iPhone 3G without Service Plan?

Let me get right to the chase. I would like an iPhone (has to be iPhone 3G at this point), but without the service fee for internet connectivity. Without jail-breaking or doing any of that stuff, is there a way to opt out of the service plan and keep just the phone feature?

Now for my reasoning, very simple: I live in a constant dome of wifi over my head, so I simply don't need it. My classes, my university, all has wifi. The new price drop is kinda deceiving as the price to pay over the course of the 2 year plan is actually more. Being a college student, this could be great. I also have a plan with AT&T, so please advise if there's a separate fee for simply switching phones.

Much appreciated,

VbR

Part of the cost of the phone is subsidized by the plan, so you're kind of locked into a carrier unless you buy it on eBay or another third party.

With that said, since Wi-Fi is pretty much omnipresent where you are, have you considered an iPod Touch? For all intents and purposes, the Touch is just an iPhone without the phone part. Just a thought.

I called AT&T customer care and my local AT&T store they both stated there is no way to get phone without the 2 year contract the guy at the AT&T store said that this is all Apples doing.

cwa107 said:

Part of the cost of the phone is subsidized by the plan, so you're kind of locked into a carrier unless you buy it on eBay or another third party.

With that said, since Wi-Fi is pretty much omnipresent where you are, have you considered an iPod Touch? For all intents and purposes, the Touch is just an iPhone without the phone part. Just a thought.

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I've definitely thought of it. Thing is I need a new phone more than I would need the touch. So regardless, I'm gonna have to update what I have.

I suspect unlocking or getting an unlocked one has its disadvantages?

bargsbeer said:

I called AT&T customer care and my local AT&T store they both stated there is no way to get phone without the 2 year contract the guy at the AT&T store said that this is all Apples doing.

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And that binds you to the data plan, no exceptions?

vbr2 said:

I've definitely thought of it. Thing is I need a new phone more than I would need the touch. So regardless, I'm gonna have to update what I have.

I suspect unlocking or getting an unlocked one has its disadvantages?

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Yeah - it's a hacked phone, so updates to the firmware can potentially have adverse effects. Also some features, like visual voicemail, are specific to the supported carrier and will not function.

vbr2 said:

And that binds you to the data plan, no exceptions?

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Yes you have to get the data plan.

bargsbeer said:

Yes you have to get the data plan.

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Looks like I'll have to look for a more "unconventional" method,

Thanks guys for your input, I appreciate it.

Vbr

I feel ya.I'm thinking I'm going to have to cancel my T-mobile contract just to get the new iphone.

I'm in the same exact boat as the OP, actually I came here to ask that same question!!! why do we have to get the data plan? Can't I just go to AT&T and get a service plan and for the phone choose iphone?

Nope, it's a package deal, so you either get it all or nothing.

Okay...

So i just came back from the AT&T store and talked to the manager about the data plans for the new iphone. He said the data will not be required. of course he asked why i wanted an iphone if i didn't want internet. i want the iphone for a phone and an ipod. i don't have an ipod so it consolidates the number of devices. anyway, i also just got finished talking to a customer service rep about the same topic and he said the data plan is also not required. He like the store manager asked why i would not want the data plan, and i gave the same answers. I told him i would just use the wifi and he said if i canceled the data plan you cannot use wifi. He said canceling the data plan completely disables the phone from using the internet. so, take it for what you will, but that is what i got from two AT&T representatives.

Im thinking of doing the exact thing youre talking about, just using the iphone as an ipod and a phone, no data plan. Hopefully its not too hard to do...

Anyways, do you guys think the resale value for ipod touches will stay up for a while? Im waiting for the montevina MBP's and when I get that and the educational discount for the ipod touch, I was thinking of selling the ipod touch and buying the new iphone. Do you think itll still be worth at least $200?

Sorry if this is hijacking, since this is somewhat similar to the topic.

pjfan9110 said:

I told him i would just use the wifi and he said if i canceled the data plan you cannot use wifi. He said canceling the data plan completely disables the phone from using the internet. so, take it for what you will, but that is what i got from two AT&T representatives.

Click to expand...

That's a lie to get you to buy the data plan. You can most certainly use Wi-Fi without a data plan, which many people have been doing with the current iPhone. All you need to do is disable EDGE, or in the case of the new phone 3G, and any apps that use the Internet will only work when connected via Wi-Fi.

The iPhone's WiFi connection is run by AirPort Utility in OS X iPhone. What that clerk told you is pure BS.

AT&T has no control over disabling anything on the iPhone, they can only influence the phone part.

There are still hearing conflicting reports on this... on a few other forums people are saying its required, but others say you can just get a voice plan. I guess we'll have to wait and see!

I am totally confused on this issue also. I have an iPhone 2g, that I bought with a broken screen with the intentions to fix, which I haven't gotten around to yet. Anyway, I had an iPod Touch and sold it because I got the iPhone, I did not activate my phone, because I am waiting for my Verizon plan to run out. So, I was using the iPhone as my iPod Touch, I was able to use it on any Wi-Fi network without having it activated. So, if I could do this when I activate it, that would be perfect. I do not need data everywhere, especially since Wi-Fi is everywhere now. Any other advice to help with this would be great? Thanks!

I am in the UK and you can buy iPhones without service plans, so it must be possible.
How, I don't know.

Do you need a 3G? You can buy a first gen and do just that: Use the phone and wifi. I did that for a couple months till I made a decision that I do want/ really like the iPhone. You will, however, need to jailbreak it but since it's the first Gen, it's not a problem.

So you need to have the first gen iPhone in order to disable the data and use only the wifi? It's so confusing!!!!