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How-To: Hack for unlimited SMS Messaging for T-Mobile

Posted in Howto, Tech by Derek at 12:02 pm

By default, SMS messages are sent via GSM. At present T-Mobile charges $2.99 for 300 messages and $6.99 for 1000 messages. Obviously the price of a few drinks at Starbucks which isn’t a big hit on the wallet. However, overage charges for going over your limit do add up. The secret loophole can be accessed with a simple settings tweak on your handset. Settings vary from handset to handset so please review your manual or the manufacturers website for reference.

The key is changing your SMS sending options from the default GSM to GPRS and making sure that GPRS is always ONLINE.

Laymen terms: GSM is the technology for making phone calls from your handset. GPRS is the technology that GSM uses for packet-switching protocols allowing internet access. By sending SMS messages via GPRS, T-Mobile is not able to keep track of the messages sent and received on your handset meaning that messages will not be deducted from your alloted SMS bucket in essence allowing unlimited SMS sending and recieving. There is no guarantee that this will work. However, I have successfully tested this on both T-Mobile pre-paid and post paid accounts. Results will vary.

Not guaranteed to work for all users. Tested with T-Mobile US post/prepaid accts.

Please note that the following loophole is not guaranteed to work for all subscribers. Results will vary from subscriber to subscriber. If by chance you are one of the lucky users that successfully enables this on their phones, congratulations. For everyone else, sorry and please do not call T-Mobile US customer care whining that you can’t get this working.

Please understand that this loophole is only known to exist for T-Mobile US GSM subscribers. ATT/Cingular customers are also GSM subscribers. Unfortunately I have not had the opportunity to test this on those networks.

Forum discussion

Revisited: A few of our readers who are Cingular customers have confirmed that this loophole does exist on their networks.

Update: Unfortunately widespread news of the once existent loophole caught the attention of T-Mobile. The loophole has since been closed and those seeking unlimited SMS utilizing GPRS will be disappointed. Don’t worry, keep checking UNEASYsilence for any updates on unlimited SMS messaging.

164 Responses to “How-To: Hack for unlimited SMS Messaging for T-Mobile”

  1. Dan says:

    Are you proposing you will do a tutorial….

    Email us a tips@uneasysilence.com

  2. JDOn says:

    Word is the loop still does work just with certain phones I need the walkthrough

  3. maNda says:

    i have a sidekick 2 and everything but i wanna kn0w h0w t0 get unlimited incomming calls

  4. Derek says:

    maNda. your request for a unlimited incoming calls is ridiculous ;) that’s not exactly like getting by with free sms’s. pay for an incoming unlimited plan.

  5. ty says:

    yall need to listen to derek there is no way for free minutes (if this changes derk hit me up in my email

  6. Hfgij says:

    You guuys are stupid… Listen to Dan and Derek….

  7. Christina says:

    Hi, JDon says that the “loop still does work just with certain phones,” if my phone isn’t one of the ones it works with, will it affect me in any negative way if I still try to use it? Or will it just charge like a regular text message through GSM? Thanks.

  8. gigi says:

    I have a prepaid tmobile how do i put unlimited texting on my cell?

  9. j9891 says:

    Well I have a nokia model 6600 and was wondering if anyone knew any type of anything that could help my phone, please e-mail me at : jonathan9891@yahoo.com

    Thank you very much

  10. Derek says:

    Please read through the comments. The loophole has been closed. If you’re hurting for text messages, go the prepaid route with the Sidekick II.

  11. Joe says:

    Does anyone know jow to setup SMS over GPRS for Tmobile on a Modem?

    Do you have to be connected by GPRS to send?

  12. ROBERT says:

    HOW DO I GET FREE SMS CODES FOR T-MOBILE PHONES, PRE-PAID

  13. TAMMY says:

    HOW DO I GET FREE TEXTING ON MY CELL PHONE I HAVE A T MOBILE PREPAID IF YOU HAVE THE CODE PLEASE TEXT IT TO ME AT 717 870 9931

  14. TAMMY says:

    SOME ONE PLEASE HELP ME

  15. greg says:

    the code for sms users should be #999#

  16. jose says:

    hey i wanna know how to get unlimited text messeging on my T610 phone and its prepaid so like can u tell me its like a real emergancy and give me the ip address and ip address apn address too and dns address and password and user id

  17. Bryan says:

    Anybody knows how to get internet from your phone when you have the 5.99 plan in your phone? I have a blue tooth conection., please contact me elcoyotecojorico@hotmail.com

  18. NO ONE says:

    0411430894 THERE WE GO PLAY

  19. sarah says:

    ok i dont know how to do this

  20. Jabulani says:

    HOW DO I GET FREE SMS CODES FOR VODACOM SA N-GAGE PHONES, PRE-PAID

  21. amanda says:

    how do i get free textin on my samsung t209

  22. [...] Coverage of the GSM to GPRS hack that enable unlimited SMS messages for T-Mobileread more | digg story [...]

