[apache500]

everything said above is correct. It is absolutely required. They started that with the TP1,omnia. etc. If u buy off ebay and try to activate it with *228 itll tell you to call customer service and theyll tell you its required. They told me there system wont let them activate a phone without a data plan. I already tried to talk my way out of it. I told them I had wifi all over too he said he was sorry but there system didn't allow it. Just my 2 cents.