using iphone with no data plan?

azm · Feb 5, 2012

I've used a 3gs from july 2010-august 2011 without any data plan on at&t. had just bought it from craigslist and was using it just fine. After that i upgraded to the Iphone 4S and gave my old iphone to my mom. She used it from oct-dec 2011 without data. However, last month at&t added data plan and its been a hassle for me to get it removed ever since. One rep said if the phone didn't use data the plan wouldn't be re-added and another rep said that if they system saw any smartphone it would automatically add. So I had to have them add another imei and remove the plan.

Has anyone else successfully used an iphone without data plan? If so do you have any tips for me?

I don't mind paying for data, but its just a waste bc my mom will never use it at all. She doesn't even use it on wifi.

andyx3x · Feb 5, 2012

azm said:
I've used a 3gs from july 2010-august 2011 without any data plan on at&t. had just bought it from craigslist and was using it just fine. After that i upgraded to the Iphone 4S and gave my old iphone to my mom. She used it from oct-dec 2011 without data. However, last month at&t added data plan and its been a hassle for me to get it removed ever since. One rep said if the phone didn't use data the plan wouldn't be re-added and another rep said that if they system saw any smartphone it would automatically add. So I had to have them add another imei and remove the plan.

Has anyone else successfully used an iphone without data plan? If so do you have any tips for me?

I don't mind paying for data, but its just a waste bc my mom will never use it at all. She doesn't even use it on wifi.

I always thought you had to have a data plan with the iPhone. How did you get around it?

mrsir2009 · Feb 5, 2012

The easiest option might be to switch to another carrier that doesn't force a data plan upon you. When you switch these days they let you keep your original number, and a new SIM only costs $20 or so

lordofthereef · Feb 5, 2012

Everyone's mileage varies on this. Some people are able to get away with using the smartphone, some are not. What I have heard is you usually get a text stating you need to be on a data plan. After that, the will just put you on the cheapest one, if ignored. I know people that used the $20 iPhone 2G data plan with their 3G devices for months before it switched over. In all cases, that I am aware of, it did eventually switch over.

azm · Feb 5, 2012

andyx3x said:
I always thought you had to have a data plan with the iPhone. How did you get around it?

Well i always kept 3g and data disabled on the phone. the at&t website would show i had an iphone but it never automatically added the plan. What I don't understand is why it added it now after 1.5 years to my account.

lordofthereef · Feb 5, 2012

azm said:
What I don't understand is why it added it now after 1.5 years to my account.

This is what is supposed to happen. Honestly, the fact that you had it 1.5 years is pretty pehenomenal if you ask me. That's got to be a record, or close!

azm · Feb 5, 2012

lordofthereef said:
Everyone's mileage varies on this. Some people are able to get away with using the smartphone, some are not. What I have heard is you usually get a text stating you need to be on a data plan. After that, the will just put you on the cheapest one, if ignored. I know people that used the $20 iPhone 2G data plan with their 3G devices for months before it switched over. In all cases, that I am aware of, it did eventually switch over.

actually...it added the 2gb data pro automatically. they said their system will always add the 2gb plan. But it charged me $39.96 for some reason so they did a 1 time refund for that since there was 0 data usage on that line

mrsir2009 · Feb 5, 2012

azm said:
Well i always kept 3g and data disabled on the phone. the at&t website would show i had an iphone but it never automatically added the plan. What I don't understand is why it added it now after 1.5 years to my account.

Maybe the policy wasn't in effect when you first signed up 1.5 years ago?

lordofthereef · Feb 5, 2012

mrsir2009 said:
Maybe the policy wasn't in effect when you first signed up 1.5 years ago?

