With recent news of the iPad sim card hack and the low iPhone prices offered by Walmart, I have devised a plan to get an contract free iPhone 3Gs with data cheaper than buying an iPhone at retail.
1. Buy 16gb iPhone 3Gs at Walmart for $97 with contract.
2. Cancel contract within 3 days and pay the $175 ETF. ATT won't demand the iPhone back because it was purchased from a "reseller". Even if they ask for that month's service up front, the total cost would be $97 + $175 (ETF) + $70 (month of voice/data), which would equal $342 (retail for iphone is about $600).
3. Unlock/Jailbreak iPhone
4. Activate iPad sim card and adapt it to iPhone as per these instructions.
http://hijinksinc.com/2010/05/14/usi...-an-iphone-3g/
And congrats, in theory, you have a contract free iPhone with data only for cheap.
Below is what it would cost if you had an iPhone for 2 years in contract in comparison with this hack and similar options with two years of service.
iPhone Hack (Device, Data, ETF): $1062
iPhone 3Gs in Contract (Voice, Data, Messaging): $2257
iPad with Data (Device, Data): $1349
iPod Touch with Verizon Mifi (Device, Verizon Device, Data): $1790
Clearly, the iPhone hack is the cheapest method, coming in at a close second with the iPad. It might be a tough decision between an iPad and an iPhone, but the iPhone has a camera and can fit in your pocket, so it's more of a heavily featured iPod than a large tablet. And, naturally, there is a lot you can do with an unlocked iPhone, even hack it to make phone calls through skip or google voice and have messaging applications. You don't even have to pay for data if you think you won't need it for a month, and you can downgrade to the $15 a month program anytime.
Possible drawbacks, however, is that the iPhone 4G is coming out soon, and looks a lot cooler. You're breaking a contract on a soon-to-be-outdated device and ATT won't let you be a customer for 6 moths afterward. Also, you risk bricking an iPhone, and if ATT catches onto the iPad sim card hack, you're left with an expensive iPod touch.
To everyone on this forum, can you see any additional drawbacks that I might be missing?
I'm looking for the iPhone sim free primarily for storing my audible collection and sms. I came across this website after a bit of googling and I'm not sure whether to sign up. It offers an iPhone for free, provided you complete a free trial offer and ask some friends to do the same. It seems pretty legit, it has a video from the BBC & CNN but I'm not sure.
My friend has an Iphone on AT&T and wants to get it unlocked without doing a jailbreak (offical unlock from Apple) but is upset he can't. I hear people talking about not having to deal with a contract from a carrier here in America and being free to do whatever they want for service if they buy their phone outright with no contract. The problem that I have in understanding this theory is this
There are two major GSM networks in America (AT&T and T-Mobile) and two major CDMA networks in America (Verizon and Sprint)
If you buy a regular phone (non-3G) with AT&T or T-Mobile you can hop between the two carriers but if the phone is 3G then it will only work on AT&T or T-Mobile since they have different 3G frequencies.
If you buy a regular phone or a phone that is EVDO Rev A capable with Verizon or Sprint they only work on those carriers anyway because they don't allow you to switch their phones between carriers?
Having an unlocked phone is good if you travel overseas and no contract means you can cancel when you want but how many people really cancel service often enough and switch carriers for that to matter, especially if they have a family account?
So the question is this - what does free or not having a contract really mean and why does it matter when you can't really go anywhere and use all the features of the phone?
I am pondering to get iphone 4 contract-free (699-799) and wondering what are feature limitations?
I would love to,
1. use it with T-mobile pay-as-you-go plan 2. be able to use all iphone 4 features (facetime! over wi-fi) 3. use GPS for nav apps etc (not sure if this requires data plan - possibly depends on specific app)
Right now I'm on a TELUS family plan with 4 people and there are no iPhones. I want to get an iPhone and have it on the family plan but also not buy a data plan. Is it possible to do this? So basically my plan would be around $25 a month with unlimited text and caller ID.
My friend just told me about this deal he saw at Tbooth promenade mall, free htc diamonds on any rogers one year contract. I didn't believe it until I called to confirm. Apparently it's only available through their location. Their number is 9057319157. Maybe they also will sell them on prepaid?
