Turning data off on teen's iPhone?

[luvmy3]

Because they still have full data capabilities with Wifi. DD uses hers all the time at home, and anywhere else that has Wifi. She just has a limited amount of data in an area without wifi.
So she can text, facetime, call, play games, look things up on the internet, email, send pictures, store all her music and listen to it anytime/anywhere and watch movies. Oh let's not forget it has a HD camera and takes video.

I was going to buy her a Ipod Touch one year for Christmas and get her a cell phone for her birthday. By combining the two, she has it all in one device that she loves!!!

It's been a great decision for us.

I thought the OP said her dd already has an Ipod Touch

 

[piglet33]

My daughter's LG Neon phone is broke. Thinking about an iPhone for Christmas. She has an iTouch that she LOVES and uses wifi on. I'm wondering if there is a way to turn off the data on an iPhone so she doesn't go over the 200MB plan (which is the smallest plan at $15). We have unlimited family text messaging already. I would just like her to be able to use it for calling and texting, but limit everything else to wifi only like she does on her iTouch. Is this possible? She does alot of YouTube, Netflix and games on her iTouch so it needs to be on wifi! Also, does anyone know if facetime will work if I turn off the data? What about pictures sent thru texting since we have the unlimited family messaging? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

You can turn off data on the phone itself, but you still have to pay for it. I do that when my DD gets close to her limit (she has the $15 plan). I can also do that on my Blackberry, but since I have unlimited data, it wouldn't make sense for me to do that.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

We have Unlimited Group texting and two out of the five phones on our account are iPhones on our account. It works just fine.

Hmmm.... guess I am off to the AT&T store this weekend!! Gotta love mis-information! (the at&t guy, not RitaE)

 

[sam_gordon]

I missed whether you said you were ATT or Verizon. On Verizon, you can set "Usage Controls" per line. You can set limits on hours available (I have DD's set to not "work" during overnights & school hours), as well as number of texts and amount of data.

You can also set up "safe" numbers that the phone will work with even if the usage control has the phone off. For example, her friends can't call/text her during school, but DW & I can.

 

[m&m's mom]

No, that's not true. We have two iPhones and one non-data phone on our family plan with unlimited messaging.

After spending hours and hours at the AT&T store, I can confirm that you can have an unlimited texting plan in a Family Plan comprising smart phones and "regular" phones.
A shared data plan does not exist, at least not on a new plan.
We have 2 out of 5 IPhones and I am trying to upgrade all 5 of ours to IPhones. It has been a nightmare flood of bad information.
The only consistent thing is that the data plans are separate.

OP- Another hint to teach your DD is to look at her phone. If there is the "3G" symbol on the top left of the screen- she is using data amounts, and not pulling from wi-fi.

 

[ameraumi]

We are AT&T. I-phone has it's own message/texting package and will not work with the family plan. Each one is separate.

I have both and the iPhones ARE covered under the unlimited family text plan. We have 2 iPhones, a HTC and 2 non-smart phones on the plan.

 

[Ali]

ok, a twist, if I want to upgrade my phone to a 4s and I want to give my 3gs to my son to use as an Ipod will it work? He has a touch with 8gigs but my phone is a 32gig and he needs more space for his movies and tv shows.

He has a phone that we added on to our family plan for $9.99 and I am not adding a data plan for a 10 year old, so he would just be using the iphone 3gs as an ipod in wifi areas and at home.

 

[Mom21]

I work for as a rep for a cell phone provider. On our plan (which is the one mentioned on this thread) the family unlimited texting with mobile to ANY mobile calling for $30 works with any phone that texts including smart phones. Really the only difference in what phones can get is the data plans. Everything else is generic really.

Also it isn't just ATT that requres data plans on smartphones, it is any cell phone provider as that is a FCC requirement. That is not regulated by the cell phone provider but the government. It doesn't matter if you use it or not, you MUST have it provisioned for the provider to comply with the law.

Good info however about having it set to go to wifi if available. Also you may want to let her know that things like streaming video (UTube) uses the most so save it for a wifi area. Most people aren't aware that streaming uses more than just going on something like say Facebook or whatnot. As someone stated before, Smartlimits does not work with data (why? I really don't know)

Happy to answer any other questions.

 

[Mom21]

ok, a twist, if I want to upgrade my phone to a 4s and I want to give my 3gs to my son to use as an Ipod will it work? He has a touch with 8gigs but my phone is a 32gig and he needs more space for his movies and tv shows.

He has a phone that we added on to our family plan for $9.99 and I am not adding a data plan for a 10 year old, so he would just be using the iphone 3gs as an ipod in wifi areas and at home.

Question: Would he put his SIM card into it? If so, even for a few minutes, the system will detect it and auto add a data plan. If he wouldn't do that then I can give you the number for Apple and they could let you know how it would work as an IPod or if not feasible. You can also google it. But just know, if he puts his cell phone card in there it WILL add a data plan. Systems are set up to comply with .gov.

 

[Mom21]

After spending hours and hours at the AT&T store, I can confirm that you can have an unlimited texting plan in a Family Plan comprising smart phones and "regular" phones.
A shared data plan does not exist, at least not on a new plan.
We have 2 out of 5 IPhones and I am trying to upgrade all 5 of ours to IPhones. It has been a nightmare flood of bad information.
The only consistent thing is that the data plans are separate.

OP- Another hint to teach your DD is to look at her phone. If there is the "3G" symbol on the top left of the screen- she is using data amounts, and not pulling from wi-fi.

Feel free to PM with info and I will get you answers. Don't understand why you keep getting different info and bad info. Upgrading is pretty straight forward. And yes, data per phone is seperate. Text and voice can be family if you are on same account.

 

[3boymthr]

ok, a twist, if I want to upgrade my phone to a 4s and I want to give my 3gs to my son to use as an Ipod will it work? He has a touch with 8gigs but my phone is a 32gig and he needs more space for his movies and tv shows.

He has a phone that we added on to our family plan for $9.99 and I am not adding a data plan for a 10 year old, so he would just be using the iphone 3gs as an ipod in wifi areas and at home.

Yes, you can. My brother uses his first and second gen iphones as ipods.

As PP mentioned you just have to call AT&T and transfer your number to your new phone, deactivate the 3GS with AT&T and take the SIM card out. Should work fine.