1. Candyapple4u's Avatar
    Get the iPhone. It will do what you want.
    Iphone??? ewwww yuck!!!! Twitter works fine on mines...Much faster with wifi
    02-23-11 04:39 AM
  2. Evan_O's Avatar
    Bottom line is any phone will require a data price with a contract and subsidized price.

    The option to get it without is to pay the full $400+ price of the device, and that's only with some carriers also.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    02-23-11 06:28 AM
  3. trsbbs's Avatar
    Because you most likely got your phone from a carrier. They subsidised it to about 50% of its true cost. Carriers make their money by selling network minutes and data megabytes.

    Since this is their core business, can you really blame them for not allowing you to circumvent their network simply for your convenience.

    WiFi is there, as has already been said, as a secondary (and fast) communications channel for a number of programs and functions when it is available but, the BIS channel remains the prime data path.
    All the while ATT is selling WIFI points and adding WIFI nodes to help
    relieve there over burdened, under build cell data system.

    If they wish to block WIFI then their data service better work.

    This will go the way of the dinosaur as the consumer demands more goodies
    and transportability with other networks and TCP/IP sources.

    Just a matter of time.

    I use it to reduce the usage on my cell data plan. Works well.

    Tim
    02-23-11 11:20 AM
  4. pcgizmo#IM's Avatar
    There is really no reason for it.
    Not true, the reason is below

    I use it to reduce the usage on my cell data plan. Works well.
    Same here, I dumped the $30 unlimited plan for the $15/150MB plan. Why pay $30 for 75-100MB avg usage when I can put $15 of it towrards something more beneficial.
    02-23-11 11:24 AM
  5. Pete6's Avatar
    All the while ATT is selling WIFI points and adding WIFI nodes to help
    relieve there over burdened, under build cell data system.
    You may well be right but AT&T will not see it that way at all. Their markering department believes that the cell data nework actually works (whatever the reality). Therefore they can sell as much of it as they want.

    If they wish to block WIFI then their data service better work.
    The WiFi acces is limited to dataplan user simply because they can do so technically. Many other smartphones cannot do this. I bet AT&T (and other carriers too) would just love it if they could block, say Android phones in the same way as the can do with BlackBerrys.

    This will go the way of the dinosaur as the consumer demands more goodies
    and transportability with other networks and TCP/IP sources.
    Just a matter of time.

    I use it to reduce the usage on my cell data plan. Works well.

    Tim
    I agree. We have seen this in the UK where there is a lot less money for dataplans. There are a number of SIM only deals that you pay for monthly. I do this. on two BlackBerry plans. One is a pre-paid for calls and SMS + $7.50 (yes, really) for "unlimited" BIS dataplan. It's a really cheap way to use a BlackBerry. I use this setup as a backup phone in my car 'cuz it's so cheap.

    I visit the US about three times a year and I usually stay about 3 weeks. I honestly struggle with the cost of US dataplans and the fact that they all seems to want to lock you in for 2 years.

    I use an AT&T GO Phone SIM card and set up my APN so that I can use occasional data.

    Of course, I am never far from a PC and my son;s homw WiFi setup so my prime BlackBerry works fine over that too.
    02-23-11 11:34 AM
  6. blaisedinsd's Avatar
    Same here, I dumped the $30 unlimited plan for the $15/150MB plan. Why pay $30 for 75-100MB avg usage when I can put $15 of it towrards something more beneficial.
    Well on Verizon unlimited data plans are my only option for smartphones.

    But it's really all irrelevant, RIM/Blackberry is the only smartphone with this issue.

    Other smartphones with wi-fi can do all their data even when not activated on the network. Verizon still subsidized my Android device, even if I don't activate it and continue to use a blackberry. Motorola doesn't care. Verizon doesn't care.

    If your using a blackberry your unlikely to need a higher data plan anyway because blackberries use less data due the nature of the device.

    So while you have a nice theory there, when looking at the big picture it's not the actual reason behind it. It is solely due to the nature of the Blackberry routing it's data through RIMs servers.

    This is not a valid reason why RIM could not/would not offer a carrier independent BIS subscription service. I doubt there is much demand for such a service, and that is more likely the reason.
    02-23-11 11:55 AM
  7. pcgizmo#IM's Avatar
    Well on Verizon unlimited data plans are my only option for smartphones.
    I think it's been adequately covered that BB's have wifi to "supplement" the network data service. So I took them up on it, I cut back on the unlimited data, and went with wifi/network.

    I'm on VZW and the unlimited plan wasn't my only option Oh, and when my Storm2 wasn't activated on the network, I could still surf the web over wifi with it.
    Last edited by pcgizmo; 02-23-11 at 12:07 PM. Reason: typo
    02-23-11 12:01 PM
  8. blaisedinsd's Avatar
    I think it's been adequately covered that BB's have wifi to "supplement" the network data service. So I took them up on it, I cut back on the unlimited data, and went with wifi/network.

    I'm on VZW and the unlimited plan wasn't my only option Oh, and when my Storm2 wasn't activated on the network, I could still surf the web over wifi with it.
    Yeah, for me it's because I am on some "grandfathered" plan I think.

    Actually I see their current pricing as "Data package of $29.99 or higher required for 3G Smartphones", so how do you have a different option?

    Ok, I see they offered that plan in fall and are already planning on killing it.....I can't get by with 150MB even with wi-fi anyway though.....

    Howarmat mentioned he had full BIS service on his Storm 2 over Wi-Fi when it was not activated until he changed the OS on it. I tried this on 9330 and BIS cut out pretty much instantly when I deactivated it. I could still surf the web a bit but it seemed a bit hit and miss....but the web browser sucks anyway.
    Last edited by blaisedinsd; 02-23-11 at 01:36 PM.
    02-23-11 12:35 PM
  9. somberlytragic's Avatar
    Wifi allows you to download huge files such as podcast and movies. Network internet can't handle that amount of data transfer.
    02-23-11 02:43 PM
  10. pcgizmo#IM's Avatar
    but the web browser sucks anyway.
    Agreed

    Howarmat mentioned he had full BIS service on his Storm 2 over Wi-Fi when it was not activated until he changed the OS on it. I tried this on 9330 and BIS cut out pretty much instantly when I deactivated it. I could still surf the web a bit but it seemed a bit hit and miss.....
    I upgraded my 9550 from 713 to 1015 and still was able to browse over wifi.
    02-23-11 02:50 PM
  11. blaisedinsd's Avatar
    Actually with this recent
    BIS outage I have to wonder, what is the point of web browsing going through rim?

    For me the broser was out more than anything....through wifi or network. Why should a rim issue prevent me from connecting to the internet through wifi?

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    02-26-11 03:10 PM
  12. Xopher's Avatar
    As long as you are using apps that don't connect to RIM's servers, you can use wifi without a data plan. BUT, if you are wanting to use RIM's apps (that connect to their servers), you have to have the data plan. Plain and simple.

    There are plenty of 3rd party apps that can use wifi without the data plan.

    The native web browser uses RIM's server to compress the data first, meaning less data used (if you aren't on an unlimited data plan). You can always use Opera Mini over wifi to get around the native browser. I'm not sure if Bolt has a wifi option, so that might be another way around the data plan.
    02-26-11 05:00 PM
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