With ATT, it always has been. When the 3G launched I wanted to go without a data plan since there was no 3G in my area. They wouldn't even let me go down to the 2G only plan, which was $20 at the time.

sweetbrat · Feb 5, 2012

As someone already said, I'm surprised you got away with no data plan for as long as you did. AT&T makes you have a data plan if you have an iPhone. They didn't catch on to you right away, but when they did they added the data plan. Unfortunately, you're stuck with it if you stay on AT&T, whether your mom uses the data plan or not. Be happy that you got away with not having it for a year and a half.

godori · Feb 5, 2012

I think Red Pocket have prepaid or montly plans for 4/4S without data. They have 250 minutes a month for $20.

gaanee · Feb 5, 2012

Well, I'm using 3GS without data plan since 2009 on AT&T. I bought it from them at full price so didn't have to sign up for data and turned off 3G option under Settings->Networking. I use wifi whenever I want to connect to the internet and they they haven't automatically added the data plan and they should not add it automatically without asking because I don't need it. Although when I log in to my account on AT&T, it does show iphone photo under my device, so they detected that I switched from a feature phone to iphone.

OP, did you turn off 3G option under networking?

At that time Apple store didn't offer an option to buy iphone without signing a contract but (ironically) AT&T did sell iphone at full price without a contract, but obviously its locked to their network, and at Apple store they told me to turn off 3G option so as to make sure that iphone doesn't try to use data on AT&T network, and it worked.
:apple:

lordofthereef · Feb 5, 2012

godori said:
I think Red Pocket have prepaid or montly plans for 4/4S without data. They have 250 minutes a month for $20.

You can do the same thing on ATT's go phone service, ironically.

Applejuiced · Feb 5, 2012

azm said:
Well i always kept 3g and data disabled on the phone. the at&t website would show i had an iphone but it never automatically added the plan. What I don't understand is why it added it now after 1.5 years to my account.

Because you got lucky for 1.5 years and now they finally detected it and added the mandatory iphone data.
I know it sucks and even if you dont want it or use it you have to have it on AT&T post paid accounts with an iphone.
Its their rules. Only way to avoid it is to go prepaid AT&T or another carrier.
Even if you remove it they will readd it eventually.

gaanee said:
Well, I'm using 3GS without data plan since 2009 on AT&T. I bought it from them at full price so didn't have to sign up for data and turned off 3G option under Settings->Networking. I use wifi whenever I want to connect to the internet and they they haven't automatically added the data plan and they should not add it automatically without asking because I don't need it. Although when I log in to my account on AT&T, it does show iphone photo under my device, so they detected that I switched from a feature phone to iphone.

OP, did you turn off 3G option under networking?

At that time Apple store didn't offer an option to buy iphone without signing a contract but (ironically) AT&T did sell iphone at full price without a contract, but obviously its locked to their network, and at Apple store they told me to turn off 3G option so as to make sure that iphone doesn't try to use data on AT&T network, and it worked.

Their policy is to automaticly add it to your account when their system detects it. They dont need to ask you and wether you like it or not you have to have one on a post paid AT&T account with an iphone. You're lucky they didnt catch on to you yet but they may eventually add it. It doesnt matter if you turn off 3G or purchase the phone full price.
Their system detects what device you're using to acess their network the minute you put your sim in and turn on the phone.
Its only a matter of time.

MsBeauty · Feb 6, 2012

azm said:
I've used a 3gs from july 2010-august 2011 without any data plan on at&t. had just bought it from craigslist and was using it just fine. After that i upgraded to the Iphone 4S and gave my old iphone to my mom. She used it from oct-dec 2011 without data. However, last month at&t added data plan and its been a hassle for me to get it removed ever since. One rep said if the phone didn't use data the plan wouldn't be re-added and another rep said that if they system saw any smartphone it would automatically add. So I had to have them add another imei and remove the plan.

Has anyone else successfully used an iphone without data plan? If so do you have any tips for me?

I don't mind paying for data, but its just a waste bc my mom will never use it at all. She doesn't even use it on wifi.

JOIN T MOBILE.. I dont think they will force you to use the data plan.

azm · Feb 6, 2012

MsBeauty said:
JOIN T MOBILE.. I dont think they will force you to use the data plan.

lol i'm under contract bc I have a 4S. also 3G doesn't work on tmobile for iphones

PerplexShyt · Feb 6, 2012

any 3g smartphone will get a data plan sooner or later.

there is some sort of "sweep" the system does to tack data plans on smart phones.

My mom also uses the iphone, because it is very user friendly, but I had to get her an ORIGINAL iphone 2g, since it only works with the Edge network. So they didn't force any plan on hers. Because she never uses any data whatsoever.

