Using smartphone without data plan

**txt#ac** · 06-02-2011, 09:35 AM

My daughter's phone is eligible for upgrade. She wants an android. I'm fine with it if Verizon brings shared data this summer. Problem is: she lost her phone this week, so I need to upgrade now.

What I'm thinking is: Transfer her upgrade to my line and upgrade my OG Droid to whatever she wants. So I keep only one data plan on my account. I then re-activate my OG Droid on my line and activate the new phone on her line without a data plan. Then set her phone to disable data (???) until the supposed shared data plans come out.

I'd also like to upgrade my phone later this year when my contract is up.

Will this work or am I scamming?

Thanks,

Wes

**Chrisy** · 06-02-2011, 09:36 AM

On VZW, you cannot activate any smart phone without having a data plan attached to that phone. It is not possible, and there is no work around. When the rep goes to activate the smart phone, it will error out until an appropriate data plan is added. Sorry.

**txt#ac** · 06-02-2011, 09:54 AM

Thanks

So, I couldn't even drop my data package after my contact is up? Didn't know that.

**Chrisy** · 06-02-2011, 10:03 AM

No, you can't have a smart phone with no data plan attached to it. You could activate a basic phone on your line without data.

**Menno** · 06-02-2011, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by txt

My daughter's phone is eligible for upgrade. She wants an android. I'm fine with it if Verizon brings shared data this summer. Problem is: she lost her phone this week, so I need to upgrade now.

What I'm thinking is: Transfer her upgrade to my line and upgrade my OG Droid to whatever she wants. So I keep only one data plan on my account. I then re-activate my OG Droid on my line and activate the new phone on her line without a data plan. Then set her phone to disable data (???) until the supposed shared data plans come out.

I'd also like to upgrade my phone later this year when my contract is up.

Will this work or am I scamming?

Thanks,

Wes

If you can, I would try and find either an old phone, or purchase one off ebay for her (that is, if you don't want to get her Data yet) This way she'll get a working phone, and you won't be locked into a contract with it, so if Verizon DOES come out with a data plan you can justify for her, you can get her the phone she wants then.

Another option is to get an Android device off of Ebay. You can get an incredible for around 250 anymore, and use it as wifi only (not connected to her cellphone plan) or activate it on her plan (paying data) but not being locked into the contract, so you can "upgrade" at any time.

**nerdydesi** · 06-02-2011, 02:41 PM

Even if you buy a smartphone not from Verizon, when activating it with us, you'll still be forced to put a data plan. When we enter in the ESN (electronic serial number) into our system to put it on your line, it automatically adds a data-plan.

**TheJustPull** · 06-12-2011, 06:49 PM

Originally Posted by nerdydesi

Even if you buy a smartphone not from Verizon, when activating it with us, you'll still be forced to put a data plan. When we enter in the ESN (electronic serial number) into our system to put it on your line, it automatically adds a data-plan.

Can't you still just use wifi without ever activating it through verizon?

**Super_Mario** · 06-12-2011, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by TheJustPull

Can't you still just use wifi without ever activating it through verizon?

Then you wouldn't have it connected to a network...no voice, just wifi data. You can do that but it won't do anything else.

**MisterObvious#AC** · 06-12-2011, 08:40 PM

Eww sorry. An option would be to try to find an old smartphone that doesn't have that requirement and buy it. I don't know what the last phone is on Verizon to not require a data plan but with my old Touch Diamond on Alltel (I was bought out and assimilated), I can do it without a data plan (which I'm doing now).

**ragnarokx** · 06-12-2011, 08:45 PM

Have you ever considered getting a small Android tablet and a regular phone?

**Linkchomp** · 06-12-2011, 09:57 PM

you should just get her a feature phone or something. You want be able to get a smartphone without a data plan.

**MisterObvious#AC** · 06-14-2011, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by The Miz

you should just get her a feature phone or something. You want be able to get a smartphone without a data plan.

This or the tablet are both good options. That, or an iPod Touch.

**lokewolf** · 04-18-2012, 01:07 PM

After my 2yr contract is up, can I use my droid 2 phone using the WiFi only? A previous post said to use the old phone (droid 2) or get a small tablet and get a new regular phone (no data required)...kinda going back to the stone age sort to speak but I'm weighing my options as I don't like paying $70/mon for only using a fraction of the data usage allowed. At $800/yr in service costs w/data I would save $300/yr by going back to standard phone/text plan.

