Question on BB & Data Plan

[bchandler02]

I'm sure this question comes up quite a bit, but I am in a crunch for time and have done 20 mins of searching without a clear answer.

My mom is needing to get a new phone. She will need something that is rock solid and will only use it for phone calls, but also wants to start texting (needs physical keyboard). She will NOT use data in any way. Needs are reception, stability, and battery. Does not care about apps, ringtones, web/data, email, music, etc.

I am a heavy BB user on Verizon, but I'm just not familiar with AT&T policies. Can she buy a BB to use on the regular talk plans, and add the messaging pack? Can data be disabled at the account level, or do I need to do that on the phone?

I've looked at some of their "quick messaging" phones - but just don't feel great about any of them. If I could get her on a curve or bold or something similar without the data plan, she'd be perfectly satisfied.

Is it possible to do this, and if so, how? Go buy the BB at the corporate store and just tell them not to add the data plan? Buy the BB 3rd party and just swap the SIM? Or buy it with the data plan and then wait a few days and drop via customer service?

Appreciate any help here. I know this is a BB site, but if anyone thinks there is a solid quick messaging phone out there that would work, I'm open to ideas.

[sedalia066]

ATT now requires a data plan for all BB's on their network. No current exceptions. There are pretty inexpensive (comparatively at least) plans with $15 for 200 megs a month usage.

[bchandler02]

Crap, not what I wanted to hear, but thanks for the info. If the $15 text plan would satisfy their stupid requirement, we'd be good, but the text + data plan would just be a waste.

Just out of curiosity, what happens if you have an account that has a regular plan & messaging add on and you take that SIM and put it in a BB (with data disabled)?

[lak611]

Originally Posted by bchandler02

Crap, not what I wanted to hear, but thanks for the info. If the $15 text plan would satisfy their stupid requirement, we'd be good, but the text + data plan would just be a waste.

Just out of curiosity, what happens if you have an account that has a regular plan & messaging add on and you take that SIM and put it in a BB (with data disabled)?

AT&T does IMEI sweeps. They detect the BlackBerry and automatically add the data plan.

You can get just data and no texting plan, but there is no way around the data plan, just like at VZW.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[bchandler02]

Ok, thanks everyone. Not the answer I was hoping for, but appreciate the info. I didn't know they would do IMEI sweeps and auto add it, I knew friends back in the old days got away with stuff like this.

Looks like I have to pick the lesser of the evils out of the "quick messaging" phones.

[Mister Xiado]

Or just use a T-Mobile BlackBerry.

[PestPro]

There are some phones from ATT that do not require a Data plan, but you can have texting on them.

Just go to a ATT store and tell them you want a phone that does not require data. Lots of choices