Used G1 without web plan - G1 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

If I buy a used G1 on ebay, can my neighbor just put her sim card in it without any web plan? She has a regular voice and text plan on T-Mobile with a cracker jack nokia flip phone and it's a hassle for her to send and receive texts. I figured she can get a phone with a keyboard and make her life easier.
Does she have to turn anything off so she doesn't get charged for web service?

without a data plan its gonna be hard to get past the activiation screen.
all she would need to do is
get a sim with someone who has data,
go through the setup creating her own gmail account
then when she;s at the home screen power off and swap sims again.
she wont have internet but the basics will work!

I have an iPhone on T-Mobile with data. So I can use my sim and put it in her G1 and where do I find the next steps in activating everything?

no sim = unpassable NO SIM screen.
sim without data = activation/learn how to use screen, cant continue after wanting to create gmail account
sim with data = get to step above but it will create the account and allow you through to the home screen.
so yes, as long as the sim has data, she should be ale to activate.
just remember to tell her that the phone is much more fun with data ;D

Thanks. Once I get her to see how much fun and easier to use a smart phone is I'm sure she'll eventually get a data plan.

actually I think the only way to get pass it is with a android data plan, Im not sure of the other data plans t-mobile has.
But I have had my G1 for a year w/o data.I got 5MB of free data when I bought it so you can try it even though your getting it used.I still had this problem when I was rooting it though because I had to log-in without the data.I did by going through the adb shell or something its kind of difficult.
Maybe someone else can give you more information

Ok I got it and I installed the sim card from my iPhone. I went through the activation process and I created a generic gmail account and have been using the G1 for the last 30 minutes. Have it also working through the wifi at home too.
Now I have to install her sim to see what happens.

Download APN droid so that her phone doesn't connect to data services. They will charge her per MB if she doesn't.

I got pretty good at modifying the iPhone and next week I have to learn the EVO. I hope what I learn with this G1 I can use with the EVO later!
I went into MARKET on the G1 and searched APN and all I got was APN Italy and APN Movilphone. Where do I get APN DROID and how do I install it?

The app's name is "APNdroid" by martin adamek. It's in the market.

I must be doing something wrong. I'm going into the market and searching for APNdroid and it keeps telling me
There are no matches in Android Market for the search : APNdroid
Do I have to be rooted or jailbroken or is it another Market not the one on the stock G1 ? Do I have to do it while connected on the cellphone or can I do it over wifi?
I'm not an idiot, I mean how hard is it to do a search, but this is making me nuts!!

OK Now I know what happened. I've been playing with the G1 since yesterday but for some reason today it decided to update its version. It asked if I wanted to update it and I said yes. Apparently the previous owner had never updated it. I now have a way prettier and more modern looking Market and it found the app quickly when I searched for it.
I installed the app and it's working great. I knew I couldn't be that dumb!
Thanks a lot for your patience.

Related

Is it possible to downgrade the g1?

