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  • iPhone 4 Activation Without Original SIM Card
    by
    Nick Hesson
    Published on 07-18-2010 12:00 PM
    274 Comments Comments
    Also works on iPhone 3GS and 3G.

    [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA1bb9C7vNU]YouTube - iPhone Activation without original sim -)[/ame]


    Sherif Hashim has posted a video in which he demonstrates how simple it is to activate the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G, without using the original SIM card that comes stocked. You can literally use any SIM card you want, however, you should keep in mind that any iPhone 4 users will be required to cut the SIM into a micro-SIM sized card.

    Now before you get all excited, this does NOT mean the phone will be unlocked. This simply activates the iPhone. This is very similar to "hacktivating" the phone, much like we do when creating custom firmware packages. Without doing so, you're stuck on the emergency screen, essentially locking you out of the Phone for any use.

    There is no programming needed, so almost anyone can do this without the technical knowledge that one might think would be required. While I don't fully understand how this works, this is what Sherif has to say:

    instead of telling everyone who hasn't got the original sim that activation of the iphone is easy using a phonebook sim card, i made this video to show u all how it works , Use any phonebook sim card, they are there in radioshak, mobile phone shops or any mobile tech moles , any phone book simcard will do the trick, no need for programmable sims, all those phonebook sims used to save ur contacts and transfer them have a universal ICCIDs preprogrammed so they all work
    Follow the video and try it out yourself and let us know how it worked out.

    To all those asking, I use this one Phone book Test card from DITS - Cdma Gsm Forum Mygsmindia. Yet, I used three other types and all work the same
    Sherif is the same fellow who found the exploit to unock 05.12.01 / 05.13.04 baseband on iPhones running iOS 4, so you can imagine what is coming soon.

    Stay tuned.
    This article was originally published in forum thread: iPhone 4 Activation Without Original SIM Card started by nickhesson View original post
    Comments 274 Comments
    1. rlsolomon's Avatar
      rlsolomon - 08-22-2010, 10:11 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by SAVAGE5 View Post
      Can I activate a i4 off ebay with this problem if I have AT&T and iPhone data plan?
      Most likely they will insist on a 2yr contract though. The whole point seems to be that these phones are not yet accepted by Apple/AT&T as having completely satisfied the requirement to take on a 2yr contract. If so, you're left probably having paid paid 2-3x the cost of a subsidized phone - and still having to accept the subsidy terms....meaning you got nothing beyond having bought a phone with contract from AT&T for the $199/$299 subsidized price
    1. treesrgreen's Avatar
      treesrgreen - 08-22-2010, 11:47 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by rlsolomon View Post
      Most likely they will insist on a 2yr contract though.
      I don't think that this is the case. I just checked the ATT contracts online - and in the scenario that I referred to below - the line that received an upgrade but was reactivated to use the 3gs has had 2 years extended on the contract. However, the line that was activated at the ATT store to actually use the iphone 4 has not been extended....
    1. yi3o8's Avatar
      yi3o8 - 08-23-2010, 12:53 AM
      Sounds about right, they'd only make you extend the plan if you wanted a discount on the phone. So if you're on month to month and plan on staying with them, might as well get a cheap phone and sell it later on when you're eligible.
    1. area51crypto's Avatar
      area51crypto - 08-23-2010, 06:11 AM
      Just my opinion but the person who bought the Iphone 4 as an upgrade is the one that has agreed to the contract by 2 years.

      I don't see anyway around this.

      What I thought was going on is that the person bought the iphone 4 for the $199 upgrade and say he has a 3gs would just agreed to the 2 year contract and continue to use his 3gs.

      If the person who bought the iphone 4 upgrade for $199 thinking he could sell the iphone and the person who bought the iphone 4 would be the one that would have the 2 year contract I think they are mistaken.
    1. rlsolomon's Avatar
      rlsolomon - 08-23-2010, 06:25 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by treesrgreen View Post
      I don't think that this is the case. I just checked the ATT contracts online - and in the scenario that I referred to below - the line that received an upgrade but was reactivated to use the 3gs has had 2 years extended on the contract. However, the line that was activated at the ATT store to actually use the iphone 4 has not been extended....
      I think you're missing the point - the seller(s) in these cases WILL NOT provide the information to activate and AT&T won't let you activate someone else's line (for obvious reasons). As you yourself stated:

      Quote Originally Posted by treesrgreen View Post
      The phone had to be activated on the line it was originally intended for.
      I do not have personal experience actually trying to get AT&T to activate a phone on my account which is already tied to someone else's. I did however call Apple about the phone I had in this situation and they told me that AT&T would require the contract.... I personally wouldn't want to show up at an AT&T store with such a phone and risk having the police called or my account extended or whatever. YMMV of course, and I would welcome any firsthand experience.

