WiFi only Thunderbolt

[SeekerOfTheWay]

If I didn't have a data plan, and only used WiFi on my Thunderbolt, what *wouldn't work?

Can I use apps, emails, YouTube, g+? How about Skype?

I'm cutting the cord when my contract is up.

 

[Buddha64]

You'd never see another OTA...

 

[SeekerOfTheWay]

Good point. Could I get an update any other way?

 

[TJ009]

I'm pretty sure they won't allow you to use the phone without a data plan. I have 2 other lines on my plan and I wanted to put my old Droid X on one line and an old BB on the other but no data plans. I was told that I would have to have a data plan since its a smartphone. I told them well I don't have any "dumbphones" and I wouldn't be using the smartphones for anything but to make phone calls and text...they still said NO...I hope you have better luck!

 

[SeekerOfTheWay]

I wouldn't have my phone activated with VZW at all. I'm talking about cancelling my service and just using WiFi. Verizon would have no say.

If I find that most apps, emails etc work using WiFi only, I might even switch my Bolt out and put an old dumb phone on the line to ride out the contract. I have a phone that doesn't requirr a data plan. There are still some phones on VZW that don't, including the 55+ phone whose name I forget.

 

[TJ009]

Oh wow that would be nice...I didn't even know that was possible. How can you do that?

 

[SeekerOfTheWay]

Do what?

If you have a line that you don't want to pay for data on, just get an older VZW phone, call them and switch ESNs.

Basically, I just want to use WiFi on my Bolt, no VZW plan. Which also means no phone service. That's why I'm wondering about Skype or other voip services that I can use over WiFi.

 

[TJ009]

I clearly understand how to put a dumbphone on a line. I was asking how do you have ur TB as wifi only without a contract? I thought if you were off contract it wouldn't work at all...sorry if it seems like a sillly question but I really don't know.

 

[SeekerOfTheWay]

Oh no, not at all. When your contract is up, you just go month to month with your service. Your account doesn't close, or service shut off. It continues on as-is.

The nice thing about being out of contract is you can cancel your service without paying the hefty Early Termination Fee.

So, if I closed my account in two years, I would have a device that didn't get 3G or 4G or have a phone number. But I can still use WiFi...I'm assuming. Just like having an ipod with WiFi, no data plan attached.

I want to do this partly in protest of the tiered data plans, and rising rates of all carriers. But mostly to save $70 a month. But I still need email, YouTube, some apps like BOA.

 

[Sketchr]

If I didn't have a data plan, and only used WiFi on my Thunderbolt, what *wouldn't work?

Can I use apps, emails, YouTube, g+? How about Skype?

I'm cutting the cord when my contract is up.

Have you tried to boot up your phone without the SIM and just use wifi only? The effect would be the same...an inactive SIM card.

 

[Dark Jedi]

Everything will work as a wifi only phone. This is what I do with my dinc phone. I have no idea if skype works as I don't use it. But you can surf the market and.download and use apps. YouTube and everything else will work. You don't have to do anything special with your phone either.

 

[jennay22]

My OG Droid is running as wifi only (no vzw service). It's like having an ipod touch. I love it too much to sell it or give it to someone else. It's on the cradle in the living room and I/the kids like to watch Netflix on it or put on the picture slideshow. I still get my calender reminders (current ones) and app update notices. I also still get the Froyo update notice (the official one from VZW). It's rooted with the updated already, but something is still pushing it to my phone. If I had to, I could still use it as an alarm clock too. It's still plenty useful! I can only imagine you could do the same with the TB.

 

[SeekerOfTheWay]

Everything will work as a wifi only phone. This is what I do with my dinc phone. I have no idea if skype works as I don't use it. But you can surf the market and.download and use apps. YouTube and everything else will work. You don't have to do anything special with your phone either.

Cool, that's exactly what I needed to know! What I'll do, as a test, is turn off mobile data for a few days and just use wifi. Then I'll see what it will be like, and if WiFi hotspots are abundant enough for my uses.

Thanks!

Internet works too?

 

[SeekerOfTheWay]

My OG Droid is running as wifi only (no vzw service). It's like having an ipod touch. I love it too much to sell it or give it to someone else. It's on the cradle in the living room and I/the kids like to watch Netflix on it or put on the picture slideshow. I still get my calender reminders (current ones) and app update notices. I also still get the Froyo update notice (the official one from VZW). It's rooted with the updated already, but something is still pushing it to my phone. If I had to, I could still use it as an alarm clock too. It's still plenty useful! I can only imagine you could do the same with the TB.

Awesome! More real life experiences! Thanks for the reply. Appreciate.

Can you still get email to it?

 

[jennay22]

Awesome! More real life experiences! Thanks for the reply. Appreciate.

Can you still get email to it?

Internet does work, only on wifi of course and I just checked my droid and I do still get my email notification for current email and youtube works. Man, my OG Droid is awesome!!

Not to throw a wrench into your plan (which is think is a good one), but I'm wondering if the reason I can still get all the notifications on my droid is because I have another "active' android smartphone ?? I really do hope it works our for you Seeker.

 

[SeekerOfTheWay]

Thanks for the confirmation! I don't think having another Android active on VZW has anything to do with your Droid working on wifi. I can't see how anyway, since It is not activated with Verizon at all.

Thanks for checking and replying regarding my other questions!

 

[Buddha64]

Good point. Could I get an update any other way?

Getting notice of an update, and actually getting the update are two separate things. I was able to check for the update while at home on my WIFI. However, when I stared the download process it kicked on the 3G (no 4G in my area yet) to download it. (I think there was even a warning that data rates may apply for that download (kind of a crappy thing to do).)

If you are adventurous you can root and go with custom ROMs from the folks at XDA. That way you'd never have to depend on Verizon for anything.

 

[SeekerOfTheWay]

Thanks, that's a good solution if I need to upgrade the software!

 

[stanlalee]

my eris has been out of commision for some time. its rooted if that makes a difference but on wifi it does everything but make phone calls. Mail, internet, GPS (wont do much good on home wifi), apps work. I havent actually tried the market but I bet it works. Matter of fact I think I'm going to start using it in the car as a MP3 player to save my Tbolts battery

 

[jennay22]

I havent actually tried the market but I bet it works.

It works. I downloaded the Netflix app onto my OG Droid when it came out a couple of weeks ago. I also updated it last week with no issue.

 

[SeekerOfTheWay]

All great news for my plan, thanks guys! The only thing i thought of is that GPS in car won't work since I don't have wifi there.

 

[Boltaholic]

In a nutshell, it will be like a WiFi only iPod Touch

 

[SeekerOfTheWay]

Today is the first day of my WiFi only experiment. I turned airplane mode on.

I didn't think I would get wifi in my home, but I seem to be picking up my neighbors. Why doesn't he habe a password? Works well!

Will using his wifi hurt his wifi in any way?

 

[Boltaholic]

Today is the first day of my WiFi only experiment. I turned airplane mode on.

I didn't think I would get wifi in my home, but I seem to be picking up my neighbors. Why doesn't he habe a password? Works well!

Will using his wifi hurt his wifi in any way?

Only if you keep streaming videos heavily.... which will slow his network down.

And by doing so you are also making your phones contents accessible to him. But since he has not thought of enabling security on his WiFi, I've doubts he will go snooping around though