Can you activate a Windows Phone without a sim in it?

[MikaelSmoot]

was going to get a lumia 520 or maybe a refurbed 920 to use as a pmp

do i need to put my sim in to activate or can i do it without?

 

[Mr Lebowski]

You can play music and view loaded videos without a SIM, it's like airplane mode, but "activate" what do you mean by activate ?

 

[sejgiul]

You don't need a sim

 

[Microsoftjunkie]

If you use any MS service you will essentially need to "activate" it. If not, you're fine with your own preloaded music.

 

[Ashish Saraf1]

was going to get a lumia 520 or maybe a refurbed 920 to use as a pmp

do i need to put my sim in to activate or can i do it without?

You will still be restricted from using many features

sent either from my Nokia Lumia 820 or HTC Desire HD

 

[Speedygi]

You'd need the sim to activate it the first time and then you don't need it in subsequent usage.

Sent from my Z10 using Tapatalk 2 Beta-5

 

[badplanet]

I believe you need the sim in it to download the Here map files but you can remove the sim after that.

 

[Citizen X]

I believe you need the sim in it to download the Here map files but you can remove the sim after that.

Not true.

You can turn on your Windows Phone and set it up without a SIM. Everything works that I have tried except Whatsapp (you need to have text messaging for setup). All you need to do is have an Outlook.com account. So set that up on your computer and use that login for you phone when asked. You of course need a wifi connection as well. If you have contacts in your outlook.com account they will automatically populate your phone when you sign in. I was able to install all my apps. I can send and receive emails and surf the web. Nokia HERE GPS works. I downloaded several maps.

 

[hopmedic]

Not true.

You can turn on your Windows Phone and set it up without a SIM. Everything works that I have tried except Whatsapp (you need to have text messaging for setup). All you need to do is have an Outlook.com account. So set that up on your computer and use that login for you phone when asked. You of course need a wifi connection as well. If you have contacts in your outlook.com account they will automatically populate your phone when you sign in. I was able to install all my apps. I can send and receive emails and surf the web. Nokia HERE GPS works. I downloaded several maps.

THIS. Using WiFi, nearly everything will work. No, you can't text, you can't make phone calls other than 911, but unless an app requires one of those two things, it'll all work.

 

[1jaxstate1]

I have a HTC 8X, with no SIM. I use Skype for all my calls. I have all the MS services and access to the marketplace. It works just as it would if it had a SIM in it. The only thing is, I can't get text messages.

 

[Mr Lebowski]

I have a HTC 8X, with no SIM. I use Skype for all my calls. I have all the MS services and access to the marketplace. It works just as it would if it had a SIM in it. The only thing is, I can't get text messages.

or make cellular phone calls (911 not withstanding)

 

[1jaxstate1]

I make calls using Skype.

or make cellular phone calls (911 not withstanding)

 

[jojoe42]

I make calls using Skype.

Skype supports text messaging to international numbers doesn't it? You get a Skype number right?

 

[ntice_521]

HERE Drive on the 52x won't work without a SIM card. This is because Drive (unlike Drive+ on more expensive models) uses the SIM to limit itself to one country.

 

[1jaxstate1]

I have a Skype number. The Skype app on WP8 doesn't support text messages. Skype on Android and iOS supports text out, but not inbound text. Which I find just as useless.

Skype supports text messaging to international numbers doesn't it? You get a Skype number right?

 

[1jaxstate1]

Ok, if you using skype for cell phone service, you can't text. But there's a work around. You can use hotmail to email a text message. I've been using this method to text people who refuse to use switch from a text message plan.

Set your hotmail to receive messages as soon as they come in and you have a "text" solution. Here's what you need to send text message to various US carriers.
ATT
5551234567@txt.att.net
5551234567@mms.att.net

Sprint
5551234567@messaging.sprintpcs.com

Verizon
5551234567@vtext.com

Tmobile
5551234567@tmomail.net

 

[anon(123856)]

Not true.

You can turn on your Windows Phone and set it up without a SIM. Everything works that I have tried except Whatsapp (you need to have text messaging for setup). All you need to do is have an Outlook.com account. So set that up on your computer and use that login for you phone when asked. You of course need a wifi connection as well. If you have contacts in your outlook.com account they will automatically populate your phone when you sign in. I was able to install all my apps. I can send and receive emails and surf the web. Nokia HERE GPS works. I downloaded several maps.

This is really good to know. I just ordered a Lumia 520 (GoPhone) to goof around with. I figured I couldn't lose for $39.00.

 

[Chris_Kez]

HERE Drive on the 52x won't work without a SIM card. This is because Drive (unlike Drive+ on more expensive models) uses the SIM to limit itself to one country.

Ouch; that is unfortunate. Could you just activate it and get maybe just one month of service or the fewest possible minutes on a pre-paid plan? Or are you saying it will only work as a navigation device if you're an active cellular customer?

 

[ntice_521]

Ouch; that is unfortunate. Could you just activate it and get maybe just one month of service or the fewest possible minutes on a pre-paid plan? Or are you saying it will only work as a navigation device if you're an active cellular customer?

Don't know. This is just something I noticed when playing with the 521 for the first time, before inserting a SIM. (Everything else seemed to work without the SIM).

There is a $20 upgrade to Drive+ available, and presumably then it wouldn't care about country. But I can't say for sure.

 

[colinkiama]

Yes you can. I booted my 620 for the first time with no sim.