quick Smartphone question

[iskim86]

if I get a smartphone with wifi support, can I go to any wifi hotspot and go online?

Moved from Off Topic
Moderator allisolm

 

[sjwaste]

Generally as long as its open or you know the security key, yes. My fiance got an iPhone for Christmas and it roams onto our home wifi seamlessly once I set it up for WPA. I can't comment on the HTC devices that support it, though, never used those.

 

[iskim86]

i am now with verizon, and apparently I can't go online even with a phone with wifi if I don't subscribe to their data service. it's like $30 extra!

a friend of mine has T-Mobile and she can go online with her Blackberry Pearl at a wifi hotspot and she pays the normal fee

what about AT&T? I want a smartphone with wifi to go online at a hotspot but i'm really bummed out that verizon doesn't let you do that

 

[ric1287]

you can get att + the mediamax plan. Unlimited data + 200txts for $20

thats what i have had for years

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Or do the Sprint SERO thing and get online pretty much everywhere... highways, the woods, etc.

 

[Czar]

I have a nokiea e51 for work and it can connect to any wirless networks, very easy to use. We have alot of nokia E phones at work, and apart from the e50 which is the only one which doesnt have wifi they all work the same.

 

[iskim86]

Originally posted by: ric1287
you can get att + the mediamax plan. Unlimited data + 200txts for $20

thats what i have had for years

i thought with AT&T, you can just get a $40 plan (the cheapest) and just get wifi??

I don't do much text messaging

what's this "data plan" thingy?

 

[uli2000]

Originally posted by: iskim86
i am now with verizon, and apparently I can't go online even with a phone with wifi if I don't subscribe to their data service. it's like $30 extra!

a friend of mine has T-Mobile and she can go online with her Blackberry Pearl at a wifi hotspot and she pays the normal fee

what about AT&T? I want a smartphone with wifi to go online at a hotspot but i'm really bummed out that verizon doesn't let you do that

Thats BS. Wifi is implimented by the manufacturer, not the carrier. They dont provision it, monitor it, or anything else, because they cant! Im guessing they told you this to sell you a expensive data plan. You do not, repeat DO NOT, need a data plan to use wifi on your phone. You may need a add on plan like what tmobile has with its starbucks hotspots, but you can use any free wifi access point (or any secured network you have the ability to get on). Ive used wifi on my phone at airports, libraries, hotels, and plenty of other establishments that offer free wifi.

 

[iskim86]

Originally posted by: uli2000

Originally posted by: iskim86
i am now with verizon, and apparently I can't go online even with a phone with wifi if I don't subscribe to their data service. it's like $30 extra!

a friend of mine has T-Mobile and she can go online with her Blackberry Pearl at a wifi hotspot and she pays the normal fee

what about AT&T? I want a smartphone with wifi to go online at a hotspot but i'm really bummed out that verizon doesn't let you do that

Thats BS. Wifi is implimented by the manufacturer, not the carrier. They dont provision it, monitor it, or anything else, because they cant! Im guessing they told you this to sell you a expensive data plan. You do not, repeat DO NOT, need a data plan to use wifi on your phone. You may need a add on plan like what tmobile has with its starbucks hotspots, but you can use any free wifi access point (or any secured network you have the ability to get on). Ive used wifi on my phone at airports, libraries, hotels, and plenty of other establishments that offer free wifi.

when i choose a phone and checkout online, the cheapest plan is an $80 plan and it's 450 minutes to talking!!! i even asked at a kiosk, and i can't just get a $40 regular plan and get a wifi phone. it's ridiculous.

maybe it's because they don't use GSM?

 

[uli2000]

Thats not it at all. GSM/CDMA has nothing to do with it. Many carriers wont sell a pda/smartphone for a discounted price without the data plan. You can buy it on your own (used/ebay/new at retail) and activate it on your current or new line. With Verizon, if you buy it used or from ebay, make sure you call Verizon and make sure the esn is clear (not stolen or disconnected for nonpayment). You could buy one new, but buying it at retail will run you about $500. Once you get the phone, call Verizon (or I think you can do a esn swap online) and switch the phone to your account. It would also be a good idea to either put a data block on the phone (the Verizon CSR can do it for you) or erase the evdo/1x connection settings so you dont accidently use cellular data at $20/meg without a data plan.

 

[uli2000]

This is the best way I have found to explain it:

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=1139662

 

[iskim86]

thanks

looks really complicated though

my Verizon contract when kaput a year and a half ago, I think I'll just switch to AT&T. they got some awesome phones. not to mention my calls constantly get dropped with verizon

i tried checking out a phone online with AT&T, they just let me get a $40 plan with anything!

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: iskim86
i am now with verizon, and apparently I can't go online even with a phone with wifi if I don't subscribe to their data service. it's like $30 extra!

a friend of mine has T-Mobile and she can go online with her Blackberry Pearl at a wifi hotspot and she pays the normal fee

what about AT&T? I want a smartphone with wifi to go online at a hotspot but i'm really bummed out that verizon doesn't let you do that

Really? I haven't actually gone looking for an outside hotspot but I connect to my wireless at home just fine and get online okay. With or without key, it works fine - and I don't have a VZW data plan. Is this any different than a wifi hotspot? I don't think so.

