US Cellular: Using Blackberry w/out Data Plan

So I've wanted a blackberry forever! So I finally get one off ebay, and its in amazing shape and its the phone I've always wanted (Blackberry 7130e).

So I go to get it activated at US Cellular and they tell me the only way to activate my blackberry is if i get the $40/month blackberry plan. I was in shock because I have numerous friends who have Blackberry's with USCC and didn't have to get the plan.. They told me at USCC that they just started doing this a month ago.

Is there any way around this?! I would think there would have to be! They can't just activate it as a phone!? It has an ESN! Is this USCC trying to get $40 a month out of me? I am so upset about this, and feel as if I'm getting slapped in the face by USCC.

Ok so I kind of have plan and it might work.

i found this to activate your USCC phone from your home.. You call customer service and what not and go through this.

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" 3. Know the Model of the Phone you are activating, they will ask you for this information. It is also on the esn label.

Part I. Transferring your existing contract service to the phone you just bought.

1. Call 1-888-944-9400 and at the prompt enter your 10 digit phone number. When the Customer Service person answers the phone, tell him/her that you would like to activate your phone number on another cell phone. You will be asked some security questions, and then they will ask for the ESN number and the model number of the phone that you want to switch your service to.

2. It takes about 30 seconds and then they will ask you to turn your phone off and back on and dial *228 and press send. Your phone will be programmed over the air in about 60 seconds."

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Ok so what if i just tell them that my phone is a Moto Razr or something? Will this effect me at all? If it does mess up, hopefully it will activate it partially, and then I can take it into a USCC store and they will see that the wrong model is in there and they will possibly fix it. Here is my main problem: Does the ESN correlate with the type of phone? If not, then this plan should work somewhat well.

Any suggestions

no it doesnt matter if you just give us the esn because we can see what type of phone it is by using the esn alone.

Oh and by the way, the data plan is only $25 a month, not $40. I was just in there yesterday and they connected me to their new EVDO system and it is so much faster. The data plan is worth it. What is the point of a blackberry without data.

yea.. 40$ does seem steep just for a data plan.. the freaking iphone data plan is 30... no way.. i doubt its 40