Iphone 3g TONS of conflicting posts...need truth!

[Johng123]

Ok so I am trying desperately to figure out by the first of august when I am eligible for a new iphone if its at all possible to do pay per use internet.

So theres posts like this:

Yes, you can. The absolute best way to do this is to buy a used phone and have the IMEI attached to your account.

Just call up and say that you didn't like the iPhone and wanted to switch down to a regular phone. You could probably go in to an AT&T store to have this done as well. While they're changing your phone over, simply say you don't need the iPhone data plan anymore, but would like the internet on your device still, and they'll sign you up for the MEdiaNet plan for $15/mo.

Wait until they're done, make a call from the phone so you know it works properly, then pull the SIM and put it in your iPhone. You will lose Visual Voicemail by doing this though. It depends on how important that is to you.

People on HoFo and A do this all the time. Just keep the other phone around in case you have to call in and for some reason they ask for your phones IMEI.

AT&T does have a way to check IMEI's of phones being used at the tower level, but they don't. They run regular sweeps through their billing system to make sure the proper data plans are attached to the proper phones, but this only checks the IMEI they have registered in their billing system with your data plan, not the phone you're currently connecting to a tower with.

-http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=6111493&postcount=24

then theres posts like this:

I did a little test.
I bought my son a 3Gs on launch day Friday june 19.
The following tuesday we met for lunch. I pulled up my ATT and it showed his phone as some samsung. We swapped the SIM into the new iPhone and one we had bars the page was refreshed, so was his phone. It showed he was using an iPhone just like that.

-also [ame=http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=6111493&postcount=24]Mac Forums - View Single Post - Can I use AT&T Media Net Unlimited for iPhone 3G?[/ame]

So all in all here is my final question. How does ATT data sweep work? Can they tell your IMEI number in their sweeps? Is it possible to attach an IMEI to an account then take out the sim and put it in an iphone? Also is ATT following up on these threatening messages saying they are gonna add the $30 data plan? Please any help would be great! Thanks!!

[gordo2150]

Because the IMEI and ESN are registered to apple as a media phone! why do you think that an unlocked phone cost so much? it would not show the model of the phone, it just show it's capabilities! I have had ATT rep calling me regarding my accounts, since I have a LG Incite (well my 3GS is using the sim) with the PDA/Tether service, they have call me regarding the phone I'm using since they could tell is not an ATT device, I told them that I did report my LG lost, since I don's have any Dumb insurance I had to used one of my own! they tried so bad for me to buy one from them! but no go! so since I'm always on time with all my accounts they can say or do Nothing!

My girl got cought by not activating her 3GS with the phone sim, like almost 3 weeks later they told her that she needs to activate the DATA service, (Even though she works for ATT)

So either way we lose! that's why people were jumping to T-mobile! but what's the use of paying 20.00 for data service that is so sloW,

maybe you are able to use the 15.00 Basic unlimited for a little while, but just keep in mind that sooner or later you will get cought!

the best iphone for the use on t-mobile was the 2G, or if you are not planning to use date t-mobile is good

You will have so many diffrent stories, but only a few are able to do this! my 3G have been on a Samsung cheap cell phone for almot 12 months have never paid for DATA service

[Johng123]

hmm well thanks for the post but you did nto really answer my questions which were:
"So all in all here is my final question. How does ATT data sweep work? Can they tell your IMEI number in their sweeps? Is it possible to attach an IMEI to an account then take out the sim and put it in an iphone? Also is ATT following up on these threatening messages saying they are gonna add the $30 data plan? Please any help would be great! Thanks!!"

[cpjr]

The sweeps are automated, Yes they can tell the IMEI, no you cant fake it, yes they do follow up and yes they can/will force add the data plan if they choose.

[Johng123]

The sweeps are automated, Yes they can tell the IMEI, no you cant fake it, yes they do follow up and yes they can/will force add the data plan if they choose.

Thanks! But i didn't mean to fake the imei i mean can u like attach an imei to an account?

[cpjr]

No, its automatically updated with whatever phone is currently being used on their network......so the only way is to "fake" it.....which you used to be able to do from the phone....but that was in a much older firmware version and cant be done anymore.

[A3gOwner]

I've had mine just like you said for 8 months now, Imei of another phone on account. I have a medianet and messaging unlimited plan, did lose visual voicemail, but who REALLY needs that. Never have I had problems with these sweeps people talk about or had them change plan back. I did however have a csr tell me I may see data charges on medianet (5gig limit maybe?) if I don't change my plan. Politely told him I wouldn't pay them and not to make any changes to my account. He said ok thanks. That was January and have not seen any of these charges he spoke of since. I've called 20+ times since and nobody else mentioned it. I think dude was just trying to be an jerk. Also I average 3-5gig a month data so I'd say ur good to go. I did this to get mms working with swirly back in November and never lost anything but visual voicemail. Mms has worked non stop since November never had a problem at all.

Also I held on to phone that's imei is registered to my account just in case.

Looked at question again and my answer to that is I wouldn't use pay per use(you could tho no problem), that could get way more expensive than $15 medianet unlimited account. I believe the phone "checks in over data network" if that makes since, so it'd be using data even tho your not actually doing anything. You could however have them block data on account and only use wifi for inet. Your also gonna have to wait 30 days to do anything to account or they'll charge you for phone/make you return it. I'd call after 30 days with a different phone give them some bs about broken iPhone and u want account changed to other phone, setup account as u wish. Put sim back in iPhone then good to go.

[Johng123]

A3g you cannot even begin to realize how much i appreciate your post. I posted this thread on 6 (yes SIX) different iphone boards word for word, and your answer has been the only one that has helped me at all. Few things though, yeah I am only getting pay per use internet cause I plan on disabling the internet altogether and didn't want to pay $30 a month. One question though what did you mean you have to wait 30 days? Like I have to pay for the first month then say my iphone broke?

But again thank you very very veryyyy much! Also if you have a paypal i'd like to give ya a lil something for such a helpful post

[A3gOwner]

Yes your going to have to pay the first months bill(data and all), then after 30 days u can do the above. After 30 days they have u locked in for 2yrs or a eta fee either way. If you want to be safe use the other phone for a day before putting sim back in iPhone. check to Make sure u blockd data from the other phone as well(if that's what ur doing) data charges add up quick. If your not going to use it have them (AT&T) disable it. I could probably come close to $30 pay per use on accident, by this I mean like opening the mail app accidentally(or any inet app). I've seen people rack up over a thousand dollars of data on a normal phone, AT&T only takes it off once. I'm not trying to tell you what to do, I'm just trying to warn you.

[Johng123]

k thanks again sooo much...do you have a paypal i'd like to treat you to a bit of money