I checked out my data usage on the att website and it turns out surprisingly that i consistently use under 200mb a month.
1. I beejive im every work day for at least 2 hours on edge(don't tell my boss) but it suprisingly only comes out to only about 4mbs per day (if i used 3g would the data consumption be higher?)
2. I maybe use slingplayer 1 day a month on 3g (sad) about 10mbs i think
3. I grab email manually by opening up the mail app maybe twice a day max.
Do you think i should switch asap? or is it best recommended to view iphone 4 data usage first in case i upload 720p video (which i doubt they will let you do)
I bought an iPhone 3GS off a guy on craigslist and it works great, no complaints. But every few minutes or so I get the alert saying that I "Cannot activate cellular data network - You are not subscribed to a cellular data service", and it's really annoying because it lights up my iPhone all the time and kills my battery. It's also really annoying - it comes up whenever I'm typing a message or playing a game; literally when I do ANYTHING on my phone. I do not have a data plan, but I have used 'unlockit.co.nz' to install a Fake APN to my iPhone to block data. Rogers has also given me a data block. This has been going on ever since I bought the phone, I thought installing a Fake APN would stop it but I guess not. I can't really restore since I have a lot of stuff on this iPhone already.. but if that's the only option then I will be forced to. I used to have an unlocked Fido 3G (about 2 months ago) without data and it never gave me this alert, do you think it has something to do with my 3GS being locked to Rogers?
This phone is a jailbroken iPhone 3GS (model MC143C) running version 3.1.3 (7E18) and locked to the "Rogers 5.0" network. If it helps the modem firmware is 05.12.01.if there are no real solutions, I still have 2 months left on my warranty. Would Apple fix it or give me a new one if I un-jailbreak it?
Does retrieving music and data from iCloud use up the data plan usage? And is there an adapter that will allow me to charge the iPhone with the standard charging cord for Blackberry and Android?
Does anyone know what happens if you get an (activated) iPad micro-SIM and put it in a PC data card? Grabbing the $30/month for unlimited data before it goes away would be attractive if it works.
I'm aware I'd have to get a micro-SIM to SIM adaptor, but what else? Change the APN my PC uses? Does AT&T check the IMEI? I've been searching but no one seems to have tried it, unless my search-fu skills are failing me.
I have the 8520, and have no data plan with my carrier in my post payment plan, i thought , since i have wi-fi at home, office and tons of hot spots. I can use my BB to access the web using free wi-fi as i have been doing with my last 4 smartphones.Big mistake. i have been charged 55 us last month, for data transfer use , i ran to my planŽs assistance office ( telcel in Mexico ), and the answer i got was. you have to get a data plan from us to be able to use wi-fi ( obviuosly i stared at her , just nodding my head ).There is no point in having a device that has acces to wi fi networks , if i cant access the wi fi network without you data plan, so i got the lady to bring the tech guy. His response was...naaahhh...it will access the wi fi. but weŽll charge u anyway. you need to disable the network from the phone and only leave the wi fi option on so you can access without any other charge, but this will leave you with no phone connection.
Is this real? did i just spend 399us in a gadget that has wi fi capabilities but will not be able to get on any wi fi connection form home or work, without being charged for data transmission over my cell providers network?cmon this sounds as stupid as it does in my head ? i would be really disapointed if i just left my old Nokia E71 SPhone, for this beautiful BB Curve 8520 THAT DOES NOT CONNECT TO THE WI Fi.
I now have an iPhone 4 and am getting ready to sell my 3Gs. However, a family member would love to have the 3Gs but does not use texting, email, etc.Is there a way I can use the 3Gs on our ATT Family plan but without the cost of a data plan? My new iPhone 4 is on the Family Plan.Is this where "unlocking" the iPhone would apply?Very basic question - easier (for me) to ask than searching.
I'm thinking of moving to ATT for the iPhone 4 but I'm wondering if there is still an additional fee to use an enterprise account on the iPhone. I've been looking on Apple & ATT's sites but haven't found anything about it recently.
