Unlocking Hidden WiFi?

[miodowj]

I want to start off by apologizing if I've put this in the wrong thread here... I'm new here .

I've gotten pretty frustrated with the current business model at&t has set up with their data plan and wifi. If I have a data plan...why would I use wifi (for the most part)?. I'm not looking to spend (nor can I afford) the money at&t requires for most phones which can check email...which is all I want to do. Not look at youtube, tweet, facebook, etc... just email. Most of the time however, I'm not in a position in which I can get to a computer.

I was wondering if there was a way to find out if some of the phones that are marketed as non-smart phones (eg htc freestyle) actually do have wifi capability which is just restricted at the request of at&t? If so, is there a way to jailbreak this?

Any help or advice on this would be super helpful. This is no longer an inconvenience but becoming detrimental to my work efficiency.

Thanks in advance,
Jonathan

[miodowj]

I want to start off by apologizing if I've put this in the wrong thread... I'm new here .

I've become pretty frustrated with the current business model AT&T has set up with their data plan and wifi. If I have a data plan...why would I use wifi (for the most part)?. I'm not looking to spend (nor can I afford) the money AT&T requires for most phones which can check email...which is all I want to do... not look at youtube, tweet, facebook, etc... just email. Most of the time however, I'm not in a position where I can get to a computer. I know there are phones which have cheaper $10/mo data plans, but frankly my budget is tight enough as it is.

I was wondering if there was a way to find out if some of the phones that are marketed as non-smart phones (eg htc freestyle) actually do have wifi capability which is just restricted at the request of AT&T? If so, is there a way to jailbreak this?

Any help or advice on this would be super helpful. This is no longer an inconvenience but becoming detrimental to my work efficiency.

Thanks in advance,
Jonathan

[Infornography]

Why not buy an unlocked nokia phone like an e51 and use the wi-fi off it? Unfortunately most of the phones right now, ie QMD don't have wifi capability in them, hardware wise. Buy an unlocked phone and use it and don't add data. But if it's becoming detrimental to work efficiency, wouldn't it make sense to pay the extra money to get the data plan then?

[hwertz]

I was wondering if there was a way to find out if some of the phones that are marketed as non-smart phones (eg htc freestyle) actually do have wifi capability which is just restricted at the request of AT&T? If so, is there a way to jailbreak this?

Google it, and see if there's a non-AT&T version of the phone, perhaps a Bell/Telus (Canadian) model or the like and check *it's* specs. There's a few sites that specialize in just the phone specs. Most of these phones will not have wifi though.

If it did, I suppose unlocking it would involve putting a Bell/Telus flash on it, or if it's a Motorola you can do Seem edits to turn functionality on/off (sorry, I can't get more detailed than that because I've never done either.) IMHO not worth it, I'd do what Infornography suggests.


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[miodowj]

But if it's becoming detrimental to work efficiency, wouldn't it make sense to pay the extra money to get the data plan then?

Ah, this is my conundrum. I am fresh out of college and quite destitute. In some ways I wouldn't be embellishing it if I said that I should feel lucky I have a roof over my head. :P