I've been thinking to get a g1 soon because now they will be a little cheaper because of the release of the mytouch 3g. I don't plan on getting the data plan because i dont need it. (please dont ask why)
I've read this thread (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=452316) by JesusFreke on how to "How to register the G1 without a sim or data plan". It states you need RC29, RC30 modded version or any earlier version.
My question is lets say i have RC 33, can i download the update for RC28, rename it to update.zip and update my phone that way so i can register it through wifi?
I plan on getting the updates though http://android-dls.com/wiki/index.php?title=OTA_Updates.
Thanks
bug666 said:
I've been thinking to get a g1 soon because now they will be a little cheaper because of the release of the mytouch 3g. I don't plan on getting the data plan because i dont need it. (please dont ask why)
I've read this thread (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=452316) by JesusFreke on how to "How to register the G1 without a sim or data plan". It states you need RC29, RC30 modded version or any earlier version.
My question is lets say i have RC 33, can i download the update for RC28, rename it to update.zip and update my phone that way so i can register it through wifi?
I plan on getting the updates though http://android-dls.com/wiki/index.php?title=OTA_Updates.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you flash the rc29 image you would go into bootloader cam + power which looks for the .nbh file instead of update.zip.
so in simple terms, yes it will work?
I've updated my friends g1 with the official tmobile 1.5 update which i got on the web before them
so im guessing it will be the same process?
Yes it will work.
are you a t-mobile us costumer? Then you HAVE to get a data plan. I don't even think T-Mo will subsidize a G1 without it, so unless you're planning to get an unlocked one... Also, when you get it, and if you somehow manage to get it without a data plan, you still have to activate it, and guess what, that requires you to have a data connection. Lastly, if you do manage to get that (just use somebody's sim that has a g1 data plan), you're going to have to ask yourself, now what do I do with it? The phone, w/o a data plan, is only good for music, or phone calls, or pictures. No gmail, no market, no picture messaging, you might as well get a motorola
jubeh said:
are you a t-mobile us costumer? Then you HAVE to get a data plan. I don't even think T-Mo will subsidize a G1 without it, so unless you're planning to get an unlocked one... Also, when you get it, and if you somehow manage to get it without a data plan, you still have to activate it, and guess what, that requires you to have a data connection. Lastly, if you do manage to get that (just use somebody's sim that has a g1 data plan), you're going to have to ask yourself, now what do I do with it? The phone, w/o a data plan, is only good for music, or phone calls, or pictures. No gmail, no market, no picture messaging, you might as well get a motorola
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now that's not entirely true... If you live around places where you are connected via WiFi most of the time, you won't even notice (I don't have a data plan so I know...) There are guides on how to register without SIM or data plan, and I got an unlocked G1 for $150, which is comparable to some of the deals on G1s with 2yr plan.
But he is right about the picture messaging, unless you have a data plan for that, you won't receive them. I have a 1MB plan with AT&T and just added their APN manually and I get picture messages no problem.
h.nocturna said:
Now that's not entirely true... If you live around places where you are connected via WiFi most of the time, you won't even notice (I don't have a data plan so I know...) There are guides on how to register without SIM or data plan, and I got an unlocked G1 for $150, which is comparable to some of the deals on G1s with 2yr plan.
But he is right about the picture messaging, unless you have a data plan for that, you won't receive them. I have a 1MB plan with AT&T and just added their APN manually and I get picture messages no problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow $150? Man I got mine used for $250 locked. (I'm getting an unlock code though hopefully)
I also use my G1 w/o a data plan because I have Wifi everywhere I go. Yes, you can activate it over Wifi. I don't know about MMS/Text because I don't use them. Emails good enough for me
B-man007 said:
Wow $150? Man I got mine used for $250 locked. (I'm getting an unlock code though hopefully)
I also use my G1 w/o a data plan because I have Wifi everywhere I go. Yes, you can activate it over Wifi. I don't know about MMS/Text because I don't use them. Emails good enough for me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah, bought it off craigslist.
You can only activate over WiFi if you use the guide on how to do it, or if you use one of the ROMs with that feature built in... the default ROM will force you to activate using data (I added my APN for that). Texting works without problems, but MMS(aka Picture Messaging) requires data, WiFi will not work for it.

