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HOLY CRAP BATMAN, FaceTime just cost me $50 TODAY to UNSUCCESSFULLY Activate!

B

bella92108

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Mar 1, 2006
1,610
0
WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING ***

OK, this is where I put my foot in my mouth... So I was wrong. If you're on an "Official iPhone Carrier" but one that doesn't yet have iPhone 4 it will attempt to activate using the text # programmed into the settings within the phone.... However, since my carrier where I am at the moment (Globe Telecom, Philippines) isn't officially offering iPhone 4, but is official iPhone provider, it tries to text whichever the network you're phone is "homed" to... for example, mine tries to call the UK as it's a UK unlocked version iPhone 4.

This is REALLY scary because today in messing with trying to activate it by turning it on and off over and over again, I managed to rack up $25 worth of international texts to the UK both on my PRE and POST paid accounts trying over and over to get the damn thing to work, not realizing turning on and off kept re-sending the text (which apparently apple now patched so it sees my country code as +63 and says sorry no can do so just goes unsuccessful).

Be warned. If you're on an unofficial carrier that doesn't offer ANY iphone (so there's no carrier bundle installed), then likely it's bypassing and activating without "phoning home" to the US or UK or HK or wherever, thus allowing the people on unofficial carriers (unofficial being no iphones whatsoever, no carrier bundles, etc) to get instant activation..

This is really disturbing news now, since Apple is making the devices activate in this way without telling users. Even when I called apple they didn't give any details about the method in which it activates.

This is bad. So be forewarned it's sending out international texts to try and activate so you may want to standby until the PushFix is updated and available.

Sorry for being argumentative earlier. Hopefully this message will save you a lot of money in international texts so you're aware of it. It cost me $25 on my prepaid and $25 on my postpaid, so I learned my Lesson for being impatient and keep hitting ON\OFF a billion times (but comon, many of the online boards say to give it a try haha) :-(


WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING ***
 
bella92108 said:
WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING ***

OK, this is where I put my foot in my mouth... So I was wrong. If you're on an "Official iPhone Carrier" but one that doesn't yet have iPhone 4 it will attempt to activate using the text # programmed into the settings within the phone.... However, since my carrier where I am at the moment (Globe Telecom, Philippines) isn't officially offering iPhone 4, but is official iPhone provider, it tries to text whichever the network you're phone is "homed" to... for example, mine tries to call the UK as it's a UK unlocked version iPhone 4.

This is REALLY scary because today in messing with trying to activate it by turning it on and off over and over again, I managed to rack up $25 worth of international texts to the UK both on my PRE and POST paid accounts trying over and over to get the damn thing to work, not realizing turning on and off kept re-sending the text (which apparently apple now patched so it sees my country code as +63 and says sorry no can do so just goes unsuccessful).

Be warned. If you're on an unofficial carrier that doesn't offer ANY iphone (so there's no carrier bundle installed), then likely it's bypassing and activating without "phoning home" to the US or UK or HK or wherever, thus allowing the people on unofficial carriers (unofficial being no iphones whatsoever, no carrier bundles, etc) to get instant activation..

This is really disturbing news now, since Apple is making the devices activate in this way without telling users. Even when I called apple they didn't give any details about the method in which it activates.

This is bad. So be forewarned it's sending out international texts to try and activate so you may want to standby until the PushFix is updated and available.

Sorry for being argumentative earlier. Hopefully this message will save you a lot of money in international texts so you're aware of it. It cost me $25 on my prepaid and $25 on my postpaid, so I learned my Lesson for being impatient and keep hitting ON\OFF a billion times (but comon, many of the online boards say to give it a try haha) :-(


WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING ***
Click to expand...

Wait, how is this Apples fault?

You imported an iPhone designed to work in the UK. The blame is completely with you, not Apple.
 
NathanMuir said:
Wait, how is this Apples fault?

You imported an iPhone designed to work in the UK. The blame is completely with you, not Apple.
Click to expand...

Are you kidding me? How is my phone designed to work in the UK? On the iPhone UK Website, it states "By purchasing iPhone 4 in the UK, it's SIM-Free, so you may use any GSM sim on any network around the globe"....

And where does Apple state that it sends an international text to activate? So if I were in London, bought it and using it on an O2 sim, then decided to go across the border to Dublin... and I activate Facetime there, it'll charge me international rates to text London, even though I'm on a OFFICIAL sim, if you want to define the word OFFICIAL.

So rather than making stupid-a$% comments that insult and blame me and show your lack of knowledge of what Apple's "Factory Unlocked Open Line" devices are advertised to work with, please just move on to the next thread.

My goal in posting this is to save other people money. Just because you're stuck in the US on AT&T doesn't mean the rest of the world operates like that. Any other country you go to the phones come unlocked so you can use whatever carrier you want. And unlike the US, you can go 200 miles in Europe and cross 4 countries, so your theory is ridiculous.

Sorry everyone for making you read all that... just trying to save some people the aggravation of running into issues if in a similar situation.
 
TJone said:
Wait, is this a warning?
Click to expand...

