Naive question can I use an Verizon smart phone wifi only as a wifi tablet without a Verizon data/phone account for the device?
Found my initial answer on another site so follow on question it looks like the SIM card is required?
Yes. I still tinker with my Inspire this way.
Yeah, I'm Homeless. Scratch that, Revolting.
You can do almost anything you can without having the phone activated. I use my OG Droid from time to time. Just have to have a Google account on it and find apps to either call over wifi or txt over wifi. Depending on what you want to do.
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I think this is the best place for this question.
I have a G1 now and am considering moving over to the Nexus one. My wife and I are on the family plan and we want to keep that going. Currently she only had a basic phone with basic cell service. I have the basic cell service with the Data Plan added to my line. Her contract is up and she can get a new phone, which is good because her Motorola is getting flakey. Anyhow she wants to start doing text messaging with family. So she wants a new phone that has a full keyboard for texting. She doesn't need/want the data plan as it is $30/mo that she won't use. The problem is that all the phones with full keyboards require a data plan. She is a stay at home mom so if she needs the internet she get on a computer. So my thoughts were to get the new Nexus One for me @ $533 for the unsubsidized rate. I take my SIM out of my G1 put it in the N1. Move her sim from her Motorola over to my old G1 then turn on texting on the her line.
She wouldn't be paying for data and I could just set the G1 up to use our Wifi anyhow. Not that it would be used for anything but updating and installing new apps. So it should be fine. I could wipe the phone and set it up on her Gmail account before pulling my sim so I could then configure Wifi.
Does anyone see any flaws in my thinking? I have already put her sim in my G1 as a test and it could make a receive calls on her number. The one thing that I did notice is that it said it had 3G coverage but I didn't try it.
Thanks
Well I was out running around today and stopped into the local T-mobile shop to run these questions across them.
Basically they said that it should be fine. They would only be concerned if I were trying to disable the data plan on my account while still under contract. Since I will be maintaining my data plan for use on the Nexus there are no concern. He said that I may have issues when trying to set up the phone for Her. I mentioned I could wipe the phone and set it up on her Gmail account before moving my SIM. He said that once her SIM is in it may have and issue the first time it powers on. He said that worst case we could come down to the store and turn on the data plan for an hour or so and get it updated then they could turn it off.
He also mentioned that I may have problems accessing the App Market as they were told that it needs the data network to function. However he admitted that he can access the App Market just fine on his old G1 at home over his Wifi and no SIM Card. So he again thought that I would be OK. The only real issue that I can see is that I may not be able to get OTA updates. That shouldn't be a big deal because the phone is rooted and I am running a cooked ROM on it. We plan on leaving it that way and I will be doing updates in that manner.
So it looks like my questions are answered. I am posting the resolution as others may have the same question.
So my friend is giving me her old G1 since she got a new phone and it is basically sitting in her glove compartment. She has T-Mobile I have AT&T.
I am on a family plan with no data plan and my parents went so far as to put a data block on all the phones. I read a few sites and I heard from one that once the phone is unlocked it is a one time deal, if this is true this may be good for me.
A) Since my friends phone is obviously unlocked since it was hers and she used it, if I put my ATT sim card in (she's not gonna factory reset), will it work? What would I have to do
Since I dont have a data plan and my parents blocked all data (internet, not messaging) but I have Wifi, can i tell my friend before she mails me her G1 to enable wifi?
B) Since I don't plan on getting wifi anytime soon, this would be good no? Ofcourse if question A is correct that I wouldn't have to unlock it and activate it.
Ba) If question A is fail, could i still activate the phone via my wifi on the gmail account set up?
So those are all the questions I have, I would like to know what I should do when i get the phone in anycase because I would really like to use it, and i plan to use the wifi feature instead of paying for a data plan since my town has a lot of free wifi hotspots!
Let me know!!!
- Joey
you can also reach me at,
AIM: inability2sleep
If the phone is up to date, it should allow you to skip the account sync process (which is one reason data is required). That way it should allow you to get into the phone and activate wifi yourself.
Of course it wouldn't hurt to have you friend do it for you. Convenience and all.
you meant to say "Since I don't plan on getting data anytime soon..." right?
If she doesn't factory reset, you can add multiple accounts on a single G1 through settings. So give that a go too. The main thing is, that before donut, it was mandatory to sync over data service to activate your phone on a fresh G1. So you should be ok.
