According to AT&T if you do not notify them and update your account to a data plan and you just put your SIM card in blackberry your account will automatically adjust to the appropriate data plan. But the catch is it only updates your account to the blackberry data plan upon first use of data. Me and a very helpful AT&T Customer Service person worked this all out "theoretically"(to cover his butt) together. This is what you do 1. Call At&T and tell them you want a complete data block on whatever line your about to switch over to the blackberry. (of course dont tell them what your doing though) 2. Try out your phone and try to do anything data wise to be sure it is blocked from any data receiving. (texting still works just not sending pictures) 3. If your phone is blocked from data, take the SIM card out and place it in your blackberry. 4. Enjoy your limited use blackberry thats GREAT for texting and looks. Since your line cannot access data at all the blackberry will not ever make that first use of data stated in their policy and never update your data plan. Its been over a month since I have done that and still working just fine and account still has no data plan. Keep in mind that with Data blocked you can still receive SMS text messaging but cannot send video or pictures through SMS because that uses data. It just irritates me that AT&T is backing thier customers into a corner and telling them they cannot have a cool phone unless you pay them more even if your not gonna use the service they still want your money. The reason AT&T says they force people into a data plan is because the smartphones capabilities allows it to get on the internet and use allot of data. But if you ask them to just block the data so you can just use the phone as a text phone they wont let you do that even though that makes perfect sence to the customer it doesn't to AT&T because they make less money. I say AT&T should give you these choices when upgrading 1.Get A Data plan for your phone 2.Have all data but text blocked completely from that line(which will avoid huge bills--the reason why at&t is forcing people to pay 30 more..ironic) 3. Or require the Smartlimits feature on the phone and Decide for themselves how much data they would like to be allowed per month. And do away with the auto data plan add when connecting a new smart phone. Instead when a Smart phone is connected they can put an automatic data block on that line and force the user to then sign into thier account and adjust the data plan that works for them. This way the customer is not forced into a crazy plan they don't need and AT&T don't have to worry about people racking up a huge phone bill.(like thats their real concern LOL) Anyways, Hope this helps someone somehow.
If you ever need to call AT&T to troubleshoot your line for any reason they always ask for your phones IME#. If that day ever comes put your SIM card in a non Smart phone for a bit until it updates your phone on your At&t wireless account online. Then when they ask for your IME# you wont be giving them a blackberry IME and them being like "Oh, you have a blackberry! Put your hands up and no-one will get hurt!! This is a robbery, don't make it a murder!"
Well at the point they are asking for your IME they will be looking at your account.If you had not switched to the other phone and made sure it updated at AT&T my account they will see you have a Blackberry and will change your account to the data plan themselves. As you will notice when you hook up your blackberry when you go to your account online it will show a big ole picture of your blackberry.
I don't know if this is true. We have a Blackberry Pearl with the Data disabled in the menu. AT&T added data to our plan without telling us. They did send a text for us to call in to add it but it was added when I logged into the site.
Data being disabled in menu does not work. As I said you need to have at&t do a data block BEFORE you insert your SIM into the phone. Still using the Blackberry and still no data plan added to phone.
But the fact that our phone changes on our home site when we change to a blackberry. Doesn't that mean that the AT&T people have already detected we are using a blackberry??
Just an update. Its now March 2011. Been about 15 months wife has been using the blackberry and they have still not added a data plan. So far so good.
think this will work with another smartphone? thinking of getting rid of the blackberry and upgrading to another smartphone
as of May 19th 2011: Just did complete data block, however lady told me "don't put your sim into any bb anymore, if you do so block will be lifted automatially", so probably they can track by EMI number? if it's ATT branded BB, will check it in a while, then will try to use unlocked T-mobile, or any from HongHong. Anybody tried use not ATT unlocked smart phone as of now? Tx will keep all posted. D
I still have my ATT branded BB with data block on and still no data plan added. she probably said that to scare you, or she's just reading from her manual lol
I just bought a smartphone (Palm pixi) from a 3rd party store. I popped the SIM card in, the next day I received a text saying that I will be charged for data plan. I am going to try to do the complete data block and pop my SIM card back in to see if I will be able to use my smartphone without being charged of data plan. I will keep you guys updated.... (sucks if it doesnt work, especially I cant return the smartphone)
I successfully used my blackberry without data til this month. Last time it registered, I used an old MEI number to get the charges taken off. This time, today, when I called, the rep told me I was showing use of a blackberry from their tower. I'm going to try blocking the data tomorrow when I call from a friend's cheap, Wal-Mart phone. I hope this works. If anyone has new updates, I'd love to hear them.
