Activating FaceTime on an Unlocked iPhone 4 on T-Mobile

Well, you seem to be the only one with a problem with it, and for someone who knows nothing about how FaceTime works, you make alot of statements as if you did. If the iPhone version works differently than the iPod version, and requires the network to be setup for it, then so be it. All carriers support visual voicemail now, and that's an Apple invention that you see everywhere from iPhones to Androids. Apple created the standard when it came to visual voicemail, which is quite a feat considering they're not a carrier, and look, it's industry wide now. Apple has opensourced FaceTime in the hopes that all carriers/phone manufacturers follow suit so that there's a standard (a good one) for video between cell phones with no special tricks to get it working. If it's such a big deal to you, then switch to AT&T or Verizon. I've been with AT&T for over 2 years with a post paid account and have NEVER had an issue with the carrier or the network operation, at all, ever. After you switch, FaceTime will work fine, your "huge" problem is solved, and in a few months when FaceTime is supported on the carrier of your choice, you can switch back.

Thanks, Tim. It's too bad that page doesn't include any information about FaceTime other than which countries in which FaceTime is prohibited. It will still be helpful to other people who might be considering buying an unlocked iPhone.

Understand that nothing on that page prohibits someone from trying to activate FaceTime outside of those providers' networks, especially considering that there is no reason that the underlying technology should prevent it. Most likely someone find a workaround for it, regardless of anyone else's opinion.

If a person wants to post a question asking if they can use the Magic Mouse as a foot pedal, or wants to know if they can run a coffee maker off of their Mac's USB port, there's nothing wrong with that discussion even if it isn't officially supported by Apple.

FaceTime activation isn't a "huge problem" for me. There are alternatives to it that work well.

Some people just like a challenge. What's the harm with that?

No harm in trying to overcome a challenge... the complaint is your accusations of false advertising and claims about how it works and such shouldn't require cellular network handshaking.

My 'huge' problem with FaceTime is no problem because I am with ATT, I am here to talk in theory, obviously know nothing about how FaceTime works as developer, but think as user to ask why it should work differently.

I believe Apple has been the technology leader in many fields, that is why I expect more from Apple than from other counterparts. Though it does not mean Apple owes consumer anything in this regard.

John,

Based on the info Tim provided, I agree that my opinion of the advertising was not as well informed as it could have been. I do believe that Apple should be clearer about it, and I have told them so directly. My background as far as cellular phone purchases is different than the average customer.

We have a number of staff who travel worldwide and over the years I have purchased many unlocked GSM phones for both business and personal use, and I have never faced obstacles in getting all the features to work on any GSM network as I have with this device. Setting up our last few Nokia smartphones looked like child's play in comparison. Hopefully this will change in the future.

Now, as far as the technical requirement for activating FaceTime; you can do a Google search for information on that. It's 100% clear that the process of sending SMS messages through a cellular network for activation is a totally unnecessary step; that being said, it is how it is done on the iPhone right now. There are a lot of people who think that unnecessary steps shouldn't be neccessary.

AT&T I don't mind so much, but there's no way I'd let anyone use Verizon, and their phones aren't supported well overseas anyway.

Have to agree with the posters in this thread who say that the advertising is misleading... and that the requirement for activation of FaceTime through a phone carrier, via 3G, makes no sense--if that's really the case.

If not, maybe someone can chime in here, how to do it! I'd really like to get this working on my iPhone 4 (which I'm using right now as an iPod Touch without cell phone service).

I do not know what the situation is if your iPhone has iOS 5 on it.

My phone still has iOS 4.3.3 on it and is jailbroken, as it was the only way to get all of the features working at the time.

I'm not sure you're going to get anywhere without cellular service, unless iOS5 allows FaceTime activation with an Apple ID, like on an iPod Touch - I would suggest you do some google research on that.

As a side note, shortly (1-2 days) after I contacted Apple, they did indeed change the wording of the iPhone 4 advertising, directly addressing the issues I raised in my email to them and clarifying the issues that may be faced by users on "unsupported" carriers. I doubt that they did it just because I contacted them, but they did do it.

< Edited By Host >

Thanks for the informative response! I may just try upgrading the iOS 4 iPhone and see if iOS 5 makes a difference!

Unfortunately, the Face Time main advertising page still touts that it works "right out of the box", that it's "One-tap simple", and that there's "no need to set up a special account or screen name".

http://www.apple.com/iphone/built-in-apps/facetime.html

Hmm... they even write

"Let’s say you want to start a video call with your mom. Just find her entry in your contacts and tap the FaceTime button."

Not so fast, buster! Lots of activation steps first! Oh, wait. All that's for IP 4s! So, maybe iOS 5 does this, regardless of carrier activation.

Why in the world do you seem to feel it is unreasonable for Apple to assume that you are going to have active cellular service on the PHONE you bought from them in order to use a feature of the device?

Because that feature doesn't involved cellular service! 😝

And, because that feature runs all current i-devices that lack cellular service (e.g., iPod Touches, iPads without 3G etc.)! It even runs on the Mac! So, why should cellular service have to be activated to enable a wi-fi feature (FaceTime)?

Or, worse, why should we be required to have a data plan and text messaging on, even though neither are involved in the service?!

I'll spin this on its head... why would *anyone* assume that a wi-fi only feature requires cell phone service to activate it?! 😝 Especially, given how it's advertised!