iPhone w/o data plan?

[rye9]

Okay, so here is my situation. I'm not asking to get an iPhone brand spankin' new with no data plan; I know that's like pulling some serious teeth. So...

I have an iPhone 3G that was purchased almost 2 years ago, aka it's well beyond eligible for an upgrade (since at&t allowed upgrade eligibility for iPhone 3G owners @ the 3GS release), and I plan on getting the 4G iPhone next month or so when it's released. Now, my iPhone is on a family plan with two other lines on it, one being my mother's. She said she would love if she could have my iPhone 3G when I replace it with the new iPhone, but she refuses to do it if forced to pay the data plan. So, simply put, is there a way to "cancel" my current iPhone line and her line or whatever trickery needs to be done, and then have the iPhone 3G essentially replace her current cell phone? I imagine it may be possible, as I've read that some have cancelled their iPhone contracts and then added another line to a family plan and doing some stuff with SIM cards in order to have an iPhone w/o data, but this situation may be different, I'm not sure.

 

[appleguy123]

You need a data plan. As far as I know, you used to be able to use a dumb phone and cancel the data plan, but you can't now. AT&T will send you a message saying that you have to add a data plan.

 

[johng723]

I don't quite understand why you'd have to cancel anything. My GF and I did sort of the same thing. I gave her my 3G, she simply put her sim card into the phone, and it worked. All without having to get a data plan. It's been over a year now and no problems.

 

[RonHC]

Two words:

Search Bar

 

[rye9]

I don't quite understand why you'd have to cancel anything. My GF and I did sort of the same thing. I gave her my 3G, she simply put her sim card into the phone, and it worked. All without having to get a data plan. It's been over a year now and no problems.

So I assume then under your at&t online account, it shows that she has some other cell phone or something? Since they don't really "know" which phone you actually have... just the SIM cards and what not? I'm not too savvy on this cell phone plan business, but I'm trying to learn.

 

[rjohnstone]

So I assume then under your at&t online account, it shows that she has some other cell phone or something? Since they don't really "know" which phone you actually have... just the SIM cards and what not? I'm not too savvy on this cell phone plan business, but I'm trying to learn.

AT&T knows exactly what model of phone you have the instant it connects to a tower.
The only way that I'm aware of having an iPhone without a data plan is to use a GoPhone SIM.

I've heard some people say they put their SIM in a dumb phone and requested a data block on the line. Then they take that SIM and put it in an iPhone.
Not sure how valid that trick is.

 

[Geckotek]

There's a thread discussing this from earlier in the week. All the answers you need. Search

 

[johng723]

So I assume then under your at&t online account, it shows that she has some other cell phone or something? Since they don't really "know" which phone you actually have... just the SIM cards and what not? I'm not too savvy on this cell phone plan business, but I'm trying to learn.

Actually on the AT&T website, it does show her having an iPhone, but I haven't heard a peep about it from them. Like I said before, it's been about a year or so and we haven't had any problems...

 

[Applejuiced]

Actually on the AT&T website, it does show her having an iPhone, but I haven't heard a peep about it from them. Like I said before, it's been about a year or so and we haven't had any problems...

You and many other people also.
If you have data blocked I dont think they will bother you much.
If you're acessing data as pay per KB or using a non-iphone data plan they might start bugging you.

 

[bniu]

You and many other people also.
If you have data blocked I dont think they will bother you much.
If you're acessing data as pay per KB or using a non-iphone data plan they might start bugging you.

how bout AT&T simply bill data at $10/MB with a cap of $30. Makes a lot more sense to me than those exorbiant $10,000 bills that bring little revenue and tons of bad press

 

[johng723]

You and many other people also.
If you have data blocked I dont think they will bother you much.
If you're acessing data as pay per KB or using a non-iphone data plan they might start bugging you.

That's right, I did forget to mention that her data is blocked. She had a BB before and had the data blocked. I assume that it's still blocked, but I've also "hidden" the apps that use data on her iPhone through SBSettings just in case.

 

[goobot]

That's right, I did forget to mention that her data is blocked. She had a BB before and had the data blocked. I assume that it's still blocked, but I've also "hidden" the apps that use data on her iPhone through SBSettings just in case.

so you left settings phone notes and calculator. what was the point of the iphone then? she can still use wifi no?

 

[Applejuiced]

That's right, I did forget to mention that her data is blocked. She had a BB before and had the data blocked. I assume that it's still blocked, but I've also "hidden" the apps that use data on her iPhone through SBSettings just in case.

You dont need to do that if data is blocked on the account and on the phone with a fake apn like from www.unlockit.co.nz
Acessing that site from iphones safari you can install an fake apn and when anyone tries to acess data when away from wifi it wont go thru.

 

[johng723]

so you left settings phone notes and calculator. what was the point of the iphone then? she can still use wifi no?

Yeah, she really just needs it for the phone, text, and ipod.

 

[SDAVE]

Find a very old phone off ebay or your friend, call AT&T, tell them to add the IMEI number of that phone to the system (Make sure you actually have the SIM card in that phone when you call.) Also tell them to disable access to any data plans so the user doesn't accidentally get online and pay a gazillion dollars. Disconnect from the rep, then pop out the card and pop it back into your iPhone. You're set.

When you go online, the system will see that you have an iPhone, but AT&T will never care for it as long as you don't use the data plan.