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06-01-2010, 04:06 PM
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#1
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New Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Model: 9700
PIN: N/A
Carrier: ATT
Posts: 4
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AT&T Blackberry - Any way to drop the data plan?
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I have a couple Blackberry's that I have accumulated through my past jobs, and now that I'm out of work, I'd like to continue to use them as phones without the data plan to save a little money. I've called AT&T and they told me that there was no way to do this as AT&T has instituted a company-wide policy beginning September 2009 that all PDA smartphones must have a data plan in order to be used on the AT&T network.
I wanted to get the public's feedback to see if anyone has a way around this.
If not, I'll have to go and buy a new dumbphone...
Thanks,
Prashant
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06-01-2010, 04:20 PM
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#2
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Appleinator
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: New Hampshire
Model: App6+
OS: AJBR549
PIN: Ask
Carrier: ATT & Verizon
Posts: 20,038
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What AT&T told you is correct. They scan IMEIs periodically and add data plans if needed. Took them 26 hours to find the last one I tested (about 2-3 months ago). The forum is full of surprised users!
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06-01-2010, 04:25 PM
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#3
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Latino Hasta La Muerte
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Denville, NJ.
Model: 9370
Carrier: Verizon
Posts: 9,063
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You might be able to use one for a little while with a pre-paid SIM card, but you lose your number. That's about the only thing I can think of. All the carriers are doing this now. Both Sprint and Verizon instituted this policy more than a year ago. Dunno about T-Mobile.
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06-01-2010, 11:37 PM
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#4
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BlackBerry Master
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: smelLA, caLAMEfornia
Model: 8320
OS: 4.5.0.182
PIN: infarina
Carrier: of alotta bacteria
Posts: 4,932
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Wirelessly posted (L'neuf trois)
If you have your own phone, you can use Tmobile w/o a data plan.
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07-20-2010, 09:31 AM
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#5
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New Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Model: 9700
PIN: N/A
Carrier: ATT
Posts: 4
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After a couple months of service, and getting charged data, I called up ATT and found out that I was supposed to be part of the rare class that can get a BB data exclusion applied to my account. They reversed all charges, and let's see whether they charge me again in the next month's bill. If it's a recurring problem where ATT's billing is not in line with their technology for forcing all PDAs into a data plan, then I'll eventually buy a non-PDA phone.
Thanks everyone for your replies.
Prashant
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07-20-2010, 12:22 PM
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#6
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Platinum Sponsor
Join Date: Apr 2006
Model: 9700
Carrier: Telus
Posts: 331
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Wow - I thought this was a joke for a bit...they 'force' you to have dataplans at AT&T? That's business suicide - I know of so many people who have smartphones but no data plans -
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Vincent L
Sync your Contacts/Calendar/Notes/Tasks wirelessly from your PC to BB - http://www.thinkpost.net
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07-20-2010, 12:28 PM
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#7
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BlackBerry Extraordinaire
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: San Antonio, TX
Model: 9650
Carrier: Sprint
Posts: 1,067
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vliou
That's business suicide - I know of so many people who have smartphones but no data plans -
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Not in the US since it is the "norm" among carriers. You want a Smart Phone, you get a data plan. Don't like it, don't get a Smart Phone. Not much choice. I believe TMobile may allow you to have a Smart Phone (non-subsidized) without a data plan.
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Personal: iPhone on AT&T
Work: BB 9650 on Sprint
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07-20-2010, 12:29 PM
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#8
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Platinum Sponsor
Join Date: Apr 2006
Model: 9700
Carrier: Telus
Posts: 331
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wow learn something new every day - i've never heard of that where I am (Canada)
__________________
Vincent L
Sync your Contacts/Calendar/Notes/Tasks wirelessly from your PC to BB - http://www.thinkpost.net
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07-20-2010, 01:43 PM
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#9
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Latino Hasta La Muerte
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Denville, NJ.
Model: 9370
Carrier: Verizon
Posts: 9,063
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Verizon was the first to require a data plan with BlackBerrys. Sprint expanded the idea by requiring certain phones to have specific plans that included data. AT&T did this with the iPhone and has expanded it to other devices much like Sprint. T-Mobile has been the most lax with this and with data caps (fair use) and may still allow a BB without a plan, but I'm not sure.
Last edited by rambo47; 07-20-2010 at 01:44 PM..
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08-15-2010, 02:17 PM
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#10
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New Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Model: 8900
PIN: N/A
Carrier: T-Mobile
Posts: 2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Trimix
Wirelessly posted (L'neuf trois)
If you have your own phone, you can use Tmobile w/o a data plan.
