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Data only SIM in iPhone

benhollberg

benhollberg

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Mar 8, 2010
2,170
7
chillhase said:
hum, so ill get an unlocked iPhone from the apple store (roughly 750$) and a 2gb plan for a newly purchased iPad (which i do not have but i activate it in a best buy or get it from apple and send it back). so i have 2gb data for a month for 25$? just wanted to crosscheck.
if i am right a Skype call of about a minute without video is about 1 or 2 mb of data, why doesn't everybody do this? it sounds to be ****ing cheap.

btw: thanks a lot for all your help. you are amazing :)
Click to expand...

To get an activated SIM I went to the Apple store to buy an iPad 3G. Apple let's you return their products without a SIM, I am just going to return the iPad sometime this week.

ET iPhone Home said:
Thanks so much for doing this.

In step 2: The original sim is still in the 4S when you go to "unlockit", correct?
In Step 4: This is where I then insert the activated some from an iPad or a GoPhone.

So, referring to your original post, you wanted to be able to use your old 4 like an iTouch, but with "Data" access. If I purchase a Go Phone with an activated sim and then decide to purchase an unlocked 4S or locked for that matter, I can then use the 4S to make calls and Data? Because with an iPad activated Sim, I would be restricted to only data. Am I understanding this correctly? Thanks.

A GoPhone does offer a micro sim card for use, so that there would be no need to cut a regular sim down to micro size.

----------



I'm confused. If you purchase an iPad with a 2GB plan, and then return the iPad, don't you have to return that sim that came originally in the iPad, or is this sim later given to you once you pay for activation?

(edit) I think I got it. You need to purchase an iPad in order to get a sim activated. Once you return the iPad, you keep the sim. The selected carrier thinks you still have the iPad. Right? You then maintain and pay the monthly activation for the returned iPad to maintain data/calls on the 4S/4. All I can say is WOW!
Click to expand...

When I did the "unlockit" thing I didn't have a SIM in the device. I inserted the activated SIM in the phone after I did the unlockit thing.

Just for thought, I have my sister on a GoPhone with an iPhone and she didn't have to do any unlock thing. She only has voice though, no data.

If you go the GoPhone rout then you will have voice and data. If I remember correctly data costs more with GoPhone but I don't now for sure.

AlvinNguyen said:
The only problem see with this is that you will not be able to use the phone to text a lot (google voice won't work because you need an actual phone number - the iPad number won't work because it's only for admin use). You will also need to have Skype ($2.99 per month) for VOIP. So you're looking at roughly $30 for 2gb of internet and calling ($2.99 gets you unlimited calling to US and Canada numbers on Skype).

Limitations
-People HAVE to have Skype to call you (unless you want a Skype number which increases your costs)
-you can't text anyone without iMessage
-you can't call in rural areas or very populated metro areas where ATT signal is known to suck - basically, if you rely on a phone 24/7 you shouldn't get this
-when your 2Gb is up you need to buy more

So while its doable and cheap it's got limitation. This should be o for some people but is a bit too extreme for me. I like to know that I can use my phone for emergency use as well as being able to text, talk normally.

I would suggest an alternative which is to get a family plan with 5 lines. Gather some friends and family and get on a family plan. On sprint you can get a family plan for ($220) - or $180 if you know where to look - unlimited everything on 4 lines. That's roughly $45 a line and you will be carefree.
Click to expand...

If you have Google Voice, which is free, you can use their app for text messages from any number. People can text you to that number and you will receive push notifications. Also you can make VOIP Google Voice calls with the free Talkatone application. So you can use it as a phone but everything would be over the Internet.
 
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chillhase

macrumors member
Oct 6, 2011
45
0
AlvinNguyen said:
I would suggest an alternative which is to get a family plan with 5 lines. Gather some friends and family and get on a family plan. On sprint you can get a family plan for ($220) - or $180 if you know where to look - unlimited everything on 4 lines. That's roughly $45 a line and you will be carefree.
Click to expand...
i agree, this is better, but I'm only looking for a plan for the next 6 month.not two years. And I need an unlocked iPhone

AlvinNguyen said:
All in all, not really worth it unless you're hurting for money. In that case I would just go on TMOBILE and get their walmart $29.99 plan for unlimited data, text, and 100 minutes. Then you can use android phones for 4G or an iPhone and be on Edge
Click to expand...
Also, I agree, but unfortunately tmobile is not available in my area :(
 
ET iPhone Home

ET iPhone Home

macrumors 68040
Oct 5, 2011
3,823
529
Orange County, California USA
benhollberg said:
To get an activated SIM I went to the Apple store to buy an iPad 3G. Apple let's you return their products without a SIM, I am just going to return the iPad sometime this week.



