T-Mobile Wifi problems

Recently, for the past week or so, my phone has consistently had lower case edge and lower case uma. I haven't been able to use programs like ubertwitter and socialscope, or even browse the internet with anything but the default browser. Opera doesn't work as well. I don't have a data plan, but to my knowledge wifi has always been able to work without one, i know this from personal experience since I've had this phone for months and never experienced this problem.

I tried a hard reset, and it works... every time, but it works every time temporarily. The programs work: ubertwitter, opera, socialscope etc. with the "edge" on lower case, which is peculiar, and then within 30 minutes of the hard reset they all go back to not working.

Can anyone help me out with a solution to this problem, I would very much like to get my "EDGE" back to uppercase like it's always been.

p.s: The "Blackberry Feature Enabler" seemed to have also randomly disappeared from the list of services on my T-Mobile account. But the fact that the wifi works after a hard reset leads me to believe that this isn't the only issue.

Sounds like a system glitch was (And is) temporarily allowing you access at times. The ability to use wifi without a data package started being phased out some time ago, but some users kept the ability.

Unfortunately the solution is either adding a data package, or forgoing doing those things.

Also, please do not double post

Sorry about the double post.

Are you certain about this? So the "blackberry feature enabler" does not exist anymore? Because as far as i know, the EDGE is written in caps with that on. Even if as you said wifi is being phased out; which seems like something they shouldn't be able to do since it's an in-built part of the phone, the EDGE should still be uppercase and i should have the capability to receive MMS.

I also purchased the phone at full price completely independent of any T-Mobile stores, so imposing a data plan on me and blocking out the core capabilities of the phone doesn't seem logical.

Originally Posted by hot4lyfe

Sorry about the double post.

Are you certain about this? So the "blackberry feature enabler" does not exist anymore? Because as far as i know, the EDGE is written in caps with that on. Even if as you said wifi is being phased out; which seems like something they shouldn't be able to do since it's an in-built part of the phone, the EDGE should still be uppercase and i should have the capability to receive MMS.

I also purchased the phone at full price completely independent of any T-Mobile stores, so imposing a data plan on me and blocking out the core capabilities of the phone doesn't seem logical.

The feature enabler does not give capital EDGE. It was primarily designed to give certain BB users without data plans MMS messaging.

The data over wifi blocking was RIM's choice, not T-mobile's. The wifi itself works, but the data is still routed through RIM's server, so it disallows wifi use in lieu of a data package. Wifi can still be used for UMA calls, but that's about it. Unfortunately, those features were not promised to you as being available over wifi.

Whoa wait...T-mo is phasing out the ability to use data over wi-fi without a data plan? I didn't know this.

I thought without a data plan but using wi-fi, you could use some 3rd party apps (Opera, etc) but no BB features (BBM, email, etc). So now, if you don't have a data plan, you won't be able to use wi-fi for anything other than UMA?

I am just clarifying here. I don't want to misinform anyone.
Does ATT do the same thing with their phones as well?

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Originally Posted by Artemis68

Whoa wait...T-mo is phasing out the ability to use data over wi-fi without a data plan? I didn't know this.

I thought without a data plan but using wi-fi, you could use some 3rd party apps (Opera, etc) but no BB features (BBM, email, etc). So now, if you don't have a data plan, you won't be able to use wi-fi for anything other than UMA?

I am just clarifying here. I don't want to misinform anyone.
Does ATT do the same thing with their phones as well?

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AT&T has required this feature for a long time. As Norris said, this is a RIM decision, not T-Mobile's.

Oops, sorry >< Yeah it does make sense that it would be RIM's choice...seems like a hardware limitation, not a software one.

Ah well.

yeah this is so annoying i don't even get it.

I think it's something that RIM is doing to make people go onto data plans in order to even use the data functions of their Blackberry.

Honestly, I think it's kind of dumb. Carriers can require data plans, etc, but there are some carriers out there that may not have BIS available. What if someone on that wants to buy a BB outright and just use the Wi-Fi for data? Or maybe they want to buy a BB at retail/off ebay so they don't need a data plan? Yeah, no data plan, but RIM would still make money off of the hardware.

The only difference between what ATT and TMO are doing is:

1) ATT requires you to have a data plan as long as you have a BB on your account. It doesn't matter if your contract is up or if you bought the phone at full retail.

2) TMO does not require you to be on a data plan if your contract is up or if you bought the phone at full retail.

What ATT is doing is using RIM as an excuse to make money. If RIM doesn't allow people to access the internet then let people deal with it on their own, there is no point of charging people for data after the period of "subsidized phone price" is up.

Nevertheless, I just found out about this today and I am not happy. RIM should not block phones from using data via wifi (that we pay on our own) without a data plan. There will be a class action lawsuit regarding this.

Originally Posted by Myveggies

Nevertheless, I just found out about this today and I am not happy. RIM should not block phones from using data via wifi (that we pay on our own) without a data plan. There will be a class action lawsuit regarding this.

Someone please clarify, but doesn't all or at least some data go through the RIM servers even if you're connected to WiFi? The data plan you pay for goes to both the carrier and RIM, since RIM handles a lot of your data.

So, if you don't pay for it, they shut it off. No class action lawsuit.

If I buy a phone at full retail price or after my contract is up (after I've paid required data for two years), I should not have a problem connecting to the internet via wifi (that I pay) for free.

Originally Posted by ericsmcdonald

Someone please clarify, but doesn't all or at least some data go through the RIM servers even if you're connected to WiFi? The data plan you pay for goes to both the carrier and RIM, since RIM handles a lot of your data.

So, if you don't pay for it, they shut it off. No class action lawsuit.

Some of it goes through, but not all of it. From what I gather, it's having a data plan (a BIS account) that allows you to have access to all features. Without BIS, you can't use the data features that require RIM...but you can use some 3rd party stuff.

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