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Activate or Hacktivate?

B

broadsword

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 11, 2010
19
0
Los Angeles
Hey you all-knowing people!

I’m new to the iPhone. In fact, I haven’t bought one yet. I understand the jailbreak and unlock process but I’m hard put to figure out the activation thing. Here’s my situation:

I’m going to be traveling extensively in Europe for the next eight months and I will be purchasing local Pay as You Go plans in each country I visit. I will be coming back to the US a hand full of times during this period and will then use the AT&T Pay as You Go plan.

For this I’m buying a brand new iPhone 4 from a buddy who has an AT&T plan. I’m going to jailbreak it and unlock it before I leave the US but how do I best deal with the activation?

1. Should I activate it with my buddy’s sim card and AT&T account? Or
2. Should I hacktivate it?
3. If I activate with my buddy’s sim, will the phone then be registered to him?
4. Will activating with my buddy's sim preserve Apple's warranty?
5. Is the activation permanent or can the phone be reset to unactivated at some point? For example: Will a restore also deactivate the phone?

I need to make sure it all works flawlessly so I don’t get screwed while on the road.

Thanks for your input.
 
1. Should I activate it with my buddy’s sim card and AT&T account?
A) You Can.

2. Should I hacktivate it?
A) You Can.

3. If I activate with my buddy’s sim, will the phone then be registered to him? A) No.

4. Will activating with my buddy's sim preserve Apple's warranty?
A) Yes.

5. Is the activation permanent or can the phone be reset to unactivated at some point? For example: Will a restore also deactivate the phone?
A) If you updated or reinstalled the firmware, you need to go through activation process again.
 
Thanks! I know I can do both, though. But is there a preferred way to go if I have the option to activate with my buddy's account vs. hacktivating it? Conversely, is there a clear downside to doing it one way or the other?
 
broadsword said:
Thanks! I know I can do both, though. But is there a preferred way to go if I have the option to activate with my buddy's account vs. hacktivating it? Conversely, is there a clear downside to doing it one way or the other?
Click to expand...

In the past, hacktivations have come with various bugs such as PUSH notifications not working until installing a fix from Cydia. I don't think I've heard of any problems with the current round of jailbreaks, but it's always a possibility.
 
For Activations/hacktivations:

Activations: You don't need your buddy's account, all you need is your buddy's or an older/not in use/prepaid SIM card from AT&T to activate. There is no account info needed.

Hacktivation: For people usually in other countries that don't have AT&T Sim card w/ them to activate the US iPhone.

So, since you live in the US, you could get an AT&T SIM and do official activation which tends to be better due to push problems that have come and stuff.

Once you jailbreak no matter what you will lose your warranty if you take it to an apple store jailbroken to get it fixed...you can install an official firmware if there is a problem and then take it back to apple so they won't know and you won't lose the warranty....
 
Last edited:
If you can u should activate officially. Just buy any prepaid or unused and even inactivated AT&T sim card so you don't have any problems with push, YouTube and other things not working after.
 
Hi,
instead of creating an additional thread, could I ask one question concerning hacktivating/activating?

I bought a factory sealed iphone 3GS that came with a sim card which had activated the iphone.

I was wondering when I jailbreak, which program does not hacktivate it?
Cause I heard limera1n hacktivates the phone through its jailbreak.

And for pwnage tool, should I check off the "activate iphone" check box if I have a sim card already?

is there any tools for windows that jailbreaks the iphone without hacktivating it?
 
Last edited:
CrzyIcE said:
Hi,
instead of creating an additional thread, could I ask one question concerning hacktivating/activating?

I bought a factory sealed iphone 3GS that came with a sim card which had activated the iphone.

I was wondering when I jailbreak, which program does not hacktivate it?
Cause I heard limera1n hacktivates the phone through its jailbreak.

And for pwnage tool, should I check off the "activate iphone" check box if I have a sim card already?

is there any tools for windows that jailbreaks the iphone without hacktivating it?
Click to expand...

With pwnage uncheck "the activate iphone" so you can officially activate it after the restore with the official simcard that you have.
About limerain or greenpoison if the phone is on the connect to itunes screen and not activated already it will hactivate your device. If you activate it officially with the carriers sim and after that you run the JB then it will not hactivate it since its already activated.
 
CrzyIcE said:
oh alright! thanks!
Click to expand...

Is yours factory unlocked? If it is then do not use PwnageTool since you can have any BB w/out problems. You should use either limera1n or greenpois0n (your choice)... If you are not factory unlocked then use PwnageTool...
 
Carlanga said:
Is yours factory unlocked? If it is then do not use PwnageTool since you can have any BB w/out problems. You should use either limera1n or greenpois0n (your choice)... If you are not factory unlocked then use PwnageTool...
Click to expand...

I think he said he bought it off a friend of his that had it on AT&T so I dont think its factory unlocked.
 
Carlanga said:
nah, that's the TS; I was responding to CrzyIcE since he/she bought it factory sealed.:)
Click to expand...

Hi, it is not factory unlocked (I think)
When I check the settings, it says AT&T.
I think it came with a AT&T SIM card as well.
 
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