Windows Phone 7 - No Data Plan

[stlbud]

I'm sure most people seeing this are going to say, "What's the point?" Please hear me out.

I've been using the mobile version of Windows since version 2.11. I'm comfortable with it and really find the organization features useful. I have become accustomed to managing time and contacts on my PDA. I like the ability to work with Word, Excel and One Note documents. I like carrying my e-mail with me.

The world has changed though and now you cannot get these capabilities outside of a phone. Worse, it seems you MUST have a data plan. Is that really true though? Does anyone have experience using Windows Phone 7 exclusively over WiFi? What works? What doesn't?

Thanks,

[Sven Johannsen]

With or without a phone plan? I have an HD7 that has a T-Moble PayAsYouGo SIM in it. I leave the data turned off as it isn't supposed to have any. Everything works just fine over WiFi. Reality is when out of WiFi range, I can pop on data and it works. Beats me if it is deducting from my minutes/dollars. Don't do it enough to tell I guess.

I suppose you can pick up and unlocked or unbranded phone somewhere, but those tend to be a little pricey. During setup you just have to skip some steps, to get to the control panel to set up wifi, then go back and enter some stuff. Your initial username needs to be put in, but it will complain about not being able to connect. You just go by this and it will hook up once WiFi is established.

Not quite sure what nagging it might do with no SIM at all.

[stlbud]

Thank you. It seems worth trying. I found several on Craigslist and I suppose I can resell the phone if it doesn't work.

Are you in the US?

[Sven Johannsen]

Yup, sure am. Colorado specifically. So we get to hassle with the fragmentation of frequencies, features, data technologies and phone choices (or lack thereof) brought to us by competition.:rolleyes: