim.

If your iPhone is unlocked then it will accept your Virgin sim.

If your phone is locked but not to Virgin (I think they use T-Mobile) then your friendly phone accessories guy at your local market will unlock it for £5 to £10.

Cool! Thank you. I expect it's locked then, as I'm pretty sure she got it from whoever her service provider is. Friendly phone accessories guy at local market, here I come.

Why don't you suck it and see? Put the Virgin sim in and see what happens. If the phone doesn't recognise the sim THEN then visit your local market guy.

Yes - will do. Getting the phone in a couple of weeks, so will try it then. Thanks for the advice!