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Captivate with No Data Plan

V

vwli

Newbie
Is it possible to get an Captivate upgrade from AT&T with no data plan? I don't want to pay for min $15 data a month because I use wifi mostly.
A friend of mine says he got a refurbished Captivate through AT&T and he did not get charged for data plan. Is he pulling my leg?
 
He's pulling your leg. If he ordered it without the data plan, AT&T will add it to his account.

You can't get away from having a data plan, unfortunately.
 
Your friend is either confused or is lying. You can't get a smart phone without a data plan. And it's not just AT&T, they all do that.
 
I know there is no free lunch. What if I get one off say from eBay and put my current sim card in (mine is cingular by the way). Will it work and AT&T will not charge data?
 
Unless the phone's unbranded, I believe AT&T can detect that it's a smartphone and then automatically add a data package to your line.
 
BookLover said:
Unless the phone's unbranded, I believe AT&T can detect that it's a smartphone and then automatically add a data package to your line.
Click to expand...

if you have bought the phone already unlocked, AT&T should not be adding data plan unless you requested them. they don't have any right to do so.
only if you are buying the smart phone from At&T or one of its partners with a 2 yr contract, then At&T will automatically add data plan to your plan.

hope this helps.
 
sharathk said:
if you have bought the phone already unlocked, AT&T should not be adding data plan unless you requested them. they don't have any right to do so.
only if you are buying the smart phone from At&T or one of its partners with a 2 yr contract, then At&T will automatically add data plan to your plan.

hope this helps.
Click to expand...

Are you sure about that?

This was discussed heavily in the AT&T Forum and I thought the conclusion was that while AT&T could and would add the dataplan as long as they could identify the phone as a smartphone.

That doesn't mean they're right to do that.
 
BookLover said:
Are you sure about that?

This was discussed heavily in the AT&T Forum and I thought the conclusion was that while AT&T could and would add the dataplan as long as they could identify the phone as a smartphone.

That doesn't mean they're right to do that.
Click to expand...

what if you brought a phone from newegg/buy.com unlocked and don't want a data plan. will AT&T still add data plan to it? i think not.
 
sharathk said:
what if you brought a phone from newegg/buy.com unlocked and don't want a data plan. will AT&T still add data plan to it? i think not.
Click to expand...

Lots of users have tried this and shown otherwise.

But hey, try it yourself and let us know how that works out for you if you disagree with those who have. ;)

Buried in the AT&T TOS is a clause somewhere that allows them to enable data for smartphones that they consider it necessary for. If you don't like it or feel this is wrong, your options are to complain to AT&T or not use AT&T. However, it has been shown that currently this is their practice.
 
Before I got my Captivate, I had a Nokia N95 for a year and a half and only had the "Feature Phone" data plan, not the smart phone data plan. I think I was able to get away with it because AT&T didn't sell a Nokia N95. If it was based purely off of data usage, I would have been charged at the smart phone rate early on because I streamed music and used my phone as a WiFi hotspot often.
 
This thread is like asking for a corvette with a 4 banger in it. Its bad enough that the vette is available in "automatic".

But in all seriousness this phone is too awesome to not have data hooked up.
 
lewisb13 said:
This thread is like asking for a corvette with a 4 banger in it. Its bad enough that the vette is available in "automatic".

But in all seriousness this phone is too awesome to not have data hooked up.
Click to expand...

It is all good if you can afford it. I need something like a iTouch with calling capability. Data plan is nice to have but not a must. I guess a 4 banger vette is fine with me.

BTW, how would AT&T know I am running a smart phone anyway?
 
yes it is possible to get the smart phone without data plan, i have 3 smart phones. last one purchased from AT&T in august 2010 samsung captiva. none of my smart phones have data planes on them i am a long time cust with them early 90's you have to talk to the higher up in sales, yes they can tell the phone type all i did was tell them if i had to have a data plan i am history with them, they keep going up to higher people but i got what i wanted don't take no for a answer
 
If you have been a long time customer, before a certain year, they will allow you to have a smart phone with no data plan. I know this because I had the iphone since it first came out. At one point I was told that I needed to add a data plan but I just ignored that request. When I got my captivate, I didn't have a data plan but my boss asked that I add one. When I spoke to at&t, the agent told me that I was exempt from being required to have a data plan because I'd been with them well before the iphone came out. If I added a data plan now, the exemption would go away. From that day forward, if I had a smart phone, I'd have to get a data plan.
 
I just got my captivate ... direct from att customer service, With No at&t data plan, it took some cajoling, but i have the conversation recorded, just in case.

Of course, this is day one with it, I do not doubt they may try to add that 180 bucks a year charge, for something that comes free at any internet cafe, hotel, or other comon wifi spot. I don't plan on giving in to extortion without scraping the skin off my teeth.


*edit*

located program that limits data without the need to root, link folows to thread with discussion on 3g disabling/data bleeding http://androidforums.com/samsung-captivate/132861-disable-3g.html#post1371160

Programs name is Juicedefender ... it also saves battery life ^_^

*end edit*

step 1 , root (looks intimidating, but its not that bad just follow directions)

step 2 , remove att bloatware, and data bleeding apps they intentionaly loaded

step 3 , disable att 3g network (there's a few guides, simplest is to change the default network to a blank access point)

step 4 , use wifi to connect to open networks, and your personal networks only for all your data needs ^_^

Just make sure to disable their 3g network ... or it will direct your messages and data through it ... and then they charge you $$$

:cool:god bless the android, and god bless rooting and bloatware removal!:cool:
 
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