vzw smart phones

[rancidat20]

hi all
i actually need a phone with wi-fi. and just a basic voice and text. now i am always around wi fi so dont want to pay for the data plan. i am thinking of buying the samsung omina and use it and see how it goes, now if i call vzw and try to cancel they would say oh u have to get a different phone well i will say i broke my phone so for now i want to use my old phone and dont want the data plan.
so my question is would they make me return the phone even if its more than a month?
OR
would they allow me to change the plans since my smart phone broke and now i have old regular cell phone?
i dont mind the 2 year contract as the other phone is in mint condition. --

also would i be able to use the omina just as a palm held .. u know for like surfin the net on wifi, calander tasks, the camera and as an i pod and radio (its 8 gig memeory)

 

[shortylickens]

If you wanna get a Verizon phone with wifi it wont be just basic voice and text. It will have to be a big bastard like a Blackberry or HTC.
Verizon lets you change your plan any time of the month, they prorate your bill for the days you have each type of service. I went from a basic voice plan to voice with unlimited data and only paid for the days it was actually available to me.

T-mobile has some basic phones that also have wifi, like the Nokia 6301.

Also, on Anandtech, we require periods and sentences and capitalization. I had to read your post 10 times before I figured out what the hell you were saying.

 

[oddyager]

None of the current Verizon BlackBerries are wi-fi capable. May want to wait around for Storm 2 which is rumored to finally include Wi-Fi. As for what phones now you can try looking at the Samsung models or the HTC TouchPro (more expensive) as suggested.

 

[HopJokey]

I've heard good things about the Samsung Saga.

I believe there are currently four phones VZW offers with Wifi (HTC Touch Pro/Diamond, Samsung Omnia/Saga).

After the BB Tour is released all future BB's should have Wifi on Verizon (Storm 2, Atlas, etc.).

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Originally posted by: HopJokey
I've heard good things about the Samsung Saga.

I believe there are currently four phones VZW offers with Wifi (HTC Touch Pro/Diamond, Samsung Omnia/Saga).

After the BB Tour is released all future BB's should have Wifi on Verizon (Storm 2, Atlas, etc.).

The only decent phone in the current lineup that includes wifi is the Omnia. That phone is great. The gimped VZW Touch Pro turns an awesome phone into one of the worst experiences you'll ever have with a phone interface. The Touch Diamond just has the benefit of enough storage to double as a music player but is just as slow as the pro (with the saving grace that it uses Manila 2D instead of the resource heavy 3D of the Touch Pro).

The Saga is fine, its just not great compared to having the Omnia. The Omnia is the only Touch Pro contender in the CDMA phone world IMO. And a preferred one to me. But I'm on Alltel so had to go with the Touch Pro. Really hate the fragility of these things.

 

[uli2000]

Last year Verizon changed their policy that no new smartphones can be added w/o a data plan, no exceptions, regarldless of where you got it. And all Blackberrys require a data plan, allways have, becase they are constantly pinging the RIM servers. So if you want an Omnia, Touch Pro, or anything newer like that, you're SOL. You can still add a older smartphone like the xv6800 w/o a data plan.

As far as the Omnia, as part of your contract you comitted to keep the data plan for the length of the contract. If you drop the data, you are breaking the contract, and will have to pay the cancelation fee. Odds are they wont even let you drop it, even if you swich to a regular phone. Sure, you could use your omnia for wifi, PDA capabilities, ect, but you would be better off just buying a pda and a regular phone. Heck, an ipod touch sounds about right for you. It would do internet and basic PIM functions, plus alot of other stuff.

 

[rancidat20]

Thanks for your post Uli. You are the only person who seem to understand my question. Well i thought about pda, also the i touch, but it lacks the software like mobile office and the camera, radio (maybe there's an app). Honestly i rather just buy unlocked i phone, my friend have one an i love it but its also about the cost. These would cost me over 200 to 400 and omnia is 99. I think its good price for all those features it have. And i have 3 other lines so i am kind of stuck with VZW but their network is pretty good.
Well a rep from vzw online told me that i would not be required to keep the data plan if i change the phone. She said that when i asked what if i lost or broke the omnia and have no insurance.
VXW was actually offering free samsung i760 which i was interested in, but they were sold out in days plus i could not see that one in person as its not in their stores.
So bascially i am trying to make sure i can change phones after starting new contract and cancel data part of the plan and keep the new phone w'out the service to use as pda and just use my current phone again.
I have played around with omnia and its really a great device except couple minor things which VZW screwed up on it to add to their network, like GPS is locked and no weather app etc.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Originally posted by: uli2000
...Blackberrys require a data plan, allways have, becase they are constantly pinging the RIM servers.

