Ask Us! Why can’t I just buy a Blackberry with just voice?

Posted
by
Kyle McInnes
on February 10, 2006, at 9:28 AM
in BlackBerry-Help
. Tags: , .
Comments: 9 responses
9 Comments

Heather asked us,

I am interesting in buying a Blackberry to use as a cellphone and a PDA. I’m not really interested in email or any web browsing so I don’t need a data plan. However the girl at the desk wouldn’t sell me just one with a voice plan saying I need to get the data plan. She couldn’t give me a proper answer why I need to buy the data and I’m just thinking she was trying to rip me off.

Heather, she’s not trying to rip you off. RIM gets a percentage of the monthly data plan so if you bought a Blackberry with just a voice plan they would lose out on revenue. Your best bet would be to buy a used Blackberry and insert a SIM card in it so you can use it as a cellphone and have some limited PDA functionality.

Permalink

Post Comment

  • NYC-Z

    That is the exact workaround I would suggest, and just you know Heather, I got a used 6230 (black & white, but serves my purpose) for $30! That is a steal if you ask me.

  • NYC-Z

    That is the exact workaround I would suggest, and just you know Heather, I got a used 6230 (black & white, but serves my purpose) for $30! That is a steal if you ask me.

  • CK

    Hey Heather! If you still want one and they won’t sell you one, then you can always buy it with the data plan and have it shut off when you get home.

    I bought one and shut off the data plan after a month. I was finding I wasn’t using it as much either now that I have gone back to school.

  • CK

    Hey Heather! If you still want one and they won’t sell you one, then you can always buy it with the data plan and have it shut off when you get home.

    I bought one and shut off the data plan after a month. I was finding I wasn’t using it as much either now that I have gone back to school.

  • http://3cats.us/ Mike Miller

    Must depend on the carrier. I bought a 8200 from Cingular. They charged me nearly full retail, but didn’t flinch too hard on me not buying a data plan with it.

    My previous one was off ebay and pulling the simcard from my old voice-only phone.

  • http://3cats.us/ Mike Miller

    Must depend on the carrier. I bought a 8200 from Cingular. They charged me nearly full retail, but didn’t flinch too hard on me not buying a data plan with it.

    My previous one was off ebay and pulling the simcard from my old voice-only phone.

  • http://3cats.us/ Mike Miller

    Must depend on the carrier. I bought a 8200 from Cingular. They charged me nearly full retail, but didn’t flinch too hard on me not buying a data plan with it.

    My previous one was off ebay and pulling the simcard from my old voice-only phone.

  • Sheila H

    My husband won a blackberry 8700g at work but has no use for it. We live in a rural area with no wireless connection so we couldn’t use the web or email locally anyway. I charged the battery and tried my Cell phone sim card in it but don’t want to mark it in case we decide to sell it.
    I was wanting a PDA for organising my time, information etc, but this is rather an expensive way to do it if I can sell it for a reasonable amount.
    My question is, if I keep it, can I get programs, ringtones etc without an internet connection, by downloading them from my computer? This may make it worth keeping if I can.
    Thanks,
    Sheila in Australia

  • Sheila H

    My husband won a blackberry 8700g at work but has no use for it. We live in a rural area with no wireless connection so we couldn’t use the web or email locally anyway. I charged the battery and tried my Cell phone sim card in it but don’t want to mark it in case we decide to sell it.
    I was wanting a PDA for organising my time, information etc, but this is rather an expensive way to do it if I can sell it for a reasonable amount.
    My question is, if I keep it, can I get programs, ringtones etc without an internet connection, by downloading them from my computer? This may make it worth keeping if I can.
    Thanks,
    Sheila in Australia