How to....??? Smartphone without data plan

I have used PDAs and then smartphones for many years now. I almost never use them directly on-line. When I do, I use Wi-Fi. I often carry a laptop. I would sync my smartphone to the laptop to bring in updates, e-mail, etc.

I have no problem with having the data plans available for people who need/want them. I DO NOT!!! I would rather pay more for the phone than lock-in to a data plan. They try to force you into it even when you bring a phone which they have not subsidized (bought or given by a third party).

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Most people do not realize that there is a workaround to this. If you are to purchase an AT&T phone online without a contract - AT&T does not require you to have a data plan where the other carriers like Verizon and Sprint do. Generally this only applies to used and refurbished phones, but you can also find sellers who sell new phones without contracts. A guy in our office uses an iphone without a data plan.

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The Blue Dot pays top dollar for your used cell phones

Originally Posted by thebluedot

Most people do not realize that there is a workaround to this. If you are to purchase an AT&T phone online without a contract - AT&T does not require you to have a data plan where the other carriers like Verizon and Sprint do. Generally this only applies to used and refurbished phones, but you can also find sellers who sell new phones without contracts. A guy in our office uses an iphone without a data plan.

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The Blue Dot pays top dollar for your used cell phones

That is incorrect. AT&T requires a data plan on every device it recognized as a smartphone regardless as to how you acquired it. The exemption window was closed last November.

That is not true. Several guys in our office use Blackberry and Iphone devices without a data plan. If you buy the phone from AT&T directly you are required to use a data plan. If you purchase the phone online either used, refurbished, or any other way without a contract attached to it already - you are not required to pay for a plan. Our company specializes in refurbished and used phones and this is something that is asked often.

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Looking for phones without a contract?

Originally Posted by thebluedot

That is not true. Several guys in our office use Blackberry and Iphone devices without a data plan. If you buy the phone from AT&T directly you are required to use a data plan. If you purchase the phone online either used, refurbished, or any other way without a contract attached to it already - you are not required to pay for a plan. Our company specializes in refurbished and used phones and this is something that is asked often.

That is not true. IF AT&T has the IMEI number on file for the phone and can determine that it is a smartphone, it will still be automatically added to your account, especially if it is an AT&T branded phone, whether on not it was purchased directly from AT&T or not.

Originally Posted by wise3g

AT&T does not require a data plan for any phone except the iPhone。

WRONG!!!!!!! AT&T requires data plans for ANY smartphone. Just check out their phone selection. It states data plan required with those phones.

Originally Posted by missdinee00

Well, you do need data plans when you get smartphones.

Smartphones are data intensive devices, and for you to be able to use them for a fixed monthly price each month, you need to get the data plans. Smartphones and especially iPhones regularly update their app information and it is for that reason that you need to get the data plans. Just imagine how your monthly bill would look if you have a smartphone with just a pay-per-use data plan when you are charged $2.00 per mb bucket per session. It will be like paying for every email or twitter update you receive. If you don't want to get a data plan, however, then don't get a smartphone. You're better off paying for a go-phone.

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His answer is correct. This is a common misunderstanding. At&t has what we call the 'DUCS' system that automatically detects if sim cards are inserted into smartphones. What the system does not detect is if you have a data plan and you insert your sim into a non-smart phone. So, if you get or use any smartphone, whether or not you receive a notification via sms, it automatically adds the 2gb data plan into your account-regardless if the phone is brand new, refurbished, At&t branded or from ebay. [COLOR="Silver"]

Well that just seems completely excessive. There are people out there who have, over the last few years, gotten used to a particular phone. A phone that perhaps has a non internet feature that most "non smart phones" don't have, or a keyboard that actually fits in comfortably their hands, that allows for minor note taking or massive text messages. Maybe these people don't USE data because they live on campus and rarely leave, thus have WiFi literally 24 hours a day. Maybe these people even deleted the internet-using apps from their phone, and blocked data usage completely (before it was required). lol That was rather specific. Anyway, AT&T's new rules prevent people from buying the *exact* same phone and replacing a broken one...that's just bull****. Sure, control the phones you DO sell because let's face it, part of the *cheaper price* is the higher price of service we're paying for. However, if I've opted to pay for a phone out of pocket, there's ought to be total freedom as far as what I wish to do with the phone. If I only want to text message on it, then AT&T ought to only charge me for text messaging; if I only want to make phone calls on it, AT&T ought to only charge me for voice calling. Hell, the iPad has a month to month data plan and doesn't require a voice line activation. Oh, what? They can be flexible there but not here? Total crap!

Also, just thought I'd throw this out there. Neither YOU nor AT&T get to decide what I'm "better off" doing. That's for ME to decide. If I wanted to buy a bloody car and leave in the garage because I don't drive it and don't want to pay for gas...I don't see anyone stopping me. Neither Audi nor Porsche nor Toyota are telling their customers they cannot buy a certain type of car if they don't intend to drive it a certain way. Or, perhaps, what would you say if you bought a Porsche and the company told you that they're providing to you, as a courtesy, a mandatory fuelling service at $50,000 a month which you can upgrade to unlimited at $100,000 a month but that you could not stop entirely unless you change to a Yugo. If they did that, people would laugh till their faces turned purple and tell them to sod off. Which, incidentally, is exactly what we ought to tell these mobile phone companies. Maybe I'm over reacting but this is getting out of hand. The worst part of it all, is that they have the nerve to call it a "courtesy". Bastards.

Originally Posted by SpaceNut

When is the last time you were in an AT&T store??? I was in there today paying my bill, and (for the first time), I wandered around and looked at every phone they offer. Virtually EVERY phone they have now REQUIRES a $20 data plan (iPhone $30). Go look at the price tags on the phones. Almost every single one says "This phone requires a $20 data plan".

I also just don't get it. I see alot of people out there saying they want a smart phone, but don't want a data plan. What gives? That's like saying, I want a car, but I don't want to have to pay for gas. What's the point of having a smartphone without a data plan? IMHO, it's ridiculous to want a smartphone just to cripple it by not having a data plan. I know you're going to come back with the argument that one can use WIFI, but WIFI isn't everywhere, and when you need internet access, you need the 3G network to fall back on.

That was true at the time I wrote it. AT&T changed the rules in the summer of 2009.

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Originally Posted by fdcom3

WRONG!!!!!!! AT&T requires data plans for ANY smartphone. Just check out their phone selection. It states data plan required with those phones.

That was true at the time I wrote it. AT&T changed its rules later in the summer of 2009. Your reply is one year late.

I'm looking at getting a smart phone soon, and have no need for a data plan.

Being that 95% of at&t phones have "Requires a minimum data service starting at $15/month. 2 year contract & new activation required." is it possible to cancel the data after one month and have it stay off?

A few posts up someone said at&t has something that checks your phone and adjusts your account based on the type of phone you have.
- I don't see how this is even legal
- Is there a way to fix the phone so at&t cant scan for it

Requiring the data plan is part of the terms and conditions of using a smartphone on AT&T. It applies to all customers. All customers agree to those conditions by starting service with AT&T.