[brucep1]

Interesting idea OP. Side question, can you make BBM calls to people without BBM via wifi only?

I love the idea of wifi only without a plan. I've done some traveling overseas recently, and I basically used my iphone as an ipod touch. Being able to video message people back home the last couple of years has saved me some serious dough on international plans.

[donnation]

Nope, not even a remote possibility. Would never work in a million years unless you sit tied to a desk all day or want to pull over somewhere every time you're a phone call or want to contact someone.

[brucep1]

Nope, not even a remote possibility. Would never work in a million years unless you sit tied to a desk all day or want to pull over somewhere every time you're a phone call or want to contact someone.

Million years? Let's not be so quick to dismiss the idea. I really don't think having wifi in more places is that farfetched of an idea. That's really all this boils down to.

Improbable? Sure. Possibility? Yep

[raino]

Interesting idea OP. Side question, can you make BBM calls to people without BBM via wifi only?

As of now, no.

The underlying assumption to this thread is that:

1. When BBM goes cross-platform, it will be have the voice call (and video chat) feature
2. It will post massive download numbers, somehow enough to rival carrier subscribers.

[DisturbedRocks31]

I don't understand why people would want a data and cell connection if you could get everyone you need to get in touch with on BBM? Like I said, the 100km wi-fi (if implemented and free...) would essentially become the city wide wifi!

Nope, not even a remote possibility. Would never work in a million years unless you sit tied to a desk all day or want to pull over somewhere every time you're a phone call or want to contact someone.

I hope you're joking.

[donnation]

I don't understand why people would want a data and cell connection if you could get everyone you need to get in touch with on BBM? Like I said, the 100km wi-fi (if implemented and free...) would essentially become the city wide wifi!



I hope you're joking.

If you can give me free city wide wifi wherever I travel and go then sure I'm on board. Since that isn't happening then yes I would want a data connection because I travel all over the place to places where they don't even have wifi. Is that clearer?

[heymaggie]

US cellular companies are responding to the shift from SMS to BBM, iMessage, WhatsApp, etc. by only having one all or nothing plan for SMS. For example, AT&T doesn't offer the 200 SMS/month plan anymore to new customers.

Where I see this working, for some, is with kids. If your kids are usually at school, home, or other places with wifi then you can hold off on buying them a cellular plan for a good long time. For example, if you are non-custodial dad and you want to talk with your 7 year old kid on a regular basis then using a wifi-only device like an iPad or an old smartphone would work great.

[Denise in Los Angeles]

I don't understand why people would want a data and cell connection if you could get everyone you need to get in touch with on BBM? Like I said, the 100km wi-fi (if implemented and free...) would essentially become the city wide wifi!

Wake up!!! Not everyone will get BBM. You would not be able to use with all contacts, only those that do install BBM.

[raino]

Wake up!!! Not everyone will get BBM.

This, plus not everyone will get a smartphone either