How to Use an iPhone Without the Data Plan

By , Oct 11, 2008

[digg-me]After playing with my kids iTouch’s it became clear to me how much the iTouch is lacking in functionality. Before buying one I considered it just an iPhone without the ability to make calls. The lack of camera was the biggest surprise, because I can’t figure out why they left it out. The GPS and Camera would have been really nice to have even if I can’t use it as a phone.

So would it still be better to buy an iPhone and use it just like an iTouch but with camera and GPS?  I found a thread on one of the iPhone forums where a guy, who was going to college and couldn’t afford the $30.00 a month data plan, but wanted an iPhone anyway.  He was on campus where they had a robust wifi connection all of the time and didn’t really need the data plan. He already had an AT&T cell phone (a Razor), and just wanted to get a used iPhone and put his SIM card into it.

After giving the guy a hard time, a good samaritan responded with a way to do just that.  He pointed out a cool service offered by unlockit.  It is an APN Changer for 3G iPhones.  It lets you turn off the Edge and 3G data service on your iPhone.  This lets you use an AT&T SIM card with your iPhone but lets you use it without adding the iPhone data plan.

To use this service do the following:

  1. Put the AT&T Sim card in the already activated iPhone.
  2. Make a wifi connection to a local wifi source.
  3. Navigate to this page.  Click “Continue To The Next Page”.
  4. Click Disable Data (Fake APN). The Install Profile window appears.
  5. Click Install. Another Install Profile window will popup warning you that authenticity of this profile cannot be verified.  Click Install on this window too.
  6. You should now see a message stating “Could not activate Cellular Data Network; You are not subscribed to a cellular data service.

You should now be able to make phone calls and be able to use wifi to access the internet.  When you aren’t connected, you should get an error.

To remove the 3G/Edge block, simply go to your Network settings and removed the Fake APN profile.

This thread pointed out a really cool service.

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  • Dranon

    Jordan ALL ATT phones have a sim card slot!!!
    No you do not need to do steps 1-6 just go to settings and remove FakeAPN profile and your phone will be back to normal.

    Tiffany you DO NOT NEED to ANY of this if you HAVE IOS 4 because you can just turn off data in settings. BUT are you accessing the site WITH your phone?? You cannot access the apn blocker with your computer just your phone. If you cannot access it with your phone can you access ANY web site with your phone??

  • Tiffany

    I’m not sure what an IOS 4 is, my cousin gave me his old 3g phone.

    With wi-fi, I can go on other sites, but not that site for some reason. And yes, I am accessing the site with my phone.

    So I looked on the about part and it says I have an AT&T sinful iphone 5.6 and v4.3 whited00r. I’m not sure what any of that means either. :D

  • Dranon

    Tiffany ios means i(device) o(perating) s(ystem) 4.3 means you have ios version 4.3. Which means you DO NOT NEED THIS SITE> Justy go into settings, general, network, and turn the slider that says cellular data to OFF.. Thats it!! Im sure you misspelled but what is AT&T sinful mean???
    OF course you need to read this thread to understand that you HAVE to call ATT and get data turned off so you are billed for data, IF you have already activated the iphone with them.

  • Tiffany

    I’m not sure what AT&T sinful means either. Oh well, but yes, I did turn off the data and the 3g. Thanks for this amazing thread. I’m glad I can still use wi-fi on it. I appreciate that you replied to me!

  • bobo

    sinful Iphone is a source if you jailbreak your itouch, they basiclly take a bunch of apps, crack them and give them to people for free

  • Sarah

    Dranon,
    On Mar 30 you wrote that you can use PureTalk on an iphone without having to unlock or jailbreak it. I just spoke with PureTalk rep and she said the iphone does need to be jailbroken. Are the phones your kids use with PureTalk jalibroken? Did the rep just give me bad information?
    I have a hand-me-down Iphone 3G that works with my ATT sim card, but I don’t think it’s jailbroken.
    Thanks for any help you can give.
    -Sarah