They do not ping the servers constantly.

 

[rancidat20]

So I finally got the Omnia and its pretty cool. I am not big fan of Win Mo but other than that the phone itself is very nice. Best part is how easy to sync and the media is nice like camera, camcorder or the music player, radio player+recorder, mobile office.
I compared it with i-touch but this is better just with all the additinal featuers and price so now i plan to cancel my plan and disconnect the phone after couple weeks and go back to my older phone and just use this as pda.

 

[ncage]

I like verizons network so i was just messing around last night and looking at their rates (which i expected to be a little higher than AT&T but not much). Wow was i wrong. Unlimited Data + 450 minutes was $99.00. What a rip. AT&T isn't that much worse than verizon....

 

[zerocool84]

Originally posted by: ncage
I like verizons network so i was just messing around last night and looking at their rates (which i expected to be a little higher than AT&T but not much). Wow was i wrong. Unlimited Data + 450 minutes was $99.00. What a rip. AT&T isn't that much worse than verizon....

Yea the best price for plans is with Sprint. Tmobile has good prices as well but I can't live on EDGE so I always rule them out.

 

[UNCjigga]

Originally posted by: rancidat20
Thanks for your post Uli. You are the only person who seem to understand my question. Well i thought about pda, also the i touch, but it lacks the software like mobile office and the camera, radio (maybe there's an app). Honestly i rather just buy unlocked i phone, my friend have one an i love it but its also about the cost. These would cost me over 200 to 400 and omnia is 99. I think its good price for all those features it have. And i have 3 other lines so i am kind of stuck with VZW but their network is pretty good.
Well a rep from vzw online told me that i would not be required to keep the data plan if i change the phone. She said that when i asked what if i lost or broke the omnia and have no insurance.
VXW was actually offering free samsung i760 which i was interested in, but they were sold out in days plus i could not see that one in person as its not in their stores.
So bascially i am trying to make sure i can change phones after starting new contract and cancel data part of the plan and keep the new phone w'out the service to use as pda and just use my current phone again.
I have played around with omnia and its really a great device except couple minor things which VZW screwed up on it to add to their network, like GPS is locked and no weather app etc.

Regarding the GPS issue, any WinMo 6.1 device with an MSM6800 chipset (including the Omnia) is capable of Standalone GPS and this should be unlocked in an upcoming firmware update from Verizon. We just re-released the MR for the HTC Touch Pro supporting unlocked GPS today, anyone can grab it here

 

[suse920]

Originally posted by: ncage
I like verizons network so i was just messing around last night and looking at their rates (which i expected to be a little higher than AT&T but not much). Wow was i wrong. Unlimited Data + 450 minutes was $99.00. What a rip. AT&T isn't that much worse than verizon....

What?
On verizon 450 minutes unlimited, texting, data, and email is $69 a month for regular phones
for blackberries and smart phones on verizon its $99 for 450 minutes unlimited text and data

In comparison to AT&T
Their iphone plan
450 minutes unlimited data and texting is 99 dollars a month.

I understand you get rollover with AT&T, but the price points are nearly identical from what I can see

 

[HopJokey]

Originally posted by: suse920

Originally posted by: ncage
I like verizons network so i was just messing around last night and looking at their rates (which i expected to be a little higher than AT&T but not much). Wow was i wrong. Unlimited Data + 450 minutes was $99.00. What a rip. AT&T isn't that much worse than verizon....

What?
On verizon 450 minutes unlimited, texting, data, and email is $69 a month for regular phones
for blackberries and smart phones on verizon its $99 for 450 minutes unlimited text and data

In comparison to AT&T
Their iphone plan
450 minutes unlimited data and texting is 99 dollars a month.

I understand you get rollover with AT&T, but the price points are nearly identical from what I can see

For BB on VZW it's simply $69 for unlimited data and 450 peak minutes (no text).

This assumes using BIS (for BES access add on an extra $15).

 

[defearian]

Originally posted by: rancidat20
also would i be able to use the omina just as a palm held .. u know for like surfin the net on wifi, calander tasks, the camera and as an i pod and radio (its 8 gig memeory)

I have one, and no, I don't think you can use the wi-fi feature without a service plan. Also the wi-fi really drains the batteries quick.