If an Iphone is unlocked, do you still have to get the data package?

[highpeakshiker]

We have an ATT contract but my daughter bought an Iphone to replace her Blackberry which took a serious bath. We are unable to connect etc. without buying a data package.
If the phone is unlocked, then will it work like a regular phone?
Will she have all the features of the Iphone but not have to have a data package??

 

[Tallest Skil]

You don't have to have AT&T if you unlock. You cannot unlock 3G iPhones yet. If you do not want to incur HUGE data charges, you must either get a data plan from your provider or tell them to disallow data access to and from your SIM. Without data, everything will work on Wi-Fi.

 

[highpeakshiker]

Does ATT (our provider) require a data package with an

Iphone or are they trying to scare us?? My daugher bought it used and we already have a contract. She has tried to put her sim card in it but it does not work and shows a lock at the top of the screen.
I guess I need to know if we manage to unlock this will she be able to use all capabilities (music, texting, phone etc.) without having to subscribe to a data plan.

 

[Tallest Skil]

AT&T requires a 2-year phone contract with a current iPhone purchase. They also require you to sign up for data on the spot, but there are people who have cancelled the data plan afterwards.

The best thing for you to do, if you do not want a data plan, is to keep your current AT&T plan and tell them to disallow data access to it. Then you simply unlock the iPhone and use it with the non-iPhone AT&T plan that you already have.

 

[highpeakshiker]

So, as we have ATT, does my daughter subscribe to the

data plan and then later cancel it a month or so down the road??
Will ATT do this or is that a requirement of the Iphone.....lifelong data package??
Does the phone need to be unlocked in order to avoid the data plan??

 

[Tallest Skil]

If you were to buy an iPhone from an Apple or AT&T store tomorrow, you would need to sign up for both the voice and data plan. You could then remove the data plan (a couple of days? later) without unlocking.

If you were to unlock and buy either a first-gen or current iPhone (note: current iPhone from one of the European countries that don't require contracts), then you could use an existing AT&T plan with or without data and not have to pay more for iPhone voice minutes.

 

[highpeakshiker]

So, the bottom line is that we have to unlock this phone to

use it with our current plan without buying a data package. My daughter bought the phone from a friend and it is brand new as they never used it.
I'm concerned about automatic updates etc. that may mess up the phone in the future.
How hard is it to unlock this phone??

 

[Tallest Skil]

You are correct, for the most part. The iPhone will, unless you tell AT&T to block all data, still connect its data apps over the cell network and rack up your bill.

It is currently impossible to unlock the 3G iPhone, but the original one is a piece of cake to do. The updates are not automatic, but if you do update, it will relock your iPhone until the unlocking software is updated.

 

[highpeakshiker]

Will ATT block the data package as long as we have a contract without

unlocking the phone??

 

[Tallest Skil]

Hmm... That's a good question. I know that they will take data off of a new iPhone contract at your request, so I assume that that entails blocking it...

Darn, and I was doing so well at this answering thing, too!

 

[highpeakshiker]

You've been a big help!! I hate to call ATT and ask these

questions because they always tell you that you have to do this and that and scare most people into something.
I guess I don't understand why we don't have the freedom to purchase the phone we want and use it in the way we choose because as long as we are still maintaining our contract and paying their fees monthly!!

 

[NeoMayhem]

You can use ATT on an iphone without a data plan, it will work fine (I have been doing it for months). If you dont want to be charged for data, disable it with BossPrefs or have ATT disable data on your account.

 

[highpeakshiker]

You've been very helpful. I guess I just have to break down

and call ATT and tell them we're still in contract for the BB, (which is dead) and we bought an Iphone from a friend and see what we can do....hopefully no data package!!
Thanks again!!

 

[rsales]

You can unlock the iphone but you void the warranty and you must continue to pay for the iphone even after the unlock...

If you buy it from europe you can get it unlocked without contract but with very high prices

 

[Inukami]

Actually you can unlock the iPhone 3G if you must but it's not free.

You have two options:

1. Rebel Sim
2. SimFree

The first option does not void your warranty because it doesn't do any software modifications. It uses a special sim card that is put into the iPhone and tricks the iPhone into thinking it's still with the same provider. Price range is from $22~64 depending what you buy.

The second option is software modification and will void warranty. Don't know much about it. Price range is from $50~100 for the software.