  • Dranon

    Sarah The rep is wrong! The phone does NOT have to be jailbroken. The rep is just a sales person maybe new and does NOT understand this. ANY ATT PHONE CAN BE USED ON PURETALK USA no unlocking or jailbreaking needed. Just put the puretalkusa sim in the phone and it works! Just get a sim from them its dirt cheap.
    Here is a direct quote from puretalkusa site
    How do I know if my phone is unlocked or compatible?
    If your phone was through the following carriers, it is not compatible. Verizon/Alltel, Boost, Sprint/Nextel, MetroPCS, Virgin Mobile, Page Plus. If your existing phone was used with T-Mobile, TracFone, Net10 or other GSM providers, it will have to be unlocked to work with our services. To check to see if it is unlocked, simply place a different type of SIM chip in it. The phone will show that SIM carrier on your phone if your phone is unlocked. If your phone is AT&T or Cingular, our SIM chip should be compatible.

  • Sarah

    Ok, I am going to take your word on this Dranon. I assume this is what you did for your kids?
    Don’t know how to arrange this, but I’d be willing to put you down as a referral when I call to sign up. You’ll get an extra 202 minutes. Your posts have helped me a lot.

  • Dranon

    Sarah I guarantee that this works! Like I said 2 of my kids use this and there was no unlocking or jailbreaking involved! email at dranon69 at the yahoo place. THanks!

  • Onila

    Drannon, I’m thinking of doing this for my daughter, too. It may be a while, but you’ll get the referral from us, too, that’s for sure.

  • Z PHAT Z

    It works pretty good with the iphone 2G. With the 2G, it doesn’t show any data plan on AT&T manage features. But I tried with a 3G, then there are data plans showing up in the manage features on ATT website. I took the sim out right away when I saw that. Anyone else experience the same?

  • Dranon

    Z PHAT Z The reason it does that is because with the 2G you do NOT have a choice of data plans! You can only get the one data plan available for the 2G. THe 3G 3GS and 4 all have a choice of data.

    • Z PHAT Z

      with the 2G using this trick, there is no data plan showing at all. I mean NOTHING…no data plan showing.

      • Dranon

        That is correct! It will not show unless you want it. ATT DOES NOT WANT ANYONE TO HAVE/USE THIS PLAN but it is the only one available to the iphone 2G.

    • Annah

      Hello
      I’m an AT&T Rep, just wanted to chime in here that if you have the “original iPhone, aka a 2G” and have had the “data unlimited” in the past (pre June 2010) and it was changed to another data package when the caps were applied, you can insist to have it back just be insistant!
      ok gonna go before you all chew me up….peace out.
      ps. i hate iphones lol.

  • Onila

    I asked last week about the 2g data plan and they said it wasn’t available anymore. You have to choose from the other plans. This was at the Sam’s kiosk with a guy that has worked there for a few years. He has helped us for years and helped me to activate my 2g so I could use it without a plan :) according to this website.

    • Jay

      Well from att they told me that the 2g iphone only used the EDGE network (slower network than 3g) — and since the this first gen iphone is only capable for this network you can still get that unlimited data for the 20.00 but that is the only data plan yo ucan get — the $15 and so on plans you can choose from are only for 3g. The way att told me is that ifyou get your hands on an older iphone 2g then you can activate it on your account and you would get he 20.00 a month unlimited data. So the sam’s kiosk guy is wrong. And this was 3 different att reps that told me this. Not some kiosk third party authorized dealer.

      • Dranon

        Jay is 100% correct in this! Some of these reps are well meaning but truly do NOT have their info straight/correct!

  • Onila

    I have been using my 2g for about a year using this website method. No problems at all. I have wi-fi available all the time.

  • Onila

    Jay-that’s good. I’m not arguing. I am considering a data plan for when I’m out and about, but I figure that when I just can’t take it anymore I’ll do it. That’s my money saving plan. I almost added one today when my daughter was in an accident and I had to figure out how to get to the hospital in Atlanta, but I rode with her boyfriend who had the 3Gs with data. Saved my money once more. I still am kinda proud of this website and how this has helped. I really like my iPhone and that I don’t pay, nor am I stealing anything. My daughter’s fine, sore and bad headache, but fine.

  • Dranon

    Jay you are correct! The NICE thing about this is, you can getthis unlimited data plan for the 2G and then upgrade to a 3G, 3GS, or iphone 4 and you are grandfathered into the $30 unlimted 3G plan!!! Of course I realise that you are all reading THIS thread to get out of paying for ANY data plan but just a point of info….

