Question about jail breaking..

[Syringer]

So right now you can't buy a used iphone and just stick your sim card in there without going through the whole activation process.

Currently I have AT&T and want to go to an iphone--can I just get a used one, jailbreak it, and put my sim card in there and it'll work?

[dougp]

It should work regardless if you're on AT&T.

[jalaram]

Originally posted by: dougp
It should work regardless if you're on AT&T.

It should activate and work. I believe the problem comes when you try to access the web. Then, you'll need a data plan if you don't have it already (e.g. GoPhone).

[Muadib]

Originally posted by: jalaram

It should activate and work. I believe the problem comes when you try to access the web. Then, you'll need a data plan if you don't have it already (e.g. GoPhone).

at&t will automatically give you a plan now.

[pm]

Originally posted by: Muadib
at&t will automatically give you a plan now.

That's for new phones purchased with a rebate through AT&T and doesn't seem to apply to smartphones that you buy unsubsidized.

The problem with iPhones in particular is that AT&T does require a data plan with them and (so the rumors go) periodically sweeps it's accounts looking for people using an iPhone who are not using an iPhone plan. And then (again, according to rumors) they kindly add the data plan for you.

[Muadib]

Originally posted by: pm

That's for new phones purchased with a rebate through AT&T and doesn't seem to apply to smartphones that you buy unsubsidized.

The problem with iPhones in particular is that AT&T does require a data plan with them and (so the rumors go) periodically sweeps it's accounts looking for people using an iPhone who are not using an iPhone plan. And then (again, according to rumors) they kindly add the data plan for you.

That's how it was, but they have changed it. No worries to those who had a smartphone prior to the 6th, but if the phone wasn't on your plan from then on, you will pay for a data plan.

Here's another article about the change.

[pm]

Originally posted by: Muadib
That's how it was, but they have changed it. No worries to those who had a smartphone prior to the 6th, but if the phone wasn't on your plan from then on, you will pay for a data plan.

Here's another article about the change.

Thanks for the clarification. I guess I'm mistaken. Although it seems to me that all you need to do to get around this is to have a "dumb" phone and then use that to activate the account and then swap SIMs. But maybe they do account sweeps of all IMEI's... but that seems improbable. I don't know... it's an annoying "feature" either way.