Vodafone India – GPRS for iPhone without Data Plan
Update: If you have the latest version of iOS (3.1.3, 4.0, 4.1 or later), please check update below.
Vodafone(India) will not allow to use the regular GPRS plan (Vodafone Live) on iPhone. We need to take special iPhone data plan which costs min of Rs 199. This is sort of insane, So I just took a crack at it and found a way to access the internet using the regular plan. I have an unlocked, jailbroken iPhone which is running 3.0 firmware. Please follow the below instructions.
Using OpenSSH, edit preferences.plist located in /private/var/preferences/SystemConfiguration.
Important: Make sure you take a backup of the original preferences.plist.
Around line number 89 (this is appox line number, contents of the file may change based on your phone settings) replace the <dict> with below <dict>
<dict> <key>Interface</key> <dict> <key>DeviceName</key> <string>ip1</string> <key>Hardware</key> <string>com.apple.CommCenter</string> <key>Type</key> <string>com.apple.CommCenter</string> <key>UserDefinedName</key> <string>com.apple.CommCenter (ip1)</string> </dict> <key>Proxies</key> <dict> <key>HTTPEnable</key> <integer>1</integer> <key>HTTPPort</key> <integer>9401</integer> <key>HTTPProxy</key> <string>10.10.1.100</string> </dict> <key>UserDefinedName</key> <string>com.apple.CommCenter (ip1)</string> <key>com.apple.CommCenter</key> <dict> <key>AllowNetworkAccess</key> <integer>1</integer> <key>Available</key> <integer>1</integer> <key>Setup</key> <dict> <key>AllowNoDNS</key> <integer>1</integer> <key>apn</key> <string>portalnmms</string> <key>password</key> <string></string> <key>type-mask</key> <integer>1</integer> <key>username</key> <string></string> </dict> <key>Version</key> <integer>2</integer> </dict> </dict>
To activate Vodafone Live (GPRS) see Vodafone Website
Update: The below configuration is working on 3.1.2 as well, but the line numbers are little different.
Update (16 Mar 2010):
Many guys have commented that the changes that were made in preferences.plist are lost after restarting the iPhone (for versions 3.1.2 and 3.1.3). So today i decided to take a look at it. And what you guys said is absolutely right, i upgraded my iPhone OS to 3.1.3 and i see that the settings are lost after restarting the phone. And you guys don't worry, i had found a way to fix this and this is much easier than my previous solution. Below are the step by step instructions.
- Download and Install iPhone Configuration Utility from http://support.apple.com/kb/DL926
- Open the application, Select Configuration Profiles on the left hand side menu and click New in the toolbar; Enter the name, identifier, organization and description; see the image below for more details
- Now go to Advanced option and set the apnname = portalnmms, proxy server =10.10.1.100 and port = 9401
- Connect your iPhone to computer via USB cable and you should see your iPhone in the devices menu on Left hand side. Select your device
- Select Configuration Profiles tab and you should see the Vodafone Profile; Click on Install
- You will see a pop on your iPhone asking for permission to install the configuration, Click Install button in your iPhone
- Turn on Data Roaming. Data Roaming can be turned on from Settings > General > Network on you iPhone.
- And you are done with the configuration. You should be able to use internet on your iPhone now. If its not working just reboot your phone.
Hope this helps !! Please feel free to give your Feedback, Suggestions
Update(08 July 2010): Few guys confirmed that this is working on iOS 4 as well, i personally couldn't test this at this point of time as i'm out of country. I will update this post as soon as i'm back in India. Thanks Sanjeev, Taran for testing it out on iOS 4. You might need to download the upgraded version of the configuration utility. You can download it from http://support.apple.com/kb/DL926.
Update(14 Nov 2010): This configuration works good on iPhone 4 as well. Tested and Certified by me 
Update(10 Dec 2010): For those that this configuration is not working, please turn on Data Roaming. Data Roaming can be turned on from Settings > General > Network.
Update(2nd May 2011): 4.1, 4.1.2 are good with the same configuration
Update(31st May 2011): I Confirm that 4.3 is good with the same configuration for iPhone 4.
December 4th, 2010 - 04:05
thnx bro.. it works
December 7th, 2010 - 14:36
he buddy!!! i have tried this on my iphone 4. i have tried the configuration utility option. didnt worked for me! i am using IOS 4.0.1. Can you please help me out??
