Okay, someone tell me if this is possible at all: my family has a FamilyTalk plan and I want to add a line for the $9.99 extra a month, but DO NOT WANT DATA. I am convinced that I will have no use for EDGE at all- I don't care about web browsing and mini-apps wherever I am, I can just use WiFi. Can someone tell me if this is a possibility? Even though AT&T "requires" it, I'm sure there is some sort of workaround.
Have to have the data plan for the phone to work. Period. No ifs ands or buts about it. One major facet of that would be your visual voicemail wouldn't work without it. Not to mention all the other data like the Weather, Mail, Maps, etc.
Besides, $20 bucks for unlimited data is awesome compared to data plans for other similar phones, which is usually $40 a month extra.
Besides, $20 bucks for unlimited data is awesome compared to data plans for other similar phones, which is usually $40 a month extra.
There may be some sort of workaround, but ATT will not sell you the phone and activate it without selling you the data portion of the contract. Just part of the price of admission with the iPhone. Remember, one of it's key selling points is that it's a "revolutionary internet device". Afraid if you want a data capable device without a data contract, you are going to have to get a Treo or an 8525.
Actually, Verizon has been requiring a data contract since they began selling data capable devices. Cingular was always the odd man out in that regard.
Actually, Verizon has been requiring a data contract since they began selling data capable devices. Cingular was always the odd man out in that regard.
As another of my horror stories getting activated, I found that it was in fact possible to not sign up for the data plan. Now of course I wanted the data plan, but after 2 days and finally getting activated, I was first experiemnting and playing with it here in office on wifi. It was only the next day before I left office with it and found I ahd no blue "E". So after trying all I knew I call them again and the guy says I am NOT signed up for the data plan!. I asked how this was possible as it wasn't even a choice in the signup screens and he was admittedly bafled himself, but I ahd done it. He turned on the data plan while I was on the phone and the magic blue E appeared before we hung up. Another hassle solved.
I would HIGHLY recommend paying the 20. I use the internet so often. If I didn't within the first 3 days my bill would be 100 dollars 
or more .
I have heard that the phone can be a "wifi/ipod" device but no plan whatsoever. In that case you may want a freebie phone to make calls and iPhone for surfing and such.
or more .I have heard that the phone can be a "wifi/ipod" device but no plan whatsoever. In that case you may want a freebie phone to make calls and iPhone for surfing and such.
I would HIGHLY recommend paying the 20. I use the internet so often. If I didn't within the first 3 days my bill would be 100 dollars or more .
I have heard that the phone can be a "wifi/ipod" device but no plan whatsoever. In that case you may want a freebie phone to make calls and iPhone for surfing and such.
or more .I have heard that the phone can be a "wifi/ipod" device but no plan whatsoever. In that case you may want a freebie phone to make calls and iPhone for surfing and such.
I'm curious to know how this is anything other than theoretical at this point. There is a hack to make the device operable, but who would seriously consider paying that kind of money for a wifi ipod? Still not sure ATT would sell it to you to begin with unless you buy the data plan...
I agree - pay the $20/month. It's a good price for full internet access (that's what ATT calls it - full access). If you text more than 200 messages every month, get the slightly higher priced option - I forget how much, but it covers all the texting you can do.
Well, last week I added another line on my family plan. The store rep somehow totally messed up everything. The next day when I wasn't using the WIFI, I got the message that I wasn't subscribed to EDGE! I called customer service, and here, the data plan had been shut off of my iPhone, and mine & my dtr's text messaging packages were also removed as well. (we were two of the already existing numbers on the plan) So indeed, here I was with phone service, but it would not allow me to use the internet through EDGE at all. When I called to get it fixed, I asked how this mess up had occurred since iPhone users are REQUIRED to have a data plan to activate their phones. Plus my iPhone is on the foundation account number too. So I questioned how there was even an option to turn it off at all on the store rep's end. The rep on the phone had no real answer but restored everything. Nonetheless, for a day and a half, I was an iPhone user with no ability to access EDGE at all.
So it may have also meant that I technically wasn't being charged the data plan rate either.
So it may have also meant that I technically wasn't being charged the data plan rate either.
