I have had a G1 with Tmobile for 6 months or so. The price for used G1's have dropped alot on ebay and my son is thinking about buying one as a cheaper alternative to an iPod touch. At a minimum, he wants to play music, video and install apps. Ideally, it would be great if we could get it to work on TMobile without a data plan. Here are some questions that if anyone has answers I would appreciate:
1. Could the G1 simply be used as a mp3/video/gps device without a voice or data problem?
2. It looks like the G1 can work on TMobile without the data plan (despite TMobile's official word), but what does it take to do so?
3. If #1 and/or #2 are possible, will a rooted phone be required?
i have a g1 without data myself. everything works fine except you cannot send picture messages. you can still browse the market and the internet as long you are connected to wifi
If you don't care about the always available marketplace, google services, browsers or google maps then go for it.
The only issue is when trying to activate the phone, but for this just borrow someones Data Activated sim card.
Thanks for the replies.
1. So, do the google services for gmail and maps still work with a wifi connection or do they not work at all?
2. If we root this thing, then it looks like whenever we do a wipe we will need to have an active sim card ready. Is this correct?
3. Do the OTA updates only come through the data plan? I assume so.
4. Once you activated the phone with the active sim card how did you get a sim card with voice only to work with it. Did you pull it from another phone?
Sorry for the questions, I have rooted by phone, but am a bit of a noob when it comes to sim cards.
Thanks.
1. Yes, you can do everything over wifi.
2. Not always. The newer roms (since 1.5+ I think) lets you skip over activation when you first start up. You can then set up your wifi connection and later sign into your gmail account by launching any google app. Not sure if this is in the official 1.6 version but it is in any modded one.
If not you could always try launching "am start -a android.intent.action.MAIN -n com.android.settings/.Settings" through adb if development is enabled by default.
3. No OTA updates work over wifi too.
4. Not sure. I guess just pop in the voice only sim card and delete the APN so it wont automatically sign in.
If your buying the phone new it should come with a non activated sim card used to just start the phone up at least and not have it ask for a network. I did this with my Behold II and I'm still running it through my wifi as a mp3/app phone. I wouldn't see why the G1 would be any different.
I have a G1 on AT&T without a data plan.
The thing is that my G1 tries to connect to edge (2g) services when I initially set it up. This can easily be disabled in settings (in some roms) or you can modify the apn so that data won't go through, but SMS and calls will. Although I can connect to edge data whenever, I am charged for it as if I were sending MMS messages.
Seeing as you are on Tmobile, when you initially try to set it up, I'm guessing it will connect to a 3g network (that is if your plan is like mine and you have the capability to access 3g, but just don't because of the price). If you have no 3g or edge services at all, then you won't connect and you will have to get around the registration process another way. (I.E. Installing adb and opening the settings window on the phone through the computer to activate WiFi, or somehow getting to a rom which lets you bypass the activation process)
Good luck!
I have a G1 without a dataplan. I get full HSPA service and 2mbps web browsing (all data works) with my $20 dollar unlimited fun bundle intended for dumb phones.
I got lucky
Thanks again for the feedback. This is looking better and better. However, I still don't understand how you get voice plan to work in the first place.
1. Will I have to sign up for a voice/data plan with TMobile and then drop the data plan or is there another way?
2. Are sim cards 100% interchangeable?, i.e. if we have some other voice only phone on TMobile and remove its sim card and place it in the G1 will the voice then work on the G1?
jfrankman said:
Thanks again for the feedback. This is looking better and better. However, I still don't understand how you get voice plan to work in the first place.