December 10th, 2010 - 11:36
@Vishnu
Vishnu did you turn on Data Roaming ??
December 12th, 2010 - 04:12
i have tried using both….keeping it on and off, but didnt worked
December 14th, 2010 - 11:40
Javachap,
I have a iphone 4 with ios 4.2, did everything u asked me to do but i still cant access the net..my Vodafone live has been activated but i keep getting the dumb msg.. ‘ could not activate cellular data network’ everytime i open safari…pls help!!! S.O.S
August 5th, 2011 - 09:58
Hi Javachip,
I faced a similar problem.
I just dropped a mail to vadafone customer care and threatened to escalate the issue. Within two days I got a call from a senior executive who then fixed the problem in 2 hrs.
December 17th, 2010 - 08:00
M using iphone 3g , i have activated my vodafone live service n internet…i did all what u said but still i cant use it.
December 23rd, 2010 - 17:12
Hey buddy thnx but this is only use for web surfing not for app puchase plz suggest…
December 27th, 2010 - 05:21
Big Thank To You Sir it’s work
December 27th, 2010 - 11:36
dude i have an iphone 3g version 3.1.3……and ive tried evrything but still its not wokrkng..pls do something
December 28th, 2010 - 16:57
Hi, i have tried this method but not able to connect to the Vodafone GPRS network….pls.help….
December 28th, 2010 - 18:23
hey guys it worked once and then now it says “there was a problem communicating with the web proxy server http” can somebody help pls.
January 5th, 2011 - 14:59
I have an iPhone 3GS (4.2.1). I’m using prepaid and activated unlimited data (2GB) for Rs. 95
I have used APN as www and still getting charged. I have followed the instructions using iPhone Configuration Utility on my Mac.
August 2nd, 2011 - 06:03
I am facing the same problem. I need to understand, is there a way I can use 2 GB data plan on my iPhone 4, pay per use data plan is charging me insane money. Please reply … also can anyone confirm does IDEA Gprs work on iPhone 4 with 2 GB data Plan ! I dont want to cut another SIM until and unless it is confirmed.
January 7th, 2011 - 09:20
Man, it is working like a Charm… I am thrilled. you know guys without data plan, Iphone is no use… YOU ROCK MAN….Keep going…
January 9th, 2011 - 18:54
@sriram
Hi, i tried the steps as mentioned above. Done with all the settings. yet it says that internet is not connected… Should we activate the usual vodafone GPRS before doing these settings?
have a postpaid connection with VOdafone.
January 11th, 2011 - 04:45
Hi,
I have the iData 199 plan active and the moment I’ve switched to iPhone 4 from 3GS, the plan no longer works. Any solution for me? Please do let me know.
January 19th, 2011 - 08:53
super its working for iphone 4 ios thx a lottttttttttttttttttttttt
January 19th, 2011 - 14:54
This trick worked very fine on iphone 3GS 4.0.1 but since I updated to 4.2.1, Its not working. I have re-installed it but no success. Any idea guyz?
January 20th, 2011 - 14:23
Please let me know if someone got it working on 4.2.1
January 22nd, 2011 - 16:31
Dude….. you are simply AWSOME
…………..
January 24th, 2011 - 11:25
hi Thanks a ton, it worked for me. You got me rid of getting exploited by cellular companies.
January 26th, 2011 - 22:22
yeah its working on 4.2.1
January 26th, 2011 - 22:28
you rock
January 28th, 2011 - 19:09
Thanks a lot. It worked for me.
iPhone 3g (Unlocked)
Carrier: Vodafone.
iOS: 4.2.1
BB: 6.15.00
January 28th, 2011 - 19:09
Whats ur twitter id Vishnu? @JavaChap
January 28th, 2011 - 20:20
Hi
I need to know once the above is done and I start browsing, is the internet used from the Vodafone live or from the Vodafone mobile connect plan
January 29th, 2011 - 00:22
Dude thanks….Any idea how to go about tethering??????
January 29th, 2011 - 20:12
brother…I tried everything but its not working with my Iphone 4 which I’ve just purchased this week (27-Jan-2011).
I’ve also consulted vodafone store but they were unable to help. I have my data plan activated and also have internet working on my connection…pls help..this thing is useless without internet..
