3 years, 1 month ago
I'm thinking buying a contract free iPhone at Apple store. What are advantages of this? Do I need to have a data plan? Can I use as gophone?
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M$2 Answers
It looks as though you can. Just plop a sim card in there with a data plan attached to it and go calling.
Also, if you buy the phone under contract for either 199 or 299 (or 99 and 199 for refurbs), then cancel the contract for $175, it will be cheaper than purchasing the 599/699 no contract version.
As for the necessity of a data plan, I'm unsure. I doubt it, especially if you put in a sim card without a data plan attached, but I am unable to find a source for that right now.
Also, if you buy the phone under contract for either 199 or 299 (or 99 and 199 for refurbs), then cancel the contract for $175, it will be cheaper than purchasing the 599/699 no contract version.
As for the necessity of a data plan, I'm unsure. I doubt it, especially if you put in a sim card without a data plan attached, but I am unable to find a source for that right now.
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M$Report Abuse
http://www.cellfanatic.com/2008/01/25/iphone-gophone-prepaid-service-unlimited-text-internet-200-minutes
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p81/nickmford/togophone.jpg
For the purpose of testing, this week we purchased an iPhone
and decided to check the options for AT&T prepaid service. Essentially there are two choices when it comes to prepaid service with AT&T: Pay As You Go or Pick Your Plan. The difference between the two plans is that pay as you go simply means you put a value on your account and you get charged standard itemized billing per minute usage, text message, picture message and Media Net (Internet Usage). Pick Your Plan is much more beneficial to prepaid users looking to have a standard plan since it gives you standard minutes with Rollover, Nationwide Long Distance and most importantly add-on options for text messaging/multimedia messaging and internet usage.
AT&T Pick Your Plan
Going Prepaid with the Iphone is a choice a lot of people have to make before they decide to give over their life for a 2yr Commitment to AT&T without knowning how solid the service is in their area or if they want to pay the rate plans for the next 2 years on the iPhone. Also, the most important is that you do not get a carrier subsidized phone when you purchase the iPhone, instead you pay full retail like anyone else wanting to use the iPhone.
What are the choices? Well first off you can always bypass the activation then jailbreak the iphone which will allow you to use the Iphones features as well as install 3rd party applications such as Nintendo Emulators, Instant Messaging Software, etc. This will essentially give you a Ipod Touch with a camera and the option to be used as a Phone later down the line with an AT&T Contract or simply AT&T Prepaid. Check my previous post for all the juicy details on unlocking your iPhone
Read
We were in the same boat at this point, since our goal was having an iPhone without contract. The first step was following the procedure above on my previous post and unlocking the iPhone with an activation bypass and a jailbreak. This allowed us to be able to access the iPhone’s menu.
Step 1: Bypass activation and jailbreak the iPhone. Note follow these same instructions Read, but instead of choosing upgrade so that it upgrades to 1.1.3, you will need to download the 1.1.2 restore image from Apples website. Hold down the shift key when you press the upgrade button and direct it to the 1.1.2 restore image. Currently the jailbreak for iPhone 1.1.3 is on hold and it is worth waiting for the SDK *software developer kit* firmware update to be released so they can jailbreak that version.
Apple 1.1.2 firmware restore
Step 2: Pickup an AT&T GoPhone at your local retailer. We ended up going to Walmart to pickup our Go Phone since they often have deals where it is $9.99 for the GoPhone with $10 of prepaid balance included. You will follow the activation online at http://www.att.com/activations and setup your GoPhone. At this point you need to decided whether to choose the Pick Your Plan or the Pay as You Go Option.
AT&T Pick Your Plan
We choose the Pick your Plan Option 29.99. We also took advantage of the Unlimited Messaging feature for $20.00 and the unlimited Media Net internet for $20.00. This brings the grand total to $69.99 a month for a small amount of voice minutes, but an unlimited texting, picture messaging, and EDGE internet capable device.
Step 3: Take out the SIM card from the AT&T GoPhone and place SIM Card in the Iphone.
