what wifi phone is best gsm?

[tgeasland]

Hey, I work for tmobile and I know that alot of our wifi enabled phones require a data plan to access the internet. My blackberry pearl was stolen yesterday and I am in the market for a new phone.

I am looking for wifi enabled phone, preferably on a popular operating system (for 3rd party software) I really like the curve but I need to have the data plan to have wifi access which I do not want

My spending limit is around 350 and I am currently looking at unlocked 4gig iphones (Since you can use wireless w/o data service)

I am tmobile customer

I would love a nice camera and mp3 capabilitys and 8gig sd card option but 2gig is ok as well

Much thanks ahead of time for suggestions, I know what phones have wifi access but my biggest problem is finding a phone that does not need the data plan to access it

-Todd

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by tgeasland

Hey, I work for tmobile and I know that alot of our wifi enabled phones require a data plan to access the internet. My blackberry pearl was stolen yesterday and I am in the market for a new phone.

I am looking for wifi enabled phone, preferably on a popular operating system (for 3rd party software) I really like the curve but I need to have the data plan to have wifi access which I do not want

My spending limit is around 350 and I am currently looking at unlocked 4gig iphones (Since you can use wireless w/o data service)

I am tmobile customer

I would love a nice camera and mp3 capabilitys and 8gig sd card option but 2gig is ok as well

Much thanks ahead of time for suggestions, I know what phones have wifi access but my biggest problem is finding a phone that does not need the data plan to access it

-Todd

T-Mobile may have a WiFi hotspot access plan, but not having that plan does not stop you from using WiFi. I'd say if you want a phone with WiFi and lots of available software you should look at any number of Windows Mobile PDA's and Smartphones. I'm sure you could find one you like in your budget. The iPhone is slick, but watch out as I still feel it is way overpriced for the features the device offers.

-Jay

[nKrypteD1]

Originally Posted by Jay2TheRescue

T-Mobile may have a WiFi hotspot access plan, but not having that plan does not stop you from using WiFi. I'd say if you want a phone with WiFi and lots of available software you should look at any number of Windows Mobile PDA's and Smartphones. I'm sure you could find one you like in your budget. The iPhone is slick, but watch out as I still feel it is way overpriced for the features the device offers.

-Jay

I agree with Jay, to use the actual wifi in the phone there's never been a plan requirement. To use T-Mobiles hotspots is a different story. I agree with the windows mobile based devices, as more applications are available for those devices.

[tgeasland]

Originally Posted by nKrypteD1

I agree with Jay, to use the actual wifi in the phone there's never been a plan requirement. To use T-Mobiles hotspots is a different story. I agree with the windows mobile based devices, as more applications are available for those devices.

wrong,

blackberry w/o bb add on runs the data thru the sim card, so w/o data you cant pick up wifi



right now I am looking at a few sony ericsons and an old htc (htc is windows / sony is the nokia platform symbian)

maybe if they are unlocked it works but if thats the case I would love to find out

I have tried with a few phones by using a sim w/o data plan and blackberry defanatly doesnt work.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by tgeasland

wrong,

blackberry w/o bb add on runs the data thru the sim card, so w/o data you cant pick up wifi



right now I am looking at a few sony ericsons and an old htc (htc is windows / sony is the nokia platform symbian)

maybe if they are unlocked it works but if thats the case I would love to find out

I have tried with a few phones by using a sim w/o data plan and blackberry defanatly doesnt work.

I knew BB proxied all the email and other access through their servers, but I was not aware that they proxied LAN access as well.

Personally, I'd go for the HTC. I've been happy with all the HTC phones I've had over the years.

-Jay

[tgeasland]

I sell phones for tmobile, and we get alot of the wings in with problems... I think its just a matter of reflashing the phone every once in a while, they are like computers anymore and with most computers they need to be reformatted every couple months to run well (unless you have the time to go through settings / programs and fine tune)

By any chance can you take your sim out of your htc and try to connect to wifi, it would be really awesome if you could do that

by the way thanks for all the help!

