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at&t data plan?

for the fuze owners. i would like to know what all you guys are paying for your internet access. with a cooked rom, is at&t still able to tell what phone your using? i tried searching for this answer but have not found a definate answer. thanks.
Greg

I believe AT&T OLAM can still tell what phone you'er using. IMEI is hard coded, there isn't any way to hide it unless you probably did something with the hardware (like flashing some chip with some special tool). If you're wondering becuase of the mandatory data plans, and them switching... well I made a call to them, I don't have data, ask for a data opt out, they gave it to me (this was before it became mandatory), but they said if they ever updated my IMEI to my Fuze I'd have to get the data plan apparently, as they still have me down as using a Moto SLVR L7, which I got years ago, and have switched between that phone, a Nokia 6102i, and the Fuze. He said I'd have to update it manually over the phone if I wanted. So, they can tell, but it seems like right now you have to update your IMEI over the phone.

at&t can tell what phone you're using, but it wont be able to tell what software you are running.
I'm using ATT's standard $30 unlimited..

thanks for the answers. i see that when i check my account online, it changes to what phone i am using at that time. however, i have used phones that are not at&t branded. it then can not tell what phone i was using. just thought there was a way around the 30$ plan. it really bugs me that they charge such a difference for data. heck, i pay less than that for my dsl at home. again i appreciate the responses.

the general idea is to provide them with the imei of a non smartphone and you pay $15 a month instead, but if they catch you, i do not know what will happen since it is not exactly legal

AT&T requires a data plan on Fuze

Hey guys, I need to cancel my data plan on my account with AT&T, and the rep told me b/c it's a smart phone it requires a data plan with it.
I installed that one program that disables network connections so no data is transferred at all, but I'd still be paying the $30/month.
Does anyone know of a program to blind the IDMI or w/e number so that AT&T doesn't know what phone I'm using? I mean, yea I can just put my SIM in another phone and use that and cancel the plan just fine. I'd LIKE to continue using the fuze as a normal phone b/c it has wifi and is an all-around better phone than say a moto razor. This way I can call from a razor, cancel the plan, and put the SIM back in the Fuze and according to my account online it won't know I've switched back to the Fuze.
Ideas? Thanks.

tell the rep that he/she is a liar and a jerk. You can remove your dataplan. the only phone out there that requires you to have a dataplan is the iphone. get yourself a rep that actually knows what they're talking about.
Last time they told my gf that her only option for txt mssging is to pay for the unlimited and i kept telling her you can get 200 for $5 and the rep says no, I told her to get another rep and that rep set it up for her.

You actually do need a data plan for any smartphone, if you upgrade to another smart phone theres no way to get out of paying $30 for data

Broman400 said:
You actually do need a data plan for any smartphone, if you upgrade to another smart phone theres no way to get out of paying $30 for data
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I have to agree with mputtr. Keep trying until you get a rep that will do it for you. By the way, I've upgraded twice over the past 3 1/2 years with ATT smartphones, and I was never required to get a data plan. I still don't have one to this day.

LBCta said:
I have to agree with mputtr. Keep trying until you get a rep that will do it for you. By the way, I've upgraded twice over the past 3 1/2 years with ATT smartphones, and I was never required to get a data plan. I still don't have one to this day.
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mputtr said:
tell the rep that he/she is a liar and a jerk. You can remove your dataplan. the only phone out there that requires you to have a dataplan is the iphone. get yourself a rep that actually knows what they're talking about.
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Not true anymore, since September 6, it's now AT&T policy that every smartphone requires the $30 data plan, not just the iphone (BBs included). The only way to get out of this is if you had a smartphone BEFORE that date and either didn't have a data plan or had a cheaper one and therefore you're grandfathered in. You could try to find a rep to do it for you, and even in the rare case you do find one, once AT&T matches your IMEI, they're gonna put the data plan back on and possibly charge you for trying to circumvent the policy.

rccola159 said:
Not true anymore, since September 6, it's now AT&T policy that every smartphone requires the $30 data plan, not just the iphone (BBs included). The only way to get out of this is if you had a smartphone BEFORE that date and either didn't have a data plan or had a cheaper one and therefore you're grandfathered in. You could try to find a rep to do it for you, and even in the rare case you do find one, once AT&T matches your IMEI, they're gonna put the data plan back on and possibly charge you for trying to circumvent the policy.
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He's right. Though, how long do you think it will take for them to match up the IMEI's? Because I've switched my SIM through several Winmo phones (shh, off the record) and never been asked about it.
I'm hoping AT&T will be lazy because I really don't like this idea

Jaxbot said:
He's right. Though, how long do you think it will take for them to match up the IMEI's? Because I've switched my SIM through several Winmo phones (shh, off the record) and never been asked about it.
I'm hoping AT&T will be lazy because I really don't like this idea
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Yeah, it's either hit or miss I guess. At times my Fuze will go unnoticed after using a dumbphone, and then all of a sudden it will show up in OLAM, but I've had the Medianet plan on the Fuze forever, so no worries
But from what I hear AT&T is more aggressive in searching for people, so all I can say is good luck!

