Database Users

Alltel to ATT Transition: Root and Flash before Line is Active?

I am part of the group being merged from Alltel to AT&T; I selected the Liberty/Aria for my next phone (coming from a rooted/flashed HTC Touch for many years).
AT&T will be sending the phone out this month, and then will activate the line next month as part of the merger.
Looking to root and flash CyanogenMod7 on the Aria, but curious if this is something I can do upon receiving the phone, or if I should/would need to wait until the phone is activated for service.
AT&T states they will send a text on our Alltel phones that will state "start using your new AT&T phone now," so not sure if it's really activation; maybe just a phone home?
I don't want to root/flash and then have the phone not become active in April.
I'm fine waiting... just looking for anyone else that may have been in this situation and has some insight.

How interesting I was in this situation a couple months back when Unicel merged with AT&T. There isn't really anything you can do that will really be that beneficial to starting the rooting and flashing process before you get the phone. Maybe install the drivers? And as far as the activation I received my Aria fairly promptly so I had it for like 3 weeks until activation. I'm pretty sure I got a text message the day before activation informing me to carry both phones on me. I had an unlocked T-Mobile SidekickLX and I was carrying both it and my Aria on me. Unfortunately it seems the Unicel service was cut before the AT&T service started for me. It took me about two hours without having access to a phone and when the Aria did activate after setup I received all the missed calls and text message notifications from that time where I had no service. Either way it both the wait for the phone and the wait for it to be activated were all worth it.
I LOVE MY ARIA!
Hope I helped.

vicmora5:
Thanks for your informative post; I hope it all goes smoothly.
Truth be told I just want to play when that Aria arrives; but I can wait if it's a no-no.
Looking for a "yes, I've been there and done that! Rooted and flashed my device before the line was active; go for it!"
If I don't get that kind of response; I better wait

Ohhhh!!!
Sorry I completely forgot about that aspect of it. I didn't even open the Aria until I was about to have it activated. I'm actually not sure about what happens if you root and flash pre-activation /=
Sorry I guess im not much help, but I hope you find an answer and get everything working fine

Hi there,
I received my Aria aboout two weeks ago and it is not set to be activated intil early-mid April.
I have loaded it up with apps via Wifi...it does everything I need it to do short of being able to make/receive a call. I did remove the SIM first.
I am wondering if I can root this device and upgrade the OS before it's active, and what will happen if I do these things then reinstall the SIM that came in it.

I rooted and flashed my aria already, i don't see why it would matter at all. I wanted to play some games on it (like nfs:shift and angry birds) and surf the web via my portable hotspot (clear wireless). I've had 0 issues, but i'm not set to be active with att until april. I assume if something screws up, I'll just have to flash back to stock, set it up, then reflash back later. worse comes to worse I'll flash to stock and return it, lol

Once you put sim card in aria from at&t you want have any problems ..
Sent from my Liberty using Tapatalk

terces said:
vicmora5:
Thanks for your informative post; I hope it all goes smoothly.
Truth be told I just want to play when that Aria arrives; but I can wait if it's a no-no.
Looking for a "yes, I've been there and done that! Rooted and flashed my device before the line was active; go for it!"
If I don't get that kind of response; I better wait
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes you can root and install a custom rom prior to activation. Plus its the sim card, not the phone that needs the actual activation.
Sent from my cm7 Aria using XDA App

CallMeAria said:
Yes you can root and install a custom rom or games or whatever prior to activation. Plus its the sim card, not the phone that needs the actual activation.
Sent from my cm7 Aria using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my cm7 Aria using XDA App

Thanks for all the replies, they sure were helpful.
I'll plan on rooting/flashing pre-activation then; that way I can have the phone all ready to go when it goes live.
Coming from the non-SIM world, I sometimes forget that everything is tied to that SIM card and not in the phone itself.

your hardware WILL BE upgraded

But your software may not be.
https://supportforums.motorola.com/thread/45865?start=30&tstart=0

Linky no worky for me.
Nvm, got it.