I do not currently have a smart phone. Just how much data is 200mb and I'm trying to figure out if that will be enough for me. I'll do the occasional surfing, GPS, online aps and when I'm at home I can be on my own network.
Can anyone give me an idea of comparison to know if this will meet my needs?
I sold my 3GS last week and then I put my ATT simcard into a temporay phone, I now think that I lost my data plan. I'm doing an upgrade swap so what do I do to get my data plan back when I have the iPhone 4 ?
i was browsing the forums looking for a answer on this, i see alot of answers on this subject for T mobile.
Is there a way i can use the data plan from pay go (prepaid) on my unlocked iphone? I saw for t mobile you need to change the VPN and some other things.
i have a jailbroken iPhone 3g with the new ios4 jailbroken w/ redsn0w. i want to be able to use the data plan that i just got for my number. Im on a family plan with At&t and i just got a new data plan put on my line. how can i start using it. i tried ultrasn0w with the source repo666.ultrasn0w.com and i installed it ultrasn0w but it still gave me could not connect to the cellular data network box. how can i start using my data plan.
I am going to Europe in a few days and wanted to know if Geotagging your photos counts against your 3G Data Service allottment? If it does. then I should probably turn off Locate Me.
I just got a Iphone 3GS without a data plan. and was wondering if turning on the "Location services" for the camera and the compass used "Data" <- the kind I have to pay for =( I'm scared to turn it on and use it and rack up my bills
I'm almost 100% certain that my parents will buy me an iPhone. My parents and I are currently with T-Mobile and will switch for the iPhone 4G/HD/whatever it's called. But I was browsing around AT&T's site and it seems you need to pay $30 for each iPhone's data plan on a family plan. Basically, if I wanted 3 iPhones in one family plan, then I would have to pay $90 a month for the data plan for all 3. Is this true?
RIGHT NOW in 2010: yes 2gigs of usage for a phone (even the iPhone) is a lot and most people will not reach that even with intense usage. HOWEVER looking forward. What happens once 4g is developed, once we can make these FaceTime calls over the network, once we can most certainly use Skype with the front facing camera. What happens when data just becomes more available. I really see 2g being reached easily in the not so distant future.
My theory is AT&T has thought about this and has come up with a plan to make us think that by "downgrading" to a 2gig plan for $25/month we will save money. In the long run I fear that this may not be the case. I fear, so much so that I'm writing this post, that we may see a great spike in the amount of people using more than 2gigs of data per month. I fear that AT&T has thought about this and is planning ahead to reap the benefits. I am attempting to think outside the box and that tends to lead to crazy thoughts that may be completely unfounded, but I have had this discussion with a few people and they seem to agree I'm not crazy this time.
In light of this I am thinking that I will keep that extra infinite amount of data/month and continue to pay the 5 dollar premium, because once I opt out of this it's gone for good. We, the current iPhone users, have the opportunity to exploit AT&T's plan to limit our future data needs by spending more money now.
So I am hopefully getting the iPhone 4 on the launch date, however I would like to give my 3GS to my dad for fathers day. Is there a way without jailbreaking/unclocking so that the 3GS does not have a data plan? We are on a family share plan. I thought the data contract was required with the initial purchase of the phone due to the subsidy, but now that I am upgrading to the iPhone 4 I should be renewing my 2 year data contract. Any ideas?
My family is currently on T-Mobile. I have an old, beat up T-Mobile G1 that is well beyond its life. I am looking at upgrading to the iPhone 4 on AT&T. We are looking at getting 2 IPhones and 1 'dumb' phone for my mom. Now, I know the minutes are shared by all 3 lines, but what about the data? Texts?
My daughter asked if she can have my 3gs once I get the 4. She already has a phone so I would simply swap sim card, but she will not get / does not have a data plan. Will the 3gs work for phone and texting (family texting plan)?
I'm looking to potentially acquire a friends iphone and plan with unlimited data. Can he transfer responsibility if he ports his number to another provider? Do I need to keep his phone number or can I port mine to the phone on the account? I've heard MANY conflicting statements and wondering if anyone has a solution. I'm looking for the best way of getting unlimited data.
