Just phone and text

Settings, Cellular (or mobile data in some countries), turn off. Only WiFi will operate

You can also select which apps can use cellular data while you are out, eg email but not updates.

LD150 wrote:

I guess SMS needs turning on to text too? And it will use up Text allowances.

SMS uses the voice channel. MMS uses cellular data.

The big problem with turning off cellular data will be the fact that the major carriers will REQUIRE 4G/LTE service and VoLTE for phone calls. That means that with cellular data turned off, the phone will effectively be a brick, unable to communicate at all.

OK.

I run my wife's phone with data turned off in UK without problems so it must be a country sensitive thing.

Sorry I just noticed the tense "will require".

There are very few, if any, providers here who will offer a service without a data package but I see that as an attempt to stop the "top-up every six months old person's standby" phone service.

Maybe they are gearing up!

MMS messaging will not work if mobile data is disabled.

I guess SMS needs turning on to text too? And it will use up Text allowances.