I've got three phones on family data & family texting... $60 total for all three. Fuze, BJII and Samsung Eternity. I want to upgrade fuze to Tilt2 & BJII to better smartphone, but I don't want to get jacked by AT&T forcing a move to data plans. Anyone know if you can switch back thought the website once you've signed up for data plan?

I've had a Tilt forever. I need to uprade, hopefully to a HTC Pure, however already having a family plan with 5 phones, I don't need or want a data plan o top of that expense. Is there a way of using an unlocked phone to avoid the ATT Nazis? Thanks for any help. Hoping that I won't have to go back to an iPaq Pocket PC.

the only real way of doing it is after upgrading the phone wait a month or so while paying for data then put the sim in a old razr or something and go online change your IMEI and then call and say u lost the new one and have them take data off.
then just swap sims later and hope they dont notice

Here's a quick fix that always works: (I've done this many, many times)
1. Get yourself a dumbphone, i.e. non-winmo/BB/iPhone devices like those Nokia's or SE's
2. Get the IMEI# of the dumbphone ready because the rep would want to register that with your account.
3. Call the rep from the dumbphone, and tell him/her that you're NOT gonna use your smartphone anymore and that you would want the data plan to be removed.
OR
This would also be the chance for you to downgrade your data plan to the cheaper $15/mo MediaNET, most dumbphones will be eligible for that.
4. Hang up and put back the SIM card into the smartphone again, voila.
The trick is to NEVER call the rep from the smartphone as they're able to detect your IMEI from the network.
Good luck.

Device Hopping with 4GLTE SIM

So as I await my call from BB for my pre-ordered T-bolt my mind was thinking, would it be possible to take the 4GLTE Sim card from my new T-bolt and throw it in my Xoom, see where i am going with this....so although i don't have service on my Xoom and only use wifi, theoretically this should work but i won't know until i try. I did find this bit of info in the T-Bolt Manual....
"The 4G SIM card provided to you by Verizon Wireless contains your phone number, service details, and phonebook/message memory. It enables you to make calls and access the Internet using a 4G LTE network. While you’re abroad, you could also connect to a CDMA network.
The Verizon Wireless 4G SIM card is compatible with any Verizon Wireless 4G certified device. You can move the 4G SIM card from one device to another and your wireless service will work seamlessly as long as you have a compatible device and service plan. To see which devices are compatible with the Verizon Wireless 4G SIM card, visit verizonwireless.com/certifieddevice."

I was thinking the same thing exactly. Obviously we will have to wait until we get our Xooms upgraded, as there is no 4g hardware in there to currently take advantage of the sim card, but since right now LTE is only used for data, I don't see why this wouldn't work. Only time (and upgraded Xooms) will tell.

This would be fantastic.

sounds like it would be possible.
try it

I'm pretty sure it wouldn't work. Verizon needs the IMEI number to activate data on the device. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't activate IMEI's for the Thunderbolt.

Not necessarily. When the SIM is loaded into the device the MEID is sent to the system and if the MEID isn't compatible with the plan, either it will make you change your plan (somehow) or it will just not work. I'm pretty sure T-Mobile and AT&T used methods like this to keep you from just taking your SIM from a feature phone with a $10 unlimited data plan to a smartphone, thus blocking your data till you switched to the smartphone data plan. Or avoid customers putting their SIM's in their tablets/mobile broadband devices (which require a mobile broadband plan) and expecting to still have unlimited data for $29.99 just for forfeiting their minutes.

My Thunderbolt 4G SIM with the hotspot feature and unlimited data works great in the 4G MiFi from Verizon. Just pulled it from the phone, plopped it in the MiFi and it worked.

bogatyr said:
My Thunderbolt 4G SIM with the hotspot feature and unlimited data works great in the 4G MiFi from Verizon. Just pulled it from the phone, plopped it in the MiFi and it worked.
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+1 I can confirm this works. I have the Samsung LTE Mifi and my Bolt and my SIM can walk from one to the other.