When I did the "unlockit" thing I didn't have a SIM in the device. I inserted the activated SIM in the phone after I did the unlockit thing.

Just for thought, I have my sister on a GoPhone with an iPhone and she didn't have to do any unlock thing. She only has voice though, no data.

If you go the GoPhone rout then you will have voice and data. If I remember correctly data costs more with GoPhone but I don't now for sure.
Click to expand...

Thanks for clarifying that. Above, you mentioned, you had your sister on a GoPhone w/ an iPhone - no need to unlock, no data. Making calls is all I need. I don't need DATA. This is why I have yet to sign a 2 yr. contract. I want the iPhone so I can later use these options later. Plus, I like that I can travel out of country and purchase a local sim card. So basically, I can get by by switching a GoPhone Sim with a hand-me-down iPhone 4 or unlocked 4S.

But then, your last paragraph says, If I go the GoPhone route, I can get voice and data. I'm not understanding something.....
 
benhollberg

benhollberg

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Mar 8, 2010
2,170
7
My sister used GoPhone from AT&T with an iPhone. GoPhone plans you can add data but they do not come with data. She doesn't need data, voice only. When I setup her GoPhone I just got a GoPhone SIM and put it in the iPhone and it worked.

This thread was created for data only, not GoPhone. What I am doing with my old iPhone 4 is using a SIM from an iPad. It has nothing to do with GoPhones. Sorry if that sounds rude I just want to clarify.
 
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elinks

macrumors newbie
Jul 19, 2011
12
0
benhollberg said:
To get an activated SIM I went to the Apple store to buy an iPad 3G. Apple let's you return their products without a SIM, I am just going to return the iPad
Click to expand...

Can i just borrow a friends ATT 3G ipad and activate a sim, put it in my iphone 4 and use data only? It is a lot of effort to buy an ipad from Apple and then return it (especially with no Apple store nearby). Any chance of messing up friends ipad activating new sim?
 
benhollberg

benhollberg

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Mar 8, 2010
2,170
7
elinks said:
Can i just borrow a friends ATT 3G ipad and activate a sim, put it in my iphone 4 and use data only? It is a lot of effort to buy an ipad from Apple and then return it (especially with no Apple store nearby). Any chance of messing up friends ipad activating new sim?
Click to expand...

You shouldn't have any problems doing this. As long as you have an unactivated SIM to activate all should go well. Nothing will happen to your friends iPad. This would just be like switch SIMs in a cellular phone.
 
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chillhase

macrumors member
Oct 6, 2011
45
0
nice work, dude!
i did a little research about activating the iPad sim without actually having a iPad. seems not to be possible anymore. it was a couple of years ago, though.
 
benhollberg

benhollberg

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Mar 8, 2010
2,170
7
chillhase said:
i did a little research about activating the iPad sim without actually having a iPad. seems not to be possible anymore. it was a couple of years ago, though.
Click to expand...

If you don't want to buy an iPad I would try getting a SIM from AT&T, or having a friend with an iPad 3G ask for a SIM, and going to activate it on a demo unit at AT&T or Best Buy.
 
C

chillhase

macrumors member
Oct 6, 2011
45
0
benhollberg said:
If you don't want to buy an iPad I would try getting a SIM from AT&T, or having a friend with an iPad 3G ask for a SIM, and going to activate it on a demo unit at AT&T or Best Buy.
Click to expand...

i like the idea, but it would feel strange standing in a shop and exchanging the sims XD
 
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evil30

macrumors newbie
Aug 7, 2011
12
0
Here is another option that has worked for me. Find a non smart phone from ATT(non Windows based and non Iphone) used($20) or so. A go phone or whatever that is 3g capable and has internet. Go to ATT and say you want to add this line to your plan and get the UNLIMITED DATA for non smart phone which is $10/month. To add the line may be $10/month. You can then take the sim card out and into Iphone or Ipad and have unlimited 3G data for $20/month by changing the APN settings.


Does this work???? Yes, I purchased pulled SIM card out of wife's Samsung phone I added to my plan and put in used Iphone 3GS I bought and she has been using unlimited data on Iphone since June. It works!
 
benhollberg

benhollberg

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Mar 8, 2010
2,170
7
Do you have a voice plan for that? How many minutes and what is the total cost?
 
