activate smart phone without data plan?

sparky · #1 05-30-2009, 06:21 PM

Hi,
I was wondering how you can have a new smartphone activated without having to add the data/internet plan. See I would like to use just the WiFi access that the phone offers.
I was told by Verizon , Att , Alltel that you must have include the data plan 30 bucks a month if you get one of the new smartphones, even if you buy one outright.

I heard that this only applies to smartphones made after Aug 2008.

Can you use a sim card from another phone or something. Is there a hack?

Thanks

mike · #2 05-30-2009, 11:03 PM

Hi Sparky,

Welcome to the site...

They lie... most reps get commissions to up sell data plans...

you do not need a data plan for any phone... wifi will work just fine... you just need to make sure you disable 3g/edge.... or else it will be very expensive without a data plan...

sparky · #3 05-31-2009, 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by mike

Hi Sparky,

Welcome to the site...

They lie... most reps get commissions to up sell data plans...

you do not need a data plan for any phone... wifi will work just fine... you just need to make sure you disable 3g/edge.... or else it will be very expensive without a data plan...

That maybe fine but they( verizon,att,alltel) will not activate the phone without the internet plan. It's in the print. I was told that even if I purchased the phone outright it would not matter. I was told that the phones manufactured today have a footprint that alerts the network that it is a new smartphone.

Is there a way to disable this footprint?

Thanks

fatal · #4 05-31-2009, 10:35 PM

There is no footprint..

When you buy a new phone from one of these carriers, they are subsidized which makes the phone cheaper. It sounds like since phones are more expensive these days, they are told not to sell them unless they buy a data plan. This way your monthly charges are higher and they make the money back on the phone faster.

If you buy a unlocked phone, you can just put your sim in there. There is no footprint or detection or anything like that.... At least for GSM phones.. carriers which are CDMA (verizon/sprint) you would be out of luck as they need to activate the phone which can make it more difficult... just buy a GSM phone and put your SIM in there...

sparky · #5 06-01-2009, 06:28 AM

So if I am using verizon I am out of luck?

fatal · #6 06-01-2009, 09:23 AM

I really don't have too much information on CDMA networks. I know that you can't just switch phones, but need to go into the store to do it.. they usually charge you a fee.. and they can refuse to activate a phone if they consider it a 'grey market phone'

You can go to the store and ask, i think it may be dependent on the person at the desk if they are willing to do it..

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