Apple Removing iphone info for AT&T?

[Gagarin]

I was enjoying my iphone until I got a text message from AT&T (becouse you have a smart phone, it requires data plan). I bought it from Craigslist and I didn't need a data plan for it (I used Wi-fi).
So is there any Cydia app to hide my iphone from carrier?

 

[Dangy]

Wow, that's bullshit. If you're not using their 3G, why should you have to pay?

 

[Gagarin]

Actually that what it says in an agreement. I don't know how they found out that I have iphone.

 

[Lacius]

There used to be a way to disguise your iPhone as another kind of phone, but it's so outdated that it wouldn't work these days. It used to be that you could get an iPhone from somewhere else and AT&T wouldn't notice. I'm hearing more and more about peoples' iPhones being noticed. I have a friend who bought an iPhone from somewhere else, but his friend's girlfriend (who worked at AT&T) snooped around in his account and saw this. She tacked on the data plan and got rewarded for it. There seems to be a major incentive to find iPhones without data plans. This is why I have an iPod Touch.

 

[Originality]

I don't know much about US tariffs and policies... But can't you switch provider?

 

[Hakoda]

I don't know much about US tariffs and policies... But can't you switch provider?

Not here. Legally, the GSM iPhone should only be on AT&T. Software and hardware hacks however allow it to be used on T-Mobile. I would just terminate the service if you're not using their 3G or EDGE.

 

[Joe88]

verizon does the same thing
they wont activate any smart phone unless you purchase a data plan along with it

 

[0ddity]

Can't you just remove the SIM?

 

[Joe88]

Can't you just remove the SIM?

then you cant use it as a phone anymore...
I dont think it will even boot

 

[Urza]

I don't know much about US tariffs and policies... But can't you switch provider?
Not here. Legally, the GSM iPhone should only be on AT&T.
There are no no legal implications involved with using an unlocked handset on another carrier.

QUOTE

then you cant use it as a phone anymore...
I dont think it will even boot

If the device has been activated on a network previously, then it will work fine without a SIM card (obviously excluding cellular calls or data). There are also workarounds for arbitrarily activating the device without ever having a SIM card.

 

[Jotokun]

I was enjoying my iphone until I got a text message from AT&T (becouse you have a smart phone, it requires data plan). I bought it from Craigslist and I didn't need a data plan for it (I used Wi-fi).
So is there any Cydia app to hide my iphone from carrier?

Unfortunetly, AT&T's policy is that if you have a recognized smartphone, you have a data plan. Its complete crap, but except for T-Mobile all the other carriers do the same so they can get away with it. They detected you based on your phone's IMEI number, which is a unique number assigned to each cell phone made. When a phone company wants to get a certain model phone on a carrier, part of the agreement is that they give every IMEI number for that model to the carrier so they can detect what phones a user may be using. This is why some people can get away with importing certian Android phones and use them in the US without data plans.

IF and ONLY IF you have an iPhone 2G AND are willing to downgrade to iOS 2.X, there is a hack to change your IMEI number, although its of grey area legality. If you take this route, make sure you change it to the IMEI of a dumbphone that IS NOT and WILL NOT EVER AGAIN be in service or YOU WILL get caught. Otherwise, your only hope for running without a data plan is to unlock it and get service with T-Mobile. Doing so will make you loose 3G capability, but if your not using any data that shouldnt matter.

 

[dsrules]

@Gagarin, how long have you been using the iPhone before they send you the message?

I've been using one (got it from a friend) for 2 weeks and still no message from AT&T. Hope I'm safe

 

[Gagarin]

I got it for a year, and I got the message two month ago