Erik

**Super_Mario** · 04-18-2012, 09:31 PM

You can use with Wifi if you don't have it connected to service. All smartphones, except for a few old ones, are required to have the data plan. I still don't know why no one can grasp this.

**Jude526** · 04-18-2012, 11:21 PM

No smartphone can be activated without a data plan. PERIOD. NO EXCEPTIONS.
VERIZON......any carrier. Sprint is the sameway as with all carriers.

**lokewolf** · 05-15-2012, 04:27 PM

I am not looking to activate a smartphone without a data plan, I am looking to downgrade to a regular cell phone...and still use my soon to be old phone (motorola droid 2) on the side with WIFI only. ...NO DATA, no service to that phone thru verizon. That as I understand it, can be done...correct?

**metz65** · 05-15-2012, 04:30 PM

Yes you can use it wifi only. You can still surf the web,use the play store etc. You just can't text or make calls.

When I upgraded I gave my Dx to my 5 year old grandson to use for games. I still download stuff for him from the play store.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

**jdh3** · 08-22-2012, 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by Jude526

No smartphone can be activated without a data plan. PERIOD. NO EXCEPTIONS.
VERIZON......any carrier. Sprint is the sameway as with all carriers.

Never say never.....

I have an ATT Fusion without a data plan on a prepaid account. The WIFI works whenever I need data (and am in a free wifi area) but otherwise it works like a regular phone. It cannot connect to data services without wifi because these are disabled on my account.
Now, I have no idea if they can do this with the monthly plans.....

**YourMobileGuru** · 08-23-2012, 01:39 PM

Originally Posted by jdh3

Never say never.....

I have an ATT Fusion without a data plan on a prepaid account. The WIFI works whenever I need data (and am in a free wifi area) but otherwise it works like a regular phone. It cannot connect to data services without wifi because these are disabled on my account.
Now, I have no idea if they can do this with the monthly plans.....

Different company first of all, and second Jude is absolutely right. When you try to activate a smartphone on a line with no data package you will either have to add the data or it wont let you activate it. They know what kind of phone it is by the MEID number.

Ry · 08-24-2012, 12:39 AM

Originally Posted by jdh3

Never say never.....

I have an ATT Fusion without a data plan on a prepaid account. The WIFI works whenever I need data (and am in a free wifi area) but otherwise it works like a regular phone. It cannot connect to data services without wifi because these are disabled on my account.
Now, I have no idea if they can do this with the monthly plans.....

Irrelevant to this conversation about Verizon Wireless service.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums

Ry · 08-24-2012, 12:40 AM

Originally Posted by Jude526

No smartphone can be activated without a data plan. PERIOD. NO EXCEPTIONS.
VERIZON......any carrier. Sprint is the sameway as with all carriers.

Can't say that for every carrier though. On some like AT&T, it may work- even if only for awhile.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums

**YourMobileGuru** · 08-24-2012, 04:01 PM

For every story I hear about people getting away with this on GSM carriers I hear at least 2 stories if people putting their SIM cards into smart phones only long enough to copy contacts or something similar only to find a surprise on their next bill in the form of a data plan charge. They ARE watching for this and you will get caught. And as for Sprint and Verizon since they only activate phones whose MEIDs are in their system its not gonna work at all.

**cgardnervt** · 08-24-2012, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by Ry

Irrelevant to this conversation about Verizon Wireless service.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums

It might be but it's still advice....

Sent From My Samsung Galaxy S3

**mgtwr01** · 01-07-2013, 02:20 PM

I have a Droid2 with no sim card, no SD card. I can activate Wi-Fi and it shows it is activated but I cannot go on to the web at all or go to Google Play. Is there some sort of secret way to get this to work?

**mesocyclonic** · 01-07-2013, 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by mgtwr01

I have a Droid2 with no sim card, no SD card. I can activate Wi-Fi and it shows it is activated but I cannot go on to the web at all or go to Google Play. Is there some sort of secret way to get this to work?

Are you trying to simply use the device Wi-Fi only without any VZW plan? It should work; are you getting the "connected to _________ network" prompt from your phone when you connect to your wireless network?

If you're trying to do what the OP asked, have only a calling plan with a smartphone (no data), that's not possible on VZW even if you don't have a SIM card in your phone.