1. Will I have to sign up for a voice/data plan with TMobile and then drop the data plan or is there another way?
2. Are sim cards 100% interchangeable?, i.e. if we have some other voice only phone on TMobile and remove its sim card and place it in the G1 will the voice then work on the G1?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It might be best to just get one that is not wiped, and use it without a sim. I have one without a sim right here (extra) and it works fine over wifi. However once you wipe it there is not a fix that doesn't require rc29, I think. You can also use any simcard with it. When you remove the simcard and put it in another phone, the new phone gets all of the plans that were connected to that sim card
I was hoping to get voice to work on the phone. To do this I thought you did not have to downgrade/root. From what others have said, if the phone is wiped, you can need to insert a sim card with a data plan then activate the phone. From what others have said and I have read I think I can make this work by doing the following:
1. wipe phone new g1 phone
2. Take the sim card out of my "current g1" with a data plan and put it in the "new g1"
3. Turn on "new g1" and register/activate it
4. Remove sim card our of "new g1" and put it back into my "current g1" phone (the one with data plan)
5. Put TMobile sim card without data plan into "new g1".
Am I missing something, or should the above work?
jfrankman said:
I was hoping to get voice to work on the phone. To do this I thought you did not have to downgrade/root. From what others have said, if the phone is wiped, you can need to insert a sim card with a data plan then activate the phone. From what others have said and I have read I think I can make this work by doing the following:
1. wipe phone new g1 phone
2. Take the sim card out of my "current g1" with a data plan and put it in the "new g1"
3. Turn on "new g1" and register/activate it
4. Remove sim card our of "new g1" and put it back into my "current g1" phone (the one with data plan)
5. Put TMobile sim card without data plan into "new g1".
Am I missing something, or should the above work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That should do it.
Since T-Mobile has now gone and added a ton of no contract plans. I would just go and sign up for one and say you already have a phone and just need the sim card. If your adding him onto a family plan then get one of the free phones and sell it for $10 and keep the sim card. No reason to even suggest adding a data plan.
jfrankman: That looks good. Just make sure you go into your apn setting and delete them or it will automatically connect and start charging you.
"Just make sure you go into your apn setting and delete them or it will automatically connect and start charging you"
Change what in the apn settings? What will they start charging me for?
jfrankman said:
"Just make sure you go into your apn setting and delete them or it will automatically connect and start charging you"
Change what in the apn settings? What will they start charging me for?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just delete them, or T-Mo will charge you for using data
Macmee said:
I have a G1 without a dataplan. I get full HSPA service and 2mbps web browsing (all data works) with my $20 dollar unlimited fun bundle intended for dumb phones.
I got lucky
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes you definitely got lucky Mac.
Forget running T-Zones on the G1.. its a lost cause trying to get past the big T and get everything working at 100%
Related
Is the SIM card in the captivate compatible with an ipad? If I were to put the SIm in the IPAd would I get 3G data on it?
It works but you can't just pop the sim into the iPad, since the iPad uses a micro sim. You can cut your sim card down to micro sim size and probably get an adpater to put it back in the captivate. I believe you also have to change some APN settings on the iPad. It should not be difficult to do.
Probably easier to just root the captivate (which I will do as soon as I get it) and use wireless Tether and save the money on getting just a WiFi ipad.
So basically the SIM card is mine to move from device to device as long as it fits?
gunnyman said:
Probably easier to just root the captivate (which I will do as soon as I get it) and use wireless Tether and save the money on getting just a WiFi ipad.
So basically the SIM card is mine to move from device to device as long as it fits?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right, you can move the sim from phone to phone with no issue. Also if you travel to a different country make sure you unlock your Captivate, you can use a local sim and really save some money on calls.
Thanks for the info. Looking forward to getting my phone. Hopefully tomorrow
The only issue I've had with swapping sims is that there are different data plans for different devices on AT&T....Blackberry, iPhone, and smartphone data plans all differ so if you swap your sim into a locked iPhone your out of luck...I have no idea how it works with the iPads though since you buy your data from the device itself.
EDIT: I forgot to mention that AT&T has ALWAYS been very good about switching my data plans for me, most times it just takes a phonecall and a quick power off/on to switch plans, and since they are all priced the same theres never been any billing issues for my smartphone plans. I used to bounce back and forth between my Bold and my 3G a lot.
