How do I use iMessage on my iphone 4 when it has a deactivated number?

I assume you have wifi and that the phone is connected to it. In settings/messages/send & receive you should have only your Apple ID in You can be reached at and in Start new conversations from. If you can't achieve that then if you tunr off imessage you will not be able to reactivate it because activation of imessage requires the ability to send SMS messages and you cannot do thta because your phon enumber is not active. Just make sure you have your ID ticked in both the spots I mentioned and see if that does it

Try this

First switch iMessage OFF and FaceTime OFF

Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content & Settings

Set up iPhone as iPod touch

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3406

Make sure

Settings > Phone >

My Number > is blank

Caller ID: OFF

Dial Assist: OFF

Settings > Messages >

iMessage: ON

Send as SMS: OFF

Send & Receive > only your e-mail address for "...reached by..." and "Start new conversation..."

I would be interested in knowing if that will work because if you turn imessage off on an iphone that has been deactivated then if you can't send SMS is it still possible to activate imessage on an iphone it requires the ability send SMS to activate imessage?

I maybe wrong, but iPod touch can do iMessage without sending an initial SMS.

It says

On iPhone, SMS messaging is required to activate FaceTime and iMessage for use with your phone number. Depending on your carrier, you may be charged for this SMS.

in http://support.apple.com/kb/ts4268

It does say for use with your phone number so I am not sure

True On (active) iPhone , but you can activate old iPhone as an iPod touch, so with the line of thoughts one can use iPhone like an iPod touch which supports iMessage (& FaceTime). To be frank, I do not have an old iPhone to test it out.

Just found this thread

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3576371

I have an old 3GS that was wiped and then reactivated with a dead sim. It connects to my wifi (says NO service which as expected as there is no valid SIM, set send & receive to just apple ID email and turned imessage on and it says waiting for activation and does not seem to want to go past that.... let you know if it changes. I set Send as SMS OFF and MMS messaging OFF.

Yes read that post and it says

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

I assume that this means you have to activate it with a valid SIM and activate facetime/imessage and then remove the SIM after activation ( after the SMS has been sent to activate I assume). In my case the 3GS is unlocked and I used a non-active SIM from the carrier I was previosuly hooked up with to activate the phone but as it did not have cellular connection it could not send SMS to validate imessage

I think what needs to happen is you activate the phone with a valid SIM and you have to be able to send SMS to activate imessage and facetime. Then after all is activated you make sure you have send and receive from the ID and you can be reached set to ID and if possible start message from ID and then remove the SIM but hey I am not sure. All I can say is it is not activating on my 3GS as mentioned

Can't say, since I can't test it myself. Maybe wjosten should chimed in.

I would really like to know if it's possible and how exactly it's done.

Message was edited by: ckuan

I would really like to know too

Maybe we should call wjosten out.😀

Ocean20 wrote:

I would really like to know too

You want to try in the Lounge > Water Cooler?

OK you ask him. wjosten will know