Is the software upgrade only supporting the 4g connectivity? I was under the impression it was a general upgrade and would include support for things like SD cards.
Also, while I am not on the Verizon plan, I still want hw/sw upgrade so my device is current. This statement from that forum mod seems to indicate that if you aren't paying Verizon, Motorola isn't going to upgrade you:
All Motorola XOOM tablets on the Verizon Wireless network are eligible to receive an upgrade to support 4G LTE.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

padanfain said:
Is the software upgrade only supporting the 4g connectivity? I was under the impression it was a general upgrade and would include support for things like SD cards.
Also, while I am not on the Verizon plan, I still want hw/sw upgrade so my device is current. This statement from that forum mod seems to indicate that if you aren't paying Verizon, Motorola isn't going to upgrade you:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have from a very good source, anyone who purchased a 3G "Verizon" Xoom is eligible for the 4G upgrade since they technically paid for it with the price of the device. Rooted or not you will get the upgrade, and data plan or not you will get the upgrade.

You don't have to have a Verizon plan.
Sent from my Evo 4G using Tapatalk Pro

From what I have read online its more than just a sim card instal which is the reason for the mail in

Im not too sure about this stupid 4g upgrade. I mean, we have to send it in. And then who knows how 'careful' they're actually going to handle my fully screen-protected device? Ill probably never even activate the radio. How often is there an emergency for "on-the-go" data, really? But since I did pay for the upgrade I guess ill have to send it in. Ahh! They just better send it back to same exact condition it was in. Im very anal about my electronics and if I see one little nick, or mess up my screen protector, they're gonna here it from me. Lol!
Sent from the most 'Epic' phone in the world! ...Using XDA Premium app

I would take pictures before you send it in. so when you get it back and if its damaged you can prove it. Take the pictures of right before you tape the box to send it in. So that they cant say the picture is from 2 weeks before you sent it in or something. Doubt they will damage it but if you want to be really cautious.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App

All we need to do now is wipe with the [STOCK SBF] HRI39 and box it up!

AT&T blocking data connection ?

I got a nice SMS on March 18th from AT&T saying "An eligible data plan is required for Laptop, Tablet or MiFi devices. Call 611 as soon as possible for details and to avoid service interruption"
We are on 20th and I have no dtaa connection anymore
I happen to be paying the most expensive plan for my device (Coming from TP2), with an extra to have Exchange emails (Yeah can you believe you are charged extra for Exchange emails) and now.... I would have to pay even more because I use my SIUM in my tablet. WTF...
Maybe it's just me but if some of you have the same issue and found a workaround... Or maybe I should just step away from AT&T... F them...
Edit: Just got an SMS "Your data service has been restricted due to SIM swapping with a data Connect device". I pay 150$ a month for my data plan, calsl, etc... How much is not enough ????

I got the same thing. AT&T is now doing the same thing T-Mobile is doing. You cannot put a T-Mobile phone SIM in a T-Mobile tab, and, now, you cannot put an AT&T phone SIM (for example one with an unlimited data plan attached to it) into an AT&T tab.
It's all robbery.
My reaction to the text I got from AT&T was to erase, wipe, and flash my AT&T Galaxy Tab to Overcome 1.3.0, and then put my T-Mobile phone SIM into my AT&T Tab. Ha! THAT at least still works, since the two companies are separate.
And now, AT&T just bought T-Mobile! HA
Looks like after all the effort, I lose.
I am SO DONE with tablets and smartphones. Back to laptops and WiFi. The monopolies here in the U.S. are unbearable. And our government does nothing. No wonder the rest of the world hates us - we hate ourselves!

I got AT&T on the phone
The guy first explained me that technically tablets and phone cannot connect teh same way, etc, etc... So I asked him to stop the Bs#it because technically it was possible for 3 months... The guy I had on the phone was polite and pretty embarrassed...
I was straight forward explaining I don't mind paying for an extra tethering plan if that's what they want but I just want to carry around only ONE device, etc, etc... In the end he was very clear: they want us to use our tablet with a different plant and different SIM card. period
Now... for me it's clear they saw the IMEI of my device was different from the one I used to have so this + the fact I used a lot of Data may have triggered the detection... Or it is in the access point we use... But anyway/anyhow there is no way we cannot make our tablets appear as a Galaxy S or whatever other phone. Aside from the screen too much of the Hardware is similar to a phone not to be able to do something about it...
Meanwhile my data plan is frozen
I am SO pissed off. I can't believe I leave these guys 150$ a month and they can't even provide a decent service...