G1 and T-mobile Question

I think this is the best place for this question.
I have a G1 now and am considering moving over to the Nexus one. My wife and I are on the family plan and we want to keep that going. Currently she only had a basic phone with basic cell service. I have the basic cell service with the Data Plan added to my line. Her contract is up and she can get a new phone, which is good because her Motorola is getting flakey. Anyhow she wants to start doing text messaging with family. So she wants a new phone that has a full keyboard for texting. She doesn't need/want the data plan as it is $30/mo that she won't use. The problem is that all the phones with full keyboards require a data plan. She is a stay at home mom so if she needs the internet she get on a computer. So my thoughts were to get the new Nexus One for me @ $533 for the unsubsidized rate. I take my SIM out of my G1 put it in the N1. Move her sim from her Motorola over to my old G1 then turn on texting on the her line.
She wouldn't be paying for data and I could just set the G1 up to use our Wifi anyhow. Not that it would be used for anything but updating and installing new apps. So it should be fine. I could wipe the phone and set it up on her Gmail account before pulling my sim so I could then configure Wifi.
Does anyone see any flaws in my thinking? I have already put her sim in my G1 as a test and it could make a receive calls on her number. The one thing that I did notice is that it said it had 3G coverage but I didn't try it.
Thanks
Well I was out running around today and stopped into the local T-mobile shop to run these questions across them.
Basically they said that it should be fine. They would only be concerned if I were trying to disable the data plan on my account while still under contract. Since I will be maintaining my data plan for use on the Nexus there are no concern. He said that I may have issues when trying to set up the phone for Her. I mentioned I could wipe the phone and set it up on her Gmail account before moving my SIM. He said that once her SIM is in it may have and issue the first time it powers on. He said that worst case we could come down to the store and turn on the data plan for an hour or so and get it updated then they could turn it off.
He also mentioned that I may have problems accessing the App Market as they were told that it needs the data network to function. However he admitted that he can access the App Market just fine on his old G1 at home over his Wifi and no SIM Card. So he again thought that I would be OK. The only real issue that I can see is that I may not be able to get OTA updates. That shouldn't be a big deal because the phone is rooted and I am running a cooked ROM on it. We plan on leaving it that way and I will be doing updates in that manner.
So it looks like my questions are answered. I am posting the resolution as others may have the same question.

Questions about G1 ... ATT... Blocked Data... Debacle!

So my friend is giving me her old G1 since she got a new phone and it is basically sitting in her glove compartment. She has T-Mobile I have AT&T.
I am on a family plan with no data plan and my parents went so far as to put a data block on all the phones. I read a few sites and I heard from one that once the phone is unlocked it is a one time deal, if this is true this may be good for me.
A) Since my friends phone is obviously unlocked since it was hers and she used it, if I put my ATT sim card in (she's not gonna factory reset), will it work? What would I have to do
Since I dont have a data plan and my parents blocked all data (internet, not messaging) but I have Wifi, can i tell my friend before she mails me her G1 to enable wifi?
B) Since I don't plan on getting wifi anytime soon, this would be good no? Ofcourse if question A is correct that I wouldn't have to unlock it and activate it.
Ba) If question A is fail, could i still activate the phone via my wifi on the gmail account set up?
So those are all the questions I have, I would like to know what I should do when i get the phone in anycase because I would really like to use it, and i plan to use the wifi feature instead of paying for a data plan since my town has a lot of free wifi hotspots!
Let me know!!!
- Joey
you can also reach me at,
AIM: inability2sleep
If the phone is up to date, it should allow you to skip the account sync process (which is one reason data is required). That way it should allow you to get into the phone and activate wifi yourself.
Of course it wouldn't hurt to have you friend do it for you. Convenience and all.
you meant to say "Since I don't plan on getting data anytime soon..." right?
If she doesn't factory reset, you can add multiple accounts on a single G1 through settings. So give that a go too. The main thing is, that before donut, it was mandatory to sync over data service to activate your phone on a fresh G1. So you should be ok.
Hey Innovated,
Shouldn't have any issues doing that. If you pop in the SIM card, the phone will first say Emergency Calls Only. You have to go into Settings, Wireless Controls, Mobile Networks, then Network Operators and select AT&T.
If it pops up with an unlock code screen, then you need to purchase an unlock code. eBay is usually good, around $5.
After that, everything will work. As you don't have a data plan, and have a data block in place, there's no need to enter new APN details.
As for wifi, you can turn it on or off as you want. To turn on and off, click Settings, Wireless Controls, Enable WiFi.
Hope this helps!
-XBrav
Wow thank you so much for both of your fast replies! This will help so much and hopefully it is as easy as you say! I can't wait to have this cool phone!
My friend wants to know if it can still work if she can factory reset it, and add my gmail account to activate it before mailing me the phone... Would that still be the same as what she 'WAS' going to do in my first description?
As far as I know that can work. What the sync does is add your contacts, and allow the phone to sync with your google account. With 1.6 and higher, android allows you to skip the step, but it should be possible if she does it for you.
Worst comes to worse, you factory reset and hit "skip" . So yup. hope that helps.
even if im ATT and she's Tmobile?

