[boggsie]

I'm just hoping to spark a little more understanding and while this situation I will describe doesn't exactly match what I do now, it is pretty much exactly what I did on a daily basis before I signed up with SERO.

<hypothetical>

I am a Sprint customer. I've been running along fine with my Samsung clamshell phone on an Basic talk plan for $29.99 per month. I am happy where I am, because I don't text nor do I use or plan to use data services. I'm out of contract, but again, I don't care because I am fine where I am ... but I have an itch.

I want a new phone which I plan to use as a phone, but I am thinking that I could also use it as a Personal Information Manager (PIM). I remember back in the day when I had my Windows CE device, before phones and PIM's converged.
I buy a Touch Pro II from eBay. I pay whatever for the device on my own, therefore I do not receive a new phone subsidy from the carrier. I figure that, similar to my Windows CE and Palm device before that, each morning before I leave for the day, either via USB or WiFi, I'll do the following:
1. Synch full text RSS feeds
2. Synch full weather forecast data
3. Synch calendar updates
Throughout the day, I may or may not have an opportunity to use data via WiFi at the various "free" (McDonalds, etc.) hotspots which may or may not be affiliated with or sponsored by a carrier. Not being able to use WiFi away from home is not an issue, because I can use my PIM as an electronic version of a Franklin Planner, only making updates when I can plug in at home.

(Why in the world would I buy a Touch Pro 2 is a valid question, but those of us who have been around for long enough, remember the Windows CE and Palm V electronic organizer / planner. These were around $599 retail and served basically an electronic Franklin Planner that could only sych data via USB or WiFi.)

So, I call Sprint to register the ESN on my account and I am told that the device REQUIRES a data plan. I understand that the phone doesn't require over the air data to function, so why do I need a data plan. I go around and around with the service rep and I finally realize that they aren't trying to up-sell me and get a comission, they litterally cannot register the ESN without a having an account with a data plan.

</hypothetical>

Now this might seem far-fetched, but I am what might be considered an old-dude. Frankly, if I weren't on SERO, I have no doubt that I would be on a basic (talk) plan for $29 per month. I don't text and I don't need data. These are conveniences that I enjoy on SERO.

Why in the world wouldn't Sprint, or Verizon for that matter, alienate me as a customer? Why would they lock-down their systems and require a data plan to register this ESN, when they have no new phone or contract renewall subsidy to recover?

Best regards,
-boggsie