The worst: if I take a specific plan for my tab and trim down my phone plan it will cost me less
They are just F&*%#@ dumb and a terrible pain in the ass
Now let's work to "disguise" our Tab as a phone for AT&T connection...
I still think it has a lot to do with the Acces point setup... Or just the tethering... They guy on the phone was (maybe deliberately or not...) confusing about what was allowed and what was not... he was kind of implying that even if I get a tethering plan, tethering from my phone to my Tab would still be an issue if I don't use some kind of AT&T official tethering Software... (Weird...)
I am SO pissed off

I am thinking and if I go for the tethering plan I really don't see under which stupid claim they can block me... Sue it will cost more, but whatever...
Still this is justa shame

More AT&T fun I see.
Sent from my Incredible with the XDA Premium App.

I Am Marino said:
More AT&T fun I see.
Sent from my Incredible with the XDA Premium App.
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Yes... Teh problem is since they try to avoid users going around their stuff it is not even easy to understand what is allowed or not. Initially i brought a phone from abroad and was told I could use it on an illimited data plan... Fine. But now the guy on the phoen didnt even wnated to be clear whether I could use a non AT&T phone for my plan (So we're not even talking about the tab)
I think they may be targeting heavy users that dont show the same IMEIR as the one they registered. Or soemthign else.. probably can detect by the protocols used that we are not technically ona phone (But hey technically, aside teh screen tehre is no major difference betweena Galaxy tab and a Galaxy phone...)

They are targeting unlimited data plan users who are sim swapping. If you're on the 2gb or tethering 4gb plan you shouldn't see anything. People were putting their sims into laptops/netbooks and going nuts. It breaches the agreement with AT&T and they have the right to change your plan if you don't reply to them or stop sim swapping.

waltah! said:
They are targeting unlimited data plan users who are sim swapping. If you're on the 2gb or tethering 4gb plan you shouldn't see anything. People were putting their sims into laptops/netbooks and going nuts. It breaches the agreement with AT&T and they have the right to change your plan if you don't reply to them or stop sim swapping.
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Click to collapse
I am not using it in a laptop but in my Tab. I use my Tab as my main phone and I ma pretty pissed off that AT&T decides which phone they like and don't like. It's not EVEN about the money: I proposed them to pay for a tethering plan (which would be stealing from me but whatever) and they do not even care
I would not even mind going for the 4Gb plan but that would mean giving up on voice services on my tab, ie would have to carry around two devices which i definitely do not want
Going the 4Gb plan + stripping down my phone to the cheapest plan AT&T has, would cost me less than I pay now... So it's not even a money issue. I am completely pissed off since I a ready to pay whatever they want but they do not seem to care

Anyway it's fine. They managed to kill the GTab and all other 7" tablets to come
They nearly succeeded by originally forbidding calls on it. They succeeded with this last measure
It was for me the perfect size between a phone and an iPad. If I cannot have Voice + illimited data on it I will just go for a large 4.3" phone
Thank you AT&T for killing progress and congratulation for displeasing customers who were actually ready to pay (Because in actual facts I was ready to pay more if it is what they wanted from me)

Alcibiade said:
Anyway it's fine. They managed to kill the GTab and all other 7" tablets to come
They nearly succeeded by originally forbidding calls on it. They succeeded with this last measure
It was for me the perfect size between a phone and an iPad. If I cannot have Voice + illimited data on it I will just go for a large 4.3" phone
Thank you AT&T for killing progress and congratulation for displeasing customers who were actually ready to pay (Because in actual facts I was ready to pay more if it is what they wanted from me)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm in the same boat, Alcibiade. Never tether, just like the phone and tablet in one device.
Just got off the phone with our friends at AT&T and got the same message. Unfortunately, there is no 4GB plan for data devices like the Tab, just "phones". So I'm stuck with carrying a phone and a Tab until we figure out a way around this issue.

I got the same message from at&t too. I think the only workaround to this is to get the telstra or the other canadian tab that uses the 850 band. Anyone with the telstra tab want to do a trade for a like new at&t tab?

Believe me it pisses me off too, and I work there. lol
I'm planning on getting a GTab and was going to use it for voice occasionally so it kinda throws a kink in the works. I have the 4gb tethering plan. I really just want to be able to jump right on the Tab and use it without kicking the hotspot on so I'll just end up going down to the 2gb plan for my Atrix and the 2gb plan for the Tab. I wanted to carry one device when I wanted to, but I love my Atrix so I'm not sure how often I would do it anyway.

I believe AT&T doing the same as T-mobile by look up the IMEI. The IMEI database will match the phone you use. The only workaround is change the IMEI on the tab.
You will see the TAB Icon under your att account but I did not see that months ago....

