[jk89]

I know I may sound strange in saying this on this forum, but I don't consider internet/e-mail access on my phone to be worth $30/month. I'm strongly attracted to the Pearl mainly because 1) it is free, and 2) it has GPS. It'd be GREAT if the 8110 had Wi-fi, but I can't ask for so much out of a free phone. Anyways, so my goal is to find a deal that would get me the 8110 for free and without a data plan or a data plan contract termination fee.

Third party websites such as letstalk.com and wirefly.com seem to require this obligatory data plan contract. AT&T does not, but the phone is not free directly from AT&T. However, I recently came across this website after some searching (err can't post url's yet. d'oh) that linked to a website at wirefly.com that would allow me to purchase the phone with a 2-yr contract without a data plan. The forum in the link made me suspicious of wirefly, so I investigated a bit further.

I called and live chatted with three wirefly agents, one of which told me that there is a 181-day data plan subscription required of all blackberries ordered through AT&T. The other two have told me (via phone) that the phone CAN be purchased without a data plan, and that their websites don't always reflect the offers that the company actually makes. I also spoke with an AT&T spokesperson who told me that AT&T does not have any sort of data plan obligatory contract.

I feel like ordering through the phone should make this deal feasible, but I was wondering if anyone else on this forum has had a similar situation and has some words of advice to share. Thanks, and I hope to be an active member when I (hopefully) get my Blackberry.

[iCandi]

i believe you need the data to run the gps still.



and if u dont have a data plan.. congrats you just got a house phone...lol. all it does is..call hehe.

[jidx]

Welcome to CB! Get the data plan, you will not regret it.

[jdux]

I went to a franchised At&T store and they required a data plan to upgrade the phone , I then went to a corporate At&T store and they did not require a data plan to get my BB. On top of that I got and xtra $30 rebate from the corporate store!

[jdux]

Got the data plan anyway. Gotta have it.

[jenaywins]

I understand you wanting the pearl for its good looks, but honestly so many features will be disabled, it would be worth getting a different "pretty" phone that has free mobile web and whatnot. Honestly, blackberries are nothing without the data plan. You will be able to call and text. Period.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[jk89]

Well, as I said before, I understand that many of you would strongly recommend that I get the data plan, but as a college student, I don't have much in the way of disposable income, such as $30/month. Also, as I said before, I'm looking at the BB because of the GPS functionality. I've always wanted a GPS, but always saw it as an unnecessary luxury... But now, I see an opportunity to get one.. in a phone...

About someone saying GPS won't work without the data plan... Since the 8110 is an actual receiver, shouldn't it work fine with a 3rd party program and GIS that I can upload from my computer?

Also, again, I do not want to get in the habit of using my phone for e-mail and web surfing if it's going to cost me $30/month. (wi-fi would be a different story). However, if there's something else I should know about with the disadvantage of not having a data plan, I'd love to know that as well.

[amphoteric]

I am a student as well and I currently do not have the data plan and I'm fine without it.

I don't have the 8110 but from all the sites I've been to, they say you need the data in order for the GPS to work.

[jk89]

Unfortunately, I haven't posted enough on this site to post URL's, but a search query of "8110 gps without data plan" returns some pages on this matter - none of them seem entirely confident, but seem to imply that the GPS would work (but not as easily) without the data plan. I'd have to look for the GIS information on my own, probably, but it seems like the GPS SHOULD work...