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User profile for user: fsky
fsky Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

iPhone 4 as iPod touch

Hello all!


I'm looking to give my spare iPhone 4 to my mother to do FaceTime with her grandson (iMessage is a bonus but that's useful, too), but she can't currently afford a full contract for the phone portion. Obviously, the Touch 4g would work without a SIM but with I'd rather give her the free iPhone 4 unit as long as it acts the same way.


There is much conflicting info on the boards (obviously since some of it applies to older iOS versions). I'm assuming iOS 5 all the way around and I have read the "Using an iPhone without a wireless service plan" KB but still have two questions:


  1. I wanted to get confirmation that FaceTime and iMessage work the same way they would on a Touch if you use the iPhone this way.
  2. Which SIM would be best to activate it with? I have active SIMs from my phones and also old SIMs from previous iPhones (same carrier). Or does it not really make much difference?


Thanks in advance! -- FSky

iPhone 4, iOS 5

Posted on Dec 17, 2011 7:11 AM

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User profile for user: wjosten
wjosten
User level: Level 10
95,321 points

Posted on Dec 17, 2011 7:27 AM

I wanted to get confirmation that FaceTime and iMessage work the same way they would on a Touch if you use the iPhone this way.


Yep.


Which SIM would be best to activate it with? I have active SIMs from my phones and also old SIMs from previous iPhones (same carrier). Or does it not really make much difference?


You need a valid sim card from the carrier the phone is locked to in order to activate it, if the phone is carrier locked. If not carrier locked, you can use any valid sim. The sim card itself need not be activated, but it must be present. You can remove the sim card after activation, but keep in mind that should the phone ever need restoring or upgrading you will need a sim to re-activate it.

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User profile for user: wjosten
wjosten
User level: Level 10
95,321 points

Dec 17, 2011 7:27 AM in response to fsky

I wanted to get confirmation that FaceTime and iMessage work the same way they would on a Touch if you use the iPhone this way.


Yep.


Which SIM would be best to activate it with? I have active SIMs from my phones and also old SIMs from previous iPhones (same carrier). Or does it not really make much difference?


You need a valid sim card from the carrier the phone is locked to in order to activate it, if the phone is carrier locked. If not carrier locked, you can use any valid sim. The sim card itself need not be activated, but it must be present. You can remove the sim card after activation, but keep in mind that should the phone ever need restoring or upgrading you will need a sim to re-activate it.

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iPhone 4 as iPod touch

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