Getting Droid and cancelling data plan

[dhaxe]

Hey guys - quick question,

I'm currently a Verizon customer only paying for a voice plan through a family plan (so I'm paying like $5 a month).

I want to get the Droid when it comes out obviously, which would mean I'd also have to get a $30/month data plan. The thing is, I start working for a company in a few months who will hook me up with a blackberry and the works, so I'd prefer not to be paying a data plan when I can get it through my company on the blackberry. I would still want the Droid as my personal phone though.

Is it possible to buy the Droid, lock into a 2 year voice contract, but cancel the data plan after a few months and still keep the phone? That would be ideal...

Any experiences or knowledge would be great - thanks!

 

[Edaze55]

If Im not mistaken, VZ recently added a policy that all smart phones would require a data plan. Its unlikely they would allow you to cancel the data plan portion due to this policy change.

 

[morrobaybum]

I have worked for verizon for years and yes recently they started requiring a data package of at least $29.99 for unlimited internet and personal email. There is no way to remove this from the account because the system just adds it back in if we even try. See if your company will let you use the Droid instead of the Blackberry...or pay for the data yourself.

 

[mkibrick]

Just curious. I've seen a few people ask about getting the phone and canceling data plans, but why do you want the phone without the data? Without data, you don't get any of the features including email, maps, browser, widgets, etc. You can only talk and maybe text. Verizon requires a data plan b/c as someone else put it, the data charges would be horrendous. So why do you want the phone if not for the data capabilities?

 

[Nefariouz]

Well my experience with it has been this. I always activate through verizonwireless.com and it has always allowed me to pay per kb. They won't let you block data also because you will not be able to receive text messages an all that.

 

[TheBandit181]

Well my experience with it has been this. I always activate through verizonwireless.com and it has always allowed me to pay per kb. They won't let you block data also because you will not be able to receive text messages an all that.

A data block will not block text messaging. SMS (text messaging) is sent over the voice network. However, MMS (picture messaging) works over the data network and would be blocked if data were blocked. I highly doubt VZW will allow a pay-per-kb on this or any newer smart phone.

 

[Nefariouz]

verizon has told me on smartphones it blocks both. just saying what a rep told me.

 

[ggp]

On older smartphones you could block data, and that would block picture messages, but not regular text messages. On new smartphones, you absolutely must have the $29.99 data feature... but as mkibrick asked... what sense does blocking it make? You'd be way overpaying for a device that you'd be wasting it's potential. Why buy yourself a thouroughbred horse and hook it up to the kid's pony rides??? Get yourself a free basic phone, cuz your BB would do (almost!) everything the droid would do... Or as morrobaybum suggested, see if your employer will let you use your droid (assuming they're on vzw).

 

[kevine326]

On older smartphones you could block data, and that would block picture messages, but not regular text messages. On new smartphones, you absolutely must have the $29.99 data feature... but as mkibrick asked... what sense does blocking it make? You'd be way overpaying for a device that you'd be wasting it's potential. Why buy yourself a thouroughbred horse and hook it up to the kid's pony rides??? Get yourself a free basic phone, cuz your BB would do (almost!) everything the droid would do... Or as morrobaybum suggested, see if your employer will let you use your droid (assuming they're on vzw).

Because it has WiFi and I have access to wifi pretty much all day but no access to a PC. $30/mo for data, internet where there is no wifi, is ridiculous.

 

[colnago]

...$30/mo for data, internet where there is no wifi, is ridiculous.

Well that's the point of paying for internet, for a device that finds itself in a situation where it has no readily available way of connecting to the internet, via "local WiFi" (e.g. while in the car, beach, etc). Myself, I'm only paying $10/mo for unlocked cell phone data plan but that's a different story, on a different carrier.

If you want a smartphone, with WiFI, and don't want to pay for data, you're pretty much limited to just buying an unlocked smartphone, and getting a SIM card with a "voice only" plan.

 

[mfetecho]

I think there maybe a lot of people that would like a smartphone with wifi that don't wan't to pay $30.00 a month.

Colnago - So, I can buy an unlocked smartphone and get a "SIM" card with a voice only plan? Where do you buy SIM cards? Do you then take it to your carrier and have them activate it? I don't know how all this works. Would I be able to text from the phone using the carriers network?

 

[colnago]

I think there maybe a lot of people that would like a smartphone with wifi that don't wan't to pay $30.00 a month.

