Can DROID solve this problem?

[hrhkee]

If you buy ANY smartphone from ANY US carrier - they now FORCE you to buy a dataplan. You cannot connect that phone and use it as just a phone EVEN IF you paid full price for it. THEY WILL NOT ALLOW IT. I believe this is illegal.

I bought a DROID and a MIFI device. I plan to use the DROID to access the net via WIFI thru the MIFI device AND not use the Droid dataplan. If it cannot - then it is a POS. It is not as capable as my HTC FUZE or TILT2. These phones can do this via WIFI but they are on ATT and not VZW. I am consolidating on VZW because ATT does not have MIFI.

If I can use the MIFI without the dataplan on the Droid - then I beg you to explain - Why is VZW selling me two broadband accounts? I would prefer to have one even if it is $59.99 a month like in ATT. At least then _ I can surf with the phone of my netbook. Oh and if I get the netbook from VZW also - that will be three dataplans.

Where is the FCC on this? Is there anyone to act as a consumer advocate on this site?

This thread is to discuss ways of cutting costs while paying VZW for 1 Phone Plan, 1 Data Plan with the DROID and the MIFI unit or Tethering without risks. I am not sure yet if VZW will allow using the Droid as a MIFI device. We are still waiting to see if the MAYBE I saw on this board in another thread is Verizon saying MAYBE its GOODBYE hacker! I think I will first try tethering via bluetooth. Then I will try using the MIFI to do all broadband access from the Droid.

D-R-O-I-D!!!

 

[Mojo]

Att now requires data plans on there smart phones as well. If you buy a Droid it requires a data plan. Period. There is no work around for this. If you don't want a smartphone data plan don't buy a smart phone. Get a dumb phone and keep your MiFi for data access on your laptop. Verizon will have tethering for the Droid soon. It is being worked on and should be available around the first of the year. But there is also ways to tether your Droid with pdanet now with out waiting on vzw. Not trying to sound rude. But this is how it is.

 

[Newton122189]

Just use ur mifi for data on the droid and use VOIP instead of cellular service, $60 a month, problem solved

Edit: obviously you'll have to buy a droid online that doesn't have a plan

 

[hrhkee]

Thanks.

I have skype now running on my wm6.1 and I do accept that "That is the way it is" but my point was if the droid will allow me to turn off the data access like on my HTC it says DATA=OFF then I will push my argument with the FCC even further to get VZW and ATT to allow people like me to buy the phone retail and use what functions I feel like using.

I need a smartphone with WIFI and no dataplan ... I also need an Android 2.0 phone.... I surf on my netbook via MIFI... why should I pay for 3 dataplans when I buy MIFI?

Tethering will solve this but VZW tells me they do not have it stable enough yet to support. this is a lie - they have not put the hooks into the pricing model to make money off it yet is more like it.

D-R-O-I-D!!!

 

[JhankG]

Smartphone=data plan. You're not going to bring Verizon to it's knees on this issue, so why would you waste time threatening to do so on a forum? I am just getting tired of these threads where people have a hard time understanding or accepting that they HAVE to get the data plan if they want the smartphone. Until the big mobile companies get some real competition, they can do whatever they want because they know about our lack of options.

 

[New2u]

The point is it's not illegal, because you bought the phone knowing that it had to have a data plan. You have 30 days to return it if this wasn't mentioned to it. All networks are pretty much making it a standard. VZW already does tethering, what they don't have is tethering on the droid yet. You may argue your point to the FCC all you want, but for now and for the next long while (FCC doesn't move fast at all) you have to follow how the cell companies do things. There are many gripes you could argue with the FCC with over cell companies.

Unlike some people, i actually like to use my phone and not be locked down to a few areas that have free wifi. I bought the phone for the fact that it is a smart phone and that I would use the data. In your situation, yes it kinda sucks, but until it changes you have 2 options. You can deal with it, or take the phone back and deal with a different company.

 

[hrhkee]

Points well taken - and I am not trying to take Verizon to their knees.

I chose Verizon over all the other carriers while they all carry on this dreaded crime agains the consumer. I actually like Verizon for the two days I have been a customer. I liked ATt too but Verizon has the technology to allow 1 dataplan account. The others smartly avoid the MIFI device or come up with some bs we cannot argue with.

I would like to see some fair treatment of the American consumer. Telling me they can do what they want - what does that mean - its fair? I am not saying everyone should be able to cut off their data plans - but the people who 1 buy a wifi capable phone and MIFI. Thats all - baby steps.