  • Jordan

    I have followed the steps Justy go into settings, general, network, and turn the slider that says cellular data to OFF.. Everything is working fine. I was just wondering if there is any way to find out if you are being charged for a data plan? I don’t want them to add it without me knowing then have a big bill next month.

  • Dranon

    Jordan Go into your online account at att.com and check to see if you are being charged for a data plan. IF you are not then they will NOT add it without notyfying you with a text!

  • Charlie

    They never notified me, found out when the bill came, i have a 3g and it worked for bout month and a half b4 the sweep came around

  • Stormy

    If you have a unlocked iphone 3g will your data still show up on att if you use the texting or internet?

  • Bill

    Does its still get texting and if I am not in a wifi zone will i not get texts?

  • Allison

    I followed the steps but it still shows AT&T in my top left hand corner of the screen- did I do something wrong? I also didn’t get the error message on the screen…PLEASE HELP!

  • Dranon

    Allison It WILL show ATT in the corner! After all ATT is still the carrier! What error message are you asking about?

  • Jordan

    Does anyone know how to turn off programs on the iphone 3. When I double click the home key my ipod comes up. I think I have all my programs still running but I have no way to check which ones. HELP PLEASE!

  • Bill

    I have a iphone 3GS that JB and unlcoked. Do I need a data plan for MMS (tex messages)?? I am confused.
    thanks

  • Dranon

    Bill no you do not need a data plan for SMS (text messages ) YES you need a data plan for MMS (Multi Media Services)

    • Nina

      you do NOT need a data plan to send MMS, this is a fact as all my kids have no smart phone, no data and send pics fine UNLESS you put a data block on the line. Cmon people you should know this! LOL
      ….end of problem is buy a data plan or use another phone lol! Jeez this thread made me laugh!

      • Dranon

        NINA You are incorrect! The iphone uses a different system than any other non-smartphone! You DO NOT NEED A DATA paln to send MMS on non smartphones BUT you do need one to send MMS on an iphone! If you recall the original iphone could not send MMS with or without a data plan!! Please do NOT add info that you do NOT truly know about because of your own inexperience!

      • Charlie

        I second this, about mms

        Author: Dranon
        Comment:
        NINA  You are incorrect! The iphone uses a different system than any other non-smartphone!  You DO NOT NEED A DATA paln to send MMS on non smartphones BUT you do need one to send MMS on an iphone! If you recall the original iphone  could not send MMS with or without a data plan!!  Please do NOT  add info that you do NOT truly know about because of your own inexperience!

    • http://www.iphonedownloadblog.com Sebastien

      It seems that you guys are misunderstanding the data plan thing. You do not need a data plan to send MMS. MMS is part of your SMS plan. Data is for Internet (Edge, 3G)

      • Jay

        no you are wrong – directly from att rep — they stated that in order to send MMS messages (picture texts video etc) they have to have you on some kind of data plan — so on the plan i was on for texting to allow me to send picture texts they still showed on my bill subscribed to a data plan but i wasn’t charged for it however to have the ability as a formality they have to subscribe on — then when i sent a picture text i was charged per kb for whatever i sent — so you do have ot be subscribed to a plan even if it is an informal one becuase if you didn’t have something on your account saying you are allowing data then you can’t send it — forexample if i got a new phone new account — that phone if i pushed the att mobile web would let me browse on a per kb basis even if i have no data plan — to prevent that or mms you have to call them and BLOCK ALL DATA — they will tell you ‘well you can’t send mms messages or browse the web or order widgts etc”

  • Dranon

    When you double click the home button a scroll bar comes up on the bottom and it shows the ipod you then swipe the screen to the left and it will show the running programs

  • Jordan

    When I double click the home button my IPOD turns on. I can’t find anything about it on any site. Do my programs just shut off when I hit the home button? My Iphone is dieing pretty quickly so I feel like they are still running.

  • Matt

    Just a couple of questions:

    I have heard that AT&T will automatically add the data plan when they see your sim card is in a IPhone. If I use this tutorial to turn off the 3g does anyone know if AT&T will still charge me for the data plan?

