When it is talking about airtime it means that it uses the internet which means it is going to use part of your data plan. Exactly how much, I can't say. I have a smartphone with verizon and I am able to turn off the internet with a setting on my phone so it doesn't use up my battery so much because I am constantly using my phone. You might be able to do that with your phone but the game might not let you do certain things or it might not even work at all with out that connection.