Getting prepaid data on an 4g ATT smartphone ?

[jeprice]

I'm wondering if anyone has had success getting data to work on a smartphone plan with an ATT 4g smartphone.

I have an iPhone 3g and put a sim card from a new 10$ gophone in it. I activated it with all 1's as the EMEI and got it to work with prepaid data (thanks to unlockit.co.nz).

I WON an HTC inspire this past week and went into an ATT store to put it on gophone. My SIM card from the iphone didn't work when I inserted it. They entered the numbers from the phone and swapped my gophone account to the new sim and new phone. I couldn't get data to work, however.

I was on the phone for a long time with ATT and they told me that 4g phones cannot access prepaid data, although calling works fine.

The SIM doesn't work in the iphone now. I suppose that the sim card is locked to the Inspire now.

When I try to set the HTC inspire for the data network, there is a message: "Connection failed due to incorrect APN setting" but the indicator light is on.

Under "Mobile settings"-->APN, there are two options: MEdia Net and MMS. Both have locked icons next to them, but I can turn the indicator light on/off for MEdia Net, but not for MMS. Under both, I can see the settings, but can't change anything.

Is there anything that I can do to get prepaid, or do I need to sell this thing? I'm thinking of getting an iphone 4 for prepaid data, but need to be sure that it will work, like the iphone 3g did. I can't believe this expensive phone can't access gophone prepaid data.

Please share any suggestions you might have. Thanks!

[Pabster]

As far as I'm aware 4G devices won't work on GoPhone, save for calls and texts. Haven't tried it personally but that's what I've been told by several users.

[jeprice]

Hi,

Yes, this seems to be the case. I wonder if there are any ways around this... Otherwise, I'll probably have to sell the phone.

[altNz]

I'm a bit confused as to what's going on with you, but I'm using a HP Veer on GoPhone without issue including data. One thing to note is as far as I can tell GoPhone allows you onto 3G, but not "4G". Also based on several threads below it appears you need to manually change the APN on an iPhone/Android device if you want data to work.

[jeprice]

Hi altNz,

There is a thread about this on the ATT forums, too:

http://forums.att.com/t5/Prepaid/Usi...s/td-p/2768089

If your 4g device works on Gophone, then it must be the way the device is configured. I tried to access the APN, but there seems to be no way to change them manually on this phone, although you can view them. When I tried to accees the mobile data, the error message does say 'incorrect' APN settings. I'm sure someone must know how to change the settings manually and what they need to be set to. I could list the settings if it would help... I sure would love to get mobile data on prepaid.

[Renegade1994]

Changing the settings is no big deal.... at least on an android. You just need to know the proper settings that it needs to be changed to...which unfortunately I don't have. Maybe someone with a gophone can help. On an android you just need to download APN Backup and Restore from the market and use it to delete the existing APNs(you can also use it to backup the originals on your SD card. Then go to settings>wireless and networks>mobile networks>access point names and add the new APN. I know this doesnt help everyone, but I know there has to be a way. IPhones probably need a config file set up for the gophone SIM too. We got this stuff to work with Straight Talk....gophone shouldn't be much different.

Sent from my Straight Talk HTC Inspire using the Howard Forums app

[jeprice]

I did it! I got data to work. At least for now! I'm so excited. Here's how I did it, for anyone who needs to know:

1. From main screen: Menu --> settings --> wireless and networks --> mobile networks --> access point names

2. press "Menu" again

3. Press "New APN"

4. change the settings to these:

Name: AT&T
APN: wap.cingular
Proxy: wireless.cingular.com
Port: 80
Username:WAP@CINGULARGPRS.COM
Password:CINGULAR1
Server: leave blank
MMSC: http://mmsc.cingular.com
MMS Proxy: 66.209.11.32
mms protocol: wap 2.0
MMS Port: 80
MCC:310
MNC:410
APN Type: leave blank

5. Power off the phone completely.

6. When you restart, you should be able to access prepaid data.

I hope that this continues to work... I'll post any updates.

Thanks for all your help, everyone.

[jeprice]

I left out a step in the instructions above about selecting the added APN as the default, so here are the revised instructions:

GETTING PREPAID GOPHONE DATA ON YOUR 4G PHONE (HTC INSPIRE):


1. From main screen: Menu --> settings --> wireless and networks --> mobile networks --> access point names

2. press "Menu" again

3. Press "New APN"

4. change the settings to these:

Name: AT&T
APN: wap.cingular
Proxy: wireless.cingular.com
Port: 80
Username:WAP@CINGULARGPRS.COM
Password:CINGULAR1
Server: leave blank
MMSC: http://mmsc.cingular.com
MMS Proxy: 66.209.11.32
mms protocol: wap 2.0
MMS Port: 80
MCC:310
MNC:410
APN Type: leave blank

5. Go back to the APNs menu and select the new APN (AT&T) as your APN.

6. Power off the phone completely.

7. When you restart, you should be able to access prepaid data.

8. You might want to disable the wireless when you're not using it so that it doesn't drain your prepaid data.

[johnny_camaney]

^^ just wanted to stop by and say thanks!! I was having problems using data after a firmware update for my unlocked Samsung Galaxy S II....

[cwr319]

We got this stuff to work with Straight Talk....gophone shouldn't be much different.

Sent from my Straight Talk HTC Inspire using the Howard Forums app

How did you get a Straight Talk to accept your phone? Can this same thing be done for Net10? Would I be stupid to do so?

[Twiin Ciity]

when will at&t gophone get more data than 500mb? is 500mb enough a month for average users?

[fonezfonz]

500 megs is enough for the average iphone , Blackberry, Windows Mobile/Phone user. It is just a bit less then the amount an average Android user burns in a month. 500 megs a month is more then enough for about 75% of smartphone users. The thing is data use is always changing/increasing. In six months to a year, the numbers may be even higher.

Check this out for the details on how many megs smartphone users burn a month. http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/...-goes-down-46/

[hamadiw]

Thank you very much. I did get the data to work somewhat with your setting. I can access and download applications from the Android Market and access youtube and content from other applications, including videos and other data. The only thing is when I click on the browser to take me to a particular website. It does not work. That is very weird because if I go to the newyork times application for instance and click on it, it will take me to the website. It just when I click on the browser icon for the stock browser or Dolphin it will not take me to the website. Have you experienced this problem and do you have a solution

Thanks

[hamadiw]

Forget my last question about further information for the data to fully work on a prepaid account on the HTC inspire. I got everything to work fine. I entered AT&t as the APN at the end although I don't think you needed to ,then went back to first screen before entering all the settings and selected AT &t as the APN powered the phone completely off, and then back on, you can access websites and all internet content with no problem. AT&t also has Post paid accounts without a contract that they do mention very often. There is still a credit check and deposit if your credit is not A1, they will try to give prepaid accounts that option to access data. i am glad I came to the form and thank you for the settings. THEY WORK.!!! Don't just restart, power off. and you might need to save your settings. I did. then go back and select ATT as the APN and power off and back on. At least this is what worked for me.

[hamadiw]

Read further down for the settings. They work. data will work on a 4G phone on a prepaid account for sure with these settings!!!!