Any way to get Palm Pixi on cheaper VZW plan?

ar910793 · 01/25/2010, 06:47 PM

I want a phone for my wife — and the Palm Pixi looks like everything she might like. I doubt she'd be a heavy or even moderate data user — especially with wi-fi at home and her work.

Does anyone know of any workaround where I could get a Palm Pixi on Verizon's $10 25MB data plan? It seems like a quite reasonable plan and even the overages $.20/MB are unlikely to really bite me in the butt — but it's only with dumbphones as far as I know.

I'm having a hard time justifying a full data package when she'll likely just check her facebook, read gossip blogs and some light Web browsing.

p.s. I would be willing to a moderate premium for the phone ... maybe even the full unsubsidized price, or maybe not.

Garrett92C · 01/25/2010, 07:16 PM

With average usage you'll easily go over 25mb a month. The Pre/Pixi are almost constantly active syncing data and other processes. That's less then 1mb a day, which really is a little amount.

Kujila · 01/25/2010, 07:21 PM

I would also say that it's a bad idea. The phones are really designed with 'unlimited' data plans in mind!

ar910793 · 01/25/2010, 07:32 PM

My thinking is that 125MB/month is the break-even point between the cheaper plan and the $30/month unlimited. With wi-fi readily available, she might never approach that. And if I'm wrong, I could likely switch to the unlimited with little hassle.

Kujila · 01/25/2010, 07:37 PM

Garret92C said it dead-on, though: the Pre/Pixi are constantly pushing or pulling data, so I would expect you to hit your monthly limit the very first time you try to update the phone. It's still your call, if VZW will allow such a thing (Sprint doesn't, to my knowledge, and requires an unlimited data plan).

Garrett92C · 01/25/2010, 07:44 PM

Having an unlimited data plan is one of the most important parts of owning a Pre/Pixi. They really were designed with unlimited data in mind. They live in the cloud.

As Kujila said, VZW probably won't allow you to activate the Pixi without the unlimited data plan.

ar910793 · 01/25/2010, 07:53 PM

Thanks for the advice. I just ask because Palm themselves refer to this as a "smart messaging" phone — which it really seems to be. It looks great for someone looking to do limited browsing and a few Web-enabled applications (pulling text/data rather than a lot of graphics/multimedia).

It doesn't seem to make much sense to save $50 on a scaled-down phone if you still have to pay the same each month as someone downloading multiple GBs each month. I think the data plans just haven't quite caught up to the emergence of casual smartphone users.

netwrkr9 · 07:57 PM

That's Big Red, they know they gotcha by the huevos, and they are squeezing every penny they can out of you.

Kujila · 01/25/2010, 07:57 PM

I think you're right, ar910793; I wanted a Pixi, but they crippled it from the start with aggressive data plan pricing. I payed $39/mo base for my Centro, so a Pixi for around that would have been great. Now, for my Pre, the base price is $59/mo, and I paid $120 for that phone used (Compared to new Pixi $99 w/ new 2yr contract!). They really should have a cheaper plan for Pixi as it would grow the market share.

Garrett92C · 01/25/2010, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kujila

I think you're right, ar910793; I wanted a Pixi, but they crippled it from the start with aggressive data plan pricing. I payed $39/mo base for my Centro, so a Pixi for around that would have been great. Now, for my Pre, the base price is $59/mo, and I paid $120 for that phone used (Compared to new Pixi $99 w/ new 2yr contract!). They really should have a cheaper plan for Pixi as it would grow the market share.

The thing is, the Pixi and the Pre do the same amount of constant data syncing, etc. They are basically the same thing except that the Pre has superior hardware. I do agree that there should be more data options then just 'unlimited', but I don't see carriers wanting to implement this even though they could make a fortune charging overage fees lol.

RMB · 01/25/2010, 08:26 PM

Try this site, u can order online.
Pixi plus FREE with contract

Special Offer

P.S. - If the page doesn't open up Pixi page, click on "Change Phone" and select it from there.

NM08SRT8 · 01/28/2010, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kujila

I would also say that it's a bad idea. The phones are really designed with 'unlimited' data plans in mind!

