Editing APN on iPhone (3G/2.x fw) for carriers who don’t allow editing the APN
The new iPhone firmware 2.x doesn’t allow users to edit the APN for some carriers. In the new iPhone 2.0 Apple gave service providers the ability to disable this setting so you’ll automatically connect to the Internet through their network and incur their data access fees. What this also means is that you wont be able to edit the APN if its set to something else and you wont be able to access the Internet on their network until you change the APN. This means even if you have an officially unlocked iPhone, you can’t access Internet if you are on the network of service providers who don’t allow editing the APN setting.
So editing APN is useful in both scenarios 1. Those who want to change the APN to be able to access Internet 2. Those who want to change the APN value to some random string to avoid the hefty data charges.
Generally APN can be easily edited by going to Settings>General>Network>Cellular Data Network. Here’s the official guide to view/edit APN settings for the carriers who do allow editing.
For those who don’t allow editing – there are 2 ways to do it:
1. For those who have officially unlocked iPhone (Not Jailbroken): This is for people who have an officially unlocked iPhone (from Hong Kong, Singapore, Europe etc…) traveling to other countries and using a local sim on their unlocked iPhone. This is for users like me – I recently travelled to India (Bombay), i was using a local Vodafone sim card and wanted to change the APN so that i could use the Internet on my iPhone. Since my iPhone didn’t allow me to do so, i contacted the vodafone customer service and they were extremely clueless about the APN stuff – instead they advised me to get on a more expensive Internet data plan when i was already on a basic data plan. Knowing how clueless they were it was pointless to expect any help from them. Finally I figured out a way myself -
- Download and Install the iPhone Configuration Web Utility 1.0 for Windows (Mac version also available here) – This is basically for the enterprise customers to help them deploy configurations within their organization.
- After installation, open your web browser and access http://localhost:3000/ (Mac users – refer the guide)
- Enter Username/Password – admin/admin
- On the General tab – Edit Name, Identifier and Organization
- Click on Advanced tab – Edit the Access Point Name (APN)
- Back on the General tab click on Export Profile and save the configuration profile as a file
- Email yourself the configuration file as an attachment and open it on your iPhone
- Once you click on the attachment on iPhone it will prompt you about making configuration changes and warn you about no trusted signature, just click continue
- Once installed you will be able to access Internet if you entered proper APN string in step 5 or you wont be able to access Internet if your purpose was to disable Internet and you entered a random string in step 5.
2. For those who have unlocked/jailbroken iPhone: All you need to do is SSH to your phone and edit the carrier.plist file in /System/Library/Carrier Bundles/<YourCarrier>. (Example – in my case it was ../Carrier Bundles/Vodafone_in.bundle). Add the following:
<key>AllowEDGEEditing</key>
<true/>
just after
<?xml version=”1.0″ encoding=”UTF-8″?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC “-//Apple Computer//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN” “http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd”>
<plist version=”1.0″>
<dict>
once done -you should be able to edit the APN on the iPhone by going to Settings>General>Network>Cellular Data Network.
For more help on edting .plist refer to the forums.
This doesn’t work with the Vodafone Malta settings. Unless I am doing something wrong – do you have to reset permissions on the carrier bundle? Any thoughts?
I’ve got a first gen iphone with OS 2.1 pwnaged. I’m based in Malta and since the carrier setting update I’ve had my GPRS hobbled… I cannot get any data services via Vodafone – they are about the launch the 3G (end Oct according to the local Apple agent).
Mark Lightfoot
October 11, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Here is a dump of the plist… if it helps. I really want to get my GPRS back!
