Activating FaceTime on an Unlocked iPhone 4 on T-Mobile

This is pointless. You can't accept reality. If you don't like the get a droid comment, and you don't like the fact that T-Mobile is not a supported carrier, and you don't like the fact that Apple is under absolutely no obligation to change thier phones to work with a carrier network that THEY DON'T SUPPORT, then I suggest you go poind salt. Your ranting is not going to change reality.

Information on what carriers are supported is readily available. Ignoring that, then saying it's not fair is just lunacy.

The definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over again, while expecting a different result...

You're dangerously close to qualifying.

Maybe you should try contacting Apple and lodging your complaints with them.

We're all users. We can't change reality either.

My most humble apologies for bothering you in your private forum where nobody may air a dissenting opinion.

Even though you're in the wrong.

Did you read the post earlier in this thread by someone who says they work for T-Mobile and that it doesn't work, isn't supported? Whether you want it to work, whether it seems as if it should work is no longer the question. It doesn't. No one here in this forum can change that, get a different answer or make it work. If you have a problem with how Apple advertises, this is not the place to let them know. Questioning Apple policies is a violation of the TOU for the forums.

I'd start with the appropriate link on the Feedback page:

http://www.apple.com/feedback

There is also other contact information, including the complete mailing address for Apple HQ on the Contact Us page. The link to that page is it the bottom right of every page.

Best of luck.

Meg, thanks for your reply.

I am not interested in the fact that things are not currently properly supported, I am looking for a resolution to the problem. If people took the attitude that problems should just be accepted then we would still be living in caves.

I am not questioning Apple's policies, merely pointing out that there is a simple technical solution that Apple could implement to remedy this deficiency.

FaceTime service is provided by Apple. It is not provided by AT&T, Verizon, Vodaphone, or any other telephone company and does not involve their networks beyond the initial activation SMS exchange. Nobody at T-Mobile could do anything to make FaceTime work; it has to come from Apple.

I have taken your advice and submitted two requests via the Apple Feedback page.

I was not suggesting you not pursue the matter. I was pointing out that this forum is not the proper venue for doing do. You're quite correct this is an Apple issue and you need to take it up with them. This is a user-to-user forum. At present, there is no solution any other users can give you.

Best of lucl

I really don't see the point behind your rantings because it's all pretty moot since, most likely, T-Mobile & Sprint will have the iPhone within a few months, thus making any of your misguided claims of false advertising a moot point.

I believe it is Apple to blame because if it works on iPod, it should work on iPhone 4, regardless of the carrier. And if Apple said in the ad that it works, it should simply work (as Jobs like to say). Why the heck a SMS sent to Apple server? Why not via Wifi, as done in iPod?

Why does T-mobile has anything to do with FaceTime? It goes through Wifi, the only thing needed from T-mobile is to have it activated the very first time, right? Then why don't we do this:

Instead of arguing who to blame, why don't you find a SIM with ATT service, plug it into your unlocked phone and have the FaceTime activated? Why shouldn't it work? It is iPhone bought from Apple in the US, it is ATT service in the US, the activation should go through, right? Once it is done, replace the SIM with yours, at this point, I assume the activation should stay, I am sure someone has tried, it is so obviouse, then why (I assume) it does not work? (if it works it will be an easy solution posted here, I think).

silxy wrote:

Why does T-mobile has anything to do with FaceTime? It goes through Wifi, the only thing needed from T-mobile is to have it activated the very first time, right? Then why don't we do this:

On the iPhone, facetime is linked to your phone number. on an iPod, it links only to an e-mail address.

You can believe whatever you want... OK, blame Apple. Why don't you blame Apple for facetime not working on Sprint while you're at it... that's their fault too... Or Boost Mobile...

T-Mobile is NOT A SUPPORTED NETWORK. There is no reason for this thread to exist in the first place.

What do you mean by NOT A SUPPORTED NETWORK? When it comes to Wifi, why it has ANYTHING TO DO with T-mobile? No one is asking for 3G support here.

Oh, you mean T-Mobile does not support the activation? I would blame Apple for that, why the heck it is needed? As I said, if it works for iPod, it should work for iPhone!

Oh, you mentioned phone number as if it is a must. Why the heck it does not work with email on an iPhone? Who to blame? Apple!

Oh, why the heck it does not work if phone number is used to identify the person to call? It is only an unique identifier, does not need to go to any carrier network at all (has to be registered with Apple server for sure)

Anyway, my focus here is actually the solution, has anyone tried the so obviouse solution mentioned above? Why doesn't it work?

Good idea about trying activation with an AT&T SIM; the only catch might be the activation via SMS which could tie the FaceTime account on the iPhone to the telephone number on the SIM, it may not work once you put a non-AT&T SIM in the phone as the phone number may not match up with the device any more. You would have to go into Settings -> Phone -> My Number, and make sure your non-AT&T number is in there before trying the activation. I don't have very high hopes of it working though, but you never know.

If anyone's tried it, please post your experience with it here. The only AT&T iPhone micro-SIM I can get usually my hands on is out of the country right now, so I can't try it until next week.

In the meantime I have discovered that most everyone I know who has a FaceTime capable device is actually using Skype instead, which works pretty well but does not have the seamless integration with the device.

The assertion that any particular network is not a supported network does not seem to be borne out by Apple's documentation or lack thereof - they have yet to post a list of which providers are "supported". If this changes, please post a link to it. Rumors, or "facts" that "everyone knows" that aren't supported by documentation are not useful.

The repeated negative postings about networks or other things not being officially supported are not adding anything to the discussion and appear to be misguided attempts at flame postings which are prohibited here. It is not the place of any community member to pass judgement on others, and there is no reason to be making angy-sounding postings. There is no harm in others exploring the technology of their devices and trying to use it in different ways. If you can't participate in this discussion in a civil manner, it might be better to take a step back and just ignore it.

I'm not sure why there's such a heated discussion over this. It's just FaceTime, not a religious war.

Blame Apple all you want. I really don't care. You want to use face-time without an AT&T or Verizon phone in the US? Buy an iPod Touch or an iPad.

The phone number is a must because that's the way they designed the iPhone OS. Maybe it will change in the fall? Who knows.

The solution is to use the phone on a supported network. The reason it doesn't work is you're not using it on a supported network. Seriously... You don't like it? Go get an engineering degree and apply for a job with Apple.

You are right:

1. I should be careful with the words used, cool head is always good, nothing personal here, we are all trying to find a solution or find where the problem is.

2. My solution might very likely be no solution, the phone number is what is used as ID, a different SIM card means a different phone number, so...

I still blame Apple for doing it the way it is now (regarding FaceTime), because Apple has done so much good stuff, I would not expect the same from others because of low expectation and bad (past) experiences.

Well, I'm in the Apple Developer program, and it's clear that iOS 4 does not require the phone number to activate FaceTime. The iPad/iPod both run basically the same OS as the phone, just with different features and settings turned on or off. I think that you are correct that this will change when iOS 5 comes out later this year, however it is not September, it is June. We are not supposed to speculate about future product releases here.

Once again with the "supported network". I kindly ask you to back up your assertion by posting a link to an Apple page which lists the "supported" cellular providers for unlocked iPhone devices.

rablair wrote:

Once again with the "supported network". I kindly ask you to back up your assertion by posting a link to an Apple page which lists the "supported" cellular providers for unlocked iPhone devices.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1937