C

chillhase

macrumors member
Oct 6, 2011
45
0
yo, guys,

so i went for the go phone. unfortunately i didn't have much time lately to set it up but by now i got an activated sim card. the 10 cent plan. however, data won't work. i changed the apn but nothing changed. just no signal.
 
benhollberg

benhollberg

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Mar 8, 2010
2,170
7
Not sure about using the GoPhone. My sister uses an iPhone as a GoPhone but only voice, I haven't tried to put data on her plan though.
 
L

ltroy89

macrumors newbie
Jul 2, 2008
2
0
Can someone show me a picture of what their phone looks like now with the data connected. I have the iphone4s and want to buy the data sim card and put it in my phone the only way I connect to do anything is through Wi-Fi and it shows no service at the side. Do you see the 3g enabled once you have the pan changed and so on ?
 
O

OceanView

macrumors 65816
Sep 16, 2005
1,094
39
This option intrigues me.
I wonder if it would be possible and bearable to use an iPhone only with a data plan and no voice plan.
How unrealistic would it be? Can it be reliable for voice calls?
I guess it will depend on how much phone you need but maybe I'm wrong about this.
Anyone that has done this can you comment on living with only a data plan is going?
 
L

ltroy89

macrumors newbie
Jul 2, 2008
2
0
OceanView said:
This option intrigues me.
I wonder if it would be possible and bearable to use an iPhone only with a data plan and no voice plan.
How unrealistic would it be? Can it be reliable for voice calls?
I guess it will depend on how much phone you need but maybe I'm wrong about this.
Anyone that has done this can you comment on living with only a data plan is going?
Click to expand...

well I mean I use google talk and the app called "talk atone" to make phone calls the free version the quality kind of sucks I used it in hotel lobbies where it's always loud and you could barely hear unless you have a head piece. You can use talk atone on wireless or data the app says so thats good enough for me just want to make sure data sim is the best to go with instead of go phone plan
 
benhollberg

benhollberg

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Mar 8, 2010
2,170
7
I still do this with my iPhone 4, I do have a voice plan in my iPhone 4S though.

The Google Voice rout using VOIP with Talkatone isn't the greatest, the quality is really bad over 3G, works good over Wi-Fi though. I believe you can setup Talkatone to ring your phone when people call your Google Voice number also but I haven't done that. Google Voice and the iPhone 4 works great for text messaging though, also voicemails and things. The Google Voice application is probably my most used application. I still use the iPhone 4 quite a bit and pay only the $15 data plan and haven't gone over yet.
 
D

degausser

macrumors newbie
Aug 5, 2012
1
0
Howdy, all.

I just went through this process successfully (yay!) and now have a question. Now that I have it working, the "AT&T" and signal bars show up constantly in the top left—even when I have 3G and cellular data both switched to "Off." Any idea what's going on? Is it really impossible to disable cellular with this modified APN, or is that just showing up even with the signal off? (On my iPad, the bars and "AT&T" text disappear and just show "iPad" when I switch those off.)
 
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andymann

macrumors newbie
Jul 21, 2012
10
0
So could someone get a used iphone (or new unlocked one) and simply insert a tmobile data-only sim card? Has anybody tried this that can share their experience?
 
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MacVault

macrumors 65816
Jun 10, 2002
1,144
59
Planet Earth
So I am about to try the data-only iPad sim in my iPhone 4. Questions:

-- Is there any risk to changing the APN at unlockit.co.nz? Like is there a way to set it back to factory?
-- Does the phone have to be unlocked first?
-- Will the AT&T store reps put me in handcuffs once they realize what I'm doing? I just called them and they said they'd give me a free iPad Micro-SIM and assist me with activating it in the store (but I did not tell them I'll be using it in my iPhone 4)
 
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MacVault

macrumors 65816
Jun 10, 2002
1,144
59
Planet Earth
Chat with AT&T Support on this...

I just chatted with AT&T support about this, see chat below. But everyone here on this forum I see doing this says it's worked for a long time and I see no instance where AT&T swept their account and added the "required" voice plan. Any experienced response out there?

me: ...
agent: I want to make sure that I understand. You are asking if you can put an iPad microSIM in your iPhone to use a no-contract data plan on. Is that correct?
agent: It might work for a bit, but the system routinely sweeps and it would be noted.
me: I see. So do you have a written policy that specifies between which devices a sim may be swapped?
agent: Thank you. Please bear with me for 2-3 minutes.
me: Sure, no rush, thanks
me: And when you say the system sweeps and notes this does that mean service is shut off, or just noted?
agent: Legal Terms for your AT&T contract.
me: Thank you
agent: The system sweeps and adds the required plans.
 
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