Exactly, hence the Operating system name, "webOS"

garnetlove · 01/28/2010, 11:05 PM

Agreed with above, this phone extensively uses the web for backup and smartphone functionality. In my experience with it thus far, unlimited data is essential. If you did get the smaller plan, it could backfire on you with penality fees for exceeding your limit.

gapost · 01/29/2010, 07:10 AM

Make sure you are looking at the $29.99 data plan. They might be trying to sell you the enterprise data plan for $45, which you don't need. I would say the $30 for unlimited data from VZW is pretty reasonable.

NM08SRT8 · 01/29/2010, 11:17 PM

Extending the points made above.. if you cannot afford the plan for the phone, then this phone is not for you, period.

Garrett92C · 01/30/2010, 08:30 AM

In addition to all the info above, I'm pretty sure that Verizon requires the Unlimited data plan.

Tbone60 · 01/30/2010, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RMB

Try this site, u can order online.
Pixi plus FREE with contract

P.S. - If the page doesn't open up Pixi page, click on "Change Phone" and select it from there.

Thanks for the link. I cancelled my Pixi order and took this one

gapost · 01/30/2010, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tbone60

Thanks for the link. I cancelled my Pixi order and took this one

Did you get a data plan with your phone order? Cause if not, the details I read said you will get charged $1.99/mb. Ha-ha-ha.

One of the optional features was:

PDA/Smartphone Personal Email and Web for $29.99

Tbone60 · 01/30/2010, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gapost

Did you get a data plan with your phone order? Cause if not, the details I read said you will get charged $1.99/mb. Ha-ha-ha.

One of the optional features was:

PDA/Smartphone Personal Email and Web for $29.99

I got the data plan.

Evil Llama · 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kujila

Garret92C said it dead-on, though: the Pre/Pixi are constantly pushing or pulling data, so I would expect you to hit your monthly limit the very first time you try to update the phone. It's still your call, if VZW will allow such a thing (Sprint doesn't, to my knowledge, and requires an unlimited data plan).

Just an FYI, I purchased my pixi without a data plan. I upgraded to an unlimited plan after tooling around on here for a while because I WANTED all the cool stuff.

There are ways around using the data plan, maybe with the quick install, but the hassle of having the Pixi complaining EVERY TIME it is denied access with the Internet, PLUS having to connect to a terminal (pc/mac) all the time, the inability to do a quick web-search on the fly, email.... outlook.... web meeting.... need I go on? It just made sense to pop the extra 20 buck for the data.

But to answer the question for SPRINT consumers, NO you do NOT need ANY data plan to buy/use a Pixi on the Sprint network. VZ may be different.

Myke

01/25/2010, 06:47 PM	#1 (permalink)
ar910793 Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 3 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Any way to get Palm Pixi on cheaper VZW plan? I want a phone for my wife — and the Palm Pixi looks like everything she might like. I doubt she'd be a heavy or even moderate data user — especially with wi-fi at home and her work. Does anyone know of any workaround where I could get a Palm Pixi on Verizon's $10 25MB data plan? It seems like a quite reasonable plan and even the overages $.20/MB are unlikely to really bite me in the butt — but it's only with dumbphones as far as I know. I'm having a hard time justifying a full data package when she'll likely just check her facebook, read gossip blogs and some light Web browsing. p.s. I would be willing to a moderate premium for the phone ... maybe even the full unsubsidized price, or maybe not.
	Liked by

01/25/2010, 07:16 PM	#2 (permalink)
Garrett92C Homebrew Developer Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 125 Likes Received: 67 Thanks: 43 Thanked 3,128 Times in 2,009 Posts	With average usage you'll easily go over 25mb a month. The Pre/Pixi are almost constantly active syncing data and other processes. That's less then 1mb a day, which really is a little amount.
	Liked by

01/25/2010, 07:21 PM	#3 (permalink)
Kujila Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Overland Park Posts: 400 Likes Received: 37 Thanks: 32 Thanked 37 Times in 31 Posts	I would also say that it's a bad idea. The phones are really designed with 'unlimited' data plans in mind! __________________
	Liked by

01/25/2010, 07:32 PM	#4 (permalink)
ar910793 Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 3 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	My thinking is that 125MB/month is the break-even point between the cheaper plan and the $30/month unlimited. With wi-fi readily available, she might never approach that. And if I'm wrong, I could likely switch to the unlimited with little hassle.
	Liked by

