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Disable Cellular Network but keep 3G/4G LTE?

Digital Controller

Digital Controller

The Real Bass Creator
I am currently using a Verizon Galaxy Nexus, but it's so expensive to keep up with the 100 dollar payment each month as a college student so I decided to take the plunge into Google Voice.

However, i would like a fail safe before switching, some way to disable my cellular network so i can't receive calls or texts, but still get 3G and 4G LTE because i need it when im not around WiFi for Google Voice.

I saw a couple posts about it, one referring to which connections i allow, being LTE, CDMA, and EvDo. I was told to just choose EvDo, but that option isn't there on my phone, I was wondering if there was any work around or something.

Thanks.

EDIT: Might also be important to say that I plan on having two separate numbers just so i can keep my carrier Verizon for the mobile network, i could care less for the cellular network.

Another EDIT: I keep trying to use this thing where you dial *#*#4636#*#* and change the preferred network to EvDo only but I am still getting cellular radio and data. I dont know if i am doing something wrong but I can't seem to do anything about it no matter what network i choose
 
You'll still have to pay for it anyway. There are no US carriers who offer only a data plan for smartphones. They force you to have both. The best bet is to go prepaid if that's your concern.
 
ExtremeNerd said:
You'll still have to pay for it anyway. There are no US carriers who offer only a data plan for smartphones. They force you to have both. The best bet is to go prepaid if that's your concern.
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Actually I called Verizon and the person gave me a plan to just get rid of all my minutes and texts and said i could do it, i was just hoping i could disable the cellular network so i don't get charged if someone calls that number.
 
Wait, why are you going to get charged if someone calls you? Shouldn't it be that the caller is the one that gets charged?
 
chanchan05 said:
Wait, why are you going to get charged if someone calls you? Shouldn't it be that the caller is the one that gets charged?
Click to expand...

Whether someone calls you or you call them you still get charged minutes on Verizon

It's just i want to update my plan so I dont have to pay for minutes or texting, because Verizon doesn't offer any low deals, like you know 50 minutes / 100 texts a month, just in case...

Unless you're 65 or older maybe.
 
Petrah said:
You can use GV and GvIP on any Android phone, so it's ok if your on VZW.
Click to expand...

Yeah i just installed GrooveIP I realize now what it does and can actually receive and make phone calls haha, on 3G/4G LTE or Wifi.

Thanks!

I am still wondering if people call my old number what will happen though.
 
This may be a bit late, but I started a thread a while back at xda about how I did this very thing.

I am not allowed to put in links here as a new member, but if you search for a thread called "Data-Only for GS3" on XDA, you're bound to find it.



Here is a copy/paste from that thread.


I now have a 5GB/month plan for $50. I have no voice or text on my gs3 except what is done over IP--this basically means that voice and text is free when on wifi, and nearly free when on 4g. Calls only take 1.2MB / minute--which of course only matters when I am away from home or school.

Here is a rough outline of the process:

1. Purchase used 4g hotspot on ebay: $70
2. Activate and sign up for data plan for it: $50/month + 1 time activation and fees (35+15)
3. Take sim card from hotspot and put into phone. Cut it to correct size if necessary. It was with me.
4. Check Verizon website to make sure that phone now shows up with a 5gb data-only plan.
5. Transfer number from phone to google voice: $20
This step also automatically cancels the phone contract all at once: $340
6. Download and purchase GrooveIP: $4.99
6. Make sure that wifi stays connected when screen is off. The Galaxy S3 has some problems with this. I eventually settled on a program called "REGPON Wifi Keep Alive" from the play store. *Edit* *switching routers fixed this problem*
7. Make sure everything is configured properly. I used another number to repeatedly call the phone and make sure that it would ring at various intervals of sleeping.

Voila--a 5gb data-only plan on a galaxy s3 with "free" unlimited voice and text.

I may save only a few hundred dollars over the course of the contract that I cancelled, but now I have a hotspot (just have to return sim to it to use it) and much more mobile data.It's also neat seeing on myverizon that I have this phone and am eligible for an upgrade.




As an added note--to save battery, I downloaded an app simply called "Network" which allows me to keep only the lte network in use so that I save battery.

It also looks like the OP asked about this elsewhere and was told that google voice isn't true voip. This is sort of true, and sort of not. It can be done without a phone connection, but is tricky. You have to set up the google voice app with a telephone number, but it doesn't have to belong to the phone. I used an app called Text+ which gave me another voip number (which charges) but had 10 free minutes that I could use with the number to set up my google voice app.
 
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