January 31st, 2011 - 17:20
hey hi
i am super bad with technical stuff about electronic’s just not my cup of tea & hence i have no idea wat to do….cud u pls help me out wid this lil problem m facing….
i have iphone 3g wid locked with vodafone , the version is 4.2.1 & the firmware is 05.15.04
my wifi is not working
( and hence now m forced to use idata plans of vodafone which sucks bigtime as d speed is pathetic…
do u know anybody who cud fix my wifi
or can u suggest which is the best & cheapest way to use internet on iphone from vodafone live or idata plans or gprs..pls leme know to earliest…
m waiting…\
thankx a zillion
February 3rd, 2011 - 06:42
hey great work.. got voda live working on safari.. how to make it work on the other apps? and also how to use pdanet for tethering with this?
please suggest!
February 4th, 2011 - 12:16
@gaurav
same prb with me also
February 4th, 2011 - 12:17
@ricky
hi ricky its not working can u help me out
February 9th, 2011 - 08:25
Hey I’m having iphone 3GS 4.1 followed the steps several times but still i’m not being able to browse internet from my iphone. I’ve activated my GPRS and enabled “Data Roaming” as well. Is there any other change in the steps for 4.1 or am i missing something?
February 9th, 2011 - 08:27
@archana makwana
have u got ur problem fixed? if not lemme know i can try fixing it up for u.
February 10th, 2011 - 21:02
Thanks..It worked for my 3g phone as well.
February 14th, 2011 - 14:53
Hey….wt are the normal charges?
cuz i tried something like that earlier it worked well…
but my balance was deducted Rs 5 per 5mins
nd end of the day i had 2 throw my sim cuz my balance was Rs -143
lolxx
February 14th, 2011 - 18:41
Hi, I was looking for GPRS settings for iPhone 4 on the web and i found this link. http://db.tt/fuRu86B
Just open it in your phone’s safari browser and it will ask to download a profile to your phone.
I tried it, it worked fine on safari and some of the apps (like FB, Yahoo Messenger, and couple of others). I have not tried it on all the apps though.
February 15th, 2011 - 17:22
i done all the settings as above but my gprs is very slow.when i try to open a page it shows server hangup.pl help
February 17th, 2011 - 15:57
apn name portalnmms is not for gprs. apn name should be WWW. i tried it and my gprs is working well
February 23rd, 2011 - 07:42
can someone please confirm if tethering is also enabled?
February 26th, 2011 - 11:36
this really works man, it works in first try, and i am using iphone4 4.2.1. thx for help
February 26th, 2011 - 11:39
@Sagar
may be u r using the software of window version in mac, try using in window, any futher help pls mail me ur question at lakhy113@gmail.com
February 26th, 2011 - 13:53
I have done the above settings for my iphone 3gs ver 4.2.1.
do need to activate some gprs plan? I have vodafone as a carrier and I am from mumbai.
can anyone help?
February 27th, 2011 - 14:43
It works fine for once say for 3/4 days (iphone4), than get’s disturbed. tried it thrice in 2 months. when the setting is configured it connects to net, but after 3/4 days it stops working.
please check what could possibly be the issue.
February 28th, 2011 - 12:08
hey my maps are working, but nor gmail?
any problems? @Fakhruddin
March 9th, 2011 - 04:46
Hey Javachap,
I am using an iPhone 4 and have installed the Vodafone profile using the iPhone Configuration Utility. The internet is working absolutely fine but the following apps aren’t working:
App Store
iTunes
Mails
WhatsApp
Skype
Viber
Could you help me make these apps work using Vodafone Live?
Cheers
Sat
March 11th, 2011 - 13:31
every things works fine on my iphone 1st generation 3.1.3
but only whatsapp is not working plz help!!!!!!!!!!
March 12th, 2011 - 20:30
dude!!!!! finally ….finally…..i am connected without goofing up the vodafone iphone plan.
i cn use my normal gprs plan….ur a champ.
March 13th, 2011 - 04:27
Hey dude….it’s working with my iphone 3g as well….great peace of work and very much useful….thank u
March 13th, 2011 - 08:42
Hi,
i have a jailbroken iphone 3gs. i would like to use vodafone Mobile internet Pack (Rs. 95 – 4gb). But vodafone doesnt allow this on iphone. They advice for the data plan which is too costly (Rs 200 – 200mb).
Can some help me on this. Thanks
March 14th, 2011 - 04:08
hi, it worked for last month but after changing SIM and number its not working. has Vodafone changed something at their end ? plz help