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Cancel iPhone 4 Data Plan

T

thirdykal

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 27, 2010
61
1
Hey guys, sorry if this has been asked before, but I have a couple questions.

Can I buy an iPhone 4 now (I know, I know, but I need it now), and then after a couple months of paying for the data plan, cancel it by saying I no longer use it by giving AT&T the IMEI number of an old Motorola I have?

I would then sell the phone to a friend who wants it, would they be required to buy a data plan, or could they just unlock it and go about using it without a data plan?
 
Sure.
You can actually just take the SIM card out of the iPhone, put it into the dumb phone and call AT&T to cancel the data plan. Then you can sell your phone to your friend.

Your friend will be required to add a data plan.
 
To be straight to to the point, a data plan will be required for anyone using the iPhone. I believe it's detected over the network.
 
So even if the phone is unlocked/jailbroken, they will be required to buy a data plan?
 
That sucks, so is there any way of using an iPhone as... just a phone, without a data plan on AT&T?
 
That's pretty dumb imo. Maybe that's only because I don't think he'll want it anymore, eBay would be a better bet then.
 
thirdykal said:
That sucks, so is there any way of using an iPhone as... just a phone, without a data plan on AT&T?
Click to expand...

So you would promise not to use any of the data features on the iPhone and ONLY use it as a phone:p

AT&T will slap a plan on your account with in 30 days if not sooner.
 
buy a ipod touch and a dumb phone! I'm being serious you can do most things wifi via the touch and make calls via dumb phone. you can make calls via skype on the touch. only downside carrying two devices.
 
Your friend could get a data block put on his account before he puts his SIM into the iPhone but sooner or later (probably sooner), Big Brother is gonna catch him and add a data plan.
 
awadeee said:
Your friend could get a data block put on his account before he puts his SIM into the iPhone but sooner or later (probably sooner), Big Brother is gonna catch him and add a data plan.
Click to expand...

well AT&T doesn't do this anymore. it's only if you had one of the really old ones from before.
 
thirdykal said:
That sucks, so is there any way of using an iPhone as... just a phone, without a data plan on AT&T?
Click to expand...

Every smart phone, from the Blackberry to the latest Android phone, have a data plan attached to them. VZW, Sprint, T-Mo or ATT will happily add it for you.
 
LapsangSouchong said:
AT&T subsidized the cost of the phone. They want to recoup their costs by charging you for data. That's not dumb. Just business.
Click to expand...

Even if you buy the phone at full price, 600+, AT&T will add the data plan. It just isn't an option to have any smart phone on AT&T without a data plan.
 
At least ATT will give u option of limited 200mb $15 data plan for smartphones

Verizon tried that for like 4 months in late 2010 and ended the limited $15 smartphone data plan. Gees. I wonder why Verizon canceled that limited data option. Maybe because it's because they realized many who have blackberries or are around wifi opted to switch and save money with the limited data plan.

Back to your friend. There are ways to add the iPhone to prepaid accounts, just google it.

Data is a cash cow for cell phone carriers these days. At least ATT gives u the option of canceling the data plans for their subsidized phones.

Try buying a subsidized phone from tmobile USA. They slap a mandatory data fee for 24 months regardless if you keep or sell the phone. If you want to cancel the data plan you have to pay the $200 tmobile ETF. Tmobile does not require data plans if you buy the phone at full price.

So the grass is not greener with mandatory data on other carriers.
 
Alacheer10 said:
It's an Internet based phone, dummy. That's what they have cheap phones for.
Click to expand...

It has wifi though...Think about it...if you had two options:

A) "Dumb phone" no data plan and an iPod touch

OR

B) iPhone with no data plan

?
Me personally Ill keep my data plan I like cellular data but I think you get the point. If you pay full retail for the phone you should not need to pay for anything beyond what the basic cell phone user pays.
 
I recently purchased locked iPhone 4 from Craigslist for $380 and bought a H2o service. $40 unlimited talk/messages per month. FaceTime also works,Minutes to at&t customers are counted as mobile to mobile since H20 leases the lines from AT&T.
 
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