Colnago - So, I can buy an unlocked smartphone and get a "SIM" card with a voice only plan? Where do you buy SIM cards? Do you then take it to your carrier and have them activate it? I don't know how all this works. Would I be able to text from the phone using the carriers network?

I don't know how it would work with Verizon and its CDMA network, though some BBerrys/Touch Pros/etc, supposedly support SIM cards (for international roaming). The only thing I can think of, if you need to stay with Verizon and the DROID, would be to buy an "unlocked" Droid, and see if you can just get it activated via the online process for "minutes only".

FWIW, I just joined T-Mobile, via the online process, for $30/mo w/500 Minutes plan. When prompted to "select phone", there was an option for "SIM Card only". I chose that, and was then moved to the "Select Features" section. I then chose their "web2go" plan (optional) for $10/mo. This was for support of my unlocked Nokia N900. I installed the card, turned on the phone, and with no other settings changes, I was on their 3.5G network. But as stated, it has WiFi, so a "data plan" was not necessary. But $10/mo. for 7Mb, I can get rid of my backup home circuit and just tether, as the unlocked phone has "no carrier restrictions" on its software.

 

[Stormin]

I have worked for verizon for years and yes recently they started requiring a data package of at least $29.99 for unlimited internet and personal email. There is no way to remove this from the account because the system just adds it back in if we even try. See if your company will let you use the Droid instead of the Blackberry...or pay for the data yourself.

I wouldn't want to do that because the company would be able to spy on you. They can look at private e-mails sent on company equipment.

 

[Ataranine]

Honestly, who would even get a DROID as just a phone, even if they could?
You'd be missing all the features.
BlackBerrys can't compare at alllll.

 

[clsperka]

I does seem that the carriers WILL NOT let you use a smart phone without the $30 data plan. This sucks as the Droid makes an excellent PDA, or Android Touch as I like to call my Droid. Yes I am using the Droid sans Verizon account and it functions just like an Ipod Touch.

 

[Redtah]

Honestly, who would even get a DROID as just a phone, even if they could?
You'd be missing all the features.
BlackBerrys can't compare at alllll.

Alright so I absolutely had to register to these forums just to post this as it is INFURIATING to me that people can't seem to understand this.

If I have a smartphone and I sit in basically wifi infested areas 90% of my day, why oh why would I want to spend 30$ a month for the 10 minutes a day I'm not in Wifi? 30 x 12 = 360 dollars a year I would be wasting for the exact same service I would be receiving 90% of the day every day.

Basically I want an Itouch that I can call people with. Why? because I don't want to carry and Itouch and my phone when I should very damn well be able to only carry a phone.

Yes you can still do ALL OF THOSE SAME THINGS ON A WIFI NETWORK.

 

[cuskit]

Alright so I absolutely had to register to these forums just to post this as it is INFURIATING to me that people can't seem to understand this.

If I have a smartphone and I sit in basically wifi infested areas 90% of my day, why oh why would I want to spend 30$ a month for the 10 minutes a day I'm not in Wifi? 30 x 12 = 360 dollars a year I would be wasting for the exact same service I would be receiving 90% of the day every day.

Basically I want an Itouch that I can call people with. Why? because I don't want to carry and Itouch and my phone when I should very damn well be able to only carry a phone.

Yes you can still do ALL OF THOSE SAME THINGS ON A WIFI NETWORK.

And if someone is NOT as lucky as you to be in a Wifi area 90% of the day? You do realize that 99.99999999999999% of the world does NOT have WiFi coverage. Sure - cities and heavily populated areas in some suburban sections, including a few rare rural areas, but that's it... cuskit

 

[Redtah]

And if someone is NOT as lucky as you to be in a Wifi area 90% of the day? You do realize that 99.99999999999999% of the world does NOT have WiFi coverage. Sure - cities and heavily populated areas in some suburban sections, including a few rare rural areas, but that's it... cuskit

Thats cool get the data plan then, its just dumb that I would HAVE to pay for something I wouldn't use. It seems people just can't grasp that while most people would save money actually getting the data plan there are people out there who just want to use the very accessible wifi in their homes, friends homes, places of work, and school. AKA everywhere I go.

 

[cuskit]

Thats cool get the data plan then, its just dumb that I would HAVE to pay for something I wouldn't use. It seems people just can't grasp that while most people would save money actually getting the data plan there are people out there who just want to use the very accessible wifi in their homes, friends homes, places of work, and school. AKA everywhere I go.