      Quote Originally Posted by area51crypto View Post
      If the person who bought the iphone 4 upgrade for $199 thinking he could sell the iphone and the person who bought the iphone 4 would be the one that would have the 2 year contract I think they are mistaken.
      I believe the proper term for this is "fraud", but it seems quite clear (from this thread and others) that some people ARE trying to pull it off - with at least partial success (by harming the subsequent purchaser). I certainly hope that AT&T and Apple charge these frauds the appropriate monetary penalties, but it nonetheless leaves later buyers in limbo.

      Who believes that once Apple charges the original purchaser's credit card for the $400 difference in subsidized vs non-subsidized price that they will release the interlock on the account so the final purchaser can activate the phone without contract???? I certainly didn't and don't.

      Quote Originally Posted by area51crypto View Post
      What I thought was going on is that the person bought the iphone 4 for the $199 upgrade and say he has a 3gs would just agreed to the 2 year contract and continue to use his 3gs.
      To be sure, we do have one honest seller posting here who did this in good faith and reported on the state of his account, etc. His buyer had to pull some (unknown) shennanigans to get the phone activated on the seller's account. In that case the seller was quite willing to co-operate, but struggled with the logistics and privacy issues. He at least was clearly NOT trying to defraud anyone, quite the contrary!

      Sadly you'll note the majority of firsthand posters have the exact opposite experience.
    1. luckyarcher's Avatar
      luckyarcher - 08-27-2010, 11:51 PM
      I've got a 'contract-free' version of the iphone 4 which I intended to unlock to use with my carrier in the UAE>
      Upon getting the phone I notice that it has a dummy AT&T sim, the phone seems to have been activated by the seller, but the firmware is 4.0.2, so I'll have to wait till the new firmware is JB'd and finally unlocked.

      My question is, when I restore or upgrade to a newer firmware, will the SSN screen come up on itunes for the same info? Will it appear everytime? Ive not yet connected the phone to itunes yet.

      Someone please help.
    1. area51crypto's Avatar
      area51crypto - 08-28-2010, 09:24 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by rlsolomon View Post
      I think you're missing the point - the seller(s) in these cases WILL NOT provide the information to activate and AT&T won't let you activate someone else's line (for obvious reasons). As you yourself stated:



      I do not have personal experience actually trying to get AT&T to activate a phone on my account which is already tied to someone else's. I did however call Apple about the phone I had in this situation and they told me that AT&T would require the contract.... I personally wouldn't want to show up at an AT&T store with such a phone and risk having the police called or my account extended or whatever. YMMV of course, and I would welcome any firsthand experience.



      I believe the proper term for this is "fraud", but it seems quite clear (from this thread and others) that some people ARE trying to pull it off - with at least partial success (by harming the subsequent purchaser). I certainly hope that AT&T and Apple charge these frauds the appropriate monetary penalties, but it nonetheless leaves later buyers in limbo.

      Who believes that once Apple charges the original purchaser's credit card for the $400 difference in subsidized vs non-subsidized price that they will release the interlock on the account so the final purchaser can activate the phone without contract???? I certainly didn't and don't.



      To be sure, we do have one honest seller posting here who did this in good faith and reported on the state of his account, etc. His buyer had to pull some (unknown) shennanigans to get the phone activated on the seller's account. In that case the seller was quite willing to co-operate, but struggled with the logistics and privacy issues. He at least was clearly NOT trying to defraud anyone, quite the contrary!

      Sadly you'll note the majority of firsthand posters have the exact opposite experience.
      Wow you must be a lawyer.

      I am going to do this as I think what has happened.

      Say I am available for an upgrade to the iPhone 4 for the $199 and 2 year contract.

      Say I have a 3gs and I am quite satisfied with it.

      Say I see that I can purchase the iPhone 4 for the $199 and sell it for say $500.

      That would be a profit of $301 dollars.

      But I do understand that no matter what I do with the iPhone 4 I will be under a contract for 2 years with the carrier AT&T and the reason I say AT&T is that I live in the USA and I don't know how things work outside the USA.

      Say I agree to sell you the iPhone 4 with the box sealed and en tact!

      Say you decide to buy the iPhone 4 as stated.

      I have not committed FRAUD as I have done what I have stated I would do and so have you.

      As far as that goes I have done my part and did nothing wrong.

      What has happened here is that Apple and or AT&T has done the shenanigans, either on purpose or accidently, they have created the activation problem.

      Now me being the person I am would simply return the monies the buyer paid me for the iPhone 4 in return for the iPhone purchased and in still new condition as not damaged.

      I realize that not all people would do this but that is just life.

      I personally would not do this as the person who purchased the iPhone 4 would, for a period or time think I should warranty anything that happened to the iPhone. I have seen several iPhone 4 for sale on Craigslist with broken screens because somebody dropped them. I think the iPhone 4 is the most fragile iPhone made. On another note the purchaser could mess the iPhone 4 up trying to jailbreak or after jailbreaking installing something harmful to the iphone and that is why I would not sell one.