 

[iskim86]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: iskim86
i am now with verizon, and apparently I can't go online even with a phone with wifi if I don't subscribe to their data service. it's like $30 extra!

a friend of mine has T-Mobile and she can go online with her Blackberry Pearl at a wifi hotspot and she pays the normal fee

what about AT&T? I want a smartphone with wifi to go online at a hotspot but i'm really bummed out that verizon doesn't let you do that

Really? I haven't actually gone looking for an outside hotspot but I connect to my wireless at home just fine and get online okay. With or without key, it works fine - and I don't have a VZW data plan. Is this any different than a wifi hotspot? I don't think so.

never actually used one so i don't know, but i can't seem to find a way to get a regular plan when i purchase a phone online. how did you do it?

 

[DivideBYZero]

You can use a WiFi hotspot with any phone that can use WiFi EVEN IF THE PHONE DOES NOT HAVE A SIM IN IT.

I have several BB Pearls with WiFi in my house and some are without an operating SIM, however they still connect to my wifi network just fine.

WiFi is independent of the carrier. Some carriers will offer free minutes on their pay-per-use hotspots and some others will have Voice over IP, via WiFi, both of which are paid for services. You using WiFi to check out google has nothing to do with them and they cannot charge you a dime for it.

 

[iskim86]

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
You can use a WiFi hotspot with any phone that can use WiFi EVEN IF THE PHONE DOES NOT HAVE A SIM IN IT.

I have several BB Pearls with WiFi in my house and some are without an operating SIM, however they still connect to my wifi network just fine.

WiFi is independent of the carrier. Some carriers will offer free minutes on their pay-per-use hotspots and some others will have Voice over IP, via WiFi, both of which are paid for services. You using WiFi to check out google has nothing to do with them and they cannot charge you a dime for it.

so this whole you-must-get-an-expensive-plan-with-verizon is just a money-making scheme, eh?

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: iskim86

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: iskim86
i am now with verizon, and apparently I can't go online even with a phone with wifi if I don't subscribe to their data service. it's like $30 extra!

a friend of mine has T-Mobile and she can go online with her Blackberry Pearl at a wifi hotspot and she pays the normal fee

what about AT&T? I want a smartphone with wifi to go online at a hotspot but i'm really bummed out that verizon doesn't let you do that

Really? I haven't actually gone looking for an outside hotspot but I connect to my wireless at home just fine and get online okay. With or without key, it works fine - and I don't have a VZW data plan. Is this any different than a wifi hotspot? I don't think so.

never actually used one so i don't know, but i can't seem to find a way to get a regular plan when i purchase a phone online. how did you do it?

I ordered mine by logging into my account, then going to upgrade my phone - I qualified for the new every 2... after I chose which phone I wanted, there was an option for the data plan ($45/mo.) or pay per kb ($0.00 per month base charge).

Another option I had was through a company discount link but it turned out to be more expensive (even with new every 2) and it did NOT allow me to choose pay per kb. Go figure.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Originally posted by: iskim86

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
You can use a WiFi hotspot with any phone that can use WiFi EVEN IF THE PHONE DOES NOT HAVE A SIM IN IT.

I have several BB Pearls with WiFi in my house and some are without an operating SIM, however they still connect to my wifi network just fine.

WiFi is independent of the carrier. Some carriers will offer free minutes on their pay-per-use hotspots and some others will have Voice over IP, via WiFi, both of which are paid for services. You using WiFi to check out google has nothing to do with them and they cannot charge you a dime for it.

so this whole you-must-get-an-expensive-plan-with-verizon is just a money-making scheme, eh?

Get a regular plan with a WiFi enabled phone and you'll be fine **Unless they turn off functionality**. Some carriers do this with certain phones and I cannot vouch for Verizon.

 

[Ballatician]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: iskim86

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: iskim86
i am now with verizon, and apparently I can't go online even with a phone with wifi if I don't subscribe to their data service. it's like $30 extra!

a friend of mine has T-Mobile and she can go online with her Blackberry Pearl at a wifi hotspot and she pays the normal fee

what about AT&T? I want a smartphone with wifi to go online at a hotspot but i'm really bummed out that verizon doesn't let you do that

Really? I haven't actually gone looking for an outside hotspot but I connect to my wireless at home just fine and get online okay. With or without key, it works fine - and I don't have a VZW data plan. Is this any different than a wifi hotspot? I don't think so.

never actually used one so i don't know, but i can't seem to find a way to get a regular plan when i purchase a phone online. how did you do it?

I ordered mine by logging into my account, then going to upgrade my phone - I qualified for the new every 2... after I chose which phone I wanted, there was an option for the data plan ($45/mo.) or pay per kb ($0.00 per month base charge).

Another option I had was through a company discount link but it turned out to be more expensive (even with new every 2) and it did NOT allow me to choose pay per kb. Go figure.

hey rh,

I'm trying to help my sister order a pearl through our account online but the only two options I see are a $29/mo data plan and $39/mo plan of which you must pick one. When did you do this and have the option to pay per kb?

 

[Muadib]

Ballatician, this thread is from February, so there is a good chance they no longer offer the pay per kb plan. You should call them, as 6 months is a long time when it comes to phone plans.

 

[Ballatician]

Originally posted by: Muadib
Ballatician, this thread is from February, so there is a good chance they no longer offer the pay per kb plan. You should call them, as 6 months is a long time when it comes to phone plans.

Yea you're right. My sister ended up going to the store last night and they now only offer the two aforementioned plans.