Which carrier allows prepaid smart phones without data plans?

Hi all, I am looking to get a prepaid (for minutes/text) plan for a smartphone in the US. I would like a plan for voice and text only without data (will access data only via WiFi). Does anyone know what carrier offers this? And how do I know if a phone would be compatible? I would like an iPhone or Android, not a Windows phone.

 

Tracfone is the only carrier I know of that does this. They sell you the minutes, but for each minute you purchase you get 3 text messages, and 1 mb. Though their phone selection sucks pretty bad, the claim that you can bring your own phone(GSM) but I haven't looked into that much as I have to use CDMA in my area.

 

I would look at the MVNO carriers. MVNO stands for mobile virtual network operator, and these are companies that rent bandwidth from the carriers who actually build the networks (the latter primarily being Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and U.S. Cellular), and resell it with their own plans. They tend to be a lot more flexible with regards to not requiring you to buy things you don't want. As an example, I use a small MVNO called H2O with whom I have a declining balance system where I get $25 of credit for month by paying $22.50, and it deducts 2.5 cents per minute or per text, and a certain amount for data. I don't actually have data enabled on my phone though, so I don't know what that rate is. It should work as well with a smartphone with data disabled as with a dumbphone.

Other, more well-known MVNOs include Page Plus and StraightTalk. Many of them are relatively small and regional. You can find out what some of the ones in your area are by going to an independent phone store; many of them offer plans from various MVNOs as well as perhaps one or two major carriers (typically T-Mobile or Sprint). You typically can use the MVNOs outside of the area where they have a retail presence as well, so if you find one online that is a great fit but they don't have retail presence locally, it will probably still work. The only real downside is they don't typically have network sharing amongst major carriers. So, if you have AT&T directly, you'll have roaming with T-Mobile's network built-in. If you have an AT&T MVNO, you probably will only have coverage where AT&T's network is, without any backup from T-Mobile's where AT&T's is weak (although you'd still have 911 coverage in those areas). In practice, I haven't found that to be an issue, but it may be in some areas.

As for compatibility, what it really comes down to is whether your phone is SIM card based (often referred to as GSM after the 2G technology used for those phones), or ESN (electronic serial number) based, often referred to as CDMA (also a 2G technology). AT&T, T-Mobile, their MVNOs, and most of the world outside of the U.S. and Japan use SIM cards and GSM for 2G. Verizon, Sprint, and their MVNOs use ESN and CDMA as their 2G. It can be a little tricky, since some phones have both a GSM model and a CDMA model, and you have to get the right one. A good seller will be able to tell you which one it's compatible with.

I'd be surprised if you had much luck with any of the major carriers trying to get a smartphone without data.

 

Most won't allow you to buy a smart phone without getting some kind of data plan. Even with pre-paid, unless you buy an unlocked phone outright and go to them. But then you'll get all the "downfalls" of a smartphone without much benefits (most smartphone battery life is 8-14 hours, no data means it isn't very useful without wireless, etc).

 

T-Mobile Prepaid will let you, I used it a few years ago exactly like what your looking for.

When you sign up for the Prepaid T-Mobile Account/Plan, instead of selecting a phone to buy for the plan, opt for just the SIM card. And then you can put the SIM in any phone that you buy elsewhere, no questions asked.

At least that's the way it was a couple years ago.

 

I've been a T-Mobile prepaid customer for years with no data. I've got a Nokia Lumia smartphone. They used to let you buy minutes and once you got to 1000 minutes, you're gold, then the minutes last for a year. Messages were 10¢ for text and 25¢ for pics, but I saw just a few weeks ago they've changed the plans, so now you've got access charges when you use the phone. You might want to ask about it. Luckily, I've been grandfathered in cause I've with them so long and get to keep the old plan.

 

Buy a smartphone from Europe/Asia that isn't compatible with 3G or 4G wireless bands used in the US. I'm not sure how they could force you into a data plan when the phone literally can't use it.

 

On that note, usually they can't even recognize it's a smart phone and won't try to force you. I know people who did this to get free data on flip phone unlimited plans.

 

T-Mobile, I'm only paying $3 a month (no data plan) for my Galaxy Note