How to use iPhone with NO data plan.

[codybrown]

I'm getting an iPhone 3G from a friend and do NOT have a data plan at all. I do have an AT&T plan and have unlimited texting. From what I'm gathering, when I get it, all I have to do is change the APN or get data transfer blocked by AT&T so no data is transferred and I'll be good to go, right? I won't get a crazy high bill next month?

I'm gathering this info from another thread, specifically this post:

If you're using an iPhone with no data plan at all:
You're golden. Sure, they'd prefer it if you would fork over the extra cash, but their subsidy runs through the voice plan, and that goes for all phones. They require you to sign up for a data plan at the time you purchase the iPhone, but after that, just give them a call and cancel it. Many people have done this, and it works just fine. Be sure to request a WIX block as well, and change your iPhone's APN (google it) so data transmission will be blocked on both ends. You don't want to get a $5,000 phone bill next month because your phone used data without your permission.

Any help is appreciated.

EDIT: If I just throw my SIM into it, use something like iphonenodata.com and block the data, will I be fine?

 

[williamgallas10]

Before you put your sim in the iphone, call att and have the block data. Remember with the data block you cant send out MMS, only sms.

 

[iMrNiceGuy0023]

does the WIX block thing work??i just put my sim in another phone and tell them to block data??

 

[strike1555]

Can we *please* make a sticky, this question is asked far more than any MMS threads.

In short, yes you can. Swap sim, cancel data and add fake APN. Adding a fake APN is more reliable and easier than a WIX block because when ATT detects the phone, they may remove the block.

 

[superflush]

In short, yes you can. Swap sim, cancel data and add fake APN. Adding a fake APN is more reliable and easier than a WIX block because when ATT detects the phone, they may remove the block.

Yea, isn't it the case that when AT&T detects an iPhone, they will charge you for the data plan regardless of whether you want it or not.

 

[Dominat0r]

Yea, isn't it the case that when AT&T detects an iPhone, they will charge you for the data plan regardless of whether you want it or not.

Yes, i proved it that they can for sure tell what phone is being used by the IMEI number. Trying to get my MMS to work, i swapped my Sim into a Blackjack2. I made a few calls, sent out a few messages and checked my OLAM at attwireless.com. Within 15mins of the last call made, my OLAM showed my BJ2 as my device. I didnt get MMS to work, so i swapped back into my iPhone, made a few calls and within 10mins or so, my OLAM showed my iPhone back as my device.

I dont believe you can get away with this for long....since you going to use it as a phone, your IMEI number is going to be processed every time you make a call.

I heard people getting away with using just Data on a iphone, since using it for the internet only does not transfer your IMEI number to ATT at all. I CAN NOT confirm this, just know from what i read here and there on the forums.

 

[superflush]

I heard people getting away with using just Data on a iphone, since using it for the internet only does not transfer your IMEI number to ATT at all. I CAN NOT confirm this, just know from what i read here and there on the forums.

Wow, can you even get just a data only plan?

 

[-aggie-]

Can we *please* make a sticky, this question is asked far more than any MMS threads.

In short, yes you can. Swap sim, cancel data and add fake APN. Adding a fake APN is more reliable and easier than a WIX block because when ATT detects the phone, they may remove the block.

Report the thread to the mods and suggest it be made a sticky. There's so many others that need to be made stickies (the daily MMS thread, for example), I highly doubt it though and also when we do have stickies people still make new thread anyway.

 

[Xexis]

Wow, can you even get just a data only plan?

Data Plans are different on PDA/Smartphones then normal phones but when I got a Data plan for my W310i they still charged me $30 you have to realize that the iPhone uses way more data then any other phone cause it's a constant connection because of push, but then again you can disable that too.

 

[superflush]

Data Plans are different on PDA/Smartphones then normal phones but when I got a Data plan for my W310i they still charged me $30 you have to realize that the iPhone uses way more data then any other phone cause it's a constant connection because of push, but then again you can disable that too.

I don't know what you're saying, but what I was asking is if you can actually have a 'data only' plan without paying for voice.

 

[goosnarrggh]

Yea, isn't it the case that when AT&T detects an iPhone, they will charge you for the data plan regardless of whether you want it or not.

It is true that if they detect it, they have the right under the contract you've agreed to (either explicitly by being part of the piece of paper you initially signed, or implicitly by continuing to use the service after being notified of a change in the TOS) to add the data plan whether you want it or not.

It is not true, however, that they are guaranteed to automatically do so.

Some people, including at least one member of this thread, strike1555, claim to have never even received notification from AT&T that they've detected their unauthorized circumvention of the TOS. Nor has AT&T ever apparently exercised the right to force the data plan upon them.

Other people claim to be receiving monthly SMS messages from AT&T reminding them of their circumvention of their policies.

I have never personally heard a story from somebody of AT&T going further than sending the SMS warnings, so I don't know for sure if AT&T has ever actually followed through on their threats. But make no mistake: if they ever chose to, they would be able to do so without violating any part of your contract.

 

[superflush]

I have never personally heard a story from somebody of AT&T going further than sending the SMS warnings, so I don't know for sure if AT&T has ever actually followed through on their threats. But make no mistake: if they ever chose to, they would be able to do so without violating any part of your contract.

Oh, I've heard people say on these forums, that they had an AT&T plan with no data plan and an older phone, and when they inherited an older iPhone from a friend or family member, that AT&T automatically detected it and signed them up for the iPhone data plan.