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Ok, my friend tested this and it worked. He unlocked an old iphone and put an AT&T sim that was on a line with no data and it works. He can make phone calls and send/receive texts and that line has no data. So maybe the unlock makes it able to work without a data plan without AT&T knowing.

Which is an "old Iphone" for you? I got my Original iphone with no plan, all other from 3G and up, everytime i put the SIM in i get a text mesg saying they are adding the "correct" data plan to it. (wondering why i take the SIM out a lot, I am a developer and got 3 other iPhones on my account, I switch between different smartphones)
 
Which is an "old Iphone" for you? I got my Original iphone with no plan, all other from 3G and up, everytime i put the SIM in i get a text mesg saying they are adding the "correct" data plan to it. (wondering why i take the SIM out a lot, I am a developer and got 3 other iPhones on my account, I switch between different smartphones)

It was an original iphone. So only the original iphone can work with no data plan it seems.
 
Someone told me that he JB his iPhones to use on TMO so that he can opt-out on the data plan, since 9 out of 10 places he's in has good WiFi. It saves him $30*12months=$720/year on both his and his wife's iPhones. So I guess the only way to get out of data is to go to TMO.
 
Someone told me that he JB his iPhones to use on TMO so that he can opt-out on the data plan, since 9 out of 10 places he's in has good WiFi. It saves him $30*12months=$720/year on both his and his wife's iPhones. So I guess the only way to get out of data is to go to TMO.

That or use it with an AT&T prepaid gophone sim.
 
i'm on the same boat as Elle, i'll probably just buy a new phone, but is it still possible to use the iPhone 4 as a iPod replacement seeing as how my old iPod recently broke, and will i still be able to install new firmware for the phone without at&t hounding me?
 
You can use the iphone 4 without the data plan.

However, their system does do sweeps (I don't know what criteria it uses, I think it's random). If you call them, then I believe your account is searched immediately for problems, so you will get flagged.

So you may be able to get away with it for months or they may catch you within minutes. It's pretty much random.
 
You're better off buying a 3G (not the 3GS) and hacktivating it with redsnow. You'll be limited to old software, because iOS 4.x.x has been a slow experience for many users. The advantage is that you won't have to worry about being hassled by AT&T.

i'm on the same boat as Elle, i'll probably just buy a new phone, but is it still possible to use the iPhone 4 as a iPod replacement seeing as how my old iPod recently broke, and will i still be able to install new firmware for the phone without at&t hounding me?
 
Yes, with the original 2G iphone they will let you remove the data and use it without one.
All other models are getting the automatic data plan to their account. They seem to be cracking down alot latelly on this.

Can anyone else confirm if this is true? I thought all iPhones required a data plan.
 
Can anyone else confirm if this is true? I thought all iPhones required a data plan.
The original iPhone has never required a data plan. You can opt out of it if you want to.
I still have my original iPhone as a backup phone and it does not have any data plan attached to it.
Only costs me $9.99 to keep it active on my family plan.
 
The original iPhone has never required a data plan. You can opt out of it if you want to.
I still have my original iPhone as a backup phone and it does not have any data plan attached to it.
Only costs me $9.99 to keep it active on my family plan.

Wow that's really awesome. I'll go tell my brother that since he has a 2g. Btw I called 2 Att stores and they did say data is required on all iPhones. They also thought the iphone 2g could connect to 3g network.....
 
OP your options are:

AT&T gophone SIM (data or not), H2O SIM (data or not), Simple Mobile SIM (data or not) or T-Mobile SIM (data or not).
 
That is correct, the original iphone can only connect to 2G/edge not 3G.
But the system seems to scan for 3G, 3GS and iphone 4 with no data. 2G owners havent experience the automatic data plan added but that could also change so try at your own risk.


Wow that's really awesome. I'll go tell my brother that since he has a 2g. Btw I called 2 Att stores and they did say data is required on all iPhones. They also thought the iphone 2g could connect to 3g network.....
 
OP your options are:

AT&T gophone SIM (data or not), H2O SIM (data or not), Simple Mobile SIM (data or not) or T-Mobile SIM (data or not).

A Pure TalkUSA plan also works since they use the AT&T network. They send you a mini sim so you will need an adapter if you use it in the IP4 or Ipad. It is a 10 cent a minute plan with rollover. It is the best option I have found for low usage users. You can have a working Iphone for $10 a month. The family plan will give you another sim for $5 a month and you can adjust the shared minutes. There is no data option. They have an unlimited talk text plan for $39.95.
 
This doesn't make sense. You'd expect AT&T to WANT people to not buy data plans since their network is so overloaded.

What's the difference anyway? If you're paying $N a month to use a dumbphone without a data plan, how is it more of a load on AT&T's network to pay $N a month to use an iPhone without a data plan? The phone won't consume any more resources on the network after all.
 
This doesn't make sense. You'd expect AT&T to WANT people to not buy data plans since their network is so overloaded.

What's the difference anyway? If you're paying $N a month to use a dumbphone without a data plan, how is it more of a load on AT&T's network to pay $N a month to use an iPhone without a data plan? The phone won't consume any more resources on the network after all.

It's called ARPU and every carrier strives to get the figure as high as possible. Forcing data plans, even cheap ones, achieves that goal.
 
I'm currently using the latest Blackberry Curve without a data plan. My sim card is about 2 1/2 years old so idk if that has anything to do with being able to detect phones. I previously used an iphone3 without a data plan. All the phones on my family account has data blocked. I've really been wanting an iphone4 so I was ultimately wondering.. is it possible to use it without the data plan if I previously haven't been charged before? (Considering I change my simcard into a microsim)
 
I'm currently using the latest Blackberry Curve without a data plan. My sim card is about 2 1/2 years old so idk if that has anything to do with being able to detect phones. I previously used an iphone3 without a data plan. All the phones on my family account has data blocked. I've really been wanting an iphone4 so I was ultimately wondering.. is it possible to use it without the data plan if I previously haven't been charged before? (Considering I change my simcard into a microsim)

Give it a shot, and hope they dont detect it right away.
I never heard of AT&T doing that mandatory data on blackberrys so not 100% sure on that.
I know someone that was using an iphone 3G without data for many months and a few weeks ago got a text saying a data plan has been added. He put his sim in a moto Razr and called up AT&T and had it removed.
Then started using the iphone again a few days later got that message again. He said screw it and went with the 200mb plan cause it gets annoying.
 
A Pure TalkUSA plan also works since they use the AT&T network. They send you a mini sim so you will need an adapter if you use it in the IP4 or Ipad. It is a 10 cent a minute plan with rollover. It is the best option I have found for low usage users. You can have a working Iphone for $10 a month. The family plan will give you another sim for $5 a month and you can adjust the shared minutes. There is no data option. They have an unlimited talk text plan for $39.95.

Only thing I don't like about them is it's a monthly bill. Whereas a gophone or tmobile you can just buy minutes that last you a whole year, or 90 days etc. and they don't bug you again.
 
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