Will we be able to get phones that don't require data plans in the future?

[JB2K]

I'd suggest checking Wal Mart.

Some people around here tend to forget that Walmart also sells phones under their own branding which operates on Verizon's and T-Mobile's national networks -- with unlimited talk/text (and, in some cases, data).

And best of all -- no contracts!

 

[DawnM]

Yeah, and I know noone can predict....I was really just concerned! The regular phones are fading fast and they don't seem to be making many anymore.

Now, if 5 years I may find I would prefer the data anyway and may have the $$ to throw at it.

I think once my oldest is in college he will really want all of that. Well, he wants it now, but I mean it will be more of a need than it is now.

Sprint told me you can't just get data for one phone anymore, it is all bundled, so if you stay with a family plan, the entire family gets the same bundle.

They quoted me $150 for 4 phones on the data plan, plus $10 per smart phone in use. This is with a teacher discount. This would also include unlimited calling to any mobile of any network and a 1500 min. limit to call landline phones. Internet, TV, etc....all included. On top of that would be about $15 in tax. Dh's work would reimburse about $40 of that.....so our cost, with tax, would be about $130/month. I think I figured that out correctly with one smart phone and one blackberry without the $10 fee. Not really unreasonable, but since we only pay $35/mo plus $7 tax for a total of $42/month, I just can't justify the $90 or so MORE right now.

Dawn

When you think about how much the cell phone industry has changed in the last 5 years, who knows?

5 years ago the only phones that needed data were BlackBerries and they were pretty much a business thing.

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

I would have dropped them like a hot rock. I do not appreciate anyone adding services to my plans that I did not ask for. It should be a choice if I want to use a smart phone w/o using the data. That to me is just plain wrong

I phoned CS right away and they removed the charge.

 

[thewebbs5]

Just an FYI:
When DH got his new iPhone a few months ago, I just took the sim card out of my "no frills" phone and put it into his "old" iPhone and I have been happily enjoying all of the fun of an iPhone with no data plan ever since!

Maybe you could find something used? Although, I suppose YMMV...

Just a fair warning...they will eventually find out and they will back charge you for those months and you will have a problem arguing your case if you have used the data service. $30 x several months is going to be a large bill.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

My mom has to get a new phone, so I was looking for my phone (Samsung Reality) but it has been discontinued. (Of course, it's a nice phone, why keep producing it?)

So I talked to a nice boy at the Best Buy Mobile store and he said that Verizon in the next month or so will be releasing new "multimedia phones" i.e. non-smartphones and not requiring any of them to be on a data plan. He's the first one that gave me a *real* answer. Verizon itself won't tell you a thing.
I can't find an online source to confirm this though... all I'm finding is iphone crap.

Some kid at my mom's Best Buy tried to get her to buy a Droid. Seriously? She went in to buy a regular, non smart phone without a data plan, and he tries to BS her into buying a Droid. He even lied to her a few times!

 

[NotUrsula]

I was reading some research on this issue the other day, and right now, despite all the buzz that is out there around smartphones, they are still not nearly as ubiquitous as the phone providers would like to have you think that they are. The survey data showed that even college students were more likely to be using a "quick messaging" phone than a full-featured smartphone. (A quick messaging phone is designed to make texting easy, and usually has wireless capability as well.)

I think that what will happen eventually is that wireless will become as ubiquitous as electricity, and delivered via the same infrastructure. I think that when that happens you will only need to use the phone account access if you are either needing a secure network, or if you are out in the boondocks where you are not able to access the power grid.

 

[Friendly Frog]

We are on the same page as the op.

We have sprint and three phones, no data plan and even have text blocked. We have been on Sprint for over 10 years. I think we pay like 79.00 a month. I have been told many times that I have the lease expensive family style plan that they offer. When one of our LG phones ( basic camera phones be we like them) went down I had a hard time finding a non data phone. I ended up buying a Samsung phone off of craigslist.

Speaking of first "cell" phone. My first cell phone was a "car" phone before even the suitcase size mobile phone came out. Motorola was my carrier and the air time was 60 cents a minute. It was for emergencies only! Back then those phones were as clear as a home phone and I never had a dropped call. You could even set the phone to call you if someone started the car and did not enter the phone code on the phone.