Goto T-mobile website and change the phone on my account from G1 to another and buy a text messaging plan under that? would it work with my G1?
right now I have NO text plan or data plan, and tmobile does not let you do anything unless you buy their android data plan.
J.a.M said:
Goto T-mobile website and change the phone on my account from G1 to another and buy a text messaging plan under that? would it work with my G1?
right now I have NO text plan or data plan, and tmobile does not let you do anything unless you buy their android data plan.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No you can't....For data you must be using the android data (25bones), I tried a BB's sim to test(Talk/Text only) it worked fine. The apns might only work for the tmo G1 plan though.
Ace42 said:
No you can't....For data you must be using the android data (25bones), I tried a BB's sim to test(Talk/Text only) it worked fine. The apns might only work for the tmo G1 plan though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My little sister uses a cliq with a $15 prepaid unlimited texting plan so I don't see why not. You will need to put your sim card in a dumbphone, then call t-mobile and ask for a messaging plan. also, make sure to download APNDroid from the market to disable data.
mejorguille said:
My little sister uses a cliq with a $15 prepaid unlimited texting plan so I don't see why not. You will need to put your sim card in a dumbphone, then call t-mobile and ask for a messaging plan. also, make sure to download APNDroid from the market to disable data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I said it works but not for data, texting works fine. I wasnt sure if the messaging apn might be affected but that's cause i used att sim not tmo.
mejorguille said:
My little sister uses a cliq with a $15 prepaid unlimited texting plan so I don't see why not. You will need to put your sim card in a dumbphone, then call t-mobile and ask for a messaging plan. also, make sure to download APNDroid from the market to disable data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do I HAVE to call them? cant I just do it over their site?
this is just for texting, no data . What would apndroid do?
thanks
J.a.M said:
What would apndroid do?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
mejorguille said:
APNDroid from the market to disable data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
J.a.M said:
Do I HAVE to call them?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since they'd need to check the IMEI of the dumb-phone, probably.
J.a.M said:
Goto T-mobile website and change the phone on my account from G1 to another and buy a text messaging plan under that? would it work with my G1?
right now I have NO text plan or data plan, and tmobile does not let you do anything unless you buy their android data plan.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As for data if you have a Wi-Fi connection you can use that as long as you have a data "capable" SIM. I personally have an old H6315 from T-mo and it had to have a data compatible SIM card in order for me to use the phone. I am currently using that same card now except that I cannot use data (except Wi-Fi from home) and I send & get texts all the time (pre-paid prices). However the downside of this is if they know you have a G1 you most likely have a G1 specific SIM card in it and there is no way to do that unless you get a new SIM card (go to a T-Mobile store) and then after they see the phone they will give you a bunch of hogwash about "You must have a G1 SIM card."
If you have an older style smartphone around get it out and go buy a new SIM with it. If you only have the G1 all I can say is "good luck"!
I have personally done this in my own "stock" G1 and it works flawless. You can keep the data (2/3G) active and everything will be fine. You just can't browse anywhere. T-mo will send you to a site (over edge) for you to upgrade your services for data. But this is all on a pre-paid SIM that I am currently running that I got a long time ago for an older XDA type smartphone in 2004. I am not sure if you can even get the prepaid "dummy" SIM's anymore. But they still have pre-paid so I can't see why not!
Just curious if i order my captivate from amazon's wireless center(since it's cheaper than at&T) can i just put my iphone 3gs sim card in it and start using its data services? Downloading,uploading, etc. or do i have to call at&t and activate something for this device instead?
The new data plans are all the same across platforms, but if you're like me and are grandfathered into the unlimited data plan, then you're going to have to have the feature changed on your account. Unlimited Iphone data and Unlimited Smartphone data are two seperate features.
do not call in to have it switched from the iPhone data plan to the smartphone plan if you want to be able to swap back *easily* to an iPhone.
The iPhone data plan works fine on both the captivate and iPhone.
