Possible to transfer phones>?

[Programmer56]

I currently have a iPhone 3GS and will soon be upgrading. But My main concern is can I give my 3GS to my son who has a "Unlimited Data Plan" and he be able to use it but connect on wifi only. Or can he connect to data but use a small amount? THIS IS A BIG FACTOR in my decsion to stay  with my current or upgrade to bigger and better phones. If I can not I am not going to spend $15 more a month for him to have a data plan. (WE ARE IN SOME TOUGH TIMES!!! ) 

[smalcom]

All iPhones require a data plan. He can use it on WiFi only like an iPod Touch, but it cannot be used as a cell phone without a data plan.

[Programmer56]

So then your saying he can only use it as a ipod then? Can he still call and text and what not? If so then can he do this without fearing charging me with a substantal bill or is there a option in the menu to disable data?

[satchev · Accepted solution]

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Programmer56 wrote:

So then your saying he can only use it as a ipod then? Can he still call and text and what not? If so then can he do this without fearing charging me with a substantal bill or is there a option in the menu to disable data?

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No, read the response.  All iPhones on AT&T, like all smartphones, require a data plan.

If you do not want to have a data plan on his line, the options are:

• Dumb phone
• QMD device

If you go that route, the old iPhone can still be used as an iPod touch, all phone related functions will be disabled.  If you attempt to use an iPhone or any smartphone on AT&T without a data plan, they will add a data plan for you.

[Programmer56]

Thats really disapointing. I have been a valuded customer since '91. Other companies are sounding better and better... 

[gara56]

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Programmer56 wrote:

I currently have a iPhone 3GS and will soon be upgrading. But My main concern is can I give my 3GS to my son who has a "Unlimited Data Plan" and he be able to use it but connect on wifi only. Or can he connect to data but use a small amount? THIS IS A BIG FACTOR in my decsion to stay  with my current or upgrade to bigger and better phones. If I can not I am not going to spend $15 more a month for him to have a data plan. (WE ARE IN SOME TOUGH TIMES!!! ) 

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I think there's some confusion with your questions. What do you mean by

"But My main concern is can I give my 3GS to my son who has a "Unlimited Data Plan" and he be able to use it but connect on wifi only."

I assume you will want your son to be able to make a call using the cellphone? If so, you will need a dataplan with the phone. ATT will not activate the phone just for voice. You might want to consider a 200MB dataplan (the cheapest) for your son.

When I gave my wife my old 3GS (so I could upgrade to the iphone 4), I had to get her a dataplan (200mb). I was also able to transfer my unlimited dataplan to my new iphone.Either way, if you don't want to spent anything other than what you have--I would not give your son a smartphone.

[gara56]

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Programmer56 wrote:

Thats really disapointing. I have been a valuded customer since '91. Other companies are sounding better and better... 

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Welcome to the club. Being a long-time customer means nothing--even if you go with another company. Good luck.

[21stNow]

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Programmer56 wrote:

I currently have a iPhone 3GS and will soon be upgrading. But My main concern is can I give my 3GS to my son who has a "Unlimited Data Plan" and he be able to use it but connect on wifi only. Or can he connect to data but use a small amount? THIS IS A BIG FACTOR in my decsion to stay  with my current or upgrade to bigger and better phones. If I can not I am not going to spend $15 more a month for him to have a data plan. (WE ARE IN SOME TOUGH TIMES!!! ) 

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Your second sentence makes it sound like your son already has an unlimited data plan on his account.  If so, you do not have to add another data plan, as long as the existing data plan is a smartphone data plan. 

[Wild Banchi ACE - Master]

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21stNow wrote:

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Programmer56 wrote:

I currently have a iPhone 3GS and will soon be upgrading. But My main concern is can I give my 3GS to my son who has a "Unlimited Data Plan" and he be able to use it but connect on wifi only. Or can he connect to data but use a small amount? THIS IS A BIG FACTOR in my decsion to stay  with my current or upgrade to bigger and better phones. If I can not I am not going to spend $15 more a month for him to have a data plan. (WE ARE IN SOME TOUGH TIMES!!! ) 

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Your second sentence makes it sound like your son already has an unlimited data plan on his account.  If so, you do not have to add another data plan, as long as the existing data plan is a smartphone data plan. 

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I agree; you're right. I wonder if it's a QMD/feature phone unlimited data plan.

Programmer56, which phone is your son currently using, anyway? Is it a smartphone? To me, it sounds like a quick messaging device. If he is not using a smartphone and you are willing to give him your 3GS, a data plan will be required.

[johninsj ACE - Professor]

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Programmer56 wrote:

Thats really disapointing. I have been a valuded customer since '91. Other companies are sounding better and better... 

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There are no cell service providers that I know of (at least among Sprint, TMo, AT&T, and VZ) who allow any smartphone to have voice service WITHOUT data service.

It's nothing to do with how long anyone has been a customer, it has everything to do with customers complaining about casual data use charges when they don't have a data plan.

$15/mo is the cheapest data plan you can get for an iPhone.

[guzinta_00]

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Programmer56 wrote:

Thats really disapointing. I have been a valuded customer since '91. Other companies are sounding better and better... 

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Do let us all know when you find a cell company that doesn't make you take a data plan on a smart phone...

[21stNow]

John and Guzinta, T-Mobile does not require a data plan if you buy your smartphone at full price or bring it with you.  If you buy a subsidized smartphone and your contract ends, you can remove the data plan. 

There are rumors floating on the web that this may be ending, but T-Mobile employees say that they are closing a loophole that contract customers were using to get out of a data plan. 

Edit:  T-Mobile has a contract plan now where smartphone users don't have to have a dataplan, but it is a contract for a non-subsidized phone.  This contract plan is strange to me but some customers like it.

[johninsj ACE - Professor]

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21stNow wrote:

John and Guzinta, T-Mobile does not require a data plan if you buy your smartphone at full price or bring it with you.  If you buy a subsidized smartphone and your contract ends, you can remove the data plan. 

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What's the per-KB casual data use cost on T-Mobile?

[21stNow]

I don't know the pay-by-use rate for data.  I couldn't find it on T-Mobile's website.

[21stNow]

I think I found it.  It's $1.99 per MB, if you have no data plan on your account.

[johninsj ACE - Professor]

so $2/MB - 200MB would be $400. That's a steal!

[21stNow]

If a customer thought he was going to use that much data, he should just get the data plan for that month.  For the Value plan customers, 2GB of high-speed data is only $10, so I doubt that a customer would let himself get too far out on the pay-by-use plan.

[johninsj ACE - Professor]

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21stNow wrote:

If a customer thought he was going to use that much data, he should just get the data plan for that month.  For the Value plan customers, 2GB of high-speed data is only $10, so I doubt that a customer would let himself get too far out on the pay-by-use plan.

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Of course not! The point is, the reason smartphones require data plans on AT&T (and everyone else except tmobile) is because people "accidentially" use data with smartphones, and "accidentially" spend $50 checking email with casual data use. And then scream bloody murder. So now, no more non-data-plan smartphones.

[21stNow]

Oh, OK.  I see where you are coming from now.  It's a sad state of our society when the cell phone companies have to save the customers from themselves.