 

[MissBritt]

My phone of 3 years JUST. STOPPED. WORKING. for no apparent reason at the beginning of December. I have had ATT for years and the phone was an inexpensive one, only 3 years old. I had to replace it, and because of the cost, signed a new 2 year contract. I was adamant I wanted a cheap phone that I could use for talk and text only, no required data plan. ATT had 3 phones to choose from, all data-capable but still data-optional. I was surprised to learn that in 3 years, cameras on phones has become "basic"! I paid $80 for a phone I like well enough, that does what I need it to do, and that I don't have to pay a fortune to use each month. However, I'll be prepared when this one dies to get something that will probably cost much more. After using several, I find Samsung phones last the longest. The one I was replacing was not a Samsung.

 

[kelcoppens]

We have sprint phones and dont have data. We got new phones recently but kept the old plan. If you keep the old plan then your good (I think anyway.)

 

[kelcoppens]

We are on the same page as the op.

We have sprint and three phones, no data plan and even have text blocked. We have been on Sprint for over 10 years. I think we pay like 79.00 a month. I have been told many times that I have the lease expensive family style plan that they offer. When one of our LG phones ( basic camera phones be we like them) went down I had a hard time finding a non data phone. I ended up buying a Samsung phone off of craigslist.

That wasnt necessary. I also have been with sprint for over 10 years. You can buy a phone with data capabilities but you can have Sprint lock that option so when you press a button that would connect to the internet, it doesnt work. This is what I did.

 

[bettymae1121]

Just an FYI:
When DH got his new iPhone a few months ago, I just took the sim card out of my "no frills" phone and put it into his "old" iPhone and I have been happily enjoying all of the fun of an iPhone with no data plan ever since!

Maybe you could find something used? Although, I suppose YMMV...

I just did the same (only I bought a used iPhone off ebay), using a sim card from my old t-moble pre-paid phone. I can use the internet on it at home (we have wireless internet) or anyplace that has free wifi, or I can pay $1.49 for 24 hours of internet access if I'm out and about and really need it for something. If I don't pay the $1.49 and there isn't free wifi, then my internet just doesn't work (but phone/text still does, of course).

 

[luvthemouse71]

I have an iPhone 4 and pay $80 a month.. I think that's very reasonable for all it does. I agree with the OP that it seems like they're moving away from simple phones..those who want a plain phone may have to just go with a Jitterbug.

 

[DawnM]

That sounds similar to the plan I had. I called and told them I was switching to AT&T and they chopped my bill in half! That was 3 years ago. See why I don't want to leave them? The price just can't be beat.

Right now we are set, but I worry about future phone availability.

I would like to add texting as I have a lot of friends who prefer texting, but I haven't called to ask if I can still just add that or not....they seemed to imply nothing was piecemeal anymore and I would have to upgrade the whole plan.

Dawn

We are on the same page as the op.

We have sprint and three phones, no data plan and even have text blocked. We have been on Sprint for over 10 years. I think we pay like 79.00 a month. I have been told many times that I have the lease expensive family style plan that they offer. When one of our LG phones ( basic camera phones be we like them) went down I had a hard time finding a non data phone. I ended up buying a Samsung phone off of craigslist.

Speaking of first "cell" phone. My first cell phone was a "car" phone before even the suitcase size mobile phone came out. Motorola was my carrier and the air time was 60 cents a minute. It was for emergencies only! Back then those phones were as clear as a home phone and I never had a dropped call. You could even set the phone to call you if someone started the car and did not enter the phone code on the phone.

 

[Friendly Frog]

That sounds similar to the plan I had. I called and told them I was switching to AT&T and they chopped my bill in half! That was 3 years ago. See why I don't want to leave them? The price just can't be beat.

Right now we are set, but I worry about future phone availability.

I would like to add texting as I have a lot of friends who prefer texting, but I haven't called to ask if I can still just add that or not....they seemed to imply nothing was piecemeal anymore and I would have to upgrade the whole plan.

Dawn

Do you mind if I ask the details of your plan. # of mins, anytime mins, etc. Total cost after taxes and fees.

You can pm me if you don't want to post it here. I would like to give Sprint a call and be able to say " what about this plan".

 

[andycat]

No one's mentioned Virgin Mobile? $20/month for 400 minutes; $30/month for 1500 minutes.