Currently on the phone with att about the same issue...thing is im using an htc desire from telus...im not swapping my simcard with anything at all. They are saying my device is coming up as a telemetry unit which is therefore making the assumption of sim swapping. On the phone for an hour now and the geniuses still cant figure out how to fix the issue.

small9 said:
I believe AT&T doing the same as T-mobile by look up the IMEI. The IMEI database will match the phone you use. The only workaround is change the IMEI on the tab.
You will see the TAB Icon under your att account but I did not see that months ago....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure it's through the IMEI. How do they do if I use a foreign phone ? If it is that simple, we all know how to find a solution...
I hope they do not make me PAY for my data plan while I they block it, I would be even more pissed off
One point I do not get: if I pay for a Tethering plan (Which I don't but am considering if it can help), why the hell would they block me from using my plan the way I want. Illimited + tethering --> I use it on my tab or anything else doesn't matter (Could be my phone tethered to my laptop it would be the same)

jstdontgiva said:
Currently on the phone with att about the same issue...thing is im using an htc desire from telus...im not swapping my simcard with anything at all. They are saying my device is coming up as a telemetry unit which is therefore making the assumption of sim swapping. On the phone for an hour now and the geniuses still cant figure out how to fix the issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Funny cause it's exactly what I told them: I have a foreign phone as well (On top of my Tab) and I bet them that my foreign phone would have the same issue
MMh so they either detect what we do with the IMEI or potentially the radio (Or a combination of both)
I feel really bad trying to find a workaround while what I ma doing is perfectly legit when it is on my TP2, or I am even ready to pay for their Tethering plan........
If the issue is just the IMEI, that can be easily solved... But I dont like to have to be sneaky when again I pay honetsly my stuff every month
If you find a solution for your telus please tell us

Yeah I got that text last night around 9 pm I nearly craped my self. I was like wtf. I have the unlimited data. it shouldn't matter what device my Sim is in.. I guess I'll see what the tab does with the Sim that it came with. my Nexus still works fine though. I checked the website today and they are doing Maintenance to the data section. figures.

hybred-nexus said:
Yeah I got that text last night around 9 pm I nearly craped my self. I was like wtf. I have the unlimited data. it shouldn't matter what device my Sim is in.. I guess I'll see what the tab does with the Sim that it came with. my Nexus still works fine though. I checked the website today and they are doing Maintenance to the data section. figures.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am pretty sure my Tab fits ok within a 4Gb plan (I don't tether anyway). BUT I just dont wnat to carry aound 2 devices. My phone + teh Tab. And if I ahve to use their stupid plan / SIM card I will have to
I am surprised we don't see many more reactions. I thought a lot of us were doing Data + voice using their phone plans... Maybe not everybody was blocked yet. Or I just overestimate the number of US users using their tab like this. What's unbelievable is how other countries are managing the Tab vs the US (real pain here...)

Alcibiade said:
Funny cause it's exactly what I told them: I have a foreign phone as well (On top of my Tab) and I bet them that my foreign phone would have the same issue
MMh so they either detect what we do with the IMEI or potentially the radio (Or a combination of both)
I feel really bad trying to find a workaround while what I ma doing is perfectly legit when it is on my TP2, or I am even ready to pay for their Tethering plan........
If the issue is just the IMEI, that can be easily solved... But I dont like to have to be sneaky when again I pay honetsly my stuff every month
If you find a solution for your telus please tell us
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After getting off the phone here was the scenario:
The guy admitted to me that he was not very familiar with what was going on, however I could tell he was still trying pretty hard to find out how to resolve the issue by calling other departments and he didnt have a bias towards me having an unlocked phone like I know ATT personel tend to have.
Basically there were 3 options
1. return the phone which I laughed in his face ( this was recommended not by him but by another person in a diff dept
2. Turn the internet back on with the risk of shutting off again ( which I did not do because he told my my account was now flagged for disuse of internet and could result in plenty of charges I wouldn't want.)
3. Wait until Tuesday for a call back from him since some1 has to manually put in my IMEI # and override the system, (which was apparently down)
I took option 3 with the hopes that this will be resolved by the time the rep gets back to me on Tues. If it doesn't go well my phone is basically useless and I will probably push for a free phone somehow. Best of luck to everybody else, I will update ASAP

Just bought used Atrix, AT&T auto data upgrade

I just bought a used Atrix from a friend and don't want or need data. Plenty of wifi around me.
I have done some research on how to get around AT&T's auto data upgrade and it seems like everybody who gets a new iPhone who doesn't want or need data does the sim card swap. This is where they get a new sim card, put it in their old phone, call att and data block it, then put the new sim into their new iPhone. My question is, is this the only way to get around the auto upgrade? And will this work with any smart phone, not just the iPhone?
Sorry if this is an old topic, but I searched and couldn't find a suitable answer so I figured I'd come to the pro's.

