Smartphone without a voice plan?

[MuffinMan]

I had an iPhone a couple months ago but ended up ditching it because I couldn't stomach paying $80+ a month. I had no problem paying for the texting plan or data but I hate hate hate paying for a voice plan. I've used 10 minutes the last 2 months on my VirginMobile phone. Do any of the major carriers offer data plans without voice or even paying $.20 a minute for the 5 minutes that I do use a month?

[stray]

I'm pretty sure you need some kind of phone number to text???

[stray]

my bad, i totally read that wrong.

[MuffinMan]

I've thought about a Touch but I don't want to be tethered to WiFi.

The lowest minute plans from all of the carriers are still way more minutes that I would ever use. I need like a pre-paid Smartphone or a contract one with pay as you go or a super low minute plan. Am I in that small of a minority?

[Ookii]

Google!

Here’s how you get your iPhone to work as a data-only internet tablet for just $20 a month.

    * Buy an AT&T pre-paid SIM card and load it with minutes
    * Activate your iPhone to work with the Pay-As-You-Go SIM card through iNdependence
    * Call “611″ and register your new SIM card
    * Use the telephone-based system to buy the “Unlimited MediaNet” package for $19.95 (at the voice prompts, indicate that you want to “Buy Features” and then “Data Packages”)


Also visit:

http://www.wireless.att.com/about/disability-resources/text-accessibility-plan-for-iphone.jsp#tap

What you really want is a plan for deaf people.  Apparently AT&T has one now.

[Oban]

Here’s how you get your iPhone to work as a data-only internet tablet for just $20 a month.

...
    * Use the telephone-based system to buy the “Unlimited MediaNet” package for $19.95 (at the voice prompts, indicate that you want to “Buy Features” and then “Data Packages”)

I could be horribly wrong, but I think ATT no longer offers unlimited medianet on prepaid smart phones.

[MuffinMan]

Google!

Here’s how you get your iPhone to work as a data-only internet tablet for just $20 a month.

    * Buy an AT&T pre-paid SIM card and load it with minutes
    * Activate your iPhone to work with the Pay-As-You-Go SIM card through iNdependence
    * Call “611″ and register your new SIM card
    * Use the telephone-based system to buy the “Unlimited MediaNet” package for $19.95 (at the voice prompts, indicate that you want to “Buy Features” and then “Data Packages”)


Also visit:

http://www.wireless.att.com/about/disability-resources/text-accessibility-plan-for-iphone.jsp#tap

What you really want is a plan for deaf people.  Apparently AT&T has one now.

Looking over that AT&T plan, it looks like I need proof of disability from a qualified health care professional or hearing specialist. Maybe I could go to the doctor and bomb a hearing test.

The first option does intrigue me though. I wish I would of made this thread or searched for that while I had the iPhone.

[Righ]

Reading elsewhere, as Oban says they appear to have killed the ability to use Unlimited MediaNet on a prepaid phone in November, along with some muttering about intentions to introduce a future plan for those customers. Expect that to compete roughly with buying the cheapest 'custom' plan with around 200 minutes for $30 and adding MediaNet.

Anyhow, I think this is the data only plan you could use:

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phone-plans/pda-personal-plans.jsp

$35 is better than $80.

[Krakrok]

The TMobile sidekick plan use to be $30 a month for unlimited internet and text and then $0.20 a minute for voice. They nerfed it at the end of last year and now it is $45-$55 a month for the same plan.