For those of you using iPhones on cellular (EGPRS/GPRS/EDGE/G3) networks that do not include unlimited data access, you probably want to disable Internet access through your service provider’s network, and use only wifi for Internet access. In the first generation iPhone, you could disable cellular Internet access by changing the APN (access point name) in the Settings utility on the phone.
In the new iPhone 2.0, however, 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. Sneaky, and evil.
To change the APN in iPhone 2.0, with underhanded carriers that disable the option in the iPhone Settings, you need the iPhone Configuration Utility, which is provided for enterprise customers to deploy configurations within their organization. For your convenience, I’ve created a basic configuration profile that does just one thing: sets the APN to “NULL”, so that your phone won’t be able to use your cellular provider’s Internet service. Here it is.
To install it on your phone, simply e-mail it to yourself as an attachment, and open it on your iPhone. When you click on the attachment on your iPhone, it will prompt you about applying the new configuration, and warn you about no trusted signature (I didn’t pay Verisign). Once the profile is installed, it won’t be possible for your iPhone to use your carrier’s network for Internet access. If you wish to re-enable cellular data access, all you need to do is open Settings -> General -> Profile, and remove the profile. The phone might require a reboot after removing the profile.
Enjoy!
21 comments
Comments feed for this article
September 11, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Speedious
ok…so when i click on email it to myself …it opens my mail service. How do i add it as an attachment?
September 12, 2008 at 8:43 am
Andre's
if you open the attachment it will just add your APN settings. You do not have to install anything. But if you upgrade to Iphone software 2.0.2 then the APN settings is back and you can enter it manually.
September 15, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Ben
I see no attachment when i push your emaillink
September 16, 2008 at 10:29 am
Andre's
Ben, If you upgrade to Iphone version 2.0.2 then you can enter the APN settings manually also if you upgrade to 2.1 then you can add it in manually. So you do not have to go through the effort of getting this settings mailed to you.
September 18, 2008 at 11:20 pm
marc
is there is another solution
September 20, 2008 at 3:21 am
Seb
Is this applicable to iphone 2.1?
September 22, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Andre's
marc and Seb, if you upgrade your 2G Iphone you do not need to add this. This was only applicable on Iphone software version 2.0.1. You can manually add your APN setting in IPhone software 2.0.2 and 2.1.
Hope this helps
September 29, 2008 at 4:10 am
Phil
Thank you so much for this! Very useful.
November 15, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Digital Tox
[…] interestingly the carrier internet settings are removed from the settings menu, Vodafone has total control on our internet settings, thanks Voda. Again, the iPhone3G is not unlocked yet via software, the […]
January 6, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Annoyed
This was blatantly ripped-off from http://brent.kearneys.ca/2008/07/21/iphone-20-how-to-disable-cellular-internet-access/. I bet the rest of the articles on this blog were stolen too.
January 17, 2009 at 8:02 pm
Andre's
annoyed, sorry that I used this info as I just wanted to make it available for people to find and read. So by the way I did not copy if from his blog…. his one is old news
June 4, 2009 at 7:51 pm
RG
I have a Fido I phone.
– Does it matter that the profile file (which is in XML) refers to rogers?
– How would I undo this if required/wated later on.
Good work on the information even if it from somewhere else:)
Thanks
RG
June 15, 2009 at 3:25 pm
Andre's
If you install the package on your phone then you can uninstall it under Settings/general/profiles… It works on Iphone version 3.0 GM
August 4, 2009 at 1:30 am
Jon
Any update on how to do this with a 3g iphone running 3.0 software? I have an active prepaid sim card with no data plan. I will never use it as a phone, i just want wifi data and ipod. any ideas?
September 2, 2009 at 10:29 am
Den
Can someone please kindly help me on how i can apply these settings step by step? I am using an iPhone 3G by Softbank here in Japan. My current firmware version is 3.0 jailbroken. Thank you in advance.
September 2, 2009 at 10:33 am
Den
And one more thing. Will these changes also disable mms send/receive function of the iphone?
December 7, 2009 at 5:58 am
vish
i installed Apn via the iphone config utilty . after rebooting the device the apn comes up as ” unsigned” and i am not able to remove it via the config utility . anybody knows how to remove the unsigned APN and install a new one . i want to access my service provider’s gprs so i need to create a new apn but this is not possible cause that ” unsigned” APN won’t go away .. pls help . i am on vodafone in INdia
December 7, 2009 at 9:46 am
Atif
Hello every one
any one help me to disable GPRS in 3 Gs iphone
its auto connect my internet n i losing my credit
November 1, 2011 at 7:40 pm
international phone service
Hi there, I found your blog by means of Google even as searching for a similar topic, your web site got here up, it looks good. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
September 11, 2014 at 1:06 am
http://www.youtube.com
You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this matter to be really something which I
think I would never understand. It seems too complicated and extremely broad for me.
I’m looking forward for your next post, I will try to get the hang of
it!
September 12, 2014 at 6:31 am
root htc One mini
What’s Taking place i’m new to this, I stumbled upon this I have found It
positively useful and it has helped me out loads.
I’m hoping to contribute & assist different users like its
helped me. Good job.