On Saturday, March 26, 2016 at 11:48:21 AM UTC-4, trader_4 wrote:
On Friday, March 25, 2016 at 10:31:45 PM UTC-4, SBH wrote:
On 3/25/2016 8:25 AM, trader_4 wrote:



Problem is that until recently, every carrier I had experience with,
you had to have a data plan with them to use any kind of internet access,
even wifi. I finally found one that doesn't require that. If you can
find one in your area, then you can use those neat apps without having
a monthly data plan. Otherwise, you're going to have to pay whatever
the extra cost for a data plan is. I guess now that's becoming less of
an issue, with the plans dropping to $35 - $45. When they were $80+ it
was more of an issue.



One doesn't need a data plan to use WiFi.

Well, as I said, in the past you did if you wanted to use that smartphone
on Verizon. They would not put a smartphone on their network without you
subscribing to one of their data plans. You could not use their network
for only voice/text and go wifi for data. I saw plenty of other people
complaining about similar policies from other major carriers. And as I
said, that policy may have changed, but that's what it was about 2 1/2
years ago when I left Verizon.

Yes, you need a data plan with most carriers in order to get voice service, but that
doesn't make a smartphone without a plan useless. (You may know this, I'm just
sharing.)

There is a difference between activating a phone on a carrier's network and using it to
access the internet. I have a Verizon data plan for my main smartphone. I also have TWC
which provides my internet access and WiFi at home. I have an older smartphone that I
still use to access the internet without it being on any carrier's network.

For example, the old phone typically lives in my shop where I use it to listen to
Pandora, Tune-In radio, youtube, surf the web, etc. It's attached to an old stereo
system through the headphone jack. No plan, it's basically a low end tablet.

If I wanted to, I could use it for VoIP and get "voice service" to.