Yikes! Back it down there a bit fellow! Nobody is telling YOU to buy it. It seems that YOU can't grasp it that YOU live in a great Wifi area! Most "work" prohibit personal use of cellphones and since most business Wifi's are locked they are not a viable source, schools are just a few locations of every BIG AREA towns and how many adults are still in school?, malls are in short demand in rural areas (83% of the country), unless you live in a "project" area - most residential zones have homes too far apart for effective connection "steals" from neighbors, etc. But we are all happy that YOU live in a good Wifi area. Just that most are not that fortunate.

Not looking for raised hackles here - but you have to lighten up and understand how the world may differ a bit from your situation - which might be considered an envious plus for some. Any homes for sale on your block? cuskit

 

[kyler13]

Alright so I absolutely had to register to these forums just to post this as it is INFURIATING to me that people can't seem to understand this.

If I have a smartphone and I sit in basically wifi infested areas 90% of my day, why oh why would I want to spend 30$ a month for the 10 minutes a day I'm not in Wifi? 30 x 12 = 360 dollars a year I would be wasting for the exact same service I would be receiving 90% of the day every day.

Basically I want an Itouch that I can call people with. Why? because I don't want to carry and Itouch and my phone when I should very damn well be able to only carry a phone.

Yes you can still do ALL OF THOSE SAME THINGS ON A WIFI NETWORK.

I'm okay with your complaint within the limits of buying the phone at full price. But if you want the phone at a nicely subsidized price of $199, I hate to tell you that Verizon covers the large majority of the cost based on future earnings over the length of your contract. If you did not subscribe to the data plan, well, Verizon would be basically giving you a deep discount and taking a loss on the phone. Now, that wouldn't be fair to the ~80 million other customers, would it?

 

[cuskit]

I'm okay with your complaint within the limits of buying the phone at full price. But if you want the phone at a nicely subsidized price of $199, I hate to tell you that Verizon covers the large majority of the cost based on future earnings over the length of your contract. If you did not subscribe to the data plan, well, Verizon would be basically giving you a deep discount and taking a loss on the phone. Now, that wouldn't be fair to the ~80 million other customers, would it?

Yea! That would mean I'm paying for his usage! Sigh.... cuskit

 

[El Blacksheep]

Honestly, getting a smartphone without a data plan is like getting an ipod for a deaf guy.

 

[cuskit]

Honestly, getting a smartphone without a data plan is like getting an ipod for a deaf guy.

Yup! I say he should just buy the itouch and get a FREE el cheapo phone (one of those tiny little ones you don't even know you're carrying). Much cheaper that way. Or - go post over on the itouch forums complaints of why they don't include a phone....

Just can't win sometimes. I think back just five years ago - and see how far we've come to date and am very thankful for all of what we have! And danged happy to pay for it! I don't need to carry my laptop, my Palm, my cellphone, my flashlight, my barcode scanner, my iPod, my camera, my electronic dictionary and my TomTom nor a newspaper under my arm anymore - just one little o' Droid has replaced ALL of them! Man! I am so happy! Of course, it doesn't cut my grass. I'll have to send a letter off to John Deere - wtf! How come they don't have an app for my Droid that will allow it to mow my lawn! I'd be willing to spend $30 a month for that alone! Hee hee.

Sorry, redtah, not attacking you. Just urging you to look at the positive here rather than lamenting what you don't have options for. Sooner or later - somewhere, somehow - SOMEBODY has to foot the bill for all this technology we have available. And if it means we all pay 3 sawbucks a month for something that is available for free in a few places, then so be it! Then again - who's footing the bill for all that Wifi service? Hello? cuskit

 

[El Blacksheep]

By the way, for the record, i bought my Droid on Nov 6 (launch date) but my previous contract with vigrin mobile didn't expire til Thanksgiving. So, I had them delay the service activation. My Droid was basically an Android-version of an iPod Touch, and while it was nice, it was very noticably gimped by the lack of 3G. I'd take it to work to show the guys during breaks, but there wasn't really much of anything to show without the network behind it. The only place I could really use it was at home on my WiFi, but at that point I'm better off just using my computer / laptop / netbook.

 

[colnago]

If you want to save, from what I understand, VZ has "data only" for ~$45/mo, and one could rock Skype Out $3/mo, and combine it with Skype Online Number $2.50/mo (or any VoIP SIP combo of your choosing) to get unlimited calling US/Canada for ~ $50/mo total.