I switch between the $25 300 minutes+unlimited data and $40 1200minutes+unlimited data, both of which include unlimited texts. It's a little inconvenient to switch plans from month to month, but I'll take that trade-off for not dealing with two-year contracts.

Virgin Mobile USA is owned by Sprint and runs on the Sprint network, so be sure to check coverage for your area.

I'm just a satisfied user, but if you want to sign up and give me a referral, please PM me.

 

[disney1990]

I found that out when my contract with Verizon was up and I wanted to get new phones on our new every two.

Most phones - if not all - needed a data plan at extra cost whether I wanted it or not. What I wanted was a shiny new phone to talk on and very occasionally read or send a text, and it needed to have a real keyboard for that. So, I would buy an upgraded phone - just didn't want or need a data plan.

I decided to keep my old phones which have not died yet. We were able to get batteries for our old phones through batteriesforless.

Sooner or later they will probably break and we will dump Verizon and get a trak phone or whatever is basic at a reasonable cost. Maybe.

I refuse to accept and pay for service that I don't require and wouldn't use if I can figure out how not to. It's getting to be really a pain.

I'm holding out as long as I can. The phone companies need a whole lot more competition.

I didn't want a data plan when it was time to get a new telephone from Verizon and got a Pantech Jest. I have been extremely happy with it -- it has a full keyboard and take great pictures.

 

[crazelion]

My phone of 3 years JUST. STOPPED. WORKING. for no apparent reason at the beginning of December. I have had ATT for years and the phone was an inexpensive one, only 3 years old. I had to replace it, and because of the cost, signed a new 2 year contract. I was adamant I wanted a cheap phone that I could use for talk and text only, no required data plan. ATT had 3 phones to choose from, all data-capable but still data-optional. I was surprised to learn that in 3 years, cameras on phones has become "basic"! I paid $80 for a phone I like well enough, that does what I need it to do, and that I don't have to pay a fortune to use each month. However, I'll be prepared when this one dies to get something that will probably cost much more. After using several, I find Samsung phones last the longest. The one I was replacing was not a Samsung.

That is the reason that go Walmart and buy a pre-paid phone and throw away the sim card. That is how buy all my mom phones. She does not need a quick messaging or smartphone. Option another 2 online at the ATT store site and go pre-paid phones and order a phone. Before check out remove the simple card plan and coming until checkout. Learn that on slickdeals when they had Nokia cell phones for 5.00 bucks brand new.

3rd option go amazon and click on unlocked phones and and look for gsm phones and get new phone that way.

The 3rd option can only be done with T-mobile and ATT. I have not bought a phone from ATT store in years.

I have a LG Prime and I love it.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

She might want to be careful.

I shut data off on my last phone and while I was meticulous about shutting off the e-mail and internet, my phone was still using the data plan. Sprint could offer no explanation other than I was to pay the quite expensive per unit download cost.

So if she wants no data--she better be sure her phone isn't using it. (We followed all instructions to shut down stuff to no avail. My husband has a master's and after 2 months of bills like that, we gave up.)

 

[DawnM]

I have 750 anytime minutes, plus mobile to mobile and nights and weekends. My phone is the only one that has data, but I have 2G, which is VERY slow! But I can share pictures easily. Other 2 phones have no data. They included the 2G data for free (which it should be free as it is worthless! ha!) Three phones total for the above. The cost for me is $42/mo including tax. Now, that includes a discount they gave me plus my 23% discount as a teacher in our local district on top of that discount he gave me.

Right now I have a phone, my kids share one when out, and my dad is on my plan.

So, you see that it is very hard for me to add another $125/mo to our plan!

Now, my husband gets a blackberry for work with data, but he has to pay $20 for what his work considers "his personal use" of the phone...

So, for 4 phones (including our portion of DH's work phone) we pay $62/mo total.

Dawn

Do you mind if I ask the details of your plan. # of mins, anytime mins, etc. Total cost after taxes and fees.

You can pm me if you don't want to post it here. I would like to give Sprint a call and be able to say " what about this plan".

 

[maggiew]

I've been thinking about this for the past couple of days. I can't imagine that within the next 5 years there won't still be options for non-smartphones. I mean, I see little kids (8 years old, for example) with cell phones. I don't think that parents are going to want to buy them smartphones with data plans. I just think that there will still be a market for them. Although, whether the big companies like Verizon and ATT will worry about that niche is another question.

Maggie