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do i need a data plan?

tlo

Newbie
Mar 30, 2010
14
0
uk
Hello all i am hoping some one can help me with this one, when i am at home i use wi-fi with my hero so i assume when the mobile updates the weather ect it dose this through my wi-fi connection.When i go out dose the mobile still update?Sorry if this sounds a daft question but i do not have a data plan and am a little worried that my phone bill will be huge and the mrs will be non to pleased.Dose anyone no (a)how easy or not it is to replace the case on a htc hero and(b)wrere would be the best place to ge one from? thanks for your time and help guys
 
Thank you for the quick reply i am prob wrong here but the mobile was brought from carphone wearhouse and i did ask them and he did say as soon as i am outside a wireless network ie my home the phone uses the orange(my network) internet.That is why i am worried about a big mobile bill,it dosent cost me anything to use wireless when i am at home
 
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tbh i dont even use the mins i am on now dolphin 15,i love the phone and i do understand this mobile is a"internet" mobile.I think i am getting a little confused between"the mobile internet" and "wireless"as i said i use the wireless function at home and free wireless hot spots but i hardly use the mobile internet.So what i am trying to say is for the hero to update stuff like the weather when not in a wireless hot spot,dose it use the internet? hense the worry of the big bill.I thought you did not have to pay for the wi-fi functions?I hope you guys understand me and thanks for sticking with me
 
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It uses data to update data apps like a weather widget. So you would pay for data usage for that. Turning off data usage via airplane mode would avoid those charges.

Wifi is free and as mentioned you can use that anywhere you have access after setting up the device to access said network. (The other day I was indoors and needed to get the Swarm badge on foursquare and used wifi to make it happen since 3G was not working inside. Glad to have that option.)
 
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Download apndroid (free from market) and you can be sure to toggle all 3G/Edge/etc off while keeping phone and text working. Hope this helps!
^-- This, apndroid works great.

Basically OP, your phone has two methods for connecting to the internet, WiFi and the mobile network. When you connect to a WiFi network, it's nothing to do with your mobile provider, your phone acts the same as if it was a laptop. When you're not on WiFi, it connects to the mobile network. It's the same network that your calls and texts come through, but allows you to connect to the internet as well. Without a data plan, the charges can be quite high. If you don't want a data plan, the best thing to use is apndroid, it disables the ability to connect to the internet through the mobile network.

Switching to airplane mode turns off all connections on your phone, including WiFi, mobile network, calls and texts. Turning off the 3G setting does not turn off mobile data. 3G is just a faster way to connect to the mobile network
 
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Lots of very strange replies in this post, so I will try to clear some things up:

Airplane/Aeroplane mode: This will turn off all wireless services on you phone including voice/mobile internet and Wi-Fi.

Mobile internet: This is your internet connection via your carrier (Orange/Vodafone) and will cost you money of you don't have a data plan.

Wi-Fi: This connects you to a local Wi-Fi network, be it your home wireless router or a hotspot. Hotspots normally cost you money but (if it does) it cannot be used without signing up first, so no need to worry about that.

There is no need to download 'apndroid'. This is only necessary if you want an easy way to turn on/off 'mobile internet' from your home screen and don't have an HTC phone which comes with a mobile internet widget. (You didn't say which phone you have.

So to answer your original question, to make sure Wifi is on so you can connect at home and to free Wi-Fi hotspots but make sure 'mobile internet' is off so you don't get a huge bill from your service provider...

Go to > Settings > Wireless controls > Tick on 'Wi-Fi' and Tick off 'Mobile network'. With 'Mobile network' un-ticked your phone will now never connect to mobile internet unless you go back and tick it again. You will still be able to send/receive voice calls and texts and still be able to use your home Wi-Fi.

I hope that clears it up but if unsure please post back.
 
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Go to > Settings > Wireless controls > Tick on 'Wi-Fi' and Tick off 'Mobile network'. With 'Mobile network' un-ticked your phone will now never connect to mobile internet unless you go back and tick it again. You will still be able to send/receive voice calls and texts and still be able to use your home Wi-Fi.
Hmmm, what version of Android are you running? Mine's 1.5, and there's no option to turn off mobile network, which is why I suggested apndroid
 
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Hmmm, what version of Android are you running? Mine's 1.5, and there's no option to turn off mobile network, which is why I suggested apndroid

Ah interesting. I'm running 1.5 too. I have a feeling this may be a GSM/CDMA thing. I'm guessing you have a CDMA phone?

To the original poster, I guess from your style of writing you are from the UK in which case you should have the option I mentioned to turn mobile internet off.
 
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Ah interesting. I'm running 1.5 too. I have a feeling this may be a GSM/CDMA thing. I'm guessing you have a CDMA phone?
Nope, GSM too. When I go in to 'Wireless Controls', 'Mobile networks' is there, but it just leads to a 'Mobile networks settings' page, where you can switch 'data roaming' and 'use only 2g networks', there's nowhere you can switch off mobile data completely
 
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Nope, GSM too. When I go in to 'Wireless Controls', 'Mobile networks' is there, but it just leads to a 'Mobile networks settings' page, where you can switch 'data roaming' and 'use only 2g networks', there's nowhere you can switch off mobile data completely

Ok, on mine HTC Hero build I have...

Wireless Controls > then for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Mobile Network there are two buttons for each. One to turn it on/off and the other to enter the settings. So if it's restricted to the Hero then the OP should have it (as s/he was requiring about cases for the Hero).

Very strange that yours doesn't then (but good to know). I wonder which is 'special' the Hero or the Galaxy?
 
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