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Want to use unlocked iphone on at&t family plan?

U

uteman

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 12, 2009
6
0
We all ready have an iphone 3gs for my wife, an a other cheap phone for 9.99 for me, what I would like to do is have an unlocked iphone to use as a normal phone and be able to use all the app's, and then use the wifi at home. Is this possible? Or will at&t know and put a data plan on my line?
Thanks for any help
 
What's an IMEI? Do they read that through iTunes or just when you are using the phone?
 
uteman said:
What's an IMEI? Do they read that through iTunes or just when you are using the phone?
Click to expand...

It's a personal number attached to every iPhone. When you activate the phone AT&T will know it's an iPhone. No way around that.
 
IMEI is an ID number for every single phone out there (except the one's used by terrorists so they can't be tracked). You can see this by doing *#06# on any phone. Think of it as a VIN number for a car.
 
So with TMobile you can use the iphone, but if I want to use an Iphone without a data plan as an AT&T customer (like I do now with my crappy $9.99 phone) there is no way. Right? Essentially what I want is an ipod touch with phone capabilities so I don't have to carry around two gadgets. I don't want the 3G network, just the ipod touch capabilites.
 
chancge the imie of the iphone so they dont kn ow, then use it as yo wish
 
I am not very tech savvy - sorry! Can you change the IMEI? If so, how? Thanks for all the help! :)
 
Changing the IMEI is illegal and shouldn't be discussed. If it's an original iPhone, you can disable the data using unlockit.co.nz and then call them to take off the data plan.
 
I guess I'm screwed - huh? I don't want to be arrested for being a suspected terrorist! :)
 
lavinci said:
IMEI is an ID number for every single phone out there (except the one's used by terrorists so they can't be tracked). You can see this by doing *#06# on any phone. Think of it as a VIN number for a car.
Click to expand...

That's not entirely correct; one of my phones has no IMEI and I'm certainly not a terrorist! :p

Yes, *#06# will work on any phone with an IMEI but that doesn't allow you to change it (which, as mentioned, you shouldn't do).
 
uteman said:
I guess I'm screwed - huh? I don't want to be arrested for being a suspected terrorist! :)
Click to expand...
No, it is a very easy process to setup your iPhone without an iPhone data plan.

First, AT&T will see your iPhone everytime it connects to the network but not to worry if you follow the directions.

Now to use your unlocked iPhone with AT&T you just need to complete a few simple steps. Just call AT&T Customer Care and have the rep block all data on your line. The default is Pay Per Use (PPU) and you would end up with a very big bill if you don't do this first. AT&T calls this a WIXBlock. Just do this while using your existing "cheap" phone as you called it.

This will block any data on the phone. Now just drop your current SIM into your unlocked iPhone and you are all set. Just as a reminder, you will not be able to use Visual Voicemail since it requires the iPhone data plan.

Dave
 
uteman said:
So with TMobile you can use the iphone, but if I want to use an Iphone without a data plan as an AT&T customer (like I do now with my crappy $9.99 phone) there is no way. Right? Essentially what I want is an ipod touch with phone capabilities so I don't have to carry around two gadgets. I don't want the 3G network, just the ipod touch capabilites.
Click to expand...

I've been doing this for two weeks now. I went to AT&T and got a sim so I could activate my pay as you go phone. I chose the 200 minutes + 200 SMS without a data plan. Phone activated instantly. I took the sim out and put it in my iPhone and have been using it since. The apps use data so when I am away from home most of them won't function but they are fine when I am at home using WiFi.
 
no need for data plan

you don't need a data plan to use an iPhone.
i've used an iPhone 3G without paying a single penny for data.

as someone mentioned, just tell them to block all data while using a different phone. then swap the sim card into the iPhone and you are set.
 
Thanks for all the advice! I did what you all said and it's been great so far, well see if at&t tries to bill me later.
 
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