I'm completely new to blackberry as I've been using palm and windows operating systems for the past few years. I was looking at the new BB 8130 and suprisingly was quite impressed. I'm thinking about making the leap and at least giving it a try for a month. However, the one thing that I didn't like was something that the sales guy told me. He said that the data plan is required with the BlackBerry phones, which is $29.99. Is this really true?

The reason that I don't like this is what if in a year my needs change and I don't really have a need to check email or use the web. Based on what the salesperson told me, I would be married to the data plan for the life of the phone. This is hard for me to believe, however, he said it with conviction.

Does anyone have this phone (or any blackberry for that matter) without the data plan? Was the salesperson correct in what he told me?