iPhone transfer

mwmorph

Diamond Member
Dec 27, 2004
8,877
1
81
Say I have a friend with a 1G iPhone and I'm also an AT&T customer. He upgrades to the 3G iphone and hands the 1G to me, can I put my sim card in and use it without an iphone plan? I already have all the minutes and texts i need and I dont want ot sign up for AT&T internet so I don't want to upgrade my calling plan but stick with the one I have right now.

Cliffs
Friend upgrades to new phone
I get iphone
current at&t customer, doesnt want to upgrade to iphone plan, can pop in sim card and go?

TIA
 

TheStu

Moderator<br>Mobile Devices & Gadgets
Moderator
Sep 15, 2004
12,089
45
91
I would be wary for 2 reasons.
1: At some point AT&T might come to you and say "We see that you have been using an iPhone... where is our extra data money?"
2: I have heard that the iPhone is not very good at not using data. So.. be prepared for your bill on that front.
 

mwmorph

Diamond Member
Dec 27, 2004
8,877
1
81
Thats mre or less what I'm worried about.

I did pop in my sim card to test it and it said it needed a sync with itunes. I know new iphones also need to sync with itunes and the purpose of that is to activate your sim and sign you up with the iphone service.

Also, does anyone know if the iphone does any auto-updates ovr the network? If it did say, update weather info every 12 hours automatically or something like that, without a data plan, it could do a lot of damage to my wallet.
 

Muadib

Lifer
May 30, 2000
18,123
912
126
You will be billed at whatever data cost you currently have. You may not have a plan, but you still will be charged for the data use. Log into the at&t site, and see what you will be charged.

Yes, the weather app updates when you open it, and unless you are connected to wifi, it's using the at&t network to do it. If your sim is in the phone, you will be charged.

EDIT: As that's the old iPhone, the data plan for it is $20 I just checked, they will charge you 1 cent per /KB.
 

mwmorph

Diamond Member
Dec 27, 2004
8,877
1
81
Originally posted by: Muadib
You will be billed at whatever data cost you currently have. You may not have a plan, but you still will be charged for the data use. Log into the at&t site, and see what you will be charged.

Yes, the weather app updates when you open it, and unless you are connected to wifi, it's using the at&t network to do it. If your sim is in the phone, you will be charged.

EDIT: As that's the old iPhone, the data plan for it is $20 I just checked, they will charge you 1 cent per /KB.

Well I don't ever plan to use the edge network (we dont have 3G where i am anyways and WiFi is everywhere on campus) to browse the net, so as long as the iphone doesn't autoupdate in the background I should be fine.

I just want to know whether the iphone automatically transmits and receives data on a periodic basis I can expect to be charged for/
 

Muadib

Lifer
May 30, 2000
18,123
912
126
Originally posted by: mwmorph
Originally posted by: Muadib
You will be billed at whatever data cost you currently have. You may not have a plan, but you still will be charged for the data use. Log into the at&t site, and see what you will be charged.

Yes, the weather app updates when you open it, and unless you are connected to wifi, it's using the at&t network to do it. If your sim is in the phone, you will be charged.

EDIT: As that's the old iPhone, the data plan for it is $20 I just checked, they will charge you 1 cent per /KB.

Well I don't ever plan to use the edge network (we dont have 3G where i am anyways and WiFi is everywhere on campus) to browse the net, so as long as the iphone doesn't autoupdate in the background I should be fine.

I just want to know whether the iphone automatically transmits and receives data on a periodic basis I can expect to be charged for/

You should visit the iPhone forum at Apple.com, and post there. I'm not sure.

I have noticed that every now & then when I should be on wifi, I'll see the 3G symbol for a minute or two, like the phone loses the wifi network. It could just be my phone, or my wifi network, I never bothered looking into it. If the same happens to you though, it could cost you.
 

gorcorps

aka Brandon
Jul 18, 2004
30,739
454
126
Originally posted by: Muadib
Originally posted by: mwmorph
Originally posted by: Muadib
You will be billed at whatever data cost you currently have. You may not have a plan, but you still will be charged for the data use. Log into the at&t site, and see what you will be charged.

Yes, the weather app updates when you open it, and unless you are connected to wifi, it's using the at&t network to do it. If your sim is in the phone, you will be charged.

EDIT: As that's the old iPhone, the data plan for it is $20 I just checked, they will charge you 1 cent per /KB.

Well I don't ever plan to use the edge network (we dont have 3G where i am anyways and WiFi is everywhere on campus) to browse the net, so as long as the iphone doesn't autoupdate in the background I should be fine.

I just want to know whether the iphone automatically transmits and receives data on a periodic basis I can expect to be charged for/

You should visit the iPhone forum at Apple.com, and post there. I'm not sure.

I have noticed that every now & then when I should be on wifi, I'll see the 3G symbol for a minute or two, like the phone loses the wifi network. It could just be my phone, or my wifi network, I never bothered looking into it. If the same happens to you though, it could cost you.

