How To VVM on AT&T (confirmed Samsung Focus S and Focus Flash)

txaggies07 · Mar 4, 2012

Many of you are aware of a thread in the Focus S section of this forum about someone with their Focus S getting VVM to work. However, it wasn't the most helpful thread to replicating it. I have since replicated this on a different device (the Focus Flash), so I wanted to post something here to let more people know.
Thanks to davezaff for the idea.

Here is how I did it on my Focus Flash. You will probably need a way to edit the APNs.

1. Update to 7740
2. Update to 8107
3. Insert sim card into an AT&T Android LTE phone (I used skyrocket)
4. Go to att.com and switch plan to Data Pro 4g LTE plan. I had to call to switch since it wasn't working on the website.
5. Setup VVM on Android LTE phone (don't know if this is necessary, but this is what I did....make sure friend knows the VM password so they can re-add it when they put their sim card back in.
6.Insert sim card back into Windows Phone
7. Call Voicemail
8. Wait for VVM to show up on phone (mine showed up after calling voicemail).
9. If sync error, edit the APN as follows

APN settings (delete the internet_line APN)
Create a new APN

APN Name: pta
Profile Category: internet (always on)
APN: pta
Auth type: None
Username:
Password:
Proxy address: proxy.mobile.att.net
Proxy domain:
Proxy port: 80

I now have working VVM on AT&T with my Samsung Focus Flash. My internet tethering still works (applied the Interop unlock + tethering hack from XDA). I have not tested MMS since I did this, but the MMS APN was untouched.

voluptuary · Mar 4, 2012

So they have tied vvm with their stupid data plans, how nice. So I can pay $20 for 300mb + vvm or I can pay $10 for unlimited data and traditional vm... ATT is so dumb.

O_G · Mar 4, 2012

Moved To WP7 General

This is not development, its more of a guide. Please post such threads in the WP7 General section

txaggies07 · Mar 4, 2012

For the normal person, it is pay $30 for 3GB of data with traditional VM or pay $30 for 3GB with VVM. The only difference is one plan has the word LTE at the end.

simbadogg · Mar 4, 2012

how can one even get the 8107 update on the samsung focus s? i tried the old force update method (disconnecting the internet connection) with zune, and that hasn't worked...

txaggies07 · Mar 5, 2012

simbadogg said:
how can one even get the 8107 update on the samsung focus s? i tried the old force update method (disconnecting the internet connection) with zune, and that hasn't worked...

This is the process I used:
http://www.mobiletechworld.com/2012/01/06/windows-phone-7-build-7-10-8107-79-roll-out-started-get-it-now-and-update-manually/

mmian · Mar 26, 2012

Any idea if this works with the ATT Titan?

Dr.8820 · Mar 26, 2012

mmian said:
Any idea if this works with the ATT Titan?

Yes, and just download the English only language pack.

mmian · Mar 26, 2012

i already updated to 8107, but im asking if the vvm works for the titan, i also don't know anyone with an LTE android phone

sirfergy · Mar 26, 2012

Does this work if you don't setup VVM on the android device first? I was thinking of just calling AT&T and asking to be switched to the 4G plan.

dasarp · Mar 27, 2012

Get it working without an LTE device

OK, I got this to work on my Lumia 800. Furthermore, I didn't have an LTE device.

What I did have however, is an AT&T store that caters extensively to my place of work (a software company). They are really nice, understand unusual requests, and try everything to help.

I did the following:
1. Upgrade the OS as per the original post.
2. Call the nice AT&T store that I mentioned above. Asked them to put me on an LTE plan. (I was already on an enterprise plan, so I was moved to the same enterprise plan but the LTE version. Cost of my plan remained unchanged).

I explained that I was doing some app development, and planned to be swapping phones from time to time, some of which are LTE phones. (I also have a microsim adapter, so moving between phones that take microsim and regular sim is not an issue for me).
They asked if I'd like VVM provisioning. I said yes.
They told me that they would change my listed phone to a blank IMEI (basically change the IMEI listed on my account to a blank IMEI that's associated with an LTE phone for provisioning purposes). I don't know if this is something all stores would be willing to do.

3. In the APN settings, I changed my APN to pta. I did NONE of the other settings mentioned (proxy, proxy port, and everything else are BLANK).

Now I have Visual Voicemail on my Lumia 800!

goldenpipes · Mar 28, 2012

Hmm so why is vvm only available to LTE phones/network I want to get this.

Sent from my SGH-i937 using Board Express Pro.

steve10 · Mar 28, 2012

goldenpipes said:
Hmm so why is vvm only available to LTE phones/network I want to get this.

