Using smartphone without data plan

txt#AC

Member
Jun 2, 2011
6
0
0
Visit site
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

Banned
Jan 11, 2011
2,128
298
0
Visit site
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.
 

Chrisy

Banned
Jan 11, 2011
2,128
298
0
Visit site
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

Coffee Addict
Nov 9, 2009
659
76
0
Visit site
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.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chrisy

nerdydesi

Well-known member
Apr 1, 2011
143
12
0
Visit site
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

Well-known member
Jun 7, 2011
76
0
0
Visit site
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?
 

MisterObvious#AC

Active member
May 18, 2011
39
1
0
Visit site
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).
 

lokewolf

New member
Apr 18, 2012
2
0
0
Visit site
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

Banned
Apr 26, 2010
336
44
0
Visit site
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

Trusted Member
Dec 13, 2010
3,936
109
0
Visit site
No smartphone can be activated without a data plan. PERIOD. NO EXCEPTIONS.
VERIZON......any carrier. Sprint is the sameway as with all carriers.
 

lokewolf

New member
Apr 18, 2012
2
0
0
Visit site
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

Well-known member
Mar 29, 2012
599
170
0
Visit site
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

New member
Aug 23, 2012
1
0
0
Visit site
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

Formerly VZWRocks
Feb 25, 2010
2,611
239
0
Visit site
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.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jude526

Ry

Moderator Captain
Trusted Member
Nov 16, 2010
17,654
214
0
Visit site
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