Anyway around data plans?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Anyway around data plans?

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:04:49 AM EDT

I have a LG Dare phone on Verizon, and so does my wife. They are around two years old and the batteries don't hold a long charge anymore so we wanted to look at upgrading them. I just went to the Verizon website to look at what's available and now it appears that every "cool" phone HAS to have either a data plan for an additional $29.95 or a multimedia plan for an additional $9.99 a month. Neither one of us want internet on our phones and I don't even know what a multimedia plan is. We mainly use our phones for calls, texting, taking pictures and playing movies for my daughter when we're waiting somewhere and the occasional game.

So my question is, is there anyway to get around all these extra data plans? You used to be able to get some of these phones without an extra plan but, now they require them.

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:05:41 AM EDT

[#1]

nope.

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:07:56 AM EDT

[#2]

No... now shoot the lock off of your wallet and get a data plan.

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:08:54 AM EDT

[#3]

I don't think you HAVE to get the $10 data plan, only if you want to use it that way. The smart phones HAVE to have the $30 plan. This is my dilemma. I want to replace my windows phone w/o data for a new one but I HAVE to get the data plan now.

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:09:14 AM EDT

[#4]

Buy new batteries from ebay or cellphoneshop.com and keep your current phones until they crap out...

(batteries are cheap)]

too late for the labor day sale

Dare Battery on CPS

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:10:11 AM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
No... now shoot the lock off of your wallet and get a data plan.

Some of us want phones as just a phone, but dont want to be stuck with the no frills looking things they sell now. Would it have been that hard for the companies to keep a RAZR-type slim phone as their base option rather than the budget clunkers they offer now?

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:14:43 AM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:

Quoted:

No... now shoot the lock off of your wallet and get a data plan.

Some of us want phones as just a phone, but dont want to be stuck with the no frills looking things they sell now. Would it have been that hard for the companies to keep a RAZR-type slim phone as their base option rather than the budget clunkers they offer now?

Yes.

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:33:48 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
No... now shoot the lock off of your wallet and get a data plan.

I have absolutely no need for a data plan so why would I want to pay an extra $30 a month for one. These plans are just a scam to get more money out of the consumers and are not needed for the phone to work.

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:45:39 AM EDT

[#8]

Verizon had/has some phone option that is a smartphone but the data plan is optional..............I think. All I remember is it was a cross between a standard phone and a smartphone, or at least that is how it was described to me. I got into a Droidx. For 30.00 you can do sooooo much. I was apprehensive at first but am now a believer.

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:52:10 AM EDT

[#9]

It won't work for Verizon since they don't use SIM cards.

My cheap coworker has T-Mobile, got the cheapest phone and plan, put the card into a Blackberry. Now she has the mirage of a blackberry but it's nothing more than a regular phone.

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:53:09 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:

Some of us want phones as just a phone, but dont want to be stuck with the no frills looking things they sell now. Would it have been that hard for the companies to keep a RAZR-type slim phone as their base option rather than the budget clunkers they offer now?

Have you considered buying an unlocked GSM phone? That way you can put your SIM card into the phone of your choosing and not get stuck with the clunkers. This will not work for Verizon CDMA systems, by the way.

I have a bare-bones unlocked GSM phone (Motorola v197) but it's only used for traveling overseas. I'm on Verizon in the US but when I go overseas I buy a pre-paid SIM card and duck all the international roaming fees. I don't need smartphone functionality overseas; I only use the phone and text messages.

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:53:11 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:

I have a LG Dare phone on Verizon, and so does my wife. They are around two years old and the batteries don't hold a long charge anymore so we wanted to look at upgrading them. I just went to the Verizon website to look at what's available and now it appears that every "cool" phone HAS to have either a data plan for an additional $29.95 or a multimedia plan for an additional $9.99 a month. Neither one of us want internet on our phones and I don't even know what a multimedia plan is. We mainly use our phones for calls, texting, taking pictures and playing movies for my daughter when we're waiting somewhere and the occasional game.

So my question is, is there anyway to get around all these extra data plans? You used to be able to get some of these phones without an extra plan but, now they require them.

Texting IS data.

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:55:11 AM EDT

[#12]

Choose a non-smart phone.

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:57:23 AM EDT

[#13]

You could look into this: http://qwertcorp.com/handsets/

Or look through here: http://www.squidoo.com/text_messaging_plans#module10123010

There are some options, but I don't see them being very cost effective. Pay the same for less.

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:59:42 AM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I have a LG Dare phone on Verizon, and so does my wife. They are around two years old and the batteries don't hold a long charge anymore so we wanted to look at upgrading them. I just went to the Verizon website to look at what's available and now it appears that every "cool" phone HAS to have either a data plan for an additional $29.95 or a multimedia plan for an additional $9.99 a month. Neither one of us want internet on our phones and I don't even know what a multimedia plan is. We mainly use our phones for calls, texting, taking pictures and playing movies for my daughter when we're waiting somewhere and the occasional game.

So my question is, is there anyway to get around all these extra data plans? You used to be able to get some of these phones without an extra plan but, now they require them.

Texting IS data.

ATT considers texting as texting and Data as Data. 2 completely different plans. I have ATT with a texting package. If i get a smart phone i have to add a data package. I am doing the research now.

Posted: 9/8/2010 7:27:33 AM EDT

[#15]

Page Plus Cellular. They use Verizon's network so your coverage will remain the same but you have cheaper plans available and one of the best prepaid deals available.

Posted: 9/8/2010 7:29:01 AM EDT

[#16]

No. Too many people had smart phones with no data plans and either made inadvertent data usage or did so with no plan to massive bills. So now all smart/data phones have to have a plan.

Posted: 9/8/2010 7:51:31 AM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I have a LG Dare phone on Verizon, and so does my wife. They are around two years old and the batteries don't hold a long charge anymore so we wanted to look at upgrading them. I just went to the Verizon website to look at what's available and now it appears that every "cool" phone HAS to have either a data plan for an additional $29.95 or a multimedia plan for an additional $9.99 a month. Neither one of us want internet on our phones and I don't even know what a multimedia plan is. We mainly use our phones for calls, texting, taking pictures and playing movies for my daughter when we're waiting somewhere and the occasional game.

So my question is, is there anyway to get around all these extra data plans? You used to be able to get some of these phones without an extra plan but, now they require them.

Texting IS data.

ATT considers texting as texting and Data as Data. 2 completely different plans. I have ATT with a texting package. If i get a smart phone i have to add a data package. I am doing the research now.

Yep, the fact that ATT considers texting and data different is what will be driving me to a different company here in a few months when my Iphone contract with them is up. Just back to plain old phones for me. I'll just throw the wife's sim card into her existing Iphone so she can use it around the house (WiFi) for the apps she has. It'll be nice not have to pay an extra $60 a month to ATT or whatever company I decide to go with.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Anyway around data plans?

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