Blackberry w/o data plan

[JHW]

A family member is due for a contract renewal and hardware upgrade with Fido. She wants to keep her monthly plan costs low -- she doesn't want a data plan -- and she likes QWERTY phones. I noticed that Fido has the Blackberry Curve for a pretty low price on a two-year contract, it seems even without a data plan.

I last had a BB in 2010, and at that time it was hard to do anything interesting on the BB without a data plan. Have things changed? Will she be able to do offline GMail, integrate her Google Calendar, etc. over WiFi -- without a data plan? Or is a BB without a data plan just a glorified texting phone?

[sexyj]

Tell her not to sign a contract

If she wants a curve 9360, 9320. You can easily grab one off kijiji for like 80-150. I think they are clearing out 9320 at 150

Anyway, if you use opera browser, she should be able to browse without BIS to get to gmail.

A family member is due for a contract renewal and hardware upgrade with Fido. She wants to keep her monthly plan costs low -- she doesn't want a data plan -- and she likes QWERTY phones. I noticed that Fido has the Blackberry Curve for a pretty low price on a two-year contract, it seems even without a data plan.

I last had a BB in 2010, and at that time it was hard to do anything interesting on the BB without a data plan. Have things changed? Will she be able to do offline GMail, integrate her Google Calendar, etc. over WiFi -- without a data plan? Or is a BB without a data plan just a glorified texting phone?

[killer007]

no nothing change...
bb with no bb data = useless....

[teddyb]

A family member is due for a contract renewal and hardware upgrade with Fido. She wants to keep her monthly plan costs low -- she doesn't want a data plan -- and she likes QWERTY phones. I noticed that Fido has the Blackberry Curve for a pretty low price on a two-year contract, it seems even without a data plan.

I last had a BB in 2010, and at that time it was hard to do anything interesting on the BB without a data plan. Have things changed? Will she be able to do offline GMail, integrate her Google Calendar, etc. over WiFi -- without a data plan? Or is a BB without a data plan just a glorified texting phone?

I have a BB without a data plan, but my use for it is essentially a nice texting phone. For that use, it is really nice. Without a BlackBerry plan there is no access to email/calendar (except through the web browser on wifi).

Keep in mind you can get cheap Blackberry plans. Blackberry social plans usually give you full access to Facebook, Twitter, BBM, sometimes email. You won't get web surfing so it isn't a full data plan. I'm not even sure Fido has either of these.

Without some kind of Blackberry plan however it is exactly as you said, a glorified texting phone. Even on wifi, no email.

[mikeo007]

You'd be better off with a cheap Android phone if you're going data-less. At least you'll be able to use all of the apps over Wifi. A lot of the Blackberry apps and features depend on BIS, and won't work properly (or at all) over Wifi.

You can usually get super cheap BIS plans though. With Rogers or Bell, the unlimited social networking and BBM plans are BIS plans. They would allow you to use basic BIS apps over 3G, and everything else over Wifi (since you will have a BIS connection).

[killer007]

but OP said a physical keyboard...
maybe just pick an android with physical keyboard cuz seriously bb without bb data is like useless, you can try other apps on the app world but its not that useful cuz there aren't that many apps in the app world too...

[JHW]

I have considered the Android option and agree that they are more useful without data than BB is. However, the problem with cheap Android phones is that their battery life is absolutely atrocious, which is a deal-killer in this case.

[igotskill]

I have considered the Android option and agree that they are more useful without data than BB is. However, the problem with cheap Android phones is that their battery life is absolutely atrocious, which is a deal-killer in this case.

You can get a BB plan with social networking + email, they are way cheaper than data plans.

[Macross_Freek]

I had a family member who recently bought a BlackBerry without BIS (mobilicity data plan). The only thing available was internet browsing and app world.

[Phils]

Without some kind of Blackberry plan however it is exactly as you said, a glorified texting phone. Even on wifi, no email.

How do you text on a BB without data? I went to android just because of that.

[teddyb]

I'm not sure why you wouldn't be able to, SMS is one of the few things the Blackberry does without BIS or any kind of data connection. No Blackberry messenger though, that requires a BB plan.

I didn't get the Blackberry for the BB features, I simply had the opportunity to get one really cheap. I had a cheap texting phone before (LG Keybo) so going to a Blackberry was a huge upgrade. The keyboard is fantastic, plus I get to do some simple things on wifi (Facebook, web).

[killer007]

How do you text on a BB without data? I went to android just because of that.

sms works without bb data...
i know cuz my brother use it all the time hahahahah

[killer007]

i think facebook won't work (i forgot)

but i tried it out and most of the apps won't work with wifi, and you have to find alternative in the app world which is kind of sucks cuz not too many choices there

[teddyb]

i think facebook won't work (i forgot)

but i tried it out and most of the apps won't work with wifi, and you have to find alternative in the app world which is kind of sucks cuz not too many choices there

Facebook definitely works. The only things that don't work on mine are the Blackberry apps that require BIS or BES, unfortunately this means no email because there are no third party email apps which don't go through BIS.