Iphone Sim cards

[ratled]

Apparently you can use a an Iphone like a an Ipod. Everything works it is just not tied into a phone plan. Siri, text etc works if there is wifi available. It is quite the rag in the Jr High schools.

The down side is that everyone has them, no one knows how to set this up. My daughter got an Iphone for this but we can't figure out how to do it. The phone is unlocked and we even got it to work with wifi. We just can't get it to text.

Has anyone done this? Any ideas?

TIA

ratled

[SkyHawk]

iphone has two text communication channels. One is iMessage and the other is SMS. Both work seamlessly in the same app 'messages'.

iMessage will only send to other iphones and ipads. If you want to text other devices, like android for instance, or other types of phones, you need SMS service and that only comes with a cellular phone plan.

Or you can try to send email from your iphone through an sms gateway. Most providers have sms gateways. For instance, to reach ATT customers the address format is xxxxxxxxxx@sms.att.net (where xxxxxxxxxx is the phone number). That allows you to send a text via email to other devices even if you do not have SMS/cellular and they do not have iMessage.

I am not sure what your simcard question was.

[Cokebottle]

Text will work over WiFi but the phone still has to be configured with a valid phone number.

[SkyHawk]

The best thing to do is get a free Google voice account, which comes with a free personal phone number, and then you can use the Google Voice app to send and receive SMS to any device. And you can use the app on ipad, iphone, or any web browser.

But you will not be able to make or receive calls via the app on wifi. You can forward any incoming calls to the free phone number to another number or to the free voicemail that comes with google voice. And you can intiate calls from the app that will appear to come from your google phone number, but the actual call will need to be out of band (for instance using a landline). The app will bridge the outbound call to a phone you choose.

Seriously, if the phone does not have cellular plan, then sign up for google voice - it is great for SMS text over wifi. I use it all the time.

[Jongage]

use snap chat

[Iknownot]

We had an old iphone set up exactly this way for our kids to use before they started getting a full fledged phone.

You basically pull the sim card out, turn of cell data and carrier in the settings on the phone and it makes the iphone into an ipod for use with wifi.

Since it is wifi, you will not be able to send SMS texts.

You can sign in with an apple account an send iMessages to any apple OS or iOS device (Mac, ipod, ipad, etc).

You can also use any apps that work on the phone. So there are a variety of other ways to communicate snapchat, facebook, or whatever other apps you like.

[SkyHawk]

With the Google Voice app you can send and receive SMS. It is very slick. No cell plan required. You get a free phone number.

If all you have is a iPod or Iphone that works only on WiFi, you can still do SMS with Google Voice. And it is free.

[Cokebottle]

With the Google Voice app you can send and receive SMS. It is very slick. No cell plan required. You get a free phone number.

If all you have is a iPod or Iphone that works only on WiFi, you can still do SMS with Google Voice. And it is free.

I was curious about that.
I got a Public Records Request a couple of weeks ago, and when I called to let him know it was available, I got a Google Voice voice mail.
I followed up with an email since I wasn't sure if that was a valid number.

Turns out the guy is one of our local homeless... likely using the city's free downtown WiFi.

[RangerJoe]

Text will work over WiFi but the phone still has to be configured with a valid phone number.

WRONG. Fake News.