D-R-O-I-D

 

[PowerPlayGraphix]

If you want to use the Droid with no Data plan, then buy it unsubsidized online for $599. The cost of the phone under a 2 year deal is subsidized by the price paid for the data/voice plan. If you get the "bargain" phone, you can't complain about what they make you do because technically, you haven't paid for it completely yet, you still have 2 years of payments on it. If you just buy it outright THEN take it into a Verizon store and tell them to add a line and you want voice only, they SHOULD do it. All the companies are screwing the consumers and it would be nice to have it open up more but it's a double edged sword. In the countries that are fully "open" with phones, the phones are also unsubsidized so they pay more for them. In the combination countries, when buying a subsidized phone, you have similar limitations.

So... do you want to keep getting "cheap" phones or do you want to get freedom of choice? You can't have both.

 

[thelion]

It is not illegal because they did not force you to buy a smart phone. They offer a myriad of phones that are capable of accessing the internet that do not require a data plan.

Exactly which law do you think this violates? While you may think it is unfair (I disagree) you cannot equate unfair with illegal. They are not the same thing.

And, by the way, you agreed to a contract knowing it would include a data plan. No one lied to you and said it wouldn't.

 

[LordKastle]

they say that when the phone is activated it is automatically added. regardless of when you register it online with the esn/meid number or through the phone. you cannot buy it from any store without it being registered to a number.

if you buy it throught a place like ebay i believe once you register it, it automatically goes through.

 

[Twoo]

It is not illegal because they did not force you to buy a smart phone. They offer a myriad of phones that are capable of accessing the internet that do not require a data plan.

Exactly which law do you think this violates? While you may think it is unfair (I disagree) you cannot equate unfair with illegal. They are not the same thing.

And, by the way, you agreed to a contract knowing it would include a data plan. No one lied to you and said it wouldn't.

This person is correct.

There's nothing illegal about it. Believe it or not any business or store can refuse you business on the grounds that they don't want to do business with you. Because Verizon owns the rights to sell the phone they can choose which plans you have to purchase to have the phone.

IE: You can rent a cable modem from Comcast for $5.00 a month, but they won't rent it to you without internet service ; )

 

[Twoo]

EDIT:

I looked it up... it's not illegal- here's why...

If Verizon ONLY offered the Droid phone and mandated you MUST get a data plan, then it's illegal because the data plan is a plan "option" and the customer has no choice but to pay for an additional feature he/she may not use/want. ALTHOUGH, if Verizon have other phones available to the customer, giving the customers choices if they're unhappy with the "must have data plan with Droid phone" then it's not illegal.

In lament terms- because Verizon offers other phones with internet capabilities that do not require a data plan it is not illegal because the customer has a choice.

 

[RosarioM]

If you want to use the Droid with no Data plan, then buy it unsubsidized online for $599. The cost of the phone under a 2 year deal is subsidized by the price paid for the data/voice plan.

This is not correct. The 2 year contract is only for the voice portion. When I swapped out my Droid (which I got on my wife's line), I told them that I had switched it with my line (which already had a data plan). I even turned off the data plan on my wife's line. Verizon not only didn't say I couldn't do that, they even reactivated the replacement phone on my line.

Like someone else said, as soon as you activate the phone, no matter where you get it from, Verizon forces you to get a data plan. No ways around that. When you active a "dumb" phone, the data plan automatically comes off.

As far as the OP's argument and threats to Verizon. They have 80 million customers. They don't need you. You want to go to the FCC? They will say go get your phone from another carrier. ATT has the same restriction. Your only chance is with a much crappier provider like tmobile or Sprint.

Besides, why would you want to use a Mifi for data?? You know you have a 5gig cap, right? With the Droid data plan, there is no cap. so you might as well look to tether your Droid and get rid of that Mifi.

 

[RosarioM]

Forgot to mention one more thing. When I first activated my Droid (on my wife's line), the contacts and email sync ate up about 8mb of data. Once I switched the phone to my line, I didn't have the data plan on my wife's any longer and Verizon was going to charge me per MB, which is about $2.00 per MB (I think). Even with a setting, if you accidentally use the per MB data, you may get a pretty large bill one month.. Probably enough to pay for 2 years worth of monthly data charges.

 

[TigerDirect]

In lament terms...

Lament...lol

Anyway, to the OP...as the others have said, you're gonna have to have a data plan if you want a smartphone. No ifs, ands or buts about it.

Also, why not just ditch the MiFi and use teathering on the Droid (when it becomes officially available)? That way, you're only paying for one data plan.