Atrix without data plan?

[innerdin]

Hi,

I'm currently an AT&T user with the old, original iPhone and I'm looking to going Android soon. I've been looking into HTC phones and also the Motorola Atrix, but one thing that kinda sets me off is due to AT&T's new implementation over smartphones. Once a SIM is installed on a new smartphone, it automatically detects the phone and applies a data plan on my line. However, I don't want data plans on my phone 'cuz I'll just use WiFi thank you.

Is there any way to disguise the Atrix as a dumb phone so that I don't have to pay for a data plan?

 

[Duvi]

don't put a sim card in it... use wifi only =)

 

[jyar727]

If you can edit the APN so that it can't access a correct data connection, would it prevent the device from sending info about the phone to at&t? iunno just asking too.

 

[bish0p34]

I believe if you buy it outright at an un-subsidized price you don't need one. You'd have to call about that I'm sure.

 

[dLo GSR]

I believe if you buy it outright at an un-subsidized price you don't need one. You'd have to call about that I'm sure.

nope.

any smartphone on an at&t line not grandfathered in before sept '09 MUST have a data plan. they can tell what kind of phone you are using by the IMEI or whatever other information the device transmits across to the network for any normal function. there are no easy workarounds.

 

[Duvi]

nope.

any smartphone on an at&t line not grandfathered in before sept '09 MUST have a data plan. they can tell what kind of phone you are using by the IMEI or whatever other information the device transmits across to the network for any normal function. there are no easy workarounds.

perfecto

 

[innerdin]

Yeah..I know that AT&T has that policy on smartphones after sept '09, so I was thinking if there was a way to circumvent from being detected. Sigh~ 'Cuz I asked the AT&T guy at my place and he said, if the Atrix can be unlocked, it might do wonders. Thanks for the replies though.

 

[dLo GSR]

Yeah..I know that AT&T has that policy on smartphones after sept '09, so I was thinking if there was a way to circumvent from being detected. Sigh~ 'Cuz I asked the AT&T guy at my place and he said, if the Atrix can be unlocked, it might do wonders. Thanks for the replies though.

it being unlocked means nothing. it just allows you to use it on another network. if that network has the same policy, they will still sense your phone as a smartphone.

why bother with a smartphone if you're not going to use it as one?

 

[illmatic41]

Yeah..I know that AT&T has that policy on smartphones after sept '09, so I was thinking if there was a way to circumvent from being detected. Sigh~ 'Cuz I asked the AT&T guy at my place and he said, if the Atrix can be unlocked, it might do wonders. Thanks for the replies though.

An unlocked Atrix wouldn't help as AT&T's network will already know it is an Atrix through the IMEI. Even if you bought an Atrix from Bell in Canada and somehow unlocked it, AT&T would still add on the dataplan when you inserted your SIM. The only way for AT&T to not add on the "required" dataplan would be to have your Atrix send back the IMEI number of a dumb phone. Everytime you insert your SIM card into a phone, that SIM sends the IMEI of the device it has just connected with to the network. The IMEI has an identifying string which indicates phone model, manufacturer, etc. If I recall, the original iPhone and maybe the 3G had a jailbroken app that allowed you to spoof the IMEI number. However, it is actually illegal to change the IMEI number on a phone and thus development of the IMEI changer for iOS was subsequently not supported any further. If there was an Android app that did it, trust me, I would have installed on my N1 and been happier with the extra 15 bucks in my bank each month.