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Using old iPhone with generic AT&T plan?

D

DaveS123

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 10, 2010
7
0
Hello. I have an old (pre-3G) iPhone and I'm wondering what steps I need to take to use this with my current generic AT&T cellphone plan. I have a 3G AT&T SIM card and I'd like to use this with the old iPhone.

As a result, I would expect to have basic cellphone (i.e. make calls, send/receive text messages) and iPod functionality without the ability to send & receive other data (e.g. browse the web) without the typical added data price.

What do I need to do to make this happen? Is it possible? Can I just plug in my SIM card? Do I need to 'unlock' the iPhone (and how would I do this)? Do I need to 'jailbreak' the iPhone (and how would I do this)?

Thanks!

Dave
 
If I don't call them and ask to block the data feature, what happens? With the old flipphone that I have now, I can access the internet and get mail (though these features are essentially unusable), and am charged for data accordingly. As long as my access is quick the charges are negligible. Would these be the same charges received for using data-necessary features on the iPhone (without explicitly blocking the data feature that is)? Would there be any use of data that I don't specifically request if I didn't have it blocked? I suppose blocking the data would be good in that it would stop me from being tempted to use data features and as a result incur a big charge :p.

Thanks
 
ATT Requires that all iPhone users have the iPhone Data plan whether you plan on using it or not. Unless I am mistaken, the second your sim card is inserted into the iphone and it is activated, the iphone plan is added to your account, and ATT will not remove it as long as you are using an iphone.
 
...unless you specifically request that the data feature is blocked?
 
DaveS123 said:
If I don't call them and ask to block the data feature, what happens? With the old flipphone that I have now, I can access the internet and get mail (though these features are esentially unusable), and am charged for data accordingly. As long as my access is quick the charges are negligible. Would these be the same charges received for using data-necessary features on the iPhone (without explicitly blocking the data feature that is)? Would there be any use of data that I don't specifically request if I didn't have it blocked? I suppose blocking the data would be good in that it would stop me from being tempted to use data features and as a result incur a big charge :p.

Thanks
Click to expand...

The iPhone is very data intensive. You might think it'd be cheaper to pay by the kilobyte, but it would be very easy to rack up huge bills. Note also that the iPhone uses data for Voicemail, so any time your phone polls the voicemail server or downloads voicemail you would be using data. In addition, the iPhone has a full web browser, so loading a single webpage requires much more data than it does in a WAP browser (images, java, etc.); and web so useable on the iPhone, you might not even notice how much you were using it.

All-in-all, I would strongly recommend against using an iPhone without a data plan if you don't have data blocked by AT&T.
 
So it seems like blocking the data plan is the best bet. Can this be done to a single user on a plan? I'm part of a family plan with 3 others, two of which have full-featured 3G iPhones.

Also, I've already tried plugging the SIM card in and it worked (I was able to make a call and send a text message). I'm still able to cancel the data plan for myself even though the SIM as been seen with the old iPhone, correct?
 
DaveS123 said:
So it seems like blocking the data plan is the best bet. Can this be done to a single user on a plan? I'm part of a family plan with 3 others, two of which have full-featured 3G iPhones.
Click to expand...

Yes, you can put a data block on a single line of a family plan. I've done it on my mother's line so she can't accidentally rack up data charges on her phone.

Also, I've already tried plugging the SIM card in and it worked (I was able to make a call and send a text message). I'm still able to cancel the data plan for myself even though the SIM as been seen with the old iPhone, correct?
Click to expand...

I would put it back in a dumb phone before you call.
 
thelatinist said:
I would put it back in a dumb phone before you call.
Click to expand...

Already did :)

I think that I got all of the answers that I was looking for. I just want to say thanks to everyone who commented. You've all been very helpful and very fast! Thanks!
 
JeffreyHoschak said:
ATT Requires that all iPhone users have the iPhone Data plan whether you plan on using it or not. Unless I am mistaken, the second your sim card is inserted into the iphone and it is activated, the iphone plan is added to your account, and ATT will not remove it as long as you are using an iphone.
Click to expand...


Not true.. My wife's using my old iPhone this way.. As a regular phone with text messaging via our unlimited family plan, as well as the iPod feature.. Been doing it for 6 months + now.. I didn't block the data or anything.. In fact, one time over Thanksgiving my battery was dead and I wanted to use hers to get directions from google maps and it wouldn't let me because we didn't have a data plan for it..

So, you can absolutely, without a doubt, plug in your sim card and use it as a phone, text messaging device and an iPod with no problems..
 
jemeinc said:
Not true.. My wife's using my old iPhone this way.. As a regular phone with text messaging via our unlimited family plan, as well as the iPod feature.. Been doing it for 6 months + now.. I didn't block the data or anything.. In fact, one time over Thanksgiving my battery was dead and I wanted to use hers to get directions from google maps and it wouldn't let me because we didn't have a data plan for it..

So, you can absolutely, without a doubt, plug in your sim card and use it as a phone, text messaging device and an iPod with no problems..
Click to expand...

Do you know that it also doesn't check for voicemail or email due to a lack of data plan? What happens if you try to access the internet?
 
DaveS123 said:
Do you know that it also doesn't check for voicemail or email due to a lack of data plan? What happens if you try to access the internet?
Click to expand...

without the data plan you do not have VISUAL voicemail, but you do have regular voicemail. without a data plan you can still access the web and email via wifi, but you must in a place that offers wifi etc
 
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