[bosox1362]

Hey... This is my first post, but I have been lurking on this forum for about a week now.

I just ordered a Refurb BB Bold from AT&T and I am really excited to get it. However, I am in college and money is tight, so I plan on using it without a Blackberry or Data plan. Here is my logic: I spend 99% of my time either on campus, at work, or at home... All of these places have wi-fi. In the next year or so I can only see the amount of hotspots INCREASING...

So do you guys have any advice for me? How can I avoid data charges? Am I really going to miss out on anything?

The only feature I KNOW I will kind of miss is GPS because obviously I can't get internet in the car.

Thanks!

[jpro757]

Sounds sketchy u might not need it are you paying for a text package if u have that u might be alright for a while and if u can hop on toi a wifi network without occuring any charges then it might be a move to save some money

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[Chicklet]

I can't easily find the thread for you from my berry but there was one recently on wifi supported apps. As long as you manage connections to wifi only you should be okay.

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[thechiuman]

u dont get to use bb messenger without a data plan... but thats with rogers not sure about at&t

[bosox1362]

I'm on a family plan and we have unlimited texting... Just so you know.


So the data plan would just be a $30 extra charge per month that I would have to pay for.

[Chicklet]

I'm on a family plan and we have unlimited texting... Just so you know.


So the data plan would just be a $30 extra charge per month that I would have to pay for.

I'm on a family plan as well. I need the data due to nasty wfi connects at work. But I use wifi at home for streaming radio or video. Maybe ask for a data on a 3 month discount if they do that. See how much you will actually use.

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[dok]

imo...i would get the data just to be on the safe side.

data overage charges suck!

[LittleRedDot]

Please understand that you CANNOT send texts without a texting plan. I pay 4.99 for 200.

If I were you I would be looking for every dollar you can cut out of your monthly budget so you can swing a data plan.

And be carefull about leaving hotspot whilst using data or else they'll be charging you out the wazoo.

[bosox1362]

I'm on a family plan as well. I need the data due to nasty wfi connects at work. But I use wifi at home for streaming radio or video. Maybe ask for a data on a 3 month discount if they do that. See how much you will actually use.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Thats a good idea... I would definately be interested to try it.

The one nice thing about buying my Bold refurbished (cost $249 because I was eligible for an upgrade) was that I don't have to mess around with any NEW data contract agreements or annoying mail in reabates. It was $249 + Tax out the door.

[bosox1362]

imo...i would get the data just to be on the safe side.

data overage charges suck!

I agree... If I find that in the first couple months it is impossible to avoid them, I will probably have to sign up for a data plan.

Please understand that you CANNOT send texts without a texting plan. I pay 4.99 for 200.

If I were you I would be looking for every dollar you can cut out of your monthly budget so you can swing a data plan.

And be carefull about leaving hotspot whilst using data or else they'll be charging you out the wazoo.

Oh yeah I'm aware about the texting... Like I said my family has an unlimited texting plan. They also pay for the voice family plan, just NO DATA!

Is there anyway that I can just turn off the 3G connection so that Wi-Fi is the only way that my Bold uses data? I'd rather it just cut me off when I left a hot spot...


Sorry if some of these questions are stupid. I don't actually have my Bold yet to play around with! Trying to figure this stuff out before I get it.

[Allyson Kazmucha]

Wifi options --> data services --> off

But like others have said, you will not be able to use blackberry messenger at all. i've also heard other people having trouble downloading things without the BB plan.

I would honestly recommend putting out the money for a data plan if you want a BB. If you don't want to do that, I'd say save the money you're spending on the BB and get a cheaper phone.

Honestly - I'm not trying to be mean, but a lot of things that make a BB a BB require the data plan.

I agree... If I find that in the first couple months it is impossible to avoid them, I will probably have to sign up for a data plan.



Oh yeah I'm aware about the texting... Like I said my family has an unlimited texting plan. They also pay for the voice family plan, just NO DATA!

Is there anyway that I can just turn off the 3G connection so that Wi-Fi is the only way that my Bold uses data? I'd rather it just cut me off when I left a hot spot...


Sorry if some of these questions are stupid. I don't actually have my Bold yet to play around with! Trying to figure this stuff out before I get it.

[bosox1362]

Wifi options --> data services --> off

But like others have said, you will not be able to use blackberry messenger at all. i've also heard other people having trouble downloading things without the BB plan.

I would honestly recommend putting out the money for a data plan if you want a BB. If you don't want to do that, I'd say save the money you're spending on the BB and get a cheaper phone.

