Hi,
I have a Sprint 8703g Blackberry with Sprint, I do not have the Blackberry data package because I just do not need it, I love the phone for its perfect keyboard, and ability to sync with Outlook.
When the phone is on, it says “Data Connection Refused” which is fine, I do not have a data account, but, is there a way to turn this off on this Sprint phone? It seems to be killing my battery to have the phone try to connect for e-mail over and over again. I called Sprint, and they said there is nothing they can do, not very helpful, as usual for Sprint.

The kicker is, I also have a Blackberry 8700 with T-Mobile, same setup, no data plan, BUT, when I called T-Mobile to get the Data Connection Refused error, removed, they where able to do it.

So I am hoping someone can help me with a setting on the Sprint line that I am missing or some kind of hack, I have disabled the browser push and rebooted the phone, but it still comes up.
Thanks
Mike

Hi & welcome to BBF.

You could try going to options > network > and setting data services to off and then do a battery pull.

Hi,
Thanks for the welcome!
When I go to Options/Network, there is not an option for Data Services listed, only the following:
Network: Sprint PCS
Network Selection Mode: Automatic
Available Networks; Sprint PCS
Mike

I cannot think of another way, sorry.

Only way to get rid of that I know is to have a BB data plan. The message is telling you that you do not have data access to RIM.

You might try a search on "data connection refused" and see what you get.

You need a BlackBerry data plan.

This must be just a Sprint network issue, I have a 8700 with T-Mobile also, no data plan, and T-Mobile was able to stop the message (pinging RIM). Really funny, I always thought that Sprints CDMA technology was superior to T-Mobiles GSM, I guess not.

What does that have to do with a network being more superior?

T-Mobile probably added the free BlackBerry Feature Enabler

CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) is generally more secure and faster than GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) but, if you go back this far, its like Beta vs VHS, Beta was the clearly superior format, but Sony want to keep it proprietary, VHS became the format for the masses (translate cheaper) so it won the format war.
CDMA IS a better cellular technology, GSM is used by most of the world, unlike CDMA which is used by the US and Korea, but now both GSM and CDMA are leapfrogging each other with 3G and the new versions of CDMA.

Like you said , this probably had more to do with Blackberry Feature Enabler, which is ? a software package that the customer (Sprint, T-Mobile) can choose to buy or not, which does not surprise me that Sprint is behind, I mean for god sakes, why do I still have to go to a Sprint store to swap out a handset, just activate the SIM like GSM does and let me swap my own handsets. Sprint is archaic, if I did not have a unbelievable price point on my one 10 year old accounts, I would never darken their door for services again.

Mine used to say "Data connection refused" as well. I upgraded from 4.2.1 to os 4.5 to use the new L and Bottom dock themes and in doing so it now says at&t and on some themes: "Luminesce", "Presicion L", and few other 4.5 themes It doesnt say at&t or data connection refused om my homescreen Hope that helps a little

Well, I finally answered my own question. I called T-Mobile to find out what they did to get rid of the error on my T-Mobile Blackberry, and of course, excellent service from T-Mobile.
Blackberry has a feature called "Blackberry Voice Feature' it is a FREE feature that the carrier enables, so when your Blackberry pings RIM, they get a reply even though you do not have a data plan. the end result is that you do not receive the "Data Connection Refused" error, thereby giving you great battery life.

But with Sprint, you get the normal Sprint, screw the customer mentality.

Another Sprint rip off is that when you Call Forward, you not only use your minutes (Which is normal with all carriers) but Sprint charges you an extra 20 cents PER Minute for the forwarded call.
Great business model, for going out of business.