  23. Raj says:

    I am Airtel service provider in India.I have sony erricssion T290i model…Any process to make my message free all over in India

  24. Blah says:

    How do I do this on my prepaid Nokia 6010? I’m a noobie so I need the full walkthrough.

  25. the man says:

    will this hack work with the new prepaid phones? like the Nokia 6030?

  26. udontknowme says:

    how do i get tha free texting code for a t mobile samsung prepaid phone? if you know how 2 do it text me at 256 749 8019

  27. MizzPimp1592 says:

    umm yea i am tryin to get the code for free unlimited text messeging on a samsung slider if u kno it text it to me 816-288-0055

  28. ??? says:

    i am also looking for tmobile prepaid codes for anything available please!! thanxxx

  29. dre says:

    wat if u have a motorola phone and it has a symbol of the at&t sign but u have a t-mobile sim card

  30. dre says:

    will it still work

  31. rosita says:

    i hace the t-mobile sda ,its prepaid and is there anything to hack it for free text messages i cant find the GRSP opiont thing. HELP ME!!!

  32. abhijit says:

    i want to hack other mobile. please give me tips

  33. sean barr says:

    can you send me the imformation on how to get free unlimited sms messaging for my motorola v-551 and any other free programs or web sites that offer any thing else

  34. Derek says:

    Readers really need to learn to “read”.

  35. abhijit says:

    i want to mobile hack.

  36. Brod says:

    @Derek: lol, I agree.

  37. anon says:

    yo,im tryin to find a way to get free prepaid internet,if anybody has any suggestions besides what was stated up there reply!

  38. sean barr says:

    i have t-mobile v360 how can i get free sms messaging

  39. Dustin says:

    hey i need to know how to “hack” my pre-paid cell phones i have a virgin mobile pre-paid and a verison wireless pre-paid cell also if there is any way to “hack” these phones please e-mail me as soon as you can at brn_patch@yahoo.com

    thanks -dustin

  40. Bobby says:

    Anon…

    If you have a tmobile pre pay account..you have free internet access..you will need to download a browser such as Opera Mini…to navigate better..i love it…good luck..

  41. abdul says:

    cn any1 giv me codes 4 unlimited sms on orange plz

  42. vjbug says:

    how can i change the sms setup to gprs on my razr v3. someone help please!

  43. curtis says:

    pls i want to know how to unlock motorola razor so ican send unlimited sms messaging

  44. melissa says:

    how can i get free texting on tmobile prepaid

  45. TJ says:

    could someone please tell me how to do this?
    here is my e-mail adress xtjsmith09x@yahoo.com
    please and thatnk you??!! =]

  46. kEVIN says:

    dOES ANYONE NO ANY TYPE OF CODES FOR TMOBILE, CINGULAR, AND VIRGIN MOBILE. iF U DO PLEASE SEND THEM TO TAKE4509@YAHOO.COM. i COULD REALLY USE IT. THANKS IN ADVANCE

  47. Michelle says:

    Free Java J2ME application to send unlimited SMS text messages from any mobile phone

    http://thinkabdul.com/2006/12/17/freeware-ad-supported-java-based-unlimited-sms-application-for-j2me-mobiles/

  48. T-Mobile Guy says:

    To check SMS on T-Mobile phone, #674# Send

  49. kiran says:

    I have nokia 6300 andd i have idea post paid connectioin, how it posible when i call another person not debit call charges from my accouut. if yes please give me detai How ?

  50. scott says:

    can some one tell me how to unlock unlimitaed txting how do u get to the GPRS thanks scott step by step please

  51. Hackattack says:

    Simply the ULTIMATE only real working hack for SMS texting service is to alter your service centre number to +4479588798744 (T-Mobile PAYG ONLY)

    I have successfuly sent UNLIMITED SMS messages from a T-Mobile SIM card that doesn’t even have any credit attached to it.

    NOTE: IF YOU ATTEMPT TO TOP-UP THE ACCOUNT WHILE YOU HAVE THE ALTERED NUMBER INSERTED, YOU WILL ENCOUNTER PROBLEMS!

    I recently aquired a NEW free SIM from a T-Mobile shop (mates rate) and didn’t bother topping it up. just activate the card, changed the number and start texting. T-Mobile sends a warning message about needing to change the service centre number, but the message still gets sent to the recipient.

