BlackBerry Forums Support Community

littlematchgirl · 07-02-2008, 03:46 PM

I needed a new phone, badly, so I purchased an unlocked Blackberry Pearl 8100 off of eBay a week ago. I just got it in the mail today. I use AT&T, and I just put my Sim card into the new phone and it turned on, transferred all my numbers, etc.

I am on a family plan with my parents, and we pay for unlimited texting but not for internet access. On my old phone, I was able to use the internet but because we didn't have a plan, it cost a lot of money and I had to pay almost $100 last month for it. I haven't used the internet since since. I just turned on my new phone but I'm afraid that I can only use it if it's connected to the internet, and I don't have the money to take the chance.

1. How do I know if I am connected to the internet on this phone?
2. Can I use it without being connected to the internet?
3. What does it mean when I try to make a call and it says "Radio is Off. Turn Radio On"???
I know most of you are thinking, why would I buy a Blackberry Pearl without a data plan? Well I don't want the internet, so that is not an issue. I just want to be able to make phone calls and texts without using the internet.

Fortunately, the eBay user I purchased the phone from has a money back guarantee, but I need to know asap. Please help! Thanks.

Dawg · 07-02-2008, 03:49 PM

What do I need a Data Plan for? - BlackBerryFAQ

NJBlackBerry · 07-02-2008, 03:49 PM

Welcome to BlackBerry Forums.
Reversing the questions:

2) Without an Internet plan (or specifically the BlackBerry Data Plan), you can use the BB for voice and text (no MMS) and no Internet

1) Without an Internet plan, you can't use the BB on the Internet and won't get any charges.

Foxglove · 07-02-2008, 03:51 PM

With a Blackberry If you havent got the data plan you cannot access the internet so you should be ok.

To be doubly sure you can always go to options > network and turn data services to off.

littlematchgirl · 07-02-2008, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NJBlackBerry

Welcome to BlackBerry Forums.
Reversing the questions:

2) Without an Internet plan (or specifically the BlackBerry Data Plan), you can use the BB for voice and text (no MMS) and no Internet

1) Without an Internet plan, you can't use the BB on the Internet and won't get any charges.

Okay so just to clear things up (and pretty much repeat what you/I already said), although on my old phone I did not have a data plan, I could still access the internet. But you're saying it is not possible to access the internet on the BB without a plan? Sorry for being so excessively curious, I just want to make sure I am not riding up the internet bill when all I want to do is text and call! Thanks for your help : )

littlematchgirl · 07-02-2008, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foxglove

With a Blackberry If you havent got the data plan you cannot access the internet so you should be ok.

To be doubly sure you can always go to options > network and turn data services to off.

I did what you advised. But now when I go to make a phone call it says "Radio is Off" and offers me the option to turn it on. What's this??

Foxglove · 07-02-2008, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlematchgirl

I did what you advised. But now when I go to make a phone call it says "Radio is Off" and offers me the option to turn it on. What's this??

Opps that actually turns your data services back on but as you do not have a data plan you should not have to worry about accessing the internet.

NJBlackBerry · 07-02-2008, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlematchgirl

Okay so just to clear things up (and pretty much repeat what you/I already said), although on my old phone I did not have a data plan, I could still access the internet. But you're saying it is not possible to access the internet on the BB without a plan? Sorry for being so excessively curious, I just want to make sure I am not riding up the internet bill when all I want to do is text and call! Thanks for your help : )

Correct.

bbbforums · 07-02-2008, 07:20 PM

Wirelessly posted

While you can not use the built-in web browser, you can still use all the data related things like medianet and shopgames, shoptunes etc and you will be charged per kb data charges. People say MMS won't work but it might. Hide all your data related icons to be safe or even call ATT and have them remove data from the account.

brar · 07-02-2008, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dawg

What do I need a Data Plan for? - BlackBerryFAQ

"NOT send or receive any information over the internet, in any way shape or form, despite what you heard about it being possible "

is the curve very different from the pearl? because I don't have a data plan, but I got google to text me the link to download their apps. I've got google maps, google search, and gmail. Then I unlocked bb maps and can use both as gps. Opera mini works fine as well. When I get some links too I open them and the At&t browser opens them up...
I don't have a data plan lol. I can also send MMS, I know I couldn't do that on the pearl though

bbbforums · 07-02-2008, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brar

I don't have a data plan, but I got google to text me the link to download their apps. I've got google maps, google search, and gmail. Then I unlocked bb maps and can use both as gps. Opera mini works fine as well. When I get some links too I open them and the At&t browser opens them up...
I don't have a data plan lol. I can also send MMS, I know I couldn't do that on the pearl though

Get ready for a large bill for data usage. Just because you do not have a Personal Internet Service plan (BIS) for your Blackberry does not mean you do not have data. You still have data service by default as pay per kb.

brar · 07-03-2008, 07:57 AM

I know that and it isn't that much, I use it if I ever need it. Just the way that faq makes it sound, you can't do anything data related unless you have the plan

Dawg · 07-03-2008, 08:13 AM

brar there is a difference in a BB data plan and a standard cell phone data plan. With a cell phone data plan you can do some of these things. This is a zero data plan they are referencing

brar · 07-03-2008, 07:32 PM

the only plan I have is the family unlimited texting. No regular cell phone data plan or anything... guess I'm lucky? Like I said before, I have the curve, but that site sounds like it is talking about all blackberries. I'm just trying to make sense of it myself. I can go to Media Net, open the menu, "go to", and type in any site I want... but I'd rather use Opera.
Can unlocking the phone allow this to happen? I traded my pearl with my cousin who recently got this Curve from the ATT store, but she didn't like it.

Dawg · 07-04-2008, 06:54 AM

well if you dont have any kind of data plan expect a huge bill. My daughters best friend had this same thing she was laughing at me for paying for it. The next month she got a 1500 dollar bill.

CaptDee · 07-14-2008, 02:13 PM

It's best to get the data plan! you will get a shock if you don't! Been there!

trishoz · 07-14-2008, 04:45 PM

I am pretty new to the Blackberry world but this has been my experience. I got a 8120 via Tmobile two months ago. I was paying 5.99 for the T-web, but read about the Blackberry Feature Enabler. So I called last week to get the Blackberry Feature Enabler turned on. T-mobile turned the T-web off because they said it was not compatible. I have had access to the web every since. I don't know if T-mobile made a mistake but I am getting the web without a data plan. I don't know what kind of charges I will have at the end of this month though. Before the feature enabler I only had Tmobile and Hotspot as a browser option, now I have Internet browser in addition to those two. Before Opera Mini only worked on wi-fi, now it works everywhere...I don't know about the 8100 tho.

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Can I use my Blackberry without an internet plan?