Having issues with G1 erasing contacts.

So I bought a G1 at a really good price the other day. My first android phone. Basically in not so many words this confirmed I'm a wimo guy. So I gave it to my buddy to use. He's coming from a Gravity semi smart phone with the $10 data plan from Tmo. Well at first he plugs in his sim and no problems, he gets full 3G and creates a google account and all is great. He calls me later that night saying he's blocked from the internet now and its saying he needs to upgrade his script to the $25 data plan to use the phone. What wierd is I've seen this before and it always launches Tmo's web2go site saying you need to upgrade. His loads up google fine, can search google, but can't actually goto any other sites. I thought this was wierd but may be tmo give you a full connection for a couple hours to register the phone. So now he's ready to upgrade to the $25 data plan and he says every day it erases his contacts and he has to re import them from his sim card everyday. I'm wondering if the google backup is having something to do with this? Or have anyone else had an issue like this? I do have the full data plan and plan on testing this out this week to see if it happens to me too.
I think with Android Phones it syncs with Google Account and needs a Data Plan to sync contacts..
thats a simple idea, but im sure its not that at all jus an idea
That what I'm thinking. I'm figuring he's importing his contacts. It goes to update and merge them to google. Finds google empty or can't contact google, and wipes them all out back to stock. I'm gonna test it myself with my card here soon so If I figure anything out I'll post it.
If he can ask him if he can get on wifi and try to sync with google that way and see if they will stick
ilostchild said:
If he can ask him if he can get on wifi and try to sync with google that way and see if they will stick
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My test should be fine, he doesn't mind paying the extra money for the smartphone package he's just worried the phones broken. I on the other hand am leaning towards user error, needing a script to get to google, or software error. Which I would imagine I could cure by flashing a new rom.
O it would be the same as your test that you want be it wont require you taking out your sim, and putting it in the phone then turning on blah blah... jus quick and fast if it saves it then needs the data to work
That would be a good idea because I don't like taking out my sim. I've always had great luck with them till this phone. It killed 3 of my cards because it had a locked pin in the simcard port. I finally realized what was happening and jiggled it and it loosened up and fixed it. But I already took back the phone and wiped it so I need a data connection and google account to just boot it again. I'll just trade out my HD2 for a G1 for the week..
j/k I'll give this damn android a fair shot.

[Q] I have tmobile, with Data plan, but does not work on my G1

So I've done plenty of searching, enough so that I was able to unlock my phone without the data working, rooted my phone, flashed and modded it, successfully running newest Biffmod.
That being said, i'm 100000% sure I have a working data plan, my plan is unlimited everything.
Works fine in any of my other phones, Dash 3G, HTC HD2, Unlocked Samsung blackjack i607.. The difference, those are all windows mobile phones?
But the HTC HD2 Dual boots android 2.2 froyo and data works there.
Yup, same sim I'm talking about, same plan, just different phones.
Any Idea why my data plan is not working with the G1? Am I doing something wrong? It worked when i FIRST got this phone (ordered it off ebay not that long ago to play with).. After factory reset/wipe before modding is when it all went sour.
Was stuck on log in screen so I had to do the work around to get into the phone, obviously not with Biffmod I can skip.. But I cant use market place, check e-mail, ANYTHING data related. Yet my Icon says 4 bars, 3G and I even see the "up" and "down" data xfer arrows giving me activity.
It's as if it's "there" just not working.
Any help would be great appreciated, I plan to go to T-mobile and hopefully one of the people there will actually have some tech savvy.. Wishful thinking.
Long story short, I just want my data to work. Please, and thank you.
Do a search on here for the correct APN setings for your provider.
edit: here's the thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=475564
Read the thread, it's for ATT users trying to use a T-Mobile phone.
The issue is that I actually have T-mobile.
I'm fairly sure I saw the apn settings for t-mo in there too. That's probably what you should be checking first.
Sent from my G1 using XDA App
Just google Tmobile's US apn settings or grab them from another of your devices, then it will work.
Perfect, I'll give that a shot when I get home from work today, thanks for all the help so far.

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