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iphone 3gs with data plan required?

M

mrdinh

macrumors regular
Original poster
do you have to have the data plan with at&t? can you just pay for the minutes like a reg cell phone only?

my wife has one but doesn't not use the data plans at all, waste of $30/month..thinking she can cancel? any penalty for that with at&t?

thanks
phat
 
mrdinh said:
do you have to have the data plan with at&t? can you just pay for the minutes like a reg cell phone only?

my wife has one but doesn't not use the data plans at all, waste of $30/month..thinking she can cancel? any penalty for that with at&t?

thanks
phat
Click to expand...

mandatory data plan
 
mrdinh said:
do you have to have the data plan with at&t? can you just pay for the minutes like a reg cell phone only?

my wife has one but doesn't not use the data plans at all, waste of $30/month..thinking she can cancel? any penalty for that with at&t?

thanks
phat
Click to expand...

Dont listen to him, sure it is mandatory but there is a workaround. After you buy the iphone, tell them a month later after you have had the phone and tell them you want to switch it to a cheap phone that doesnt require a data plan. After you do that just swap the sims cards and it works. 🙂
 
Ace134blue said:
Dont listen to him, sure it is mandatory but there is a workaround. After you buy the iphone, tell them a month later after you have had the phone and tell them you want to switch it to a cheap phone that doesnt require a data plan. After you do that just swap the sims cards and it works. 🙂
Click to expand...

Yep. I have been doing this since my iPhone 3g and on my 3gs. I only add data when I go on vacation.
 
Ace134blue said:
Dont listen to him, sure it is mandatory but there is a workaround. After you buy the iphone, tell them a month later after you have had the phone and tell them you want to switch it to a cheap phone that doesnt require a data plan. After you do that just swap the sims cards and it works. 🙂
Click to expand...

So I assume you get charge on a per kB rate then or do you just not use data at all?
 
I purchased a Mercedes but can't afford to put premium gas in it. Maybe I should have just bought a Nissan?
 
STEVESKI07 said:
I purchased a Mercedes but can't afford to put premium gas in it. Maybe I should have just bought a Nissan?
Click to expand...

That analogy doesn't apply here since he said the wify doesn't use 3G service, not that she can't afford it. 🙂

But yeah, if she doesn't use it, thats a waist of 30 bucks there.
 
rgarjr said:
That analogy doesn't apply here since he said the wify doesn't use 3G service, not that she can't afford it. 🙂

But yeah, if she doesn't use it, thats a waist of 30 bucks there.
Click to expand...

I know it doesn't really apply, but I just don't see what the point of having an iPhone is if you don't use the data. Get an iPod touch.
 
STEVESKI07 said:
I know it doesn't really apply, but I just don't see what the point of having an iPhone is if you don't use the data. Get an iPod touch.
Click to expand...

Getting an iPod touch would mean carrying around two devices. iPod touch does not sent text messages or make phone calls so it's not a suitable alternative. I enjoy my iPhone without a data plan, why pay for dat you don't need.
 
STEVESKI07 said:
I know it doesn't really apply, but I just don't see what the point of having an iPhone is if you don't use the data. Get an iPod touch.
Click to expand...

eplchamps0305 said:
Getting an iPod touch would mean carrying around two devices. iPod touch does not sent text messages or make phone calls so it's not a suitable alternative. I enjoy my iPhone without a data plan, why pay for dat you don't need.
Click to expand...

This guy beat me to it.

So +1.
 
Ace134blue said:
Dont listen to him, sure it is mandatory but there is a workaround. After you buy the iphone, tell them a month later after you have had the phone and tell them you want to switch it to a cheap phone that doesnt require a data plan. After you do that just swap the sims cards and it works. 🙂
Click to expand...

Can you explain how this works? I had assumed that when you buy an iPhone you sign a 2-year contract that includes data plan for the entire 2 years.

Or do you only end up paying for a new phone from them, and just pay for a cheap phone but are able to cancel the data plan?

That sounds great! I'm surprised they let you do this.
 
madmaxmedia said:
Can you explain how this works? I had assumed that when you buy an iPhone you sign a 2-year contract that includes data plan for the entire 2 years.

Or do you only end up paying for a new phone from them, and just pay for a cheap phone but are able to cancel the data plan?

That sounds great! I'm surprised they let you do this.
Click to expand...

Just switch your sim into another phone and call Att and tell them you want to remove the data plan. Then put the sim back into the iPhone. To prevent your phone from going online tell them to put a data block on your line. Mind you with a data block you can't send or recieve mms. Alternatively there is a website you go to on your iPhone that changes the apn settings on your phone and blocks data. That's what I did because I wanted mms.
 
Wow, that's pretty awesome. So no one has ever had problems doing this, and AT&T insisting that you continue the data plan due to the iPhone contract?

Sorry for continuing to ask about this, I just want to make sure. 🙂 Being able to do this could put me over the top and get an iPhone 3GS.

Thanks!

eplchamps0305 said:
Just switch your sim into another phone and call Att and tell them you want to remove the data plan. Then put the sim back into the iPhone. To prevent your phone from going online tell them to put a data block on your line. Mind you with a data block you can't send or recieve mms. Alternatively there is a website you go to on your iPhone that changes the apn settings on your phone and blocks data. That's what I did because I wanted mms.
Click to expand...
 
The contract is to keep your line in service for the two years. I have had my iPhone since launch date of 3g. That is 18 months, I have had data only for 4 months total. I activate data when I travel on vacation only, when I return I cancel it.
 
eplchamps0305 said:
The contract is to keep your line in service for the two years. I have had my iPhone since launch date of 3g. That is 18 months, I have had data only for 4 months total. I activate data when I travel on vacation only, when I return I cancel it.
Click to expand...

So if your not using data, your just using your iPhone as a phone? Why pay $199.99 for just a phone when you can get basic phones for less?
 
mastershakess said:
So if your not using data, your just using your iPhone as a phone? Why pay $199.99 for just a phone when you can get basic phones for less?
Click to expand...

Here we go again. A basic phone can't sync with iTunes or have navigations software with turn by turn or great games, or advanced calender, or note taking app or play movies or have a compass or a nice touch screen or etc etc. You sound like the iPhone will not work without data
 
eplchamps0305 said:
Just switch your sim into another phone and call Att and tell them you want to remove the data plan. Then put the sim back into the iPhone. To prevent your phone from going online tell them to put a data block on your line. Mind you with a data block you can't send or recieve mms. Alternatively there is a website you go to on your iPhone that changes the apn settings on your phone and blocks data. That's what I did because I wanted mms.
Click to expand...

This is news to me... You can use MMS with the APN block?

What's that website?
 
STEVESKI07 said:
I purchased a Mercedes but can't afford to put premium gas in it. Maybe I should have just bought a Nissan?
Click to expand...

Yeah--I guess that is me even though I use it a lot at home via Wi-Fi but I wouldn't want it without the data plan--just the way I am about stuff like that. And yes, my car is supposed to have premium and that's what it gets!
 
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