My Razor phone is showing it's age, and after a million hits to the pavement and a trip to the bottom of the pool I'm surprised it's still fully operational. I have AT&T and that will definitely not be changing due to an immediate family member who is an employee. I make calls and text, but I do not want/or need to pay for data transfer. I would however like to hook into a wireless network at home or at other nearby spots such as school or coffee shops. Is there such a phone that does this?

Pretty much all the "smart" phones do Wi-fi. Most people will advise you to get an iPhone, they are pretty good but expensive.

Up to you really, I would go to a mobile shop and try some out, you don't really know what you're getting till you have a play about with one.

Personally I've got a blackberry pearl and it's alright. It does what I want on the internet without much hassle. It's nice being able to check facebook/gmail/msn messenger on the move, comes with a few good apps too.

You can get an iPhone 3G for $99 with contract renewal.

iphone

or a referbished one for $50

Guys, he doesn't want the data plan that you need for the iPhone. At least that's what people tell me. The iPhone does support wi-fi though.

Yes, the data plan is required. I can tell you from experience that the wifi on the iPhone 3GS is great. Actually, the whole phone is great. But with your non-existent need of any data plan, I would probably look for something else. The iPhone data plan is $30.00 per month. That doesn't include texts.

You didn't really give out enough information. What is your budget? How much are you willing to pay for a phone? How much are you willing to commit annually for plans? Do you prefer touch screen or touchpad?

If you don't want a data plan, look at the Blackberry Bold. It has wifi so you can still use the internet.

As far as I am aware, only smart phones will come "wifi enabled", and as far as I am aware, all smart phones require a data plan. You're pretty much SOL there.


Emon, all Blackberry phones require a data plan I believe.

Depends on the provider. AT&T probably does. I don't think T-Mobile does, but that doesn't help him.

This is the reason why the NA wireless industry is so archaic. Every time you buy a phone you guys are so willing to put up with the carriers that impose constraints on you. And you guys never seize to amaze me how you can just swallow that 3 year contract and cut off your arm and leg to pay it just for having it at a subsidized price. I cant even count how many times people compare unsubsidized prices to subsidized prices as equivalents. But it seems to me it reflects the spending habits of most Americans, consume consume and consume, even if you can't afford it. For god sakes, just save up and buy the phone out right when you have the money. Hearing you guys talk about carrier just makes me cringe every time.

Dash, I recommend you to take a look at the Nokia 5800 Xpress Music. Its selling for $269 from Dell. Its unlocked, you can use it with any carrier that is GSM based, used any plan you want, no strings attached, no hidden fees, nothing. For a phone that is packed with a touch screen that has hand written recognition, on screen qwerty, 3mp camera with AF and flash, WIFI, GPS and A-GPS, FM radio, expandable memory up to 16gb, and much more, its quite a bargain.

For more details visit Nokia

Dell's website to buy

The only downside is that if you aren't a seasoned Symbian user, you might tear some hairs out when you deal with the interface. But once you get used to it, you might just come to love the symbian os.

I guess I'll have to see what they offer me. I have a killer plan in place already which won't be changing.

Nevermind.

That was nothing more than a stupid little rant.

It's not a rant at all - he's got a very good point, the contracts are bull**** and lead to an anti-competitive marketplace/restrictions on innovation. Carriers overcharge for data TREMENDOUSLY, there's really no two ways about it.

That said, a lot of carriers allow you to buy the phone and sign for a plan with data, but you can immediately cancel the data plan. It would probably be better to ask on a phone discussion board with members that have tried to do so with your particular carrier, in your particular area.

Or, as SK mentioned and I have also done, you can buy a phone unlocked. I have an unlocked G1 and it's great as a PDA/cell phone. I use a cheap local pay-as-you go carrier with no data, and I sync my phone up with wifi at home/before leaving work. When out and about I can even latch on to open wifi pretty frequently in the city. Personally I don't need data that much so adding a 2.2-2.5 multiplier on my bill for data just wouldn't be worth it.