The Smartphone data plan only works with the Captivate - and requires APN changing with the iPhone, which may not work.
Be careful ordering the phone through Amazon wireless because it doesn't help you grandfather the unlimited plan to the Captivate. When you check out you have to select a new data plan, by doing so AT&T won't be able to honor your unlimited data plan. Luckily I was able to call AT&T and correct it. Amazon includes a new sim card that you activate over the phone.
I second just putting your iPhone sim into the Captivate, that is exactly what I did and I've had no problems since. I also was able to swap back and forth btw and iPhone and the Captivate with no problems as well because the data plan is still the iPhone plan on my bill. I don't know how it works with a phone that's been activated on a new sim card however.
mikejames07 said:
I second just putting your iPhone sim into the Captivate, that is exactly what I did and I've had no problems since. I also was able to swap back and forth btw and iPhone and the Captivate with no problems as well because the data plan is still the iPhone plan on my bill. I don't know how it works with a phone that's been activated on a new sim card however.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can do this, but at some point AT&T may re-adjust your plan (still unlimited). It should not matter if the phone shipped with a new SIM card or not - as there is no activation procedure on GSM phones. AT&T likes to know the IMEI number of your phone, but they don't stop service over it.
I have a friend that tests phones for one manufacturer - they ship him a new phone every month or so (mostly android) and he just pops his iPhone SIM in and goes. A couple times he would put his SIM back in the phone and have no data and he would have to call to get it fixed.
As for Amazon - make sure you are getting the phone on upgrade and not new service. If it is new service then they expect you to keep your old line active too.
i read that iphone sim cards are specifically programmed to work with iphones only. it could be a load of crap...but it's what i heard.
My data didn't work when swapping my sim from my 3GS to my Captivate. I had to change features from the unlimited iPhone data to the unlimited Smartphone data.
hello, i m new to streak 7 or any android device. i m trying to see if there is a way i can use my sim card with Tmobile which have voice / data / text on my streak+7. i have try to put my sim card in and i do get 3G/4G. but when i try to browse internet it redirect me to tmobile account loggin page. i try with all diff APN setting i can find online already but nothing is working for me. i even called tmobile and talked to a few diff tech. i think tmobile can detect the device is a tablet and they want me to get a tablet data plan. i have try to use the sim card on a iphone and ipad. both i can get edge with the right apn setting. is there a way to bypass this or any work around way ?
micgo
stilling looking for reply
T-mobile has this device type locked down, you must have a tablet plan on your account for the SIM to give you data access (other than their site) with this device.
T-mobile sucks, stay away from them................
There an app in the market that let you use your google account to make calls
I believe the the app is call groove ip
Sent from my Dell Streak 7 using xda premium
only text & SMS message will work with a "phone plan" on the DS7 otherwise you have to have a data plan or if someone makes it a software to make your device appear as a phone on thenetwork then it would work...
hi.
Recently i bought Galaxy Note white from Amazon. It is originally from HongKong.
and I didnt rooting. I bought a ATT Go Phone sim card and activated($50, everything unlimited),now it is working for calling and txting but web and internet is not work
even H+ is shown on top of my screen.
when I try to connect internet, it says " Media Net. To use data service, you must have a data package. go att.com/mygophone"
I already tried vary of APN setting but still not work.
Here is my question.
1) Do I have to buy another sim card? because mine isnt read 3G on sim card.
2) I have a dumphone. Should I put in my sim card to dumphone and call ATT my phone doesnt work for internet?
any other advise will be very welcome.. plz help me..
Apparently, ATT knew you have a smartphone...so your unlimited data plans are block.
I have the same problem...you can check if your dump phone can use for web.
If can't ..call the CSR with your dump phone...see they can fix it. Then try to insert the SIM again when it's fix.
If it's don't work...your have to purchase a data plan.... I got the 250 minutes for $25 and 500MB data plan for $25. And the 500MB data plan will roll over if you enrolled Auto payment every month.
Good luck