IPhone 3GS pay as you go

Question

A friend of mine just gave me her old iPhone 3GS to replace my broken Samsung intensity 2. I have been a long time verizon customer and wish to keep my service with them. I know to upgrade to a smartphone I will need to upgrade to a smart phone pay as you go plan vs the basic pay as you go plan I currently have, but I'm curious if I can even activate to particular phone on the verizon network. I've been looking around online and feel I'm getting conflicting information since the iPhone 3 has already become so outdated for most people. When I turn the phone on it says I need a SIM card. I've never had one with any of my verizon phones, but from what I've seen I can go and ask for one at the store. If getting the 3G LTE SIM card enough to get this phone working with the verizon network?

Answer 1

Im sorry to say this but it will not work.  The reason why, Verizon Wireless only uses CDMA networks in the United States.  The iphone 3GS (model A1332) works off GSM networks only and has no CDMA compatible radio in the unit.  And even though Sim cards may look the same,  Verizon LTE Sim cards only work on CDMA LTE phones.  the 4G LTE simcards will not function in a GSM only phone without a "CDMA 4G LTE" radio built in the handset. 
Verizon Wireless will offer international sim cards to be used in a unlocked GSM phone or a compatible world phone ( phones with both CDMA and GSM radios built in )but those sims only work overseas and not in the United States.   The iPhone 4s A1387, and the CDMA iphone 5 A1429 are Apple's examples of world phones that are compatible with Verizon both here in the United States and Overseas.   Hope this helps.