01/25/2010, 07:37 PM	#5 (permalink)
Kujila Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Overland Park Posts: 400 Likes Received: 37 Thanks: 32 Thanked 37 Times in 31 Posts	Garret92C said it dead-on, though: the Pre/Pixi are constantly pushing or pulling data, so I would expect you to hit your monthly limit the very first time you try to update the phone. It's still your call, if VZW will allow such a thing (Sprint doesn't, to my knowledge, and requires an unlimited data plan). __________________
	Liked by

01/25/2010, 07:44 PM	#6 (permalink)
Garrett92C Homebrew Developer Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 125 Likes Received: 67 Thanks: 43 Thanked 3,128 Times in 2,009 Posts	Having an unlimited data plan is one of the most important parts of owning a Pre/Pixi. They really were designed with unlimited data in mind. They live in the cloud. As Kujila said, VZW probably won't allow you to activate the Pixi without the unlimited data plan.
	Liked by

01/25/2010, 07:53 PM	#7 (permalink)
ar910793 Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 3 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks for the advice. I just ask because Palm themselves refer to this as a "smart messaging" phone — which it really seems to be. It looks great for someone looking to do limited browsing and a few Web-enabled applications (pulling text/data rather than a lot of graphics/multimedia). It doesn't seem to make much sense to save $50 on a scaled-down phone if you still have to pay the same each month as someone downloading multiple GBs each month. I think the data plans just haven't quite caught up to the emergence of casual smartphone users.
	Liked by

01/25/2010, 07:57 PM	#8 (permalink)
netwrkr9 Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 3,132 Likes Received: 154 Thanks: 453 Thanked 495 Times in 364 Posts	That's Big Red, they know they gotcha by the huevos, and they are squeezing every penny they can out of you. Last edited by netwrkr9; 01/25/2010 at 07:57 PM. Reason: spelling
	Liked by

01/25/2010, 07:57 PM	#9 (permalink)
Kujila Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Overland Park Posts: 400 Likes Received: 37 Thanks: 32 Thanked 37 Times in 31 Posts	I think you're right, ar910793; I wanted a Pixi, but they crippled it from the start with aggressive data plan pricing. I payed $39/mo base for my Centro, so a Pixi for around that would have been great. Now, for my Pre, the base price is $59/mo, and I paid $120 for that phone used (Compared to new Pixi $99 w/ new 2yr contract!). They really should have a cheaper plan for Pixi as it would grow the market share. __________________
	Liked by

01/25/2010, 08:26 PM	#11 (permalink)
RMB Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 420 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 40 Thanked 63 Times in 51 Posts	Try this site, u can order online. Pixi plus FREE with contract Special Offer P.S. - If the page doesn't open up Pixi page, click on "Change Phone" and select it from there.
	Liked by

01/28/2010, 11:05 PM	#13 (permalink)
garnetlove Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: NY Posts: 183 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 71 Thanked 16 Times in 13 Posts	Agreed with above, this phone extensively uses the web for backup and smartphone functionality. In my experience with it thus far, unlimited data is essential. If you did get the smaller plan, it could backfire on you with penality fees for exceeding your limit.
	Liked by

01/29/2010, 07:10 AM	#14 (permalink)
gapost Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Brunswick, GA Posts: 2,082 Likes Received: 6 Thanks: 28 Thanked 90 Times in 77 Posts	Make sure you are looking at the $29.99 data plan. They might be trying to sell you the enterprise data plan for $45, which you don't need. I would say the $30 for unlimited data from VZW is pretty reasonable.
	Liked by

01/29/2010, 11:17 PM	#15 (permalink)
NM08SRT8 Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 785 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 136 Thanked 97 Times in 64 Posts	Extending the points made above.. if you cannot afford the plan for the phone, then this phone is not for you, period.
	Liked by

01/30/2010, 08:30 AM	#16 (permalink)
Garrett92C Homebrew Developer Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 125 Likes Received: 67 Thanks: 43 Thanked 3,128 Times in 2,009 Posts	In addition to all the info above, I'm pretty sure that Verizon requires the Unlimited data plan.
	Liked by

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode