Loading ...Update #2:As a heads up to anyone wanting to try this out, please read this post first before continuing.
As you may know the new T-Mobile G1 Android phone is out, and requires some potentially expensive-ass data plans to function fully ($24.99 for unlimited “data”, but 400 messages including “SMS, IM and email” or $34.99 for totally unlimited… so apparently emails and IM are no longer considered “data” and actually eat into your SMS pool now with the $24.99 plan? WTH T-Mobile?)
Update #1: Todd Swarthout just sent in a clarification that all non-Google IM/Email traffic counts against your total 400 count; more specifically, if you already use GTalk for chat and Gmail for email, those won’t count against your 400 count limit. However, if you use MSN and Hotmail or Yahoo (for example) then those will count against your 400 count total under the $24.99/mo plan.
Anyway, most of you T-Mobile data-phone users out there know that the EDGE-enabled data plan that all the BlackBerry folks and SideKick folks have been using for years is only $20/mo. If you don’t need the 3G network for the G1 plan or don’t live in an area with 3G coverage so using it makes no sense and want the cheaper plan, you’re in luck, there is a way to configure your T-Mobile G1 to use the older and cheaper T-Mobile EDGE network and we’ll show you how to do it…
First, open Settings and go to Wireless Controls:
Second, scroll down and click Mobile networks:
Third, scroll down to Access Point Names and click it:
Fourth, scroll down and find the network you want to configure to use, we chose T-Mobile US:
NOTE: The default value for this network is epc.tmobile.com, in the screenshot above it’s changed cause we took the screenshot after we changed it.
Fifth, click to edit the APN value and type in: wap.voicestream.com:
Now hit OK, go back to the home screen and go use a function that requires data access (and make sure you don’t have WiFi on still).
In our case we synced our email and opened up Google Maps and found New York City:
Now you are all set, you can use the $20/mo EDGE data plan with your T-Mobile G1 instead of their $24.99 or rediculous $34.99 data plan assuming you don’t need 3G. In our case this worked perfectly because we don’t even have 3G coverage where we are, so effectively paying more for the $25 plan and getting less (400 email/IM or SMSs) makes no sense for us.
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December 29th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Dude! This totally worked! company wouldn’t change my plan from the edge to the G3–thank you for posting this!
December 29th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Sean,
Glad I could help!
February 2nd, 2009 at 4:31 pm
This is exactly what I did and everything works except MMS, I receive the message but I can’t download the pics! You wouldn’t happen to know a solution do you?
February 3rd, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Rob, sorry bud no idea there, never tried any MMS.
February 25th, 2009 at 11:24 pm
well for Sidekick people with their $20/month thing you cant use any of these setting but i took my time and went looking and for anyone with Sidekick plan use Hiptop.t-mobile.com as your APN setting or it will not work. not many people knows this but yeah none of these setting will work if you got the old sidekick plan, use mine :]
SIDEKICK APN SETTING:
Hiptop.t-mobile.com
Hiptop.t-mobile.com
Hiptop.t-mobile.com
Hiptop.t-mobile.com
Hiptop.t-mobile.com
Hiptop.t-mobile.com
Hiptop.t-mobile.com
Hiptop.t-mobile.com
Hiptop.t-mobile.com
just wanna make sure you guys get it lol
March 29th, 2009 at 8:54 am
The sidekick plan has unlimited web email text and IM….will these transfer over to the G1 or will tmobile charge me for every text and IM email etc.
March 30th, 2009 at 5:37 am
Manny,
When the original article was written, the tip applied to both the BlackBerry and Sidekick data plans converting over to the G1 with no problem — unfortunately after a few weeks of folks doing this, it looks like T-Mobile got wise to the trick and a few people online reported getting their data plan turned off by T-Mobile.
May 31st, 2009 at 7:02 pm
This totaly wrks
im usin sidekick plan n gettin 3g service
danks
May 31st, 2009 at 8:29 pm
Hey I have the sidekick slide data plan I think I pay 20 to 25 for it, I might get a G1 tomorrow would the hiptop.T-mobile thing work for me or is there an easier way??? Email me plz at hidden-life13@hotmail.com
June 1st, 2009 at 6:45 am
Bruno,
From what I’ve read T-Mobile has locked down their network pretty good to only allow G1’s (and the upcoming “G2″/”MyTouch” devices) to only work with their associated data plans.
I started to see comments from folks that could get the G1s working on the older APN, but then they would get detected and shut off by T-Mobile after a week or so. So it seems T-Mo isn’t messing around, they want you to use the specific data plan for that device.
The base G1 data plan I believe is still $25/mo so it’s not too much more than what you are paying.