Hey Innovated,
Shouldn't have any issues doing that. If you pop in the SIM card, the phone will first say Emergency Calls Only. You have to go into Settings, Wireless Controls, Mobile Networks, then Network Operators and select AT&T.
If it pops up with an unlock code screen, then you need to purchase an unlock code. eBay is usually good, around $5.
After that, everything will work. As you don't have a data plan, and have a data block in place, there's no need to enter new APN details.
As for wifi, you can turn it on or off as you want. To turn on and off, click Settings, Wireless Controls, Enable WiFi.
Hope this helps!
-XBrav
Wow thank you so much for both of your fast replies! This will help so much and hopefully it is as easy as you say! I can't wait to have this cool phone!
My friend wants to know if it can still work if she can factory reset it, and add my gmail account to activate it before mailing me the phone... Would that still be the same as what she 'WAS' going to do in my first description?
As far as I know that can work. What the sync does is add your contacts, and allow the phone to sync with your google account. With 1.6 and higher, android allows you to skip the step, but it should be possible if she does it for you.
Worst comes to worse, you factory reset and hit "skip" . So yup. hope that helps.
even if im ATT and she's Tmobile?
If I buy a used G1 on ebay, can my neighbor just put her sim card in it without any web plan? She has a regular voice and text plan on T-Mobile with a cracker jack nokia flip phone and it's a hassle for her to send and receive texts. I figured she can get a phone with a keyboard and make her life easier.
Does she have to turn anything off so she doesn't get charged for web service?
without a data plan its gonna be hard to get past the activiation screen.
all she would need to do is
get a sim with someone who has data,
go through the setup creating her own gmail account
then when she;s at the home screen power off and swap sims again.
she wont have internet but the basics will work!
I have an iPhone on T-Mobile with data. So I can use my sim and put it in her G1 and where do I find the next steps in activating everything?
no sim = unpassable NO SIM screen.
sim without data = activation/learn how to use screen, cant continue after wanting to create gmail account
sim with data = get to step above but it will create the account and allow you through to the home screen.
so yes, as long as the sim has data, she should be ale to activate.
just remember to tell her that the phone is much more fun with data ;D
Thanks. Once I get her to see how much fun and easier to use a smart phone is I'm sure she'll eventually get a data plan.
actually I think the only way to get pass it is with a android data plan, Im not sure of the other data plans t-mobile has.
But I have had my G1 for a year w/o data.I got 5MB of free data when I bought it so you can try it even though your getting it used.I still had this problem when I was rooting it though because I had to log-in without the data.I did by going through the adb shell or something its kind of difficult.
Maybe someone else can give you more information
Ok I got it and I installed the sim card from my iPhone. I went through the activation process and I created a generic gmail account and have been using the G1 for the last 30 minutes. Have it also working through the wifi at home too.
Now I have to install her sim to see what happens.
Download APN droid so that her phone doesn't connect to data services. They will charge her per MB if she doesn't.
I got pretty good at modifying the iPhone and next week I have to learn the EVO. I hope what I learn with this G1 I can use with the EVO later!
I went into MARKET on the G1 and searched APN and all I got was APN Italy and APN Movilphone. Where do I get APN DROID and how do I install it?
The app's name is "APNdroid" by martin adamek. It's in the market.
I must be doing something wrong. I'm going into the market and searching for APNdroid and it keeps telling me
There are no matches in Android Market for the search : APNdroid
Do I have to be rooted or jailbroken or is it another Market not the one on the stock G1 ? Do I have to do it while connected on the cellphone or can I do it over wifi?
I'm not an idiot, I mean how hard is it to do a search, but this is making me nuts!!
OK Now I know what happened. I've been playing with the G1 since yesterday but for some reason today it decided to update its version. It asked if I wanted to update it and I said yes. Apparently the previous owner had never updated it. I now have a way prettier and more modern looking Market and it found the app quickly when I searched for it.
I installed the app and it's working great. I knew I couldn't be that dumb!
Thanks a lot for your patience.
We are a refurbisher. We were given a few hundred Verizon Tab(SCH-I800). In processing them, we found out that the ESNs on the Tabs we were given were bad. We still want to sell, but convert them over to Wifi only tabs. We are looking for anyone that has a solution or knows of way to convert them over, will to pay for a solution. The solution must work for payment.
