No FaceTime with foreign data-only SIM?

[simoneves]

I have a US iPhone 4 on 4.1 but still the 4.0.1 baseband (upgraded and jailbroken with TinyUmbrella and greenpois0n) and then unlocked with ultrasn0w.

On a trip to the UK, I am using a "Three" data-only SIM intended for iPads, which I bought as an experiment for just ten pounds for 1GB/30days, and it works just fine for data and even incoming texts, and as I have My3G I can use Skype to make and receive calls, which is great.

However, unlike with the original AT&T SIM, the FaceTime feature is nowhere to be found. There is no FaceTime button on a contact page, even when on Wi-Fi. Actually, now that I mention it, there's no Call button either (which is understandable as it's a data-only SIM).

I'm amazed I can do as much as I can, but it would be nice if FaceTime worked too, especially as I'm going to Singapore next month and would like to do a similar thing there with a StarHub data-only Micro-SIM.

 

[bytethese]

I have a US iPhone 4 on 4.1 but still the 4.0.1 baseband (upgraded and jailbroken with TinyUmbrella and greenpois0n) and then unlocked with ultrasn0w.

On a trip to the UK, I am using a "Three" data-only SIM intended for iPads, which I bought as an experiment for just ten pounds for 1GB/30days, and it works just fine for data and even incoming texts, and as I have My3G I can use Skype to make and receive calls, which is great.

However, unlike with the original AT&T SIM, the FaceTime feature is nowhere to be found. There is no FaceTime button on a contact page, even when on Wi-Fi. Actually, now that I mention it, there's no Call button either (which is understandable as it's a data-only SIM).

I'm amazed I can do as much as I can, but it would be nice if FaceTime worked too, especially as I'm going to Singapore next month and would like to do a similar thing there with a StarHub data-only Micro-SIM.

From what I've read, the iPhone send a certain type of text message to initiate the Facetime call. Since you don't have a voice plan (even though text messaging is data too), the text message may not be getting through their network the proper way to initiate the Facetime call. Just a guess here though.

 

[Applejuiced]

Yep, probably because its a data only sim and no text can go thru to activate facetime.

 

[jav6454]

Did you re-enabled FaceTime? Facetime sometimes get turned off from the Settings when you take out your SIM. Try re-enabling it.

Also, as per making calls, yes it might be that a Data-Only SIM card might disable certain functions, but that would be a new thing since I haven't heard of SIM cards doing that to an iPhone or another phone for that matter.

 

[simoneves]

I didn't even know FaceTime could be turned off...

I found the switch in Settings and turned it on, but it just hung on "Waiting for activation". I rebooted the phone, as suggested in some Canadian threads, but then it came back with no network name. I turned it off again in Settings and rebooted again and it was OK again (phew). I read about the text required to activate FaceTime (one time only, apparently) so I guess it's just because my SIM doesn't allow texting.

Oh well. Not the end of the world. Thanks, guys.