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by tgeasland

I sell phones for tmobile, and we get alot of the wings in with problems... I think its just a matter of reflashing the phone every once in a while, they are like computers anymore and with most computers they need to be reformatted every couple months to run well (unless you have the time to go through settings / programs and fine tune)

By any chance can you take your sim out of your htc and try to connect to wifi, it would be really awesome if you could do that

by the way thanks for all the help!

Yeah, I used to do that all the time with my old HTC phone (iPAQ hw6515)

-Jay

[nKrypteD1]

Originally Posted by tgeasland

wrong,

blackberry w/o bb add on runs the data thru the sim card, so w/o data you cant pick up wifi



right now I am looking at a few sony ericsons and an old htc (htc is windows / sony is the nokia platform symbian)

maybe if they are unlocked it works but if thats the case I would love to find out

I have tried with a few phones by using a sim w/o data plan and blackberry defanatly doesnt work.

I hate to be a _____ but I dislike people telling me something that I know for a fact is wrong. BB, just like the WM and Symbian phones, does not push it's WiFi (802.11x) through it's sim card, I understand that you're probably thinking of the GPRS/EDGE connection, but none the less I don't react kindly to this kind of situation. Think of the rationale first, what is the point of pushing WiFi through the sim, you're talking about adding extra steps to charge users to access a service they are already paying for, that would literally be a cause for a user upset and potential lawsuit.

Best of luck to you.

[Charlyee]

Originally Posted by tgeasland

Hey, I work for tmobile and I know that alot of our wifi enabled phones require a data plan to access the internet. -Todd

Hi Todd, welcome to WA. No WiFi enabled phone, irrespective of the OS need a data plan to access the internet.

Originally Posted by tgeasland

I have tried with a few phones by using a sim w/o data plan and blackberry defanatly doesnt work.

I think you either tried a BB without WiFi or one with but the default connection was through the BB server so you couldn't connect through WiFi without changing the default setting.

Originally Posted by Jay2TheRescue

I knew BB proxied all the email and other access through their servers, but I was not aware that they proxied LAN access as well.-Jay

Nope BB with WiFi can access internet through WiFi without having to do anything with the BB servers

Originally Posted by tgeasland

By any chance can you take your sim out of your htc and try to connect to wifi, it would be really awesome if you could do that

As Jay already mentioned, yes you can do that. You can also turn off the phone part and use it just like a WiFi enabled PDA to access the web.

[tgeasland]

Originally Posted by Charlyee

Hi Todd, welcome to WA. No WiFi enabled phone, irrespective of the OS need a data plan to access the internet.I think you either tried a BB without WiFi or one with but the default connection was through the BB server so you couldn't connect through WiFi without changing the default setting.Nope BB with WiFi can access internet through WiFi without having to do anything with the BB serversAs Jay already mentioned, yes you can do that. You can also turn off the phone part and use it just like a WiFi enabled PDA to access the web.

Well, much thanks, unfortunatly I was told by a bb rep two things that are incorrect...

I work for a small tmobile authorized dealer in PA, my rep told me 2 things ;

1. SMS isnt used on the OZ instant messanging software that comes with the phone

2. Wifi is only accessable by having a data service on the phone

I was going to use the 3rd party aim software for aim // yahoo but since he said it didnt use sms I used it, got my bill and had about $100 in txt charges...

So it wouldnt surprise me if he was wrong about the wifi as well

much thanks though everyone who helped with this and being misinformed by a rep is horrible... I am debating on whether or not to let his company know of his mis-information

[selbyseminole52]

Originally Posted by nKrypteD1

I hate to be a _____ but I dislike people telling me something that I know for a fact is wrong. BB, just like the WM and Symbian phones, does not push it's WiFi (802.11x) through it's sim card, I understand that you're probably thinking of the GPRS/EDGE connection, but none the less I don't react kindly to this kind of situation. Think of the rationale first, what is the point of pushing WiFi through the sim, you're talking about adding extra steps to charge users to access a service they are already paying for, that would literally be a cause for a user upset and potential lawsuit.

Best of luck to you.

I agree. I have the Blackberry Curve on T-Mobile and I access free wifi internet and I DO NOT have a data plan.