Has anyone *recently* (like in the last 3-4 weeks) been able to activate their iPhone for gophone service through iTunes or at an AT&T store?

And if so, what process did you use and what did you need to spend?

Basically I'm looking for a way to activate my phone for a short period of time so I can get a replacement, then be able to stop/cancel service with AT&T.

I believe the phone has a legitimate hardware failure (ie nothing I did caused it to fail) and need to get it replaced/serviced. Everything I've read (although most relevant posts are a month or 2 old) indicates the phone needs to be activated on AT&T.

Also a follow-up on Apple warranty service: do I need to schedule a AppleGenius appointment for service, or can I just walk-in and get service if a "genius" is available?

Thanks!

How long have you had it? You could take it in and say you never activated it.

Had it about 40 days.
I've considered saying that it's never been activated, but the issue I'm experiencing (http://www.hackint0sh.org/forum/showthread.php?t=37763) is not easy to demonstrate and would require me to reveal that I'd been using the phone. Unless I can get the phone to break after I "virginize" it so that activation wouldn't even be possible, I don't think taking it in and telling them that story would work...unfortunately. Thanks for the suggestion though!

Originally Posted by intscout

Has anyone *recently* (like in the last 3-4 weeks) been able to activate their iPhone for gophone service through iTunes or at an AT&T store?

And if so, what process did you use and what did you need to spend?

Basically I'm looking for a way to activate my phone for a short period of time so I can get a replacement, then be able to stop/cancel service with AT&T.

I believe the phone has a legitimate hardware failure (ie nothing I did caused it to fail) and need to get it replaced/serviced. Everything I've read (although most relevant posts are a month or 2 old) indicates the phone needs to be activated on AT&T.

Also a follow-up on Apple warranty service: do I need to schedule a AppleGenius appointment for service, or can I just walk-in and get service if a "genius" is available?

Thanks!

AT&T does have a 30-day service trial. You could just sign up via iTunes on a regular plan and then cancel it after you get your phone repaired and only get charged the 'use' you had in that 30 days (which shouldn't be much at all, they might even be able to pro-rate usage).

GoPhone iTunes activations are almost unseen now, unless you legitimately have bad credit. So unless you're deep in the hole w.r.t. credit, GoPhone won't happen via iTunes.
Plus, correct me if I'm wrong, but in order to even have the phone active for use, AT&T will have to pull money from your credit/debit card. So it may end up being more expensive to do than going the route mentioned in the first part of my thread.

Then to your follow-up warranty question: Make an appointment with the Genius Bar first. It's easier to do that since you don't have to worry about a busy store having few available Geniuses to look over the phone.

Hope this helps.

I just did today, May 15, 2008. I looked eeevveeerrryywwhhheerree and could not find a be all and end all answer. So people, here you go. How to use your iPhone on a GoPhone SIM:

1. Buy a cheapie GOphone from ATT. Get a 'Pick your Plan' plan (NOT 'pay as you go') and make sure you get unlimited internet.

2. activate cheapie phone. at&t website is worthless. call to activate. don't bother saying anything about the iPhone, you'll just confuse them.

3. take out sim card and put it in your iPhone (search for a video on how to do this on YouTube if you need to)

4. you'd think you wouldn't have to unlock your iphone, since it's AT&T, but trust me, you do, sooooo...

5. jailbreak AND unlock your iPhone. Use PwnageTool. Google search for pwnage FAQ. you can find out how to download the program through there. (Uses bitTorrent files - download a bitTorrent agent to process these files.) In this same FAQ, there is a link to a video on engadget that walks you through the process. It's really blurry though which makes some parts unclear. This is what you need to know:

- To put your iPhone in Recovery mode, press and hold button on top until it prompts you to 'turn off' phone. Turn it off. With iPhone unplugged from computer, press and hold HOME button. while holding, connect the cord. You know you're in recovery mode if you get the picture but does not say "connect to iTunes". You can do a YouTube search to find a demonstration for this, too.

- once you get to the part where you build an IPSW file, check everything but 'update bootloader'

That should do 'er. Hope this helps.

Good luck!

Goggle "the most misused social security number" and you will find it put it in the SSN field and you will fail for sure the check good luck

First of all, he's not looking to USE a gophone card, he wants to ACTIVATE a phone with it, so danceswithmoose's response is irrelevant.

Now, intscout, reading your other thread, I am not convinced it is not a software issue. Are you installing any apps after you do a restore and if so which ones? Also, I hope you're setting it up as a new phone each time in itunes and don't use your old backups.

I just did a gophone activation today via iTunes, so it's still possible. $29 plan, $25 for some features, and some small fees/taxes, with the total being $61.

I got it to work by using a random SSN. I couldn't get 111111111 or 999999999 to work but if you fool around with it long enough you'll come up with a working number.

I think it might be cheaper if you sign up for the regular 2yr contract. I think if you cancel it within 3 days, you get the activation fee refunded.

Originally Posted by intscout

Has anyone *recently* (like in the last 3-4 weeks) been able to activate their iPhone for gophone service through iTunes or at an AT&T store?

And if so, what process did you use and what did you need to spend?

Basically I'm looking for a way to activate my phone for a short period of time so I can get a replacement, then be able to stop/cancel service with AT&T.

I believe the phone has a legitimate hardware failure (ie nothing I did caused it to fail) and need to get it replaced/serviced. Everything I've read (although most relevant posts are a month or 2 old) indicates the phone needs to be activated on AT&T.

Also a follow-up on Apple warranty service: do I need to schedule a AppleGenius appointment for service, or can I just walk-in and get service if a "genius" is available?

Thanks!

I just had a recent gophone activation and warranty claim - here's my story:

Http://www.hackint0sh.org/forum/showthread.php?t=40594