    After turning off the 3g can I still install apps and use the phone normally on a wifi network?

    Is there a chance that the phone can be bricked by apple?

    Will I be able to use GPS capabilities when I am not connected to a wifi network?

    I appreciate anyones help/insight into these matters. Thanks.

  • Dranon

    Matt Yes you have heard correctly. When ATT “sees” your sim in an iphone thaye WILL add the data plan.
    Yes you can add apps with wi-fi and as a matter of fact you should since it will not use data!
    The phone CANNOT be bricked by APPLE!
    GPS does not use 3G or wi-fi so YES you can use GPS

  • Matt

    I appreciate your responses. I Just have one quick follow up question. If AT&T charges you for the data plan, what is the point in turning off the 3g service? Can you own/use an IPhone without having to pay for some sort of data plan?

    • Pat

      yes u can send pics and sms and do anything but use the web with no data but whats the point? My hub took his sim out of his iPhone, uses another phone and takes his iPhone with him as his mini computer to use on wifi at hot spots and when away, works great. btw no, i have*no data plan* and can send pictures yes. (no i dont use an iPhone either)

  • Dranon

    Matt I was being a LITTLE sarcastic!! All your questions have been answered MULTIPLE times on this thread very thoroughly, It seems like you have not bothered to read ANY of them!
    Now to answer your questions. This USED to work VERZY well but ATT has really cracked down on this and seems to b e able to “catch” you if you do this so it does not work or work as well as it used to. I recommend using PURETALKUSA dot com and getting a sim from them to put in oyur iphone if you do NOT want any data plan at all. It works on ALL ATT phones and uses att NETWORK SO ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS STICK THE SIM IN YOUR IPHONE AND IT WORKS! They have an unlimted text and talk plan for only $39!! Tax included. Cant beat that! Cheapest paln is $10 month for 110 minutes. No contracts.

  • Nina

    Hi All
    I have 5 lines, 2 with iPhones and have been dealing with AT&T now 4 years. In the beginning we did the APN Blocker..worked for awhile, next came switching out Sim cards between iPhone and a non smart phone…worked awhile, even called gave an IMEI to an old Razr and had a data block added..then off and on (more off than on) slipped the Sim back into the iPhone. In the end no matter what you do they do catch up. I tried other tricks as well as all I have seen here. Best for you to just add on a 15$ or more if you need it data plan. Every time they added one to my account I “always” got a text message when they did, by the way. If your Sim is in ANY iPhone it DOES show up at AT&T. Oh and the non smartphone family 10$ data unlimited does not work with iPhone as most here havre discovered. As of last week I was charged 10$ per 1GB over my usage which turned me stomach looking at my bill (using the iPhone tethering, even jailbroken gets way up there fast $$!)…today I canned my iPhone, ordered a new NON smartphone and AT&T can kiss my (you know where). Oh and the Verizon “unlimited data” IS CAPPED at 5GB!…so watch out there too!
    G Luck All.

  • Dranon

    NINA What type of data were you using that it racked up so quick??? If you download video all the time that will do it! But now you say you will not even use data so that confuses me??? You also can check the amount of data you use iht on the phone under settings/genral/usage-cellular data network. You can reset this counter each month or every day if you want to keep track of your usage.

  • Jordan

    Dranon,
    I just found out At&t caught me using the IPhone after only a week! I decided today to cancel my At&t plan and order a PureTalk SIM card. After going through all the steps with PureTalk I received this message

    Please remember to find out your friend’s wireless number upon activating your Pure TalkUSA wireless phone.

    If you want me to refer you that would be fine!

    Also I was wondering how the service works?

    Thanks again this will save me over half of what I am paying now for At&t!

  • Dranon

    The service is a pay as you go! It just shows pure talk up in the left corner rather than ATT you really cannot tell the difference, just no data on their service! You do NOT get free nights and weekends however.

  • kris

    if you use the puretalkusa sim on a unlocked iphone, will you still be able to send/recieve multimedia or no?

  • Dranon

    Again it does NOT matter if the phone is locked or unlocked! Puretalk has NO DATA SERVICES! So you cannot send multimedia. Normal texting works fine! Why don t you go to pUretalks website all these questions are answered on their website OR you can even call them!! Instead of relying on some web site not affiliated with them at all.

