My wife really wants an Android smartphone, but we absolutely can't justify adding another $30 to our bill.
Will there ever be a phone that uses wifi only, no 3G?
Anything like that on the horizon?
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My wife really wants an Android smartphone, but we absolutely can't justify adding another $30 to our bill.
Will there ever be a phone that uses wifi only, no 3G?
Anything like that on the horizon?
$30 is less than a tank of gas or a dinner for two. But I hear you, my co-worker who makes a lot more than I do would never spend $30 for a data plan.
There is no way on Verizon Wireless to get an Android plan without the data plan (that's where they make all their money and can discount a $500 phone to $99. You could always buy an unlocked smartphone ($500-$1000) though I'm not sure how that works with installing stuff from the Android market. I wonder if programs like Fring and Sipdroid work on a non-service activated Droid.
Wifi just isn't there for reliable phone use imo.
The problem with this, is we barely ever us Verizon's network, our phones are on wifi in the house.
Not to go too off topic, but can the Droid work without any Verizon plan. i.e. just use wifi and not make any calls with it?
I would be awesome if we could just use it with wifi and use skype.
I'm gonna play the Devil's Advocate.....Why does she want a smartphone? There are many dumb phones that use a much cheaper data plan, or even no data plan at all.
Personally I've found that the Wifi in places I go to seem to be crippled in that many apps (even accessing the Market) won't work. Private Wifi is another matter.
i do understand on what's the point of having this phone without a data plan argument. however, i started thinking about just using this phone for wifi.
example: after we all upgraded from our droids to the next best thing. someone in our family could use our old droid. do they have to pay data plan for that? what if they just want to use the wifi and the cool factor of having the smartphone. i understand if vzw makes us pay data plan for new smartphones but how about the old ones we have that we hand down? will they force us to pay data plan for those?
Just about everything the phone does requires data, and a lot of applications are written with the assumption that you have an always-available internet connection. With the Droid, APN(data) can't be shut off without the phone service itself being off.
If you want an Android device that would use only WiFi, look into getting a tablet. I'm sure there are some that'll let you use a Bluetooth headset to use Skype, or even have a built in mic/speaker.
for home use only, and you want to use wifi only? I hop i dont get shot for saying this but get a wifi ipad.
have you guys seen the latest non-smartphones lately? i was looking to upgrade my parents who doesn't need smarthphones, but dayam they are pathetic. which is why i started thinking i would want to give them my old android phones in the future. i mean they can still use it as a cell phone and txt. then use wifi for internet. i think this is definitely an option to some of us. not saying me.i'm saying for my case my parents or other relatives that i want to give my old "cool" looking phone too.
If you happen to be in the bay area my boy got a shop that flashes droid to metro pcs.. $40 a month unlimited calling/text/data/ everything..
thats the only solution I could think of because verizon MAKES you have the data package, theres no real way around it I dont think.. even if you add the phone manually yourself, it automatically will add the data package.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ljprevo
Yes, the droid will work without a Verizon plan, if you only want to use wifi and not make phone calls.
As for skype, the catch is the skype version on Android is disabled on a wifi network, so you won't be able to use it to make calls, without getting service for the phone.