Need an AT&T smartphone

This forum has already been a great help before my first post - THANKS!
I am not the most accomplished cell phone user, but my needs are changing!
I have a small business, have an ATT plan since 2005 and am pretty happy with their service. I currently have a Razor 3, don't text, have 250+ in my address book, use about 900 minutes a month.

I would like to receive email, but don't need a whole lot more - NOW
I am considering a Nokia E71x. Looks fairly simple, with enough features for me and seems to be a sturdy platform.
Do i get it from ATT for $99 bucks and pay for their $30 smartphone plan even though I gather that the $15 plan will work. If I buy the phone on line from another source and just put my SIM card in it, will I end up getting screwed by ATT if they can trace my unlocked or ATT device. This is all quite confusing , so any input from you folks would be a great help!

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if you get a smart phone you will have to get the 30 dollar data plan. the 15 dollar one is for non smart phones like your razor 3.

Thanks, but somehow I'm gathering some folks on this site have figured out how to utilize the $15 plan with a smartphone purchased on line from a non ATT source!?

if thats true i'd like to know how too.

Like Tower of Power once said, " A little knowledge is a dangerous thing..."
OK I'm down to 2 phones - help me decide:

Nokia E71x - good reviews, more compact
or
Blackberry Bold - good reviews, keyboard looks easier to deal with, (although I'm a minimal texter)
Thanks,
Gene

I would go with the BB Bold. BB is a great buisness smartphone.

I am looking at new phones as well. I am going to buy an unlocked phone because I don't like any of the phones att has to offer. i rather pay the extra money up front and not have to pay for a data plan. one of the posts I saw in the past that had to do with the 15 dollar data plan was about using the ime number off of a non pda/smartphone like your razor.

so in my case I would

buy my unlocked phone/ or a phone without a plan
take my old phone into the store and get the 15 dollar plan they are going to want the imee number off the phone.
take my sim card out of my old phone and put it into the unlocked phone.
there ya go
this is just what I remember off of something I saw on the forums.
problem is that you can not put ins. on the phone or it will match the ime number of the cheaper phone you put the plan on with.