Sorry I copied it from a regional board I posted in response to a long thread telling people to keep clicking on\off to try getting it activated, so wanted the attention to it, haha. It's a major issue, imagine how much this is adding up to cost consumers.
 
bella92108 said:
Sorry I copied it from a regional board I posted in response to a long thread telling people to keep clicking on\off to try getting it activated, so wanted the attention to it, haha. It's a major issue, imagine how much this is adding up to cost consumers.
Click to expand...

I was just kidding. :) I think it is a good issue to mention because this can be an expensive mistake.
 
bella92108 said:
WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING ***

OK, this is where I put my foot in my mouth... So I was wrong. If you're on an "Official iPhone Carrier" but one that doesn't yet have iPhone 4 it will attempt to activate using the text # programmed into the settings within the phone.... However, since my carrier where I am at the moment (Globe Telecom, Philippines) isn't officially offering iPhone 4, but is official iPhone provider, it tries to text whichever the network you're phone is "homed" to... for example, mine tries to call the UK as it's a UK unlocked version iPhone 4.

This is REALLY scary because today in messing with trying to activate it by turning it on and off over and over again, I managed to rack up $25 worth of international texts to the UK both on my PRE and POST paid accounts trying over and over to get the damn thing to work, not realizing turning on and off kept re-sending the text (which apparently apple now patched so it sees my country code as +63 and says sorry no can do so just goes unsuccessful).

Be warned. If you're on an unofficial carrier that doesn't offer ANY iphone (so there's no carrier bundle installed), then likely it's bypassing and activating without "phoning home" to the US or UK or HK or wherever, thus allowing the people on unofficial carriers (unofficial being no iphones whatsoever, no carrier bundles, etc) to get instant activation..

This is really disturbing news now, since Apple is making the devices activate in this way without telling users. Even when I called apple they didn't give any details about the method in which it activates.

This is bad. So be forewarned it's sending out international texts to try and activate so you may want to standby until the PushFix is updated and available.

Sorry for being argumentative earlier. Hopefully this message will save you a lot of money in international texts so you're aware of it. It cost me $25 on my prepaid and $25 on my postpaid, so I learned my Lesson for being impatient and keep hitting ON\OFF a billion times (but comon, many of the online boards say to give it a try haha) :-(


WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING ***
Click to expand...

You must be the only one who didn't know this ! :eek:
This international text warning has been all over the Internet since jailbreak.me came out and people started trying to use FaceTime on different carriers.
 
dhlizard said:
You must be the only one who didn't know this ! :eek:
This international text warning has been all over the Internet since jailbreak.me came out and people started trying to use FaceTime on different carriers.
Click to expand...

The International Text Warning is only popping up if you are on an unofficial carrier. Globe and many others are OFFICIAL iPhone carriers, but don't yet have the iphone 4, so the prompt doesn't come up.... and Apple doesn't discuss these things.
 
Are you saying that if I buy an unlocked iphone in UK and take it to America I will get charged more for texting on ATT's network?
 
AeroUK said:
Are you saying that if I buy an unlocked iphone in UK and take it to America I will get charged more for texting on ATT's network?
Click to expand...

No, I'm saying if you buy a UK Unlocked Version and take it to any country iPhone (any model) is NOT available in and try to activate it you'll get charged for an international text from your phone to the UK to try to activate FaceTime
 
AeroUK said:
Are you saying that if I buy an unlocked iphone in UK and take it to America I will get charged more for texting on ATT's network?
Click to expand...

No, this is a FaceTime issue. FaceTime initiates a first time contact with another phone by way of a code which is mistaken for an international text message on carriers other than those who offer the iPhone. So when you try to set up FaceTime on a non-official carrier, you rack up a bunch of charges as these "international texts" are being sent out.

For example, since I am in the US, if people try to activate FaceTime on T-Mobile, their network sees the code as an international text message and sends it costing the sender a fee. On AT&T, that does not happen, the code is correctly recognized and FaceTime gets activated as it was designed.
 
dhlizard said:
No, this is a FaceTime issue. FaceTime initiates a first time contact with another phone by way of a code which is mistaken for an international text message on carriers other than those who offer the iPhone. So when you try to set up FaceTime on a non-official carrier, you rack up a bunch of charges as these "international texts" are being sent out.
Click to expand...

One thing I noticed it if a carrier is completely non-iPhone (never had iphone of any model), it works and activates without initiating an international SMS, however the issue I've run into are in countries like the Philippines (Globe Telecom), and Thailand (DTAC Wireless) where they ARE an official iPhone (3GS but not yet released iPhone 4) however still are using the old carrier file, so I guess that has to do with it.

Blehh, I guess I learned my lesson :)
 
bella92108 said:
One thing I noticed it if a carrier is completely non-iPhone (never had iphone of any model), it works and activates without initiating an international SMS, however the issue I've run into are in countries like the Philippines (Globe Telecom), and Thailand (DTAC Wireless) where they ARE an official iPhone (3GS but not yet released iPhone 4) however still are using the old carrier file, so I guess that has to do with it.

Blehh, I guess I learned my lesson :)
Click to expand...

