My gf just upgraded to a 8700g since she was having way tooo many issues with her mda..she was told by customer support that she can use the phone and not have to add the blackberry data plan..upon receiving the phone she is only able to make one call and then she can't use the phone at all, she can't send sms or make or receive calls. seems the only way we got to the phone to work was by adding the blackberry data plan..before adding the plan she would have the edge in lowercase and it would right away go away after making the 1st call..then after adding the plan she was able to use all functions of the phone? has tmobile made some changes were your forced to add the blackberry plan in order to just use the phone to make and send sms?

I have a friend who uses the 8700 just as a phone right now. It doesn't make much sense to me, but it works. I cant figure out why someone would want such a large device to use only as a phone. That is like buying a Ferrari to use as an Ice Cream Truck driving around at 5 MPH. Doesn't make sense to me.

She text messages a lot and the mda and the sidekick 3 are both very unreliable, thus she decided to go with the 8700 since i have one and ive never had any issues with mines. so to her having a keypad vs a regular phone is easier to use.

i have used the 8700 as phone only and never had a problem. im also a heavy text messeger.

she does not need the blackberry data plan, you do not need to get it.

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8700/4.1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

Before I got the bb 8700g, I did not have a bb data plan. Upon I got the bb, I inserted a sim and I could make calls and send sms w/ any issues with the bb. Later I added the bb data plan and I could surf on the web.
Additionally, I guess it is not our concern about someone using the bb as the phone w/ data plan; since it is really not a concern at all. At least, I think it does not need to make sense about using bb as the phone w/ data.
As long as someone can afford a bb 8700, it is all good.

That's what i thought..I also have a 8700g and tried my additional line that does not have the blackberry plan and it did the samething...it seems the only way we can use the phone functions is by adding the bb plan?

I most likely will not be using my 8703e with a data plan and am buying it due to its stability and qwerty keyboard for heaving sms I do. Its the same price as an LG vx9800, so why not. I feel that "you like what you like" and who cares what others think. If the BB fits your needs w/out a data plane then great!!

If you don't want a data plan, don't get one and don't be pressured into one by the cell company reps. They try to sell you as much as they can since its a business which I can respect. But not everyone needs it all.

Rob