Other way, is not give the user the option to turn on the 3g part of the phone.
Can this be done? If so, how?
Marked for xda app...
I'm curious about this too cuz I no longer have the contract with tmobile so I'd like to make it a WIFI ONLY Tab.
MoPhoACTV Initiative
Nexus 6 not multitasking?
I just purchased a Nexus 6 that I'm using on Verizon. The phone is completely stock(5.1.1). I've noticed that when I'm on a phone call, I'm unable to use Google maps or anything else that involves data. I was also listening to Sirius radio via the ap. When I tried reading a text, the Sirius player would stop playing. It's as if I'm unable to mulitask at all with the Nexus. Is this the case with this particular phone? I never had an issue with my Note 3? Thanks for any input...
Do you have advanced calling on your account? If so then it should work as it will use 3G data when your using VoLTE.
It's free, so if that's not already on the account add it and then it will work.
iRub1Out said:
Do you have advanced calling on your account? If so then it should work as it will use 3G data when your using VoLTE.
It's free, so if that's not already on the account add it and then it will work.
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I have no idea. I never had a problem before the Nexus so I assume I do. I'll check though. Thanks!
Yup - Just log into the account and go to features - add that feature and then on the phone under cellular networks check the "advanced calling" thing (it might turn on by itself) - then it's for sure working.
why does verizon do tbeir system like this? lol. for nearly every other network, once you connect, everything works properly. oh well, i guess thats one reason that im not with verizon
simms22 said:
why does verizon do tbeir system like this? lol. for nearly every other network, once you connect, everything works properly. oh well, i guess thats one reason that im not with verizon
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Because not every phone has this ability - so why would they offer it or implement it on devices that can't use it? Then they would expect it to work, but since the device can't, it doesnt work - then the customer is all pissed. I agree that it's kind of dumb that you have to add it to the account prior to it working on the phone - I feel like if the phone can do it, and it's free anyway, why wouldn't it just add it from the git-go? That's kinda stupid.
They don't do it any weird or unusual way. The devices that CAN use it, have the option to use it, those that dont...dont.
simms22 said:
why does verizon do tbeir system like this? lol. for nearly every other network, once you connect, everything works properly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
iRub1Out said:
Because not every phone has this ability - so why would they offer it or implement it on devices that can't use it? Then they would expect it to work, but since the device can't, it doesnt work - then the customer is all pissed. I agree that it's kind of dumb that you have to add it to the account prior to it working on the phone - I feel like if the phone can do it, and it's free anyway, why wouldn't it just add it from the git-go? That's kinda stupid.
They don't do it any weird or unusual way. The devices that CAN use it, have the option to use it, those that dont...dont.
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Click to collapse
they could do it the way GSM carriers do - if you have a device that supports that capability, it works. If not, it doesn't work. User doesn't have to go change any settings, or call carrier to change something on account etc.
iRub1Out said:
Because not every phone has this ability - so why would they offer it or implement it on devices that can't use it? Then they would expect it to work, but since the device can't, it doesnt work - then the customer is all pissed. I agree that it's kind of dumb that you have to add it to the account prior to it working on the phone - I feel like if the phone can do it, and it's free anyway, why wouldn't it just add it from the git-go? That's kinda stupid.
They don't do it any weird or unusual way. The devices that CAN use it, have the option to use it, those that dont...dont.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
every phone does have the ability, just not on verizon. my first smartphone i bought in 2003, and have been using data on voice calls with tmobile since then. the problem is that verizon isnt a gsm carrier but a cdma carrier. sprint has the same issue with vouce and data(at least verizon offers Volte), but not as much as verizon. att and tmobile never had the issue. many phones dont have this issue on verizon anymore because now they add two different radios to verizon phones, to catch a voice signal, and a data signal. on tmobile and sprint, they have one radio, because you can have voice and data on a gsm provider.
I was just speaking on a per-verizon service situation - since that's what the OP has. I know it has worked for a long time on other carriers.
iRub1Out said:
I was just speaking on a per-verizon service situation - since that's what the OP has. I know it has worked for a long time on other carriers.
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ahh.. well then it makes more sense :angel:
iRub1Out said:
Yup - Just log into the account and go to features - add that feature and then on the phone under cellular networks check the "advanced calling" thing (it might turn on by itself) - then it's for sure working.
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Click to collapse
I just activated it, thanks!!!!!