You are now ready to use AT&T Pick Your Plan Service. If you need to add money to your GoPhone account or want to make changes to the Plan features/add ons you can do it online.
AT&T GoPhone Account Login
You are now done and have your iPhone ready to use with a small number of voice minutes, but unlimited internet and unlimited texting/picture messaging. Grand Total per month will be 69.99, but if you are not as heavy of a text messenger you can always use the $10.00 option and have 1500 text messages per month. Alternatively you can lower your internet plan if you intend to use WiFi access a majority of the time.
For the purpose of testing, this week we purchased an iPhone
and decided to check the options for AT&T prepaid service. Essentially there are two choices when it comes to prepaid service with AT&T: Pay As You Go or Pick Your Plan. The difference between the two plans is that pay as you go simply means you put a value on your account and you get charged standard itemized billing per minute usage, text message, picture message and Media Net (Internet Usage). Pick Your Plan is much more beneficial to prepaid users looking to have a standard plan since it gives you standard minutes with Rollover, Nationwide Long Distance and most importantly add-on options for text messaging/multimedia messaging and internet usage.
AT&T Pick Your Plan
Going Prepaid with the Iphone is a choice a lot of people have to make before they decide to give over their life for a 2yr Commitment to AT&T without knowning how solid the service is in their area or if they want to pay the rate plans for the next 2 years on the iPhone. Also, the most important is that you do not get a carrier subsidized phone when you purchase the iPhone, instead you pay full retail like anyone else wanting to use the iPhone.
What are the choices? Well first off you can always bypass the activation then jailbreak the iphone which will allow you to use the Iphones features as well as install 3rd party applications such as Nintendo Emulators, Instant Messaging Software, etc. This will essentially give you a Ipod Touch with a camera and the option to be used as a Phone later down the line with an AT&T Contract or simply AT&T Prepaid. Check my previous post for all the juicy details on unlocking your iPhone
Read
We were in the same boat at this point, since our goal was having an iPhone without contract. The first step was following the procedure above on my previous post and unlocking the iPhone with an activation bypass and a jailbreak. This allowed us to be able to access the iPhone’s menu.
Step 1: Bypass activation and jailbreak the iPhone. Note follow these same instructions Read, but instead of choosing upgrade so that it upgrades to 1.1.3, you will need to download the 1.1.2 restore image from Apples website. Hold down the shift key when you press the upgrade button and direct it to the 1.1.2 restore image. Currently the jailbreak for iPhone 1.1.3 is on hold and it is worth waiting for the SDK *software developer kit* firmware update to be released so they can jailbreak that version.
Apple 1.1.2 firmware restore
Step 2: Pickup an AT&T GoPhone at your local retailer. We ended up going to Walmart to pickup our Go Phone since they often have deals where it is $9.99 for the GoPhone with $10 of prepaid balance included. You will follow the activation online at http://www.att.com/activations and setup your GoPhone. At this point you need to decided whether to choose the Pick Your Plan or the Pay as You Go Option.
AT&T Pick Your Plan
We choose the Pick your Plan Option 29.99. We also took advantage of the Unlimited Messaging feature for $20.00 and the unlimited Media Net internet for $20.00. This brings the grand total to $69.99 a month for a small amount of voice minutes, but an unlimited texting, picture messaging, and EDGE internet capable device.
Step 3: Take out the SIM card from the AT&T GoPhone and place SIM Card in the Iphone.
You are now ready to use AT&T Pick Your Plan Service. If you need to add money to your GoPhone account or want to make changes to the Plan features/add ons you can do it online.
AT&T GoPhone Account Login
You are now done and have your iPhone ready to use with a small number of voice minutes, but unlimited internet and unlimited texting/picture messaging. Grand Total per month will be 69.99, but if you are not as heavy of a text messenger you can always use the $10.00 option and have 1500 text messages per month. Alternatively you can lower your internet plan if you intend to use WiFi access a majority of the time.
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