I don't really have a problem with Sprint's everything plan stuff. It's especially cheap as you get higher amounts of minutes.

That said, mobile broadband cards are a goddamn ripoff.

For most people, buying and sticking with one phone for two years, not three, is something they would do regardless of a contract. Thus they save a lot of money by getting a discount with a contract. Also, most carriers don't offer full plans (data, text and voice) without contracts. Month to month prices are higher and have bogus charges thrown on top of them as well. We don't have a choice.

The system sucks and we can't do anything about it. It has nothing to do with American spending habits.

Sprint has the best data plans of anyone in the US. For $70, you get unlimited data, unlimited text, unlimited night and weekends and 450 anytime minutes. For $100 you get everything unlimited. No bull****. No "oh, unlimited as long as it's under 5GB" like that **** AT&T tried to pull.

And if you're using a Pre, you can hack it to provide tethering over Bluetooth, USB or even WiFi (ad-hoc networking too!) for free.

Yeah, my family has often thought of switching from Sprint, until we realize just how god damn awesome it really is.

Four people, unlimited data, unlimited texts, basically everything, for only like 160 bucks a month (I think), and that's 4 people.

Emon, I thought I remember reading about Sprint that they DO impose a bandwidth limits, but it was only for people signing a contract after a certain point. I remember reading about it, being furious, and then remembering that my contract was before the imposed limit. Regardless, I tether all the time and have never been charged.

That limit is only for mobile broadband cards, not phone data.

iphone

I agree, the system is terrible and ridiculous though I have seen more and more people speak out against it recently.

Yes you're correct, although I should of pointed out that I was refering to the newer smart phones with wifi, which do carry the longer contracts.

Keep taking it from behind. Obviously you don't know what you are missing out on.

With who? I've never seen one that is three years.

That's because there isn't one.

Uh, I don't think you have to get the data plan for the iPhone--I know someone who has one without. I know you can always buy a secondhand one for like 100-200 bucks (saw a 3g for 200 the other day, bought my 2g for 125) and just switch out your sim card.

I personally would highly recommend it. There's just no phone I've seen that even comes close, though the G1 and the Palm Pre are good alternatives. And the N97, but I doubt you wanna drop 6-800 on a phone.

You can use an iPhone without a data contract if you transfer a SIM card, hack it or otherwise get around the standard route of activation. But you can't walk into an AT&T store and buy an iPhone without a data contract.

Rogers Wireless and Fido. Remember I said NA market. You guys always forget about Canada

But you went on to criticize "Americans," and I'm pretty sure you didn't mean Canadians.

Nope I didn't. But Canadians are just the same when it comes to cellphones. I give the same spiel to the people I know.

You're so much better than "Americans". Thank you for teaching us how ****ty our cell phone carriers are. Without you to pull the wool from our eyes, we would be lost forever.

Feel better now?

Yeah, we take it up the *** here. Until the iPhone came along the data plans were atrocious.

Uh Rage Against the Machine is over there.

As said before, I think that people realize that cell phones and carriers on the NW Hemisphere pretty much suck. The tightly bound contracts and locking of cell phones detract mobile communication innovations I believe. If you're getting ****ty reception everywhere or being charged up the äss for everything, you're stuck with crap for a min of 2y.

Thank you for your sarcastic remarks. Now you kinda know how we feel when you **** on the rest of the world

If you don't want a data plan, don't get a smartphone. That's the obvious answer. It doesn't matter if you have Wifi or not, not having a data plan seriously nerfs said phones usability. You're better off just getting a phone that does everything else well, like making calls. iPhones especially are notorious for having bad call quality.

Take your American stereotype and shove it. You're talking down to Crimson for what you perceive the rest of America does "to the world" because he's American (which I'm assuming he is).

If Crimson is American and you're the rest of the world, then the rest of the world is retarded.

iPhone 3GI (Thanks mb for the link.)

Thank you for proving my point. On the political stage, America's arrogance is exactly that, they think they are the world. But I'm derailing this thread. If you got problems with what I say, just PM me.