Help choosing

[Jeffro1]

Hi I am new to the forums. I am an ATT subscriber due for an upgrade and I like the features of their smart phones. However I do not want to be forced to sign up for a data plan. I already have unlimited text and that's pretty much all I need. Anyways the only time I would ever use the internet would be when wifi was available anyway... I was looking into the captivate and was wanting to ask all of you the best route to go in acquiring one of these devices.. I was reading stuff about this phone and unlocking it. Will ATT unlock it for me? Where can I buy one at 2yr contract pricing that is already unlocked? All additional info would be much helpful thanks!

 

[CrimsonPride]

you will have a data plan if you have an att sim card in the phone, they will automatically sign you up for it. i dont think att will unlock them yet either, im not really sure, i know there are other ways to unlock it in the android market and maybe on xda

 

[Jeffro1]

I think it's messed up how they force you to sign up when you wont even use it

 

[GreatBigDave]

Since you'll have to get a data plan, go for the $15/mo., 200 mb data plan. Yeah, it kinda sucks, but I'm not sure any wireless carrier will activate a smartphone without a data plan.

 

[2manyPHONES]

Since you'll have to get a data plan, go for the $15/mo., 200 mb data plan. Yeah, it kinda sucks, but I'm not sure any wireless carrier will activate a smartphone without a data plan.

Yeah unfortunately all carriers require smartphones to have a data plant to activate the phone. AT&T used to activate smartphones without adding the data plan but that changed around the time they released the HTC pure. (i know this cause that is when I was forced into a data plan cause I got the pure, but I was going to the pure from the htc fuze and the data plan was optional at that point)

 

[carmendiva]

When i had a captivate with At&t, i initially signed up with the data plan...however, i called in and was able to get them to remove the data package by telling them i was using an unlocked phone...that way they didn't ask me to verify it's ESN

try that

 

[Jeffro1]

Has anyone else tried that?

 

[Bish0p34]

I thought if you buy the phone outright, you don't need a data plan and the requirement for a data plan is part of the subsidized price. Is that true?

 

[sremick]

I thought if you buy the phone outright, you don't need a data plan and the requirement for a data plan is part of the subsidized price. Is that true?

No it is not. AT&T requires data plans for their smartphones.

Feel free to tell them what you think of that policy, but unless enough people complain and they change it, that's the current policy and they go to lengths to enforce it.

 

[Jeffro1]

maybe i'll threaten to move to another provider