Apple Community Discussion/Support

[#1]

I currently have an iphone 2g without the data plan, I normally use my wifi from my router at home or wherever I can find it. I received a text message saying that I have excessive data usage and will be charged. I have barely used at&t's network at all, and it says that 65 mb of data have been used, which at 0.01/kb isnt very pleasant to hear, It seems like I'm being charged for the wifi Im using from my router, it shows the wifi signal in the top corner of the screen and not the Edge symbol, I dont know whats going on, someone please help

[#2]

You are not charged for WiFi usage and there is no way for ATT to even see your WiFi connection.  WiFi data does not traverse the ATT network so they cannot track it.  On the iPhone just because you see WiFi is connected does not always mean the device is using WiFi.  The iPhone could have started using cellular data before the WiFi fully connected.  Or if your out and you use the phone for something (call or not) and your out and about away from the WiFi spot.  The iPhone is designed to be connected to cellular data without asking.  Thats is why there is no way to disable cellular data completely with the exception of placing the phone in Airplane mode 9which disables the phones ability to make/receive calls).

Not having a data plan does not mean you cannot use data.  You are just charged at the pay-per-use rate.  In order to block cellular data completely you have to place a WIX data block on the line. 

However ATT can randomly detect when an iPhone is being used on the line.  If they do and you don't have a data plan attached they have the right to add it and charge you for it:

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http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/legal/plan-terms.jsp

If it is determined that you are using an iPhone or other designated smartphone or PDA without an eligible data plan, AT&T reserves the right to add an eligible data plan to your account and bill you the appropriate monthly fee.

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[#3]

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Planet-Ed wrote:

You are not charged for WiFi usage and there is no way for ATT to even see your WiFi connection.  WiFi data does not traverse the ATT network so they cannot track it.  On the iPhone just because you see WiFi is connected does not always mean the device is using WiFi.  The iPhone could have started using cellular data before the WiFi fully connected.  Or if your out and you use the phone for something (call or not) and your out and about away from the WiFi spot.  The iPhone is designed to be connected to cellular data without asking.  Thats is why there is no way to disable cellular data completely with the exception of placing the phone in Airplane mode 9which disables the phones ability to make/receive calls).

Not having a data plan does not mean you cannot use data.  You are just charged at the pay-per-use rate.  In order to block cellular data completely you have to place a WIX data block on the line. 

However ATT can randomly detect when an iPhone is being used on the line.  If they do and you don't have a data plan attached they have the right to add it and charge you for it:

---

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/legal/plan-terms.jsp

If it is determined that you are using an iPhone or other designated smartphone or PDA without an eligible data plan, AT&T reserves the right to add an eligible data plan to your account and bill you the appropriate monthly fee.

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Note that they have changed the language to include other designated smartphones and PDAs.  I just noticed that today but it must have been there when you copied and pasted the text earlier today.  This is what it said earlier

Data Plans: An eligible data plan for iPhone is required. This data plan covers data usage in the U.S. and does not cover
international data usage and charges. If it is determined that you are using iPhone without an eligible data plan, AT&T
reserves the right to add an eligible data plan to your account and bill you the appropriate monthly fee. 

Message Edited by efparri on 05-08-2009 05:40:11 PM

Message Edited by efparri on 05-08-2009 05:40:52 PM

[#4]

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mike10390 wrote:
I currently have an iphone 2g without the data plan, I normally use my wifi from my router at home or wherever I can find it. I received a text message saying that I have excessive data usage and will be charged. I have barely used at&t's network at all, and it says that 65 mb of data have been used, which at 0.01/kb isnt very pleasant to hear, It seems like I'm being charged for the wifi Im using from my router, it shows the wifi signal in the top corner of the screen and not the Edge symbol, I dont know whats going on, someone please help

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I guess that's why you are supposed to have a data plan with the iphone!

[#5]

not sure if your still looking for a solution but your thread came up in my google results when i was looking for a possible solution for myself to disable cellular network usage & i found this works:

http://iphonenodata.com/site/

it doessn't install anything really, just a new 'internet profile' that leads to... nowhere, so the phone has no clue on how to connect to the internet over 3g, or well, this is what i believe it does.

as noted on the website you can confirm by checking your network usage data under settings > general > usage > scroll to the bottom & look at your stats for 'sent' & 'received'. also you can try to access [obviously switch off wi-fi if your trying this] the internet using any application like mail, safari, facebook, whatever you want & it will no longer be able to gather information from the internet over 3g.

the website also gives you instructions on how to revert from this change by removing the profile under settings > general > scroll to the bottom nd remove the profile 'disabled-edge-3g'.

if you do use this method i would advise you to disable 3g as well [settings > general > enable 3g > toggle it to off] as it will improve your battery life & you clearly don't need it if you disabled internet access over 3g.

btw, wi-fi still works fine & has no limitations due to the installed profile.

hope this helps.