I'm On AT&T - Is it possible to use the iPhone without the data plan?

[Knolly]

Here's my situation... I want to use an iPhone but really don't want to get the two year lock-in...

What I'm wondering is what would happen if I hack-activated/jailbroke a new iPhone and put in my current SIM. Would it work?

[redcard]

Would it work? Who knows!

[vincent6396]

Your sim for at&t? It will work, I had gotten my iphone with the data plan with at&t, did the jailbreaking thing and install apps and games. My wife saw all the stuff and wanted 1 for herself too. I bought her 1 and didn't activate it with iTunes, did the jailbreaking, activating and unlock procedure found on here. She used it for acouple days and decided that she wanted the data plan, she called at&t up and ask if they could add it. Here's where it gets me, people said that if you put your sim in the iphone the phone company of that carrier knows right away that it is a iphone. The operator didn't know she was using a iphone because she asked my wife what phone she was using, then told my wife it's better to activate the iphone thru iTunes and select the data plan she wants. Now to answer your question, it will work but you might get charge for surfing the net and checking mail. I'm not sure on that but I know for sure your phone will work.

[Knolly]

Your sim for at&t? It will work, I had gotten my iphone with the data plan with at&t, did the jailbreaking thing and install apps and games. My wife saw all the stuff and wanted 1 for herself too. I bought her 1 and didn't activate it with iTunes, did the jailbreaking, activating and unlock procedure found on here. She used it for acouple days and decided that she wanted the data plan, she called at&t up and ask if they could add it. Here's where it gets me, people said that if you put your sim in the iphone the phone company of that carrier knows right away that it is a iphone. The operator didn't know she was using a iphone because she asked my wife what phone she was using, then told my wife it's better to activate the iphone thru iTunes and select the data plan she wants. Now to answer your question, it will work but you might get charge for surfing the net and checking mail. I'm not sure on that but I know for sure your phone will work.

Vincent,
Thanks! This is VERY good news... Question though... Did visual voicemail work for her prior to using the plan? Also, when she added the data plan, did your contract get extended to two years?

Thanks!

[thebambino]

I dont think features require a two year plan i have my old att sim in the iphone and works fine i just use the wifi i did not change anything on my current plan for the same reason you stated about the two years it will be jyst like your current plan without all the add ons they want you to get and the operators have no idea what phone your using ive had mine for months no problem just folliw the guides here and youll be fine

[slaydog103]

I'm in a similar situation. My phone is available for upgrade by my gf's isnt. She want's an iPhone for her part of the family line. Could I get the phone and activate it with my sim card then just switch them or is the phone sim card locked as well, even though they're both AT&T? Her phone isn't available for upgrade yet and she really wants one, just trying to figure how to trick Cingular since we don't want to pay the "full retail price" of the iPhone.

[vincent6396]

Vincent,
Thanks! This is VERY good news... Question though... Did visual voicemail work for her prior to using the plan? Also, when she added the data plan, did your contract get extended to two years?

Thanks!

She had asked the at&t operator about that too and they said you need the data plan to use that feature. I had gotten my iphone with a new 2 yr contract 2 weeks prior to hers and we have a family plan so I think hers might be for 2 years too but not sure.

I'm in a similar situation. My phone is available for upgrade by my gf's isnt. She want's an iPhone for her part of the family line. Could I get the phone and activate it with my sim card then just switch them or is the phone sim card locked as well, even though they're both AT&T? Her phone isn't available for upgrade yet and she really wants one, just trying to figure how to trick Cingular since we don't want to pay the "full retail price" of the iPhone.

Yes you can use your sim card to activate the iphone and switch it out with her sim card and it'll work. But to synce it to iTunes, you must use your sim card not hers. iTunes will deterct your sim card but not hers. If you do sync it with hers iTunes will ask you to activate it. I tried with a buddies iphone with firmware 1.0.2 that was unlock for t-mobile. Virginized it and upgraded to 1.1.1, then put my activated at&t sim card in but it still asked me still to activate. Hope this helps.

[MCN]

When I got my iphone I was able to use it without the data or extending contract. If you got your iphone from a source other than AT&T (i.e. eBAY) when you put your sim card in you still have to activate it with your sim before you can use it. So I just used a jailbreak program to activate and jailbreak and it worked. You have to connect it to itunes but be sure not to start that activation process through them. If you do you're owned. I was limited to the apps and fun customizing so I finally got the data added to my account which was $20.00 for unlimited data and 500 texts along with visual voicemail.

[curtisoo]

Sorry to hi jack thread but i was wondering and looking around trying to find some information..

Im looking to buy an iphone from att. Now you have to have a data plan and a service/voice plan for 2 years, correct? Or at least a service/voice plan for 2 years?

Last question, if i sign a contract for the iphone am i bound to the data plan for 2 years along with the original voice/service agreement?

Sorry if this question has been asked a million times im new here. I honestly can not find much info about canceling data plan and still keeping the iphone with the voice plan and not having to pay a early termination fee.

[808mp5]

Sorry to hi jack thread but i was wondering and looking around trying to find some information..

Im looking to buy an iphone from att. Now you have to have a data plan and a service/voice plan for 2 years, correct? Or at least a service/voice plan for 2 years?

Last question, if i sign a contract for the iphone am i bound to the data plan for 2 years along with the original voice/service agreement?

