If you are not on any data plan, change your settings of the phone to always ask for connection.

Also, you can put your widgets on homescreen to offline mode.

Another tip: Create a new destination (which is a prioritized list of connections the device will use when searching for network)

Make 1 list/destination: "Free internet" and put only WLAN or free wifi under it.
then make another list: "Paid internet" and put your operater network connections under it such as Maxis 3G, Digi internet etc.

Whenever your app or device wants to connect to the internet, it will then ask and you can decide whether to choose "Free internet" or "Paid internet".

It's troublesome, yes, but this phone is designed to work in default to have full network capabilities. Therefore it is highly recommended to get a data plan (unlimited or at least capped after reaching a limit).

Remember, the search function in Ovi Maps needs the network otherwise you can't search.

Hey, that's my job

What's NDT?

But yeah, I don't really do the testing. Just drop test simulations.

FYI: the component which senses the magnetic poles of the Earth in the N8 is called a magnetometer.