what good is a phone if it isn't on a network?

> what good is a phone if it isn't on a network?

1. It might be on a voice network but not on a data network; for instance, if you don't have a data plan.

2. Modern smartphones are actually a hybrid of a traditional cell phone and a traditional PDA, and you might be using it for the PDA part.

Have you ever been in a large building with awful cell reception and no wifi access?