Does WiFi work if you don't have any plan?

[Christoph3r]

I have a few questions, will explain first:

I got a (well, ordered yesterday, it shipped today, arriving Friday) a Samsung Fascinate phone from eBay (so I can't return it) and found out the next day that my friend wants me off his family plan. NO WAY can I afford a plan from Verizon with Data (even the new $15).

Q1: Don't want this new $400 phone to be a paperweight. Can I use it as a PMP / Internet Tablet if I have no cell plan for it?

Option 2: Still use my new Verizon Samsung Fascinate as a cell phone, but w/no data plan.

I know Verizon won't let me do this, which leads to this question: which other carriers (such as Cricket Wireless, Straight Talk, etc.) can I use this phone on? I've read about people using Verizon phones on other carriers, but I can't seem to find out for sure which ones you can do that with.

I guess there is an App QuickSettings? (is that the name?) which can easily turn off the cell's 3-G data, I assume Wifi will still work when the 3G is off?

 

[furbearingmammal]

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Q1: Yes.

Option 2 -- no, you have to have data to use a smartphone on Verizon. Sorry. You could flash to Cricket/etc, but that's a horrible process. If you don't have a data plan or are not activated on the network you don't have to worry about 3G at all. You simply won't have any unless you're on WiFi.

 

[Christoph3r]

First, thanks.

Cricket was the first carrier's web page I looked at. They cover my area (Columbus) but they don't accept subscribers from my area.

Can you explain why it's such a pain to flash the phone so it will work with another carrier? Aren't there other carriers that will accept Verizon phones?

New question: Is it really possible to brick a Fascinate by flashing? Can't you always recover/restore it one way or another?

Yes I mentioned in my post that I know I can't [someday hopefully legislation will address this] be on Verizon, with a smart phone, with no data plan.

I desperately want: to have one device which is both a cell phone, and, a nice WiFi web browser / email reader, since I have free WiFi almost everywhere I go. I just can't justify (and my wife would have a fit) paying $30 a month on top of the regular cell service.

I currently carry a netbook around with me most of the time, getting tired of that.

I looked into getting an Ipad Touch - I tried it in the store and it had unbelievably stupid limitations: I opened a yahoo email in the browser and saw a link someone had sent me. I could not SELECT the link to copy/past it. I could not CLICK the link and have it ask me if I want to open it in the browser. I couldn't do anything with the link other than LOOK at it.

I tried the Archos 5 internet tablet. Seemed nice in some ways, cool little media player. But, I would miss the more pocket comfortable size, capacitive screen, and multi-touch of recent Android phones / iPhone / iPod...

If the Galaxy Tab WiFi only model had been released already I would have jumped on that because it's just so awesome that I could [happily] tolerate having to carry a 2nd device (phone + tablet).

So - please, if anyone knows, which other providers could I use my new Fascinate with so that I could use it as a phone, without a data plan?

EDIT: I did try googling "use Verizon phone on" [other carriers, etc] before making this thread - most of what I found was old, not helpful, or inconclusive. I will keep looking...

EDIT 2: Will add relevant links as I find them:

http://www.ehow.com/how_5925900_flash-verizon-phone-cricket.html