Alternating between 5s as a cellphone and 5s as an iPod touch

If you activate the phone, you will need a service plan, especially if you activate thru AT&T.

How it usually works, you use the phone for 2 years to where your contract is up and then you can deactivate and use it as a ipod touch.

I don't think AT&T offers month to month service, but you can call them to find out.

You will need atleast a sim card in the phone to initially set up the phone. once the phone is set up, you can use it like an iPod Touch.

RichmondDan wrote:

No, I bought the unlocked 5s directly from Apple. Because it is GSM technology and unlocked, I can use it either with T-Mobile or AT&T. Both companies have unbundled their phones from their cellular service, so that you can bring your own phone and pay month-to-month without a contract (just for the service alone and not the phone).

I'm trying to figure out if I need to activate the 5s with a carrier prior to being able use it as a standalone iPod. Also, whether I can activate the phone with a carrier without actually signing up for cellular service.

I already stated if you activate the phone you will need a service plan.

In order to use the phone you need to activate the phone even if using as a ipod.

you should be able to just put a sim card in it.

if you know ANYONE with a sim card they would let you use for less than 5 minutes, that will work as well.

That is correct, in my experience when you activate the phone, you will need a service plan. Can't activate without using one.

Only way this works, as stated earlier, is if you had the phone for 2 years and your at the end of the contract, then you could deactivated the services thru your carrier and then use it as an ipod.

I understand. I was saying for example on how it usually works for using an ipod.

Either way it doesn't change the fact if you activate the phone you will need to use a service plan.

The best way to find out for sure, is activate your phone and see what happens.

When she opens the iphone, it will require you to activate the phone and then set it up.

You don't need a service plan to activate the phone, but you do need a sim card, however the sim card need not be activated. See if either T-Mobile or AT&T will sell you a deactivated sim card, then activate the phone.

Then you can use that to activate the phone. You don't need a service plan or an active sim, just a valid sim.