Atrix 4G Q&A
For all of your questions relating to the AT&T Motorola Atrix 4G

Just call them and be like you cannot afford it. If the rep refuses ask for the manager, if he refuses ask them for the corporate number and call them. I did that few times to get early upgrades and always worked.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App

The SIM card trick stopped working a while back, its impossible to not get a data plan with a smartphone now on AT&T unless you find a way to spoof your IMEI, which you're not going to find anything on because its illegal in some countries. Sorry.
They really shouldnt be able to force people to get data plans if they dont want them (for non-subsidized phones), but for now there's not much that can be done about it.

I don't think there is a way to avoid this since the minute you turn your phone on, they have your IMEI and all the other info based off of that. They made it very clear that you can't use smartphone without data plan. It will be added automatically

mac208x said:
Just call them and be like you cannot afford it. If the rep refuses ask for the manager, if he refuses ask them for the corporate number and call them. I did that few times to get early upgrades and always worked.
How did u get an early upgrade?
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
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Click to collapse
Sent from my MB860 using xda premium

Jotokun said:
... its impossible... unless you find a way to spoof your IMEI... its illegal in some countries.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that's ridiculous. anyone know why?
Jotokun said:
They really shouldnt be able to force people to get data plans if they dont want them (for non-subsidized phones)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App

ifalldownalot said:
that's ridiculous. anyone know why?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Smarter thieves often change a phone's IMEI number so that if a device is reported stolen, its harder to track. Also a way to get around having a phone's specific IMEI number banned from a network, again usually because of theft.

[Q] another rooting razr m post questions

had trave mod wifi with motochopper root on my old razr m, turned off the update message, phone was about 6 months old and took a ****
got a replacement phone on the old update (yay!!) and never even thought about it updating because i figured there had to be something out for the new update by now... had the phone for 2 days and woke up the morning after a good drunk (hung over like a mofo) and was trying to send a text when the update popped up and i hit yes.... so 98.30.1.xt907 is what im on now and appears to be an epic fail at this point lol
my bootloader is locked and 4G is the only internet out in my area so im not paying verizon $100 a month for internet again... so my questions.
I dont really need root if i can use mobile hotspot or foxfi or w/e wifi app for free. Id pay for the app if it unlocked the ability to use mobile hotspot...is it possible and is there one out there?
If i cant do it without root is there one out there for the new update (searched this hard far and wide doesnt look good)
If there is no hope of free mobile hotspot on this phone what are a couple newer 4g phones through verizon i could buy (still on the old unlimited plan)
thanks for any help

L1ND said:
had trave mod wifi with motochopper root on my old razr m, turned off the update message, phone was about 6 months old and took a ****
got a replacement phone on the old update (yay!!) and never even thought about it updating because i figured there had to be something out for the new update by now... had the phone for 2 days and woke up the morning after a good drunk (hung over like a mofo) and was trying to send a text when the update popped up and i hit yes.... so 98.30.1.xt907 is what im on now and appears to be an epic fail at this point lol
my bootloader is locked and 4G is the only internet out in my area so im not paying verizon $100 a month for internet again... so my questions.
I dont really need root if i can use mobile hotspot or foxfi or w/e wifi app for free. Id pay for the app if it unlocked the ability to use mobile hotspot...is it possible and is there one out there?
If i cant do it without root is there one out there for the new update (searched this hard far and wide doesnt look good)
If there is no hope of free mobile hotspot on this phone what are a couple newer 4g phones through verizon i could buy (still on the old unlimited plan)
thanks for any help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately, you can't root that system version. There is the entitlement hack for people that are still on the unlimited plan, but I think you need to be rooted to modify the build.prop. With that being said, I'm not sure about all the phones that Verizon offer, but the HD and M were both updated at the same time and that update blocked root. The X can be rooted and you should be able to run the hack on that. However, you'll have to pay full price since you're going to upgrade off contract.