I don't remember where I read it (I think it was on these forums) but I believe some guy did what you guys are saying.
He said that it worked, but that he was slapped with a huge overage charge or something like that.
I wish I could remember the thread.

Dnakaman said:
I don't remember where I read it (I think it was on these forums) but I believe some guy did what you guys are saying.
He said that it worked, but that he was slapped with a huge overage charge or something like that.
I wish I could remember the thread.
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Can't really have an overage when you have unlimited on the SIM unless they changed your account features. If they did that to me, I'd probably drop them. The Mifi is more reliable than my TB for hotspot, and I'm paying for it so which device I use shouldn't matter.

bogatyr said:
Can't really have an overage when you have unlimited on the SIM unless they changed your account features. If they did that to me, I'd probably drop them. The Mifi is more reliable than my TB for hotspot, and I'm paying for it so which device I use shouldn't matter.
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I think that was his exact reasoning. He had unlimited data on his phone sim, but it into the mifi (or something like that), ended up being charged as mifi device after so many GB's.
Let me see if I can remember some key words to search against in these forums.
EDIT: Ok found the thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1019186&highlight=lte+card

Dnakaman said:
I think that was his exact reasoning. He had unlimited data on his phone sim, but it into the mifi (or something like that), ended up being charged as mifi device after so many GB's.
Let me see if I can remember some key words to search against in these forums.
EDIT: Ok found the thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1019186&highlight=lte+card
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That's because a rep looked at it and instead of listening to the guy thought it was a glitch and switched his plan out of the unlimited deal. He then put it back in his Thunderbolt and called Verizon and they fixed it - no overages and restored his grandfathered unlimited plan.
Verizon says in their ads that you can move your SIM among any Verizon 4G LTE certified device.
Also there is no difference in if you use the hotspot on your phone or the MiFi, you're not stealing anything if you have the hotspot plan on your phone. The MiFi doesn't offer anything more than you get on your TB using their hotspot app already. You're just using a better device until they fix the TB data connection problems.

[Q] Can AT&T detect my Nexus S and charge data?

I bought my unlocked Nexus S (i9020) back when it released and have been using it in India. Now I've moved to the States and bought myself an AT&T plan.
I've read that if I insert a SIM into a smartphone, AT&T automatically detects the IMEI as a smartphone and starts charging a data plan. But since my phone was bought unlocked and it isn't an AT&T branded one either, can AT&T start charging me? Also, if they do start charging me, will they charge $20 on the 300MB plan or any other plan?

Not sure how it works in US, but pretty sure AT&T can bill you if you use data on their network, despite you having an unbranded Nexus.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA

I'm not going to be switching on data any time cause I have WiFi around me most of the time. So can they still charge me?

As I said I'm not 100% sure, but as long as you don't use data they shouldn't trigger any plan. For all effects for them your nexus S is a dumbphone. At least that's how it works in Europe.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA

WinterAce said:
WiFi around me most of the time. So can they still charge me?
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they will eventually detect your smartphone
if you are under contract they apparently can
force a data plan on your line
they got tired of people *****ing about
[and fighting]
giant bills after "not knowing" about data upcharges
...or so the story goes
fwiw

for what it's worth, if you're worried about data usage charges on a line you do not have a data plan for you can call AT&T and ask them to block cellular data on that line. I've done that with my wife's flip phone since the kids keep fiddling with it and accidentally browsing the internet. They were happy to put the block and avoid the alla cart data charges for that line.
Mind you I do have a data plan on my Nexus S.

Thanks for the replies everyone! I'll call AT&T and request them to disable the dataplan. Or I will have to just continue with my N95.

[email protected] said:
for what it's worth, if you're worried about data usage charges on a line you do not have a data plan for you can call AT&T and ask them to block cellular data on that line. I've done that with my wife's flip phone since the kids keep fiddling with it and accidentally browsing the internet. They were happy to put the block and avoid the alla cart data charges for that line.
Mind you I do have a data plan on my Nexus S.
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i dont think on att and verizon with a smartphone plan they allow you to block data as then whats the point according to them of having a smartphone and only using it on wifi. I did get a vzw lg android for $5 for my son and it has no service he only uses it on wifi and can use other programs that are web based to text or use free voip like yahoo messenger video chat.

ive been using an i9020a on att for 6 months and they have not detected it or cared. It shows up as a generic dumbphone on my att account. i have data blocked on it to make sure i dont accidentally use data. i also switch between this and an inspire 4g (an official att phone) and they have not added data. Same goes with my brother who uses a hand me down att gs2 on att.

