Does Iphone need to have data?

So, i want to get an Iphone (unlocked) and out my sim card in it, but my cousins say that won't work because i don't have data, and they said to have an iphone you have to have a data plan. Is that true?

Yip or you can just use wi-fi part after you crack it. But even if you got a basic plan with just text. If you put an at&t chip in at&t can tell its an iphone and they auto bump you into a data plan, when they read you just put there chip into an unlocked iphone. So be careful.

You don't HAVE to have a data plan. Just keep the data turned off on the phone so it is never in use. You can use the Wi-Fi on it to connect to the web.

I would agree with the above statement as well.AT&T is fickle about that. As he stated, be careful.