      Yes it is sad as some people do not care after the sale but I would hate to know I sold an iPhone 4 for $500 and the buyer could not use it.

      In all I think all of the people who sold iPhone 4 did it with honesty they just like the buyer did not know what was going to happen.

      Quote Originally Posted by luckyarcher View Post
      I've got a 'contract-free' version of the iphone 4 which I intended to unlock to use with my carrier in the UAE>
      Upon getting the phone I notice that it has a dummy AT&T sim, the phone seems to have been activated by the seller, but the firmware is 4.0.2, so I'll have to wait till the new firmware is JB'd and finally unlocked.

      My question is, when I restore or upgrade to a newer firmware, will the SSN screen come up on itunes for the same info? Will it appear everytime? Ive not yet connected the phone to itunes yet.

      Someone please help.
      When you turn on the phone is it at the Emergency Call with Connect to Itunes in the background?
    1. luckyarcher's Avatar
      luckyarcher - 08-28-2010, 03:49 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by area51crypto View Post
      When you turn on the phone is it at the Emergency Call with Connect to Itunes in the background?
      Nothing of that sort. The phone functions fine (minus the phone part of course); I even logged into the appstore and installed an app or two. Im just scared that if a CFW were to be released in the future would the phone ask me for the SSN?
    1. area51crypto's Avatar
      area51crypto - 08-28-2010, 04:56 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by luckyarcher View Post
      Nothing of that sort. The phone functions fine (minus the phone part of course); I even logged into the appstore and installed an app or two. Im just scared that if a CFW were to be released in the future would the phone ask me for the SSN?

      I think you are good to go.

      Congrats
    1. luckyarcher's Avatar
      luckyarcher - 08-28-2010, 08:23 PM
      Thanks..the wait for 4.1 is killing me!
    1. Dors's Avatar
      Dors - 08-30-2010, 08:33 AM
      Hi guys i hope you can answer my questions...
      1) If I get the original (the one that came with the iphone) will I still need the zip code and ssn information? Just as any sim?
      2) If I get a sim with contract will I be able to activate it if this sim owner put his/her ssn/zip info?

      Thanks guys, sorry to ask but Im stuck since 3.1.3...just waiting for a miracle (hacktivation)
    1. ultrasoul's Avatar
      ultrasoul - 09-11-2010, 09:56 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by Dors View Post
      Hi guys i hope you can answer my questions...
      1) If I get the original (the one that came with the iphone) will I still need the zip code and ssn information? Just as any sim?
      2) If I get a sim with contract will I be able to activate it if this sim owner put his/her ssn/zip info?

      Thanks guys, sorry to ask but Im stuck since 3.1.3...just waiting for a miracle (hacktivation)
      Google is your best friend. Try to do a google search before flooding the forums with questions that have already been answered.


      iPhone 4 Activation Without Original SIM Card

      To all Iphone 4 and 3GS new boot rom oweners that are stuck on the SSN & Zip Code Screen, there are NO SOLUTION to bypass and activate your phone!!! NO phonebook sim card, DITS, a friend's active IP4 sim, DFU, or any other solutions would work. Don't waste your time & more $$.

      Your phone was bought from the Apple online store and is locked to the original owner's account who likely got the IP4/ 3GS at a discount and therefore extending the contract, but has not fulfill his/her end of the commitment to the carrier (AT&T) by activating the IP4 with their 4 digits SSN & Zip Code. Phones bought from AT&T directly or other partners DO NOT have this problem (hence susceptible to the sherif hasim method of the phonebook sim card hack).

      I have spent countless hours already on this topic since 3.1.3 (1.5 years and counting) and THERE IS NOT SOLUTION. YOU HAVE A USELESS BRICK.

      THE ONLY SOLUTION is if the dev team find a way to hactivate the device on the next jailbreak (which is NOT their priority as people like us are in the minority). You can feel free to petition to the dev team on twitter (MuscleNerd, pod2g, planetbeing, iphone_dev) on this.

      The only other solution is to get the original owner's SSN and zip or return for another phone.
    1. Boorish's Avatar
      Boorish - 09-12-2010, 11:04 PM
      If I successfully activate the phone with an SSN and a zip code, and then restore (or update) it, will I have to enter the SSN and the zip code again when I reactivate it?

      I'm asking this because I'm planning to buy an activated iPhone 4 from eBay. The seller might have had it activated with his SSN and zip code, but in case I restore the phone will I need the SSN and zip code again?
    1. iphoneuser7's Avatar
      iphoneuser7 - 09-23-2010, 06:00 PM
      There is another solution. You have the seller phone number (itunes), you can find the rest at the at&t activation page https://www.wireless.att.com/activations/
      Needs patience.

      No! You can restore without have to use the SSN and ZIP CODE again
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