Honestly - I'm not trying to be mean, but a lot of things that make a BB a BB require the data plan.

What exactly is the BB messanger good for? I know it is a cool feature, but I thought it was only to talk to other people with BlackBerries? Correct me if I'm wrong.

It is too late to "spend my money on another phone". It is already in the mail. I have found plenty of features that I like about the Bold that have nothing to do with the internet... So I feel fine about the purchase.

Like I said earlier... I spend 99% of my time on campus, at work, or at home. All these places have Wi-Fi. As long as I can surf the internet and check my email I am going to be happy. But, I just want to know what features REQUIRE a BB plan, besides the messanger?

Thanks again.

[ProfessorChaos]

Like I said earlier... I spend 99% of my time on campus, at work, or at home. All these places have Wi-Fi. As long as I can surf the internet and check my email I am going to be happy. But, I just want to know what features REQUIRE a BB plan, besides the messanger?

judging by your statement, you already have made up your mind and are just looking for reassurance in your decision.

[bosox1362]

judging by your statement, you already have made up your mind and are just looking for reassurance in your decision.

Haha... yeah pretty much. I mean if I decide I do need/want the Data plan, I can always add it at anytime.

Maybe I should have asked the opposite question. Convince me why I need a blackberry/data plan? At this time (before I even have my phone), it doesn't seem like it would be worth it.

[Phungula]

I can't easily find the thread for you from my berry but there was one recently on wifi supported apps. As long as you manage connections to wifi only you should be okay.

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anyone else can find this? sounds like an interesting list to have a look see

[Hazysky]

http://forums.crackberry.com/f65/bla...+that+use+wifi

[J-Mar]

I'm currently using a Bold with no data plan on ATT. It seems as though it still uses a little bit of data even when browsing on WiFi. Seems that Opera Mini does a better job of not using data than the BB Browser. It could be that I'm picking up data from something else though. I know that my browsers won't work with Data Services turned off.

I'm currently working on MGMaps to get it on my Bold. With it you can store maps locally on your memory card so then it won't download maps and charge you data charges like Google Maps would.

I'm very happy with the Bold. Like you I'm around WiFi a lot and I can check my work email through the browser and check other mail through LogicMail.

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[TexasTrainer254]

You won't reap the full benefits of the Bold without the data plan.

[_StOrmShAdOw_]

i have no data plan either. you dont get push email from bb and a few other messaging features they offer. personally not a big deal. logicmail works for me, and like j mar i plan on useing MGMaps for gps. just make sure you do not stream anything over 3g. i think you can call att and have them offer no data at all so you dont accrue any charges.

[CigarDad]

I do not know specifically about the Bold but my daughter at college has a BlackBerry Curve 8320. This phone has Wi-Fi. The though was that she could use the free Wi-Fi access in the dorms and on campus with her phone which she could. The problem was with AT&T it accrued data charges. I had to buy a data plan even though she was accessing free Wi-Fi. I do not know if it is the same with Bold or not. I have a Bold and before I even activated the phone I was able to use the Wi-Fi feature to search the web.

[lakerz4lyfe]

that's almost like using a handicapped blackberry! LoL

[bosox1362]

You won't reap the full benefits of the Bold without the data plan.

No offense but posts like this are kind of useless. I know.

[wcihlu]

u dont get to use bb messenger without a data plan... but thats with rogers not sure about at&t

Same wit att. No data plan no bbm

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[Allyson Kazmucha]

Here you go:

HowardForums: Your Mobile Phone Community & Resource - Using a Blackberry without the Blackberry features - Possible?

if you are going to do this i would highly suggest calling at&t and putting a data block on your phone so you can't accrue data charges, because i can almost guarantee, at some point, your berry will probably access at&ts network if you forget one little thing, and you'll accrue ridiculous data charges.

[ImGeorgeous]

if you really don't want a data plan, i'd sell the bold and get an original iphone. the iphone is amazing on wifi without a data plan. just jailbreak and download bossprefs and turn off edge internet. little chance of getting charged by at&t.

and most apps use wifi seamlessly, and it's incredibly simple to connect to a school/workplace wifi that uses 802.1x authentication (not the case with blackberry). and plus, no data plan = no mail on a blackberry.

i got both my sister and girlfriend an iphone for their respective birthdays and they've been super happy with them without a data plan.


honestly, seeing how you are a big texter and you aren't getting a data plan, i'd have a hard time recommending a blackberry to you. the iphone has a good threaded texting program and its wifi integration is much better.