  52. jblaze says:

    i have a sidekick id and i have been gettin free textin without hackin but how d0 i changed ma settings on a sidekick

  53. KIM says:

    in response to “HACKATTACK”’s post, i can’t seem to get that to work for texting. when i try to send a message, it just comes up with a message that says “reply?” as if i don’t have service. does that still work? and if so, it is for prepaid users, correct?

  54. joe says:

    Will this work on verizon prepaid INpulse ??????

  55. jon says:

    i tryed that center number on a fresh new sim card and it still says insuficiant funds what do you thinks wrong

  56. Jmac says:

    im trying to get unlimited texting for my t-mobile to go phone.I try the method stated but it doesnt work can someone help me???

  57. Jess_Dee_baybee says:

    How do i change tha sending options from the default GSM to GPRS and making sure that GPRS is always ONLINE.
    i have a T-Mobile sony ericsson W300i?

  58. Serenity says:

    goodness, do u people understand when Derek says, THE LOOPHOLE IS FKN CLOSED!!!! what part of that do u not understand?! QUIT ASKING DEREK HOW TO GET TO THE GSM/GPRS & STOP GIVING HIM UR PHONE MODEL, THERE’S NO FKNG POINT!! they sealed the loophole, so stop asking for unlimited texting! I CAN SEE Y HE STOPPED WRITING ON HERE! i know that whoever is about to post a comment underneath mine will see mine, so take the time & read this!!! IT’S CLOSED, CLOSED FOR GOOD.

  59. Serenity-4 says:

    Hi Serenity, how to get to gprs? Also, does it work on sony ericsson W300i? Thanks.

  60. Bob says:

    How do you get to the sms and change it for unlimited text?!

  61. elle says:

    does this work for black berry pearl? if so HOW?
    pls let me know because i have 400 text messages and i want to have the unlimited one but my mom doesnt wanna get it for me.
    sooo help is needed.

    thanks.
    :]

  62. jay says:

    how do i change the seting on my phone to get unlimited text?

  63. Clipton says:

    does this also work for the IM features……….

  64. S. Ella Haxor says:

    Just tried this as a “what the hell” on GoPhone (AT&T/Cingular prepaid) Nokia 2610, enabling Messaging Settings (Text Messaging) to send via “packet data” (GPRS) and enabling “always on” in Packet Data menu. DID NOT WORK; this loophole apparently is CONFIRMED CLOSED. The “G” (GPRS) symbol, which was showing as available prior to sending the test txt, was crossed out (indicating disabled) when sending, and immediately came back online afterwards. A check of my account balance shows a deduction of 20 cents. :( So it seems AT&T disabled it at the network level by rerouting SMS transmissions thru GSM regardless of set preferences, even though the settings are available on the phone menu (not crippled/removed like T-Mobile is infamous for). However, for some overseas providers who may not have caught on to the loophole and who offer cheap data rates (cheaper than their SMS), it may still work. Better still if you have flat-rate!
    Another option, for very cheap SMS which DOES (or did) work for me was to use Nimbuzz (a free mobile IM client) so as to use the internet connection with it’s per-kB rate to send SMS (which are much less than 1 kB). AT&T charges 0.5 cents per kB on prepaid versus 20 cents per standard SMS. To confirm that not too much data would be transferred upon log-on to Nimbuzz (which would have rendered the hack useless), I tested this using Nimbuzz Lite version (which would minimize the amount of data overhead by eliminating many unneeded options), and found that it cost about 20 cents to log on, but thereafter I was indeed getting SMS back and forth for only 0.5 cents each! So as long as the user maintains the Nimbuzz connection, the 20 cent fee will only be charged once upon log on (comparable to one standard outgoing SMS) and thereafter all messages sent during that session will be a fraction of the cost! After a lengthy back-and-forth texting session with my gf, I found I was only charged about 30 cents, 20 of which was incurred during Nimbuzz log-on data transfer, and the remainder for all the texts sent and received! Unfortunately , this hack stopped working after a couple days. I could not log on to Nimbuzz at all, and nothing was changed, settings or otherwise. Using different phones, but the same SIM, with the same dismal results, I determined that it’s likely AT&T caught on to what I was doing and blocked all attempts to access Nimbuzz servers using this account. :( I determined that it was not device-based (locking out a particular IMEI) because I tested using multiple phones. So, go ahead and try it but BE WARNED: YMMV and you do risk being forever locked out of using Nimbuzz on a given account (I didn’t care, but you might). Perhaps try with T-Mobile; maybe they will be less dastardly. ;) I do have other SIMs that I could use to get around this, but of course, each one may only work for a few days until locked out. Another possible hack if this happens to you is – if your phone offers it in the menu – to try different GPRS access points, or different ports (perhaps only one port or access point is blocked). I have not tested this yet.
    Again, if you have flat-rate or very low -cost per kB data on a foreign provider, this may be a viable long-term option.

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