Sorry if this question has been asked a million times im new here. I honestly can not find much info about canceling data plan and still keeping the iphone with the voice plan and not having to pay a early termination fee.

its' all in the at&t terms and conditions

Terms Applicable to AT&T Nation/FamilyTalk® GSM Plans: Credit approval required. Subscriber must live and have a mailing address within AT&T's owned network coverage area. An early termination fee of $175 applies if service is terminated before the end of the contract term. For service activated on or after May 25, 2008 the Early Termination Fee will be reduced by $5.00 for each full month toward your minimum term that you complete. If phone is returned within 3 days, activation fee will be refunded. If phone is returned within 30 days in like-new condition with all components, early termination fee will be waived. All other charges apply. Some dealers impose additional fees.

As for the data plan.... yes you can cancel that without paying the EFT (i canceled the data plan on my second line cuz i sold my second 3G and told them i lost it) butread below)
Data Plans: An eligible data plan for iPhone is required. This data plan covers data usage in the U.S. and does not cover international data usage and charges. If it is determined that you are using iPhone without an eligible data plan, AT&T reserves the right to add an eligible data plan to your account and bill you the appropriate monthly fee. © 2008 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T and the AT&T logo are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property. Subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. provide products and services under the AT&T brand. © 2008 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPod, iTunes, and Mac are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. iPhone, Multi-Touch and Safari are trademarks of Apple Inc.

/ENDTHREAD JACK

[samuraikc]

Hey everyone, I'm new to this but I really need some answers.
I'm in the same position as Knolly, however I purchased an iphone from one of my friends who decided to upgrad to the 3g. He has always taken great care of it, so much that he refused to jailbreak it or anything. Its a first generation 8gb iphone, and has the 2.0 software. I currently have AT&T service without a data plan so i know i won't get visual voice mail and what not which is fine by me. Will i still be able to use his phone just by plugging in my sim card? I'm betting that its a lot more complicated than that, but like i said, I'm new here, so what would i have to do to unlock/activate the phone so that i could use it normally with itunes?

[rvlyssup]

Will i still be able to use his phone just by plugging in my sim card?

Nope...

You are going to have to activate, unlock, and jailbreak before you can use your non-iPhone plan at&t SIM. Pwnage (Mac) or WinPwn (windows) is the only option to do all the above if running 2.0 FW.

[curtisoo]

When I got my iphone I was able to use it without the data or extending contract. If you got your iphone from a source other than AT&T (i.e. eBAY) when you put your sim card in you still have to activate it with your sim before you can use it. So I just used a jailbreak program to activate and jailbreak and it worked.

If you got a iphone on ebay, and activated it either through att or jailbreak do you still need that data plan from att?

I dont wana pay for that data if you can tell. Is there anyway to get a iphone and not be obligated to pay for data as long as you have that phone?

[losmarinos]

Here's my situation... I want to use an iPhone but really don't want to get the two year lock-in...

What I'm wondering is what would happen if I hack-activated/jailbroke a new iPhone and put in my current SIM. Would it work?

I do exactly that, I have an AT & T Call plan, but cancelled he iPhone Bundle which you can do via the Automated system or by going to an ATT Store and say you want to Cancel the Iphone Bundle. The iPhone still works on WiFi after cancellation

[samuraikc]

I do exactly that, I have an AT & T Call plan, but cancelled he iPhone Bundle which you can do via the Automated system or by going to an ATT Store and say you want to Cancel the Iphone Bundle. The iPhone still works on WiFi after cancellation

thats interesting, by the way, (sorry for the thread jack) but if you use intend to use the iphone just on wifi, it doesn't automatically try to connect to the internet via edge or 3g does it? is there a way you prevent it from doing that or does it just use the wifi connection automatically?

[rvlyssup]

If you got a iphone on ebay, and activated it either through att or jailbreak do you still need that data plan from att?

A data plan will be required if you verbally notify at&t that you have an iPhone and plan to use it on your existing or new service. This is at&t's way of binding you to a 2 year contract and account activation through iTunes.

I dont wana pay for that data if you can tell. Is there anyway to get a iphone and not be obligated to pay for data as long as you have that phone?

Sure, just make sure you don't say anything. Activate, JB, (and maybe unlock) and pop in your at&t SIM card. Just don't use the internet unless you do not mind per usage charges.

Another thing to keep in mind, at&t tracks what kind of phone you are using on your account. Be careful not to get caught and have the account changed to an iPhone plan.

(cough, cough, imei, cough, change, cough...)

thats interesting, by the way, (sorry for the thread jack) but if you use intend to use the iphone just on wifi, it doesn't automatically try to connect to the internet via edge or 3g does it? is there a way you prevent it from doing that or does it just use the wifi connection automatically?

Nope...

Auto switching from WiFi to EDGE or 3g requires that the iPhone be activated. If there is no service, it acts like an iPod Touch. No WiFi, no worky for email, internet, etc...

[losmarinos]

Sorry to hi jack thread but i was wondering and looking around trying to find some information..

Im looking to buy an iphone from att. Now you have to have a data plan and a service/voice plan for 2 years, correct? Or at least a service/voice plan for 2 years?

Last question, if i sign a contract for the iphone am i bound to the data plan for 2 years along with the original voice/service agreement?

Sorry if this question has been asked a million times im new here. I honestly can not find much info about canceling data plan and still keeping the iphone with the voice plan and not having to pay a early termination fee.

My suggestion would be to try a Friends ATT Sim card from a NON iPhone Phone. If it works without the data Plan, Go buy a SIM from ATT for another phone you already have, then put it in th iPhone