Sent from my SGH-i937 using Board Express Pro.

...because AT&T wants to sell LTE devices.

prjkthack · Mar 28, 2012

dasarp said:
They told me that they would change my listed phone to a blank IMEI (basically change the IMEI listed on my account to a blank IMEI that's associated with an LTE phone for provisioning purposes). I don't know if this is something all stores would be willing to do.

I wonder if this blank IMEI is a special IMEI that at&t has to test LTE devices on accounts or something. I wonder if this IMEI would also work on other accounts as well. Hmmm.

I don't suppose that IMEI is something you could share possibly? I mean if its not a real phone, and can work on multiple accounts, it would be very nice to (selectively) share it so that some of us can get VVM.

sirfergy · Mar 29, 2012

prjkthack said:
I wonder if this blank IMEI is a special IMEI that at&t has to test LTE devices on accounts or something. I wonder if this IMEI would also work on other accounts as well. Hmmm.

I don't suppose that IMEI is something you could share possibly? I mean if its not a real phone, and can work on multiple accounts, it would be very nice to (selectively) share it so that some of us can get VVM.

I agree, since I just called asking for essentially this setup and they deniened any special IMEI.

bver100 · Mar 29, 2012

dasarp said:
OK, I got this to work on my Lumia 800. Furthermore, I didn't have an LTE device.

They asked if I'd like VVM provisioning. I said yes.
They told me that they would change my listed phone to a blank IMEI (basically change the IMEI listed on my account to a blank IMEI that's associated with an LTE phone for provisioning purposes). I don't know if this is something all stores would be willing to do.

3. In the APN settings, I changed my APN to pta. I did NONE of the other settings mentioned (proxy, proxy port, and everything else are BLANK).

Now I have Visual Voicemail on my Lumia 800!

So i also have an 800 and asked them to provision me for HSPA+ recently, so they switched my data plan to one that was supposed to be able to access it (i have no idea if it really can - that's a whole different can of worms). What did they switch your plan to? If you look online and hit "recent usage", you can see under "Additional Data Purchased Usage" your data lines with the plan code. My code is "HSSMTD4O" Just wanted to see if i could skip the "call att" step.

b4malevolent · Mar 30, 2012

Thought I would share my experience also..

I was able to get VVM working on my Focus Flash. Luckily I have a friend that works at the ATT store. He just took a Samsung Note scanned the IMEI and added that as my phone. Then he enabled LTE and VVM. I rebooted phone and went in the the phone tile, and VVM prompted me for password. I put in password and all has been good.

The easiest way would probably be to borrow a friends VVM supported phone and put your sim in it, then have them add VVM to your account.

I did not have to add any APN's or make any changes to the phone.

jkidd01 · Apr 2, 2012

Getting it working without a LTE device and without AT&T in your pocket

So, I decided to try and get VVM setup on my Focus S today, but I have no friends with AT&T and the local store was unwilling to help in the fashion outlined above.

So what to do? Well the main thing you need for this is the IMEI number from an Android LTE phone. So I asked a couple friends that don't live close by, and none of them had a LTE phone.

So I searched the internet for those "Get unlock Codes" websites, specifically for tutorials on LTE phones, and some of them show the IMEI number.

So I went into chat support and told them I needed a LTE plan with visual voicemail, and they asked for the IMEI number, I gave it to them, and then 2 minutes later VVM is now provisioned and working properly.

prjkthack · Apr 3, 2012

Yeah so I ended up adding the IMEI of a random Galaxy Note that I do not own. It was dead simple to do it online through tech support chat. After that, just called up voicemail, waiting a second or two, hung up, and then my phone prompted me for my voicemail password and automatically enabled visual voicemail. I realize that AT&T's system does not check for duplicate IMEIs across the network, so you can throw the same IMEI onto any number of phones and AT&T wouldn't know a thing (until they start looking of course).

I did have to change my APN to "pta" to get it to sync properly, but after that it was all smooth sailing.

Now I've got Visual Voicemail on my Titan and Lumia.

txaggies07 · Apr 3, 2012

I am glad some of you were able to get it to work. The big issue I had before starting this thread was getting the APN settings. After getting VVM enabled, it couldnt connect until I messed with the APN. Glad I was able to help y'all!

How To VVM on AT&T (confirmed Samsung Focus S and Focus Flash)

Senior Member

Senior Member

Retired Senior Moderator / Retired ET Admin

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Member

New member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Similar threads

Top Liked Posts