Now this is just speculation on my part, as I've seen it too. It seems to say 3G (or edge if I have 3G off) when it's not using the network. But as soon as I start the browser or anything network related the wifi kicks on. It may be some sort of auto on/off for wifi to try and save a bit of power but I'm not sure.
 

2Xtreme21

Diamond Member
Jun 13, 2004
7,044
0
0
Originally posted by: Muadib
Originally posted by: mwmorph
Originally posted by: Muadib
You will be billed at whatever data cost you currently have. You may not have a plan, but you still will be charged for the data use. Log into the at&t site, and see what you will be charged.

Yes, the weather app updates when you open it, and unless you are connected to wifi, it's using the at&t network to do it. If your sim is in the phone, you will be charged.

EDIT: As that's the old iPhone, the data plan for it is $20 I just checked, they will charge you 1 cent per /KB.

Well I don't ever plan to use the edge network (we dont have 3G where i am anyways and WiFi is everywhere on campus) to browse the net, so as long as the iphone doesn't autoupdate in the background I should be fine.

I just want to know whether the iphone automatically transmits and receives data on a periodic basis I can expect to be charged for/

I have noticed that every now & then when I should be on wifi, I'll see the 3G symbol for a minute or two, like the phone loses the wifi network. It could just be my phone, or my wifi network, I never bothered looking into it. If the same happens to you though, it could cost you.

That's what I'd be worried about. It does that with mine too. What I'd do if you're set on getting an iphone and not using data on it is jailbreak it, install BossPrefs, and turn off both 3G and EDGE using it. That way, no data will be transfered and you'll still be able to make and receive phone calls / texts.
 

ViRGE

Elite Member, Moderator Emeritus
Oct 9, 1999
31,516
167
106
Originally posted by: 2Xtreme21
Originally posted by: Muadib
Originally posted by: mwmorph
Originally posted by: Muadib
You will be billed at whatever data cost you currently have. You may not have a plan, but you still will be charged for the data use. Log into the at&t site, and see what you will be charged.

Yes, the weather app updates when you open it, and unless you are connected to wifi, it's using the at&t network to do it. If your sim is in the phone, you will be charged.

EDIT: As that's the old iPhone, the data plan for it is $20 I just checked, they will charge you 1 cent per /KB.

Well I don't ever plan to use the edge network (we dont have 3G where i am anyways and WiFi is everywhere on campus) to browse the net, so as long as the iphone doesn't autoupdate in the background I should be fine.

I just want to know whether the iphone automatically transmits and receives data on a periodic basis I can expect to be charged for/

I have noticed that every now & then when I should be on wifi, I'll see the 3G symbol for a minute or two, like the phone loses the wifi network. It could just be my phone, or my wifi network, I never bothered looking into it. If the same happens to you though, it could cost you.

That's what I'd be worried about. It does that with mine too. What I'd do if you're set on getting an iphone and not using data on it is jailbreak it, install BossPrefs, and turn off both 3G and EDGE using it. That way, no data will be transfered and you'll still be able to make and receive phone calls / texts.
Wouldn't it just try to transfer data over GPRS?
 

2Xtreme21

Diamond Member
Jun 13, 2004
7,044
0
0
Originally posted by: ViRGE
Originally posted by: 2Xtreme21
Originally posted by: Muadib
Originally posted by: mwmorph
Originally posted by: Muadib
You will be billed at whatever data cost you currently have. You may not have a plan, but you still will be charged for the data use. Log into the at&t site, and see what you will be charged.

Yes, the weather app updates when you open it, and unless you are connected to wifi, it's using the at&t network to do it. If your sim is in the phone, you will be charged.

EDIT: As that's the old iPhone, the data plan for it is $20 I just checked, they will charge you 1 cent per /KB.

Well I don't ever plan to use the edge network (we dont have 3G where i am anyways and WiFi is everywhere on campus) to browse the net, so as long as the iphone doesn't autoupdate in the background I should be fine.

I just want to know whether the iphone automatically transmits and receives data on a periodic basis I can expect to be charged for/

I have noticed that every now & then when I should be on wifi, I'll see the 3G symbol for a minute or two, like the phone loses the wifi network. It could just be my phone, or my wifi network, I never bothered looking into it. If the same happens to you though, it could cost you.

That's what I'd be worried about. It does that with mine too. What I'd do if you're set on getting an iphone and not using data on it is jailbreak it, install BossPrefs, and turn off both 3G and EDGE using it. That way, no data will be transfered and you'll still be able to make and receive phone calls / texts.
Wouldn't it just try to transfer data over GPRS?

Hmm you're right, it might. I don't know then honestly, other than turning Airplane Mode on and taking it off to make calls.
 

Muadib

Lifer
May 30, 2000
18,123
912
126
I just did it, and although BossPrefs showed both off, I still get an ip, and the phone still showed Edge. When I turned 3G back on, and went to a spot where I can't get 3G, I got no service at all.