Home Forums Networks & Cross-Platform Networking Can someone please explain this

NYC sent the "something" warning to your ISP for distribution to every device that connects to their network and it is there waiting for any new device to connect. When you turned the iPhone on it contacted your local router and from there the ISP's network and was recognized as a new device and the notification sent.

Even though the signal travels to and from your phone via the internet, there must be a telephone number associated with the call for it to enter the telephone system network to communicate with another device and any calls are "charged" against the account associated with that telephone number. My Mac and even my iPad Pro and Apple Watch that have cellular capability and therefore their own unique "telephone" numbers, use my iPhone's telephone number (account) to make or receive telephone/facetime calls.

NYC sent the "something" warning to the telephone company for distribution to every phone that contacts their switching center in the city it is there waiting for any new device (telephone number) to access" that switch. When you turned the iPhone on it signaled its presence via the internet and was recognized as a new device (number) and the notification sent. The actual telco switch that was "hit" is a function of the location of your ISP.

If you are wondering what Telephone number/account is associated with your iPhone, it will be found in Settings > General > My Number

As far as I know, I haven't got a SIM card, but the phone is a Verizon phone (if I'm saying it correctly).

Maybe that's it?

There are two possible routes the "something" warning about Covid to New Yorkers could have reached your iPhone:

If you want to know whether or not you have a SIM card, go to Settings > General > About and scroll down, way down to Physical SIM or Available SIM and see what you find there. If there is a SIM card you will find it there. The available SIM can be built-in electronic but it can work just like a SIM card.

My iPhone has got a SIM card slot, but I don't think there's a card in it.

GIVEN: that a working telephone number is theoretically required for entry into the telephone network…

THEN: What, if any, telephone number is your iPhone using to make phone calls? I can postulate several possibilities, but most, or all, of them are not supposed to work.

Referring back to my OP: "I've got an iPhone, but no phone plan. I use it exclusively with WiFi...."

That's why I concluded that the "something" came from my ISP.

GIVEN: that a working telephone number is theoretically required for entry into the telephone network…

THEN: What, if any, telephone number is your iPhone using to make phone calls? I can postulate several possibilities, but most, or all, of them are not supposed to work.

SUGGESTION: Call a friend, preferably one that does not have an Apple ID, using your iPhone and see what calling phone number appears on their phone.

1. If it is a number you recognize the source of the number being used may be self-explanatory.
2. What happens if you call that number using your iPhone?
3. What happens if you call that number using your land-line or another cellular phone?

Hopefully the answers to these questions will at least point in the direction of any answer to how this is working.

IN ANY CASE: I would be VERY interested in what you come up with.

I'm dead-ended at "Call a friend...."

When I dial a number, my iPhone reacts as if I've got cellular access, but it never makes a connection.