There is a workaround to get MMS working without jailbreak, but it has been reported to not work for everybody. In any case, the workaround wouldn't mess up your iPhone but you'd go through too much trouble that you might end up pretty upset if it doesn't work.
I don't recall the exact steps as I don't have an iPhone, but basically, you need a non-AT&T SIM card: could be a T-Mobile SIM or one from a regional provider -- it doesn't need to have active service, just not be an AT&T-based SIM. You insert that SIM and dismiss any "invalid SIM" error messages. You then go to where the MMS settings are accessed and change them according to Straight Talk's instructions. While one of these settings is open (can't remember if the MMS proxy or port), you take out the non-AT&T SIM and put your AT&T-based Straight Talk SIM in. You save the changes and voilà.
I don't have the specifics on why this workaround works for some people and not others.
Thousands of people have iPhones working on Straight Talk service flawlessly. I am not sure what the issues are that you are having, but if you are trying to get an iPhone up and running on ST then it would be best if you start over and follow the instructions on the sticky thread at the top of this board. If after following the instructions exactly you are still having issues then perhaps someone can help you if you post your specific problem.
There is a workaround to get MMS working without jailbreak, but it has been reported to not work for everybody. In any case, the workaround wouldn't mess up your iPhone but you'd go through too much trouble that you might end up pretty upset if it doesn't work.
I don't recall the exact steps as I don't have an iPhone, but basically, you need a non-AT&T SIM card: could be a T-Mobile SIM or one from a regional provider -- it doesn't need to have active service, just not be an AT&T-based SIM. You insert that SIM and dismiss any "invalid SIM" error messages. You then go to where the MMS settings are accessed and change them according to Straight Talk's instructions. While one of these settings is open (can't remember if the MMS proxy or port), you take out the non-AT&T SIM and put your AT&T-based Straight Talk SIM in. You save the changes and voilà.
I don't have the specifics on why this workaround works for some people and not others.
Hey geek boi,
You seem to know a fair amount on this subject. I had documented the tmobile sim trick for ST on the iPhone ST wiki a while back before I was broken. Because the method worked on my stock unlocked 4S. I think it is a good method for peeps who roll stock.
The question I do not have direct confirmation on is does this tmobile sim trick work on non jailbroken AT&T locked iPhone? I wanna update the wiki to either warn people not to bother try with the sim trick if they are locked or explain why it may or may not work.
The question I do not have direct confirmation on is does this tmobile sim trick work on non jailbroken AT&T locked iPhone?
"You insert that SIM and dismiss any "invalid SIM" error messages." says that the phone is locked to AT&T. If it was unlocked you wouldn't get the "invalid SIM" message, since all SIMs would be "valid". (Jailbreaking has nothing to do with unlocking.)
The question I do not have direct confirmation on is does this tmobile sim trick work on non jailbroken AT&T locked iPhone? I wanna update the wiki to either warn people not to bother try with the sim trick if they are locked or explain why it may or may not work.
Yes, it can work with a locked phone. You'll get an error that the SIM is invalid. You dismiss the error and move on. I haven't tested this myself - I don't have an iPhone - but from reading various post, it has worked for some users but not for others with no reason or rhyme I can find.
In summary, you can get MMS working for sure with Straight Talk with a jailbroken iPhone. Without jailbreaking, it may or may not work. If you are dead set in not jailbreaking, the SIM-swap trick is worth a shot. Otherwise, jailbreak and save yourself some headache.
so its not just ATT branded iphones? Its all iphones?
It's all AT&T iPhones. Since Verizon iPhones don't use SIMs (and can't work on AT&T's or Tmobile's networks, because the technology is completely different), the issue doesn't arise with those phones.
And the st sim causes the issue too?
An AT&T st SIM will. A Tmobile st SIM won't. (Of course you won't get anything but voice if you use an AT&T phone on a Tmobile tower, but that's because of which radios there are in the phone, it has nothing to do with the APN problem.)
I saw the wifi work around for data.... Any work around for MMS?
Yes - email your pictures.
BTW, just so you understand, unlocking and jailbrealing are totally different things.
Jailbreaking (or rooting on an Android phone) gives you full access to the phone's operating system. It's like "Run as administrator" in Windows. It has nothing to do with the telephone part of the phone. But it allows you to run apps that need root (administrative) access to the operating system. And there are a lot of them you may want to run.
Unlocking allows the phone to use any SIM (of the same technology - GSM in this case). A locked phone can only use a SIM from the carrier it's locked to. (ST isn't a carrier, they're an MVNO. The SIMs they use are either AT&T SIMs or Tmobile SIMs.) Unlocking is good if you don't want high speed data, or if you have a pentaband phone, but if you use an AT&T SIM in an unlocked Tmobile phone, it doesn't have high speed radios on the bands AT&T uses for high speed data. The same holds true with an AT&T phone and a Tmobile SIM. So unlocking will normally give you voice, text, MMS and Edge data, but not high speed data. With ST there's an additional limitation, and depending on which tower you're on, you may get only voice.
Bottom line - choose the phone based on the towers you're going to be using for data. Choose the SIM the same way. Then unlocking is really moot, and you'll get high speed data. (And roam for voice if you ever get stuck in an area where that carrier has no service but the other one does.)
I want to unlock a Sam Exhibit 11 4g because T-mobile has bad coverage in my area. But not sure it is worth it if the speed is going to drop significantly. Suggestions?
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Originally Posted by CeluGeek
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