Those on T-Mobile in US have been affected also. I don't know Jack about UK providers.
 
dhlizard said:
Those on T-Mobile in US have been affected also. I don't know Jack about UK providers.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing it'll be addressed in 4.1 since iPod Touch was announced to have FaceTime included, and since it can't send a text I hope they get rid of the text-to-activate crap... not sure why if it relies on WiFi they did this.... another Apple annoyance. Guess it'll be worth it once the kinks are worked out. :)
 
bella92108 said:
I'm guessing it'll be addressed in 4.1 since iPod Touch was announced to have FaceTime included, and since it can't send a text I hope they get rid of the text-to-activate crap... not sure why if it relies on WiFi they did this.... another Apple annoyance. Guess it'll be worth it once the kinks are worked out. :)
Click to expand...

I have read there will be an email option to connect FaceTime. We shall see.
If so, that may open more opportunity for phone to PC/Mac video chats.
 
dhlizard said:
I have read there will be an email option to connect FaceTime. We shall see.
If so, that may open more opportunity for phone to PC/Mac video chats.
Click to expand...

Honestly FaceTime has such little appeal being inside apple's little box of control. I thought by now we'd see a version of Skype for iPhone and Yahoo for Iphone with video chat support. I thought I heard apple made the technology available for 3rd party apps but I could be wrong.
 
Bandolier said:
They don't have to. You're doing something unauthorized so it's justified that you get punished as such.
Click to expand...

Seriously, stop making yourself look more like a guy who's never left the confines of the borders of the US. There's life outside the US, as every other country sells unlocked iPhones and any other phone. Just because you're used to being told what network you must use, and having to sign in blood to a carrier doesn't mean that's how it works in the rest of the world.

In the UK, you buy the phone from apple. It's unlocked and says right on the box. Enjoy this Open-Line (unlocked for you in the box of AT&T's grips) Apple iPhone 4 and it's exciting new features on any GSM network in the world.

So before you go saying that I'm doing anything, maybe you better hop on a plane, fly to London, drop the $907 (in US Dollars to make it easier for you to comprehend) and read the terms and conditions on the package which CLEARLY state there is no requirement to activate on any specific network in the UK or otherwise. It won't take you long because they don't have the 85 page terms and conditions that AT&T makes you agree to.

Before you make uneducated comments, maybe you should research first.
 
Bandolier said:
They don't have to. You're doing something unauthorized so it's justified that you get punished as such.
Click to expand...

Using a FACTORY UNLOCKED iPhone 4 on any network who will allow it is 100% authorized by Apple. The network can disallow it and prohibit in their terms, but when you buy factory unlocked from Apple there's no requirement to use it on any specific network.

JAILBREAKING your iPhone 4 is specifically unauthorized. So if you open iTunes one day and it detects your jailbroken phone and charges you $500 to your credit card? Oh, I suppose you'd say that's not okay... but you'd have been charged for doing something unauthorized. I got charged for doing something authorized, and their actions resulted in me being charged without my consent.

So get off your high horse and stop saying silliness. It's not my decision that you CHOSE to enter into a contractual relationship with a carrier that doesn't let you take a cr@# without checking with them first ;-)
 
Bandolier said:
They don't have to. You're doing something unauthorized so it's justified that you get punished as such.
Click to expand...

you should really stop embarrassing yourself since you either don't know how to read or just a lack of knowledge.
 
I thought it was well known that activating FaceTime was done via SMS to Apple and that only official carriers were set up not to charge for these SMS messages.
 
Regardless of where the phone came from activation for FaceTime works by sending a hidden SMS to 2 different gateway's based on what network you are on. In the US the supported carrier is of course AT&T so it tries to contact there gateway server (which is 28818773) and gets activated ONLY if you are on AT&T. If you were in the US but using the iPhone on T-Mobile US or any other carrier (because you are Roaming) it will contact the UK gateway server (+447786205094) hence the reason why people are getting international text messages charges if they are unlocked (factory or soft) If you aren't using a custom carrier bundle the default bundle used on the iPhone if you are on it with T-Mobile US is the "Unknown Carrier Bundle" and if you look in the plist the gateway # it is contacting is the UK # +447786205094, the US # will not work for anyone but AT&T customers not sure if it was designed like that but someone on Tmobile can try and send a text to 28818773 it will fail but if you text +447786205094 it works plus a .20cent charge. Pushfix's Solution for FaceTime which is called MiTime atm is the only working solution for people in the US using Tmobile it's 5.99 but it works, or you can just let it try and activate and just keep getting charges until it activates and once it activates those charges stop but if the SIM is removed or FaceTime is turned off you loose that activation token and you have to get lucky and try to activate again

**The reason why I said if you aren't using a custom carrier bundle is because you can change the gateway # to the ATT any not incur and charges what so ever FaceTime will just never activate so you can leave it off if you didn't want it. Also to test you can change the gateway # to your phone # and you will get the text it sends out which ends up being the sha of your UCCID and some other valvues
 
wow. $50? sorry about that. just be more careful and read all the info next time i guess. hope it was worth the facetime. lol
 
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