The Nokia E63 does not require a data plan.
Released in December 2008, the Nokia E63 smartphone is capable of operating without a data plan from a wireless service provider. Without a data plan, you are able to use all of the device's cellular features, but you're not able to use its Internet-reliant features. Although released in 2008, the E63 did not become available in the United States until early 2009.
Connectivity
The Nokia E63 uses Global System for Mobile Communications technology to access the 2G wireless network and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System technology to connect to the 3G network. The E63 transfers data from the 2G network at between 100 and 296 kilobits per second and from the 3G network at up to 384 Kbps. Each technology accesses its respective network by default with the E63, but GPRS is used as a backup for accessing the 2G network when EDGE is unavailable. These networking features will work on the E63 as long as you have a SIM card installed, even if you don't have a data plan.
Internet
Equipped with a Wireless Application Protocol 2.0/xHTML Web browser, the Nokia E63 is designed to access the Internet through the 2G or 3G wireless networks, but this requires a data plan. You can access the Internet without a data plan by using the phone's Wi-Fi feature, but you need to be within range of a Wi-Fi router and connection to do so. The E63 comes with the 802.11b and 802.11g Wi-Fi protocols, which offer data transfer rates of up to 54 megabits per second. If you do purchase a data plan, the E63's Wi-Fi feature can help you minimize and preserve the amount of data you use from your monthly allotment.
Messaging
Not having a data plan does not exclude you from being able to use the Nokia E63 for its messaging features. The device supports text, picture, voice and video messages through its multimedia messaging functionality. If within range of a Wi-Fi connection, you can also enjoy the phone's mobile email and instant messaging features, which are offered through connections to a Post Office Protocol, Simple Mail Transfer Protocol or Internet Message Access Protocol server. Instant messaging requires you to create an IM account with a third-party client, such as Yahoo!, Microsoft or AOL.
Music
If you intend to use the Nokia E63 for listening to streaming music using an Internet radio application, such as Pandora, you need to tap into the device's Wi-Fi capability or purchase a data plan. If you want to use the E63 to listen to music, you can load it up with tunes through its USB port and a connection to a personal computer. The E63 features a multimedia player that supports a variety of audio and video file formats, including MP3, MP4, WMV and WMA.
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