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Can anyone else confirm this? I am on T-Mobile with a dumbphone without a data plan. If I were to buy a BB Curve 8900 on Ebay and throw in my SIM card, what would happen? Would they start charging me for a data plan? I definitely do not want one.
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08-15-2010, 02:28 PM
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#11
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BlackBerry Master
Join Date: May 2008
Model: 9930
OS: 7.1.0.163
PIN: N/A
Carrier: Verizon
Posts: 4,351
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You can use a BlackBerry on TMobile without a data plan.
Note that you will not have access to any data features, though.
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08-15-2010, 03:10 PM
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#12
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New Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Model: 8900
PIN: N/A
Carrier: T-Mobile
Posts: 2
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Good to know, I think I will do that. I just want it for calls, texts, and music.
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08-15-2010, 04:27 PM
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#13
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BBF Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Southern Florida
Model: 9650
OS: 6.0.0.333
Carrier: Verizon BIS
Posts: 14,484
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*Thread Moved*
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Follow @akosnitzky on Twitter
LET'S GO CANES!
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08-16-2010, 03:53 AM
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#14
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New Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Model: 9000
PIN: N/A
Carrier: AT&T
Posts: 11
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Here's what I did to get the dataplan removed on one of my other lines. Call AT&T and ask to be transferred to the resolutions department -- as they are the only ones with the access codes to make this change to your account -- tell the CSR that you want to grandfather in a blackberry which you purchased from an AT&T corp store PRIOR to this new policy requiring all BB's to have an attached data plan.
They SHOULD remove it for you, if they do not hang up and call again. If the second CSR doesn't want to do it either request to be transferred to the SAVE department and tell them that you are interested in closing your account. They won't let you go.
Source: I did just this
Quote:
Originally Posted by bos_prashant
I have a couple Blackberry's that I have accumulated through my past jobs, and now that I'm out of work, I'd like to continue to use them as phones without the data plan to save a little money. I've called AT&T and they told me that there was no way to do this as AT&T has instituted a company-wide policy beginning September 2009 that all PDA smartphones must have a data plan in order to be used on the AT&T network.
I wanted to get the public's feedback to see if anyone has a way around this.
If not, I'll have to go and buy a new dumbphone...
Thanks,
Prashant
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10-03-2010, 08:01 PM
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#15
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New Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Model: 8100
PIN: N/A
Carrier: AT&T
Posts: 1
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No data plan
All I use the BB for is calendar, organizer, address book, media player, camera and phone. All of these are device centric apps, none of them "need" access. I have never used it for txt messaging nor will I ever use it for email or Internet access. I'm only using it as a "one device" so I don't end up carrying around a phone, camera, organizer as three separate devices. It's absurd to require everyone to buy a data plan when many of us will simply never use it.
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10-03-2010, 08:06 PM
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#16
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Grumpy Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Somewhere in the swamps of Jersey
Model: SGS7
Carrier: Verizon
Posts: 27,948
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Good point. Start by complaining to the carriers. Start with Verizon and AT&T. That'll cover it.
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10-03-2010, 08:07 PM
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#17
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BlackBerry God
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Others run out when we run in
Model: Z10
OS: Cheerios
PIN: No Pin just a Tack
Carrier: at&t
Posts: 10,030
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true but it's what most large carriers are doing.
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Z10 on BES
Z10 on BIS
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10-03-2010, 08:07 PM
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#18
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BlackBerry Master
Join Date: May 2008
Model: 9930
OS: 7.1.0.163
PIN: N/A
Carrier: Verizon
Posts: 4,351
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You DO have options.
1. Use a different device.
or
2. Use a different carrier.
It's "absurd" for users to try to use a device for which the carrier has determined a data plan will be required for use on that carrier.
Go a different route. Simple.
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10-03-2010, 08:15 PM
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#19
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BlackBerry God
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Others run out when we run in
Model: Z10
OS: Cheerios
PIN: No Pin just a Tack
Carrier: at&t
Posts: 10,030
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True MM
A lot of new users want a Blackberry for the looks but donxxx8217;t want the cost involved.
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Z10 on BES
Z10 on BIS
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10-04-2010, 06:06 PM
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#20
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Latino Hasta La Muerte
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Denville, NJ.
Model: 9370
Carrier: Verizon
Posts: 9,063
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tsac
True MM
A lot of new users want a Blackberry for the looks but don’t want the cost involved.
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Unfortunately there is still a "bling factor" with using BlackBerrys. If folks would just get a mobile based on a tiny bit of research we'd deal with a heck of a lot less whining around here.
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