BookmarkURLs
BookmarkName
Vodafone
BookmarkURL
http://mobile.vodafone.com.mt
CarrierName
voda MT
MyAccountURL
http://mobile.vodafone.com.mt
MyAccountURLTitle
Vodafone
Services
ServiceCode
+356909
ServiceName
Mailbox
ServiceCode
112
ServiceName
Emergency Numbers
ShowCallForwarded
ShowCallForwarding
ShowTTY
SupportedSIMs
27801
SupportsNITZ
VisualVoicemailServiceName
none
VoicemailPilotNumber
+356909
apns
apn
iphone.vodafone.com.mt
password
iphone
username
iphone
apn
password
username
voicemail_context
0
Mark Lightfoot
October 11, 2008 at 9:53 pm
It should work on an open internet APN – That means if Vodafone Malta is using any proxy then it wont work. They should have an open internet APN (without proxies) – try using that.
AltF
October 13, 2008 at 4:23 am
[...] or for more technical information on how to do this use the following link… Editing APN on iPhone (3G/2.x fw) for carriers who don’t allow editing the APN « altf __________________ The greatest iPhone project ever – coming [...]
Edge not working, can I do this?
November 6, 2008 at 11:41 pm
hi, i’m in Yemen trying to get Sabafon internet on my iphone 3g 2.1 FW. I went into Settings>General>Network>Cellular Data Network> and i changed the APN and username to “sabanet” and the password left blank, like the representative told me. Yet no interent? i tried even filling the password as sabanet? no luck, should i do anything with VPN? is there a carrier bundle for Sabafon? or can i creat my own? please help i really want internet on my iphone!!!
naief
November 24, 2008 at 6:27 pm
this works but last time i did it it only worked for a few days???
shea
November 26, 2008 at 7:37 am
interesting… i’m also in india, and i’ve been trying to find the APN settings for Vodafone in Hyderabad so I can activate my new unlocked Google G1. the Vodafone customer service here has no clue what APN means. how did you find the settings? i’d really appreciate any pointers. thanks!
vamsi
December 16, 2008 at 5:03 pm
[...] (permalink) Hope this helps. Editing APN on iPhone (3G/2.x fw) for carriers who don’t allow editing the APN altf MBP 15.4",2.4Ghz, 4GB, Glossy | iPhone 3G 8GB | 1st Gen iPod Nano 4GB [...]
APN Editing - MacTalk Forums
February 6, 2009 at 3:30 am
Vodafone Malta GPRS/EDGE settings
Step 1
Check whether you have General>Network>Cellular Data Network option under “Settings”. If you do go to Step 3.
Step 2
If you don’t have that option you need to enable it via a special application in Cydia. Go to the website below which explains it.
http://digitoxies.blogspot.com/2008/11/week-of-iphone-day-3-break-free.html
Step 3
Go to General>Network>Cellular Data Network and enter “internet” (without the quotes) in all three fields.
Step 4
Go to Boss Pref and switch Edge ON.
Francis V
February 10, 2009 at 9:12 am
I’m trying to use my ATT sim with data plan on my factory unlocked iPhone 3G when I am in the US.
When I am in the UK for eg with a Vodafone SIM I am able to edit the APN settings by just going into Settings>Cellular Data Network> etc.
When I am outside the US and switch back to say my Vodafone SIM will the editable APN settings reappear on my Iphone or do I need to email this file with changes each time for each country.
Thanks
maya
February 13, 2009 at 2:35 pm
@maya – editable apn settings will reappear – you don’t need to email back the file.
AltF
February 16, 2009 at 11:14 am
That’s very helpful and a very useful well written how-to.
Thank you very much.
maya
February 16, 2009 at 12:59 pm
@maya – thanks.
AltF
February 19, 2009 at 1:59 pm
Well my questions are:
1. Having two carriers, one from Luxembourg LUXGSM and from the start working with a APN which I haven’t access on my network, can I access it any way and set up a second APN with my portuguese carrier which is accessible?
2. Is it possible to config the APN only with “internet” in the APN access name?
Carla
February 25, 2009 at 1:09 am
Thanks
Carla
February 25, 2009 at 1:09 am
@carla –
1. If I understand your question correctly – you cannot edit the APN settings with one carrier which allows you to edit and set it up for another carrier which doesn’t.
