Can I activate a 3GS without a SIM card installed?

I have an old 3GS that I want to restore to factory settings. I gave it to a friend and they tried unlocking the phone online without success. They gave me the phone back, but now I can't even use it for an iPod or games or anything as I need to restore it. The question is do I need to have a SIM card to get the phone to open passed the activation point, even if I don't want to use it as a phone?

Hi TipsfromAB,
To activate an iPhone that you intend to use without a wireless plan, you do need a SIM card temporarily for the initial activation. You may find the following article helpful:
Apple Support: Using an iPhone without a wireless service plan
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3406
Regards,
- Brenden

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