Activate smat phone on VZW without a plan?
I own a couple of Pixi Plus' that I was going to use for my wife and daughter, both relatively casual users. WiFi connectivity is more than adequate for their use, yet I was astounded to learn VZ requires an unlimited data plan on these phones to even activate them.
That's absurd. I own the phones already. I could understand this if VZ is subsidizing my cost on the phones. There has to be a way around this.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
That's absurd. I own the phones already. I could understand this if VZ is subsidizing my cost on the phones. There has to be a way around this.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
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No way around it. Trust me, if there were, it would have been exploded many times over, and very well documented.
Also, remeber that the Palm devices operate with a cloud connection, so if you didn't have regular Internet, you wouldn't have much on your phone to begin with.
Therd are two things at play here, besides the phone being built around the 3G data requirement to begin with. First, Verizon makes a lot of mokney on data features, so there's a revenue opportunity that makes them all (all carriers) want to require data. Second, the way the phones are built, the carrier would have to be fighting customers each month on random data charges the customer will insist they didn't make, even though the phone went to the web all on its o...
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Also, remeber that the Palm devices operate with a cloud connection, so if you didn't have regular Internet, you wouldn't have much on your phone to begin with.
Therd are two things at play here, besides the phone being built around the 3G data requirement to begin with. First, Verizon makes a lot of mokney on data features, so there's a revenue opportunity that makes them all (all carriers) want to require data. Second, the way the phones are built, the carrier would have to be fighting customers each month on random data charges the customer will insist they didn't make, even though the phone went to the web all on its o...
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Dang it! Why can't you just do us the favor as DiamonPro does, and let us know when you are on a device instead of your computer! 🤣
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How about a prepaid data package that just shuts off when you've exceeded the allotment instead of going into the "convenience" of charging an arm and a leg without the option to cut the connection?
I would pay $10 a month for 100 MB at 100 kbps with a hard stop.
No data overage complaints, the customer gets what they paid for, the carrier collects a guaranteed cost-per-bit for data consumption.
The only downside here is that the days of carriers fleecing low-end users to subsidize heavy consumers would come to an end. 98% of the consumers want that practice to end anyway.
I'm one of them.
Mandatory data packages on unsubsidized devices is both a sham and a shame. There are clear, simple ways to avoid customer service fallou...
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I would pay $10 a month for 100 MB at 100 kbps with a hard stop.
No data overage complaints, the customer gets what they paid for, the carrier collects a guaranteed cost-per-bit for data consumption.
The only downside here is that the days of carriers fleecing low-end users to subsidize heavy consumers would come to an end. 98% of the consumers want that practice to end anyway.
I'm one of them.
Mandatory data packages on unsubsidized devices is both a sham and a shame. There are clear, simple ways to avoid customer service fallou...
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CellStudent said:
The carriers are simply exploiting the "convenience" of carrying one device instead of two to line their pockets with cash!
Yes, as I mentioned as my first "thing in play." When companies change their business model, perhaps this will change as well.
The only downside here is that the days of carriers fleecing low-end users to subsidize heavy consumers would come to an end. 98% of the consumers want that practice to end anyway.
I'm not entirely convinced of that. If they truly wanted this they would have forced the issue. Alas, we still have subsidies, and the carriers are still in control of them.
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"The carriers are simply exploiting the "convenience" of carrying one device instead of two to line their pockets with cash!"
You're correct. What of it?
You're correct. What of it?
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I'm not sure what this has to do with the original posters question either. Give that noise a rest. We know we know you want to take the unlimited option away from those of us who really need it and make us turn in our smartphones and sign up with Comcast. I get that.
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Azeron said:
I'm not sure what this has to do with the original posters question
It explains why. Not everybody understands the reasoning behind the decision, particularly people actively asking the question.
We know we know you want to take the unlimited option away from those of us who really need it and make us turn in our smartphones and sign up with Comcast. I get that.
I don't ask you to shut up and keep your thoughts to yourself merely because we have differing opinions on the solutions.
So, I will not accept your invitation to silence myself.
I am not DiamondTroll.
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Keep it civil and I will do the same. I did not ask you to shut up and I am not treating you like DiamondTroll. You are actually acting like Jay when every post he took the opportunity to opine that a 4.3 screen was too large for a phone. It just gets old. Your opinion on tiered Internet has appeared on countless threads. It HAS to be over fifty. You take EVERY opportunity to regale us with the reason why it makes sense. I could post your opinion as I have read it so often. When I said "we know, we know" I really meant it. There should have been an eye roll after that. It wasn't telling you to shut up it was letting you know that we understand your opinion and you don't HAVE to keep bashing us over the head with it. Why you would c...
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By the way. I have my soap box too. But I don't carry it around for months or has it been years now? Even I get tired of writing and reading me bash the carriers for being greedy blood suckers. Oops! ðŸ¤
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Yes. Sell them on Ebay and buy a couple of XV6800s there. THOSE can be activated without a data plan. Or if you want to keep it in the Palm family you can go with a Centro, 755P, 700WX etcetera and so on. Verizon's policy is pretty clear. Any smartphone they began offering after November 4, 2008 requires a data plan. At least they allow their old ones (with the exception of Blackberries) to be activated without one. Yes you own the phones, but Evil Red owns their network.
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Thanks to everyone for the debate and the authoritative answers!
I have my own unlimited plan with my employer (which is 99% work e-mail, and 1% surfing to settle bar bets), but my family, who really doesn't care that much for unlimited internet, would like to enjoy some of the more PIM functions, maybe the media player, etc. and being able to check mail from the coffee shop, and not carry two devices.
AT&T is more palatable with some choice, but VZW just has them beat on call reliability. I guess the great Oz has spoken. We're screwed.
I have my own unlimited plan with my employer (which is 99% work e-mail, and 1% surfing to settle bar bets), but my family, who really doesn't care that much for unlimited internet, would like to enjoy some of the more PIM functions, maybe the media player, etc. and being able to check mail from the coffee shop, and not carry two devices.
AT&T is more palatable with some choice, but VZW just has them beat on call reliability. I guess the great Oz has spoken. We're screwed.
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Why do they charge data if you're not wanting data on your phone? Answer: it's because they can. CDMA phones are ESN based, so the carrier knows what phone is active on your account. They have total control over your account device (kind of like Communism). They charge you simply because they can do it. Helps boost their revenues.
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