The minute you change the SIM all the APN/network settings are restored to defaults for that carrier.
2. Yes, its possible to config the APN with “internet” in the APN access name, but it will only work if the carrier supports it.
AltF
February 25, 2009 at 9:41 am
Question,
I have an unlocked/jailbreak iphone 2.0/ I had the full internet package, I just switched to TZones and now my APN settings are gone. How can I reinstall that so I can enter the settings? I can’t find the Tzone hack in cydia
kris
March 4, 2009 at 12:09 am
I had the same problem, cellur data was not coming up. i used t mobile here in the us. i got on installer downloaded kate utilities and it showed up
Manny Fresh
March 20, 2009 at 12:06 am
i downloaded kate utilities and even went to cydia and downloaded apn editing.. i have an iphone 3g and a tmobile unlimited plan….plz help me rbuena@ymail.com i really wna use this iphone 3g
Anonymous
June 3, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Question,
Ive bought a 3g iphone which is still on 2.2 from India on the vodafone network and Ive jail broken it.
I would like it to work in New Zealand on the vodafone network. ive managed to unlock it once by changing the apn but when i turned it off and turned it back on it lost its ability to read my sim! is that normal that the unlocking is sooo unstable?
chachi
March 22, 2009 at 2:11 am
Thanks a lot, this works fine for Orange Moldova network. I have edited my carrier budle plist file, after this i can edip my APN adress
ghenadie
May 22, 2009 at 5:23 pm
You are the man !!! Works with ATT
Mike
July 1, 2009 at 1:56 am
[...] [...]
iPhone 2G FW: 3.0 Edge problem - Apfelphone Forum
July 7, 2009 at 1:10 pm
To sabafon Yemen
I have iPhone 2g and iPhone 3g and working good imean connecting to the Internet very good but I have sabanet sim card not sabafon sim card the setting for the connecting is APN:sabanet password:blank
Moneer saleh
July 14, 2009 at 11:40 pm
[...] to enable APN editing ? Hello all. I have found a article about changing the proper carrier.plist to add this tag AllowEDGEEditing. But this did not work for [...]
How to enable APN editing ? - Hackint0sh
July 23, 2009 at 2:25 pm
[...] Editing APN on iPhone (3G/2.x fw) for carriers who don’t allow editing the APN fa ca in tutorialul ala. __________________ I have the body of a GOD…shame it`s Buddha. [...]
iPhone / iPhone 3G (Apple) - discutii generale, aplicatii, deblocare etc. - Page 466 - Computer Games Forum
July 23, 2009 at 2:55 pm
the website http://localhost:3000/ no longer works. what do i do?
thanks
anonymous
July 24, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Danke für diesen Tip – hat mir sehr geholfen. Auf meinem iPhone musste ich vor der Bearbeitung der Datei carrier.plist diese noch ins xml-Format umwandeln. Das geht einfach mit:
plutil -xml carrier.plist
Anschließend kann die Datei mit
vim carrier.plist
bearbeitet werden. Die Datei braucht nicht zurückkonvertiert werden und die Änderungen stehen im iPhone sofort zur Verfügung. Zur Deaktivierung habe ich hinter beide APN (Mobile Daten und Visual Voicemail) einfach “.off” geschrieben.
Genial einfach oder eben einfach genial. Nochmals vielen Dank für diesen Tip!
Manfred Mertens
July 29, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Thanx a lot dude…………………
SAJ
August 18, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Thank you so very much . i have activated VMC199 unlimited plan on my iphone . works great . Love you man . if you are planning to come to chennai , i would like to treat you for dinner
Sufiyan
September 5, 2009 at 9:01 am
Hi friend, pls help, i am using 3g with vodafone.. want to activate VMC (Edge ).. Kindly guide.. how to do this at skilled.trainers@gmail.com…Rgds Man…
Anonymous
October 13, 2009 at 7:19 am
[...] [...]
Anonymous
November 10, 2009 at 8:32 am