Can't afford to keep data plan, own smartphone

[hmarie775]

I have two data plans on my account, one for me and one for my daughter, neither of which I can afford any longer due to loss of job and having to take one at half the pay.  I want to cancel the data plans on our phones for now, hopefully to reinstate later.  The ATT rep on the phone said it was not possible to have a smartphone without a data plan, however my boyfriend has the exact same phone that I do  (Samsung Galaxy) and does not have a data plan, he uses prepaid and  he just uses wi-fi when available and his phone works just fine.  Why can I not remove the data plans?

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

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hmarie775 wrote:

I have two data plans on my account, one for me and one for my daughter, neither of which I can afford any longer due to loss of job and having to take one at half the pay.  I want to cancel the data plans on our phones for now, hopefully to reinstate later.  The ATT rep on the phone said it was not possible to have a smartphone without a data plan, however my boyfriend has the exact same phone that I do  (Samsung Galaxy) and does not have a data plan, he uses prepaid and  he just uses wi-fi when available and his phone works just fine.  Why can I not remove the data plans?

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on a regualr plan a data plan is a requirement, there is no way of getting around it, you can always purchase a regular gophone and swith it with your smartphone, at that time the data plan can be removed. Has nothing to do with a hpone working or not, it is corporate policy and all the major carriers for smartphones

[hmarie775]

I can't switch to gophone as I am under contract, what a rip off that they can force me to buy something I don't want or need just to use a certain piece of equipment. I'm very frustrated. So because I can't afford the luxury of data anywhere anytime without wi-fi, I am stuck switching to a "dumb" phone?   That just does not seem fair or right.

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

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hmarie775 wrote:

I can't switch to gophone as I am under contract, what a rip off that they can force me to buy something I don't want or need just to use a certain piece of equipment. I'm very frustrated. So because I can't afford the luxury of data anywhere anytime without wi-fi, I am stuck switching to a "dumb" phone?   That just does not seem fair or right.

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you can switch to a different qmd device and not have to pay a etf. etf is tied to service and not to the phone. You can purchase the latest and great smartphone then put a gophone on the contract and sell the smartphone on ebay.

Unfortunately, the required data plan for a smartphone is pretty much industry standard, not much you can do about it,

[hmarie775]

Can you explain what qmd and etf mean?  I am afraid I don't understand your reply, why would I purchase a new smartphone and then sell it? Very confused... What I don't understand is why GOphone folks with smartphones are allowed to not have to have a data plan and the rest of us are forced to have one?

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

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hmarie775 wrote:

Can you explain what qmd and etf mean?  I am afraid I don't understand your reply, why would I purchase a new smartphone and then sell it? Very confused... What I don't understand is why GOphone folks with smartphones are allowed to not have to have a data plan and the rest of us are forced to have one?

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QMD = Quick Messaging device, a regualr cell phone that has normal capabilities like the gophone Pantech P7040p

ETF = early termination fee, the amount owed if you terminate your 2 year contract before it actually ends.

Why wouuld people buy a smartphone then sell it - easy to make a quick buck, they get a smartpohne at a reduced rate under a two year contract then swap it with a dumb phone and sell the smartphone at a huge profit on fleabay or craiglist. Another reason is to use thie upgrade for another user on the same family plan that needs a new phone but is not eligible

GoPhones have different capabilities, different rules, regular contract smartphones require a data plan, why - only the corporate executives have that answer and do not think the reasons are public knowledge.

the bottom line is if you want to cancel the data plans on the smartphones you have to replace them with devices that do not require a data plan - for example the aformentionted P7040p, that  or do a lower rate suspension of your phones, but then you will not be able to use them and the time under suspension does not count on your contract. Sorry it is right and fair, those are the terms of the contract that was agreed to.