How to spoof IMEI because AT&T forces $25 dataplan on any smartphone (even sans contract)

It's shiny and it's from AAPL. That's enough for most fanbois.

Nothing, unless you're a leftist weenie. :)

I have an old LG VX9800, opens up to a big QWERTY keyboard.

Stuns clients who've never seen something you can actually type on :-)

Big screen, etc.

Only draw-back... it has a camera, so I have to surrender it at secure locations :-( ...Jim Thompson

Then you need something like the 'Jitterbug' phones made for seniors that don't have a camera?.

I like the big keyboard for E-mail and texting. ...Jim Thompson

I guess that might work (but of course, I'd have to buy the phone first or borrow one for a few days).

The AT&T policy says any phone with one of 6 operating systems is considered a smart phone. They don't say anything about them having to have sold it before.

The operating systems are:

1. Symbiont
2. Palm
3. Windows Mobile
4. Blackberry
5. Apple
6. Android

Does your Vodafone run one of those operating systems?

I will need to look up "crackberry" but I should reiterate I don't want to surf the web.

I just want the keyboard, the camera, the notes, the player, etc., that the Blackberry has but I do not want to connect to the Internet by the phone (I do want to connect to the Internet via the wireless).

I'm still digging for an IMEI spoofing application for the Blackberry.

atwww.wirelessadvisors.com

Then remove the camera board. :)

That URL didn't work before, but now it does. :)

From that URL, for my zip code, I can get a wireless phone plan from:

1. AT&T (GSM)
2. Verizon (CDMA)
3. T-Mobile (GSM)
4. Nextel (IDEN) / Sprint (CDMA)

AT&T is GSM which I want. However, AT&T charges for data plans on all smartphones, even those not bought from AT&T (which makes me livid). Also, AT&T seems to charge 10% California sales tax on the full-resale- value of all phones when they subsidize them so even a "free" phone costs about $50 in California.

Verizon is CDMA, so they are out of the question.

T-Mobile is GSM, which I want. T-Mobile does NOT seem to charge for a dataplan if you don't get the phone subsidized by them (yippee!). In addition, T-Mobile doesn't charge $50 sales tax on a "free" phone like AT&T does (so they must "structure" the sale differently from a legal standpoint).

Nextel / Sprint seem to have similar plans but they're not GSM so they're out of the question.

If my summary is correct, it looks like I have two options given my Blackberry 9800 GSM smartphone.

I. Remain on the AT&T voice-only network and figure out how to spoof the IMEI of the smart phone to look like a dumb phone.

II. Switch to the T-Mobile voice-only network and plug in my own smart phone which won't then require a data plan because it's not subsidized by T-Mobile.

"invisible"

LOL! Anything's possible. However, it'd be far easier to mimic T-Mo's recent policy- make the (more expensive) smartphone data plans the "default" data plans, and use IMEI lookup to verify the device is a carrier-branded dumbphone to qualify for lower rates. This way, all non- branded phones are simply presumed to be smart.

I've escaped that T-Mo policy (so far) due to my grandfathered plan which is device agnostic, but current plans need a T-Mo-issued dumbphone to get dumbphone rates.

It runs Windows Mobile, but I use it on T-Mobile rather than AT&T.

My suggestion certainly runs afoul of AT&T's policy. I was really discussing what you can get away with, rather than what they allow. This worked last time I looked into it, but you might check Howardforums.com and verify it with current subscribers.

T-Mobile still allows users to select no data plan as an option for most smartphones (Android phones are an exception- they get a forced data plan) IF you acquire the phone without a subsidy. Another alternative is to use prepaid resellers, like Airvoicewireless.com, who offer plans without data.

Interesting!

I called T-Mobile before I saw this and they said I could hook up my own GSM smartphone onto voice-only service without having to have a data plan as long as T-Mobile didn't subsidize the smartphone.

Are you saying that if I got a T-Mobile-subsidized smartphone, and then got their data plan, but if I then dropped their data plan, that I could not subsequently hook up my own non-Tmobile unlocked gsm smartphone without having to add the dataplan back?

I'm confused (I guess I should ask this of T-mobile) but can you clarify your experience with their policy?

I had called T-Mobile at 800-866-2453 earlier today.

They mentioned nothing about the Android exception; but when I told them about AT&T's policy (of forcing dataplans on any smartphone even if the customer supplied their own smartphone), T-Mobile said they had nothing of the sort.

T-Mobile even said you could cancel the data plan even on subsidized phones (which I found suspicious as I wouldn't have expected that).

So, I will call them again to verify:

1. If I supply my own smartphone, must I have a dataplan and
2. If I get a subsidized smartphone, when can I legally cancel the dataplan

Meanwhile, at the alt.internet.wireless Job Justification Hearings, Dr Rig chose the tried and tested strategy of:

The answer to me appears to be obvious: don't reward the network who wants to screw money out of you in return for nothing.

"Jim Thompson" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

The web browser is about 10x better than what your LG VX9800 has.

There are about 1000x more apps (including lots of good games) available for it than for your LG VX9800 (see, e.g.,

If neither of these appeal to you, than there's no point in getting an iPhone.

And an iPhone is certainly one of the most expensive phones you can end up with, once the subscription is included.

Personally I'd rather have an Android phone anyway: Apple is just too locked-down for my taste.

Although at present I have a Windows Mobile phone... but an old version (6.5) that's reached its end-of-life as far as Microsoft is concerned.

---Joel

I don't "browse" from my phone. Why would anyone want to?

Games are for children ;-)

I guess I'm OK as I stand. ...Jim Thompson

I suggest adding the words "without attracting a penalty" to 2.

With that attitude, perhaps you'd be happier renting a wall phone from ma bell and putting it in your kitchen? I mean really, why would anyone want to talk on the phone anywhere but in their kitchen?

There are plenty of reasons, the first few that come to mind would be: Looking up an address or phone number, or store hours. Killing time in the doctor's office. Price comparison. Because you can.

There's a lot more functionality available than just games.

Poor baby! I'm contemplating doing away with Ma Bell and going to a docking station to make my cell phone(s) the home phones.

I've lived in Phoenix so long (~49 years) I could drive a cab without needing a map or GPS ;-)

I read books ;-)

When I crave entertainment I turn on the DVR or DVD player, or go out to a movie theater. ...Jim Thompson