    • Luke

      Thanks for all the great information. I guess with the iphone ios 4 the best idea is too turn off the data and wait and see how long it takes att to track it down and start charging for a service I don’t need. Going to take a look a puretalk and other prepaid plans too.

  • Mike

    hey i did the fake APN thing and when i put my sim card in it says that i need to connect to itunes. so i do and then it trys to get me to pay for service and i dont wanna do that. i just wanna use the iphone for calls and text. any ideas?

  • Tucker

    I tried this and my iPhone says no service and cannot find my at and t service. Please help me out. I’m stuck.

    • Cheryl

      @ Tucker, did you try to restart, or turn airplane mode off/on? Then it should throw it into search mode and find your service, weather its at&t, puretalk, etc.

      • Tucker

        I tried doing that and it searches for my service(att) but it can never find it.

        Do I have to unlock my phone so it can find my service? Please reply back. Thanks

  • helpme

    can this be done on an Iphone with verizon? I dont want to renew my contract but my son wants an iphone, i would like to buy iphone without going through verizon and not be charged the data plan since the phone will not be used for internet, only calls,texting,pics. HELP?????PLEASE

    • Cheryl

      @ helpme..No, you can’t do this with verizon :( , they have their own network and do not use sim cards, you can only use an AT&T iphone!
      @ Tucker, Are you still having problems?You have an AT&T sim right? Only if you have any other sim such as T-mobile you would need to be unlocked.

  • crystal

    If i get a i phone from att they told me i would have to get a data plan i would have no choice. How do you get around this? i really dont want the data plan and the extra charge.

  • Dranon

    crystal you CANNOT get around this! The only way I know of is to get a iphone and then use it on pure talk. IF you use iphone on ATT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A DATA PLAN!

  • Onila

    Drannon, I’m trying to get the SIM from PURETALKUSA today for my daughter, but I need your info for the referral. I’ve looked pretty far back into the forums and can’t find where you’ve posted it. Can you post it again or email it to me?
    Post if you want my email. I’m ready to click and get the SIM sent.
    Thanks,
    Nila

  • Ean

    My boss pays for my phone service but does not want to pay a data plan for his employees. If I get a used iphone switch my sim and turn data off will ATT&T be able to tell its an iphone?

  • Samantha

    i just disconnected my contract and no longer can make/receive calls. but i can pick up internet using my wifi at my apartment or at any free wifi location. will AT&T notice this wifi usage on my iPhone at all and charge me for it, even though my account it disabled? is using wifi building data usage? i just want to get this clear before i even use my iPhone at all.

  • Dranon

    Samantha. Wi-fi is free! It has NOTHING to do with ATT. You can use all the wi-fi you want. Many people use their iphones as ipod touches. You can also get a cheap PureTalkUSA plan with no contract, be able to use your iphone for as cheap as $10 monthly, and continue to use wi-fi! ATT can ONLY charge you data use when you have THEIR SIM in your phone.

  • D. vins

    my sons att phone broke and he is not eligible for an upgrade yet. He got a used 3g iphone from a friend. He used it for a month without a data plan, only using the wi fi with data blocked and suddenly att unblocked the data and added a data plan and they will not remove it. Is it too late to turn off the 3g to hide it from ATT and only use the wi fi?

  • Brad

    So I followed the instructions and downloaded the APN app. If I call AT&T and have them turn off my data, does this mean that I can use wifi to connect to the internet and not be charged data? AT&T informed via text that my data had been set up because I previously did not have a data plan

  • Dranon

    D. Vins Turning off 3G does not “hide” the phone from ATT. ATT contracts state that if you use an iphone they WILL add a data plan. READ THIS BLOG! I have clearly stated many times how this works. You will get caught now it is just a matter oftime. Either pay the minimum $15 data plan or use puretalkusa which has no data.

    Brad They will only turn off data if you put your sim into another phone and give them the ein number of that phone. If you then put the sim back into the iphone they WILL catch you. It might take them a month or so but they will catch you and add the data plan. You can go through this game of cat and mouse every month if you want to…

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