I bought a like new iphone 2g on ebay, and put a brand new battery in it. and shes good to go.

cyks · Feb 6, 2012

azm said:
lol i'm under contract bc I have a 4S. also 3G doesn't work on tmobile for iphones

You're trying to use an iPhone without a data plan... so why would it matter if 3G works T-Mobile or not? Calls will sound the same and you won't be using data anyway.

Applejuiced · Feb 6, 2012

cyks said:
You're trying to use an iPhone without a data plan... so why would it matter if 3G works T-Mobile or not? Calls will sound the same and you won't be using data anyway.

LMAO

Hey I dont want a carrier data plan but if I go to Tmobile their Edge is too slow

gaanee · Feb 6, 2012

Applejuiced said:
Because you got lucky for 1.5 years and now they finally detected it and added the mandatory iphone data.
I know it sucks and even if you dont want it or use it you have to have it on AT&T post paid accounts with an iphone.
Its their rules. Only way to avoid it is to go prepaid AT&T or another carrier.
Even if you remove it they will readd it eventually.

Their policy is to automaticly add it to your account when their system detects it. They dont need to ask you and wether you like it or not you have to have one on a post paid AT&T account with an iphone. You're lucky they didnt catch on to you yet but they may eventually add it. It doesnt matter if you turn off 3G or purchase the phone full price.
Their system detects what device you're using to acess their network the minute you put your sim in and turn on the phone.
Its only a matter of time.

By the way, my contract expired in 2009 before I bought the iphone and I didn't renew it since didn't want to sign up for a data plan which is really unnecessary, since for most of the time I've wifi connection at home and office. And I was told by At&T and Apple store that all I need is At&T sim card, doesn't matter whether the contract has expired or not. May be thats why At&t isn't charging for data plan....

magicbrain · Feb 6, 2012

f att

yep, you got lucky, att will auto detect any iphone (i once put my wife's sim card into 3gs & they added data immediately to her non-smart phone plan).

they will tell you, you can remove the data, but only if you use non-iPHone. i've tried this tactic once (switched to a diff phone, then back to iPhone) but ... they caught onto me within 15 days

same as above, just switch to h2o wireless - you don't even need to jailbreak the phone, 'cause h2o uses att's network & all att locked phones (4, 4s) work

gaanee · Feb 6, 2012

It doesn't make sense to add a data plan when when I'm not using it at all and I don't need one for now. That was the only reason I bought 3GS on full price and I'm sure it has payed back, the only thing I wished was that it was unlocked but in 2009 it was At&T's exclusive reign. Anyways, the point is At&T should not automatically add data plan without permission (because ultimately we've to pay for it) and especially when you're not using it.

lordofthereef · Feb 6, 2012

gaanee said:
It doesn't make sense to add a data plan when when I'm not using it at all and I don't need one for now.

Thing is, it doesn't have to. It's ATT's network, and if they want to require a data plan with certain handsets, that's certainly within their rights. Does it suck? Yes. But that is how it is, unfortunately.

azm · Feb 6, 2012

cyks said:
You're trying to use an iPhone without a data plan... so why would it matter if 3G works T-Mobile or not? Calls will sound the same and you won't be using data anyway.

read OP. i said i don't want 3G on my mom's iphone bc she doesn't use data. I didn't say anything about me not wanting data

Applejuiced · Feb 6, 2012

azm said:
read OP. i said i don't want 3G on my mom's iphone bc she doesn't use data. I didn't say anything about me not wanting data

How would him or anyone else know you want 3G and a data plan on your phone but you were just talking about your Mom's phone not having data?
Why dont you just switch her phone to Tmobile and you stay on AT&T?

using iphone with no data plan?

macrumors newbie

macrumors 65816

macrumors 604

macrumors G5

macrumors newbie

macrumors G5

macrumors newbie

macrumors 604

macrumors G5

macrumors 65816

macrumors newbie

macrumors 65816

macrumors G5

macrumors Westmere

macrumors member

macrumors newbie

macrumors 6502

macrumors 68020

macrumors Westmere

macrumors 65816

macrumors regular

macrumors 65816

macrumors G5

macrumors newbie

macrumors Westmere

Our Staff