shahravi94 said:
ive been using an i9020a on att for 6 months and they have not detected it or cared. It shows up as a generic dumbphone on my att account. i have data blocked on it to make sure i dont accidentally use data. i also switch between this and an inspire 4g (an official att phone) and they have not added data. Same goes with my brother who uses a hand me down att gs2 on att.
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Can you please explain to me how did you manage to make them block data ? Didn't they argue that you have a smart phone and that you need to keep the data plan if you have a smart phone ? Thanks

bhaismachine said:
Can you please explain to me how did you manage to make them block data ? Didn't they argue that you have a smart phone and that you need to keep the data plan if you have a smart phone ? Thanks
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Supposedly AT&T detects a Smartphone based on the IMEI number of the phone matched up to a database of IMEI numbers of phones that AT&T sold. The latter is a very important point as they did not sell the Nexus One phone, therefore, many argue on various forum posts that AT&T cannot recognize this non-AT&T sold phone as a Smartphone. The same would be true of any phone not sold by AT&T. However, I have yet to come across any posts of anyone that actually owns a non-AT&T sold smartphone who can confirm this and I've been searching far and wide for this confirmation. I'm getting ready to buy a non-AT&T branded unlocked smartphone to try this myself so perhaps I'll be able to confirm. It would be great if the Original Poster provided his experience with this. i.e. did AT&T detect this phone via the sweeps?
To address some other questions and comments in this forum post...keep in mind that AT&T required a data plan for all smartphones activated on its network after September 6, 2009. However, this policy is far from clear and there are many gray areas, this being one. For example, if I had a smart phone active on September 5 with no data plan, and I buy a used Nexus One on eBay and stick my SIM in it, do I need a data plan? I didn't purchase a new phone or "activate" anything on AT&Ts network so I would argue not.
I also not believe it matters if data is enabled on the phone or not. Try this...take the SIM out of your AT&T phone, stick it in another (different) phone, make a phone call, go to OLAM (i.e. OnLine Account Management), and look at the phone that AT&T thinks you have. Data enabled or not, if the phone was sold by AT&T, they will have identified the phone you just used.
Here is another gray area...data plans on a non-Smartphone lines were as low as $10/month. Data plans are enabled the on the line (i.e. the SIM) not the phone, so a SIM with a data plan can be moved from phone to phone (e.g. dumb phone to smart phone) and data will be active so long as the phone supports the active APN (Access Point Name). If I have a dumb phone line with active data and my phone breaks, what if I stick that SIM in a smartphone I have laying around so that I can make a phone call? What is my obligation to contact AT&T and notify them that I need smartphone data plan?
What follows is for reference only for those that may want a deeper understanding of AT&Ts data plans or desire to "experiment..."
AT&T uses two primary APNs: wap.cingular and isp.cinguar. AT&T is now using wap.cingular for dumb phone access and isp.cingular for smart phones access meaning, if your line has dumb phone data active, your phone needs to support the wap.cingualr APN. Most smarter phones allow the creation of custom APNs if it is not built-in.
The login an pw for the two APNs is as follows: wap.cingular is login= [email protected] and pw= cingular1. isp.cingular is login= [email protected] and pw= cingular1.
The ability to enable the various data plans and features on your account is dependent on what type of phone is assigned to your account based on the IMEI number assigned to that account. This is not the same as the automatic detection I mentioned above. The assignment is done by AT&T employees. I do not have exact or inside information, but I surmise that your line is associated with one of about 4 primary phone types: smart phone, iPhone, black berry, or dumb phone. This assignment dictates what data plans and other features are available to you either thru OLAM or via a CSR. For example, if your line is identified as a dumb phone, you will see the dumb phone data plans in OLAM. If you currently have a smart phone on your account, and switch to a dumb phone, you will only see the dumb phone data plans if AT&T switches the assignment to the dumb phone IMEI. This is only done by calling AT&T, not merely by making a phone call from the dumb phone and relying on the automatic detection.

[email protected] said:
for what it's worth, if you're worried about data usage charges on a line you do not have a data plan for you can call AT&T and ask them to block cellular data on that line. I've done that with my wife's flip phone since the kids keep fiddling with it and accidentally browsing the internet. They were happy to put the block and avoid the alla cart data charges for that line.
Mind you I do have a data plan on my Nexus S.
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damn you beat me to it.
I did this for my girlfreind a LONG time ago with my old iphone 2g when i gave it to her. we said she had little kids who play with her phone and could potentially hit some data use (she officially had a garbage pantech with data capabiltites but no plan).
I then would turn off data on the phone and wham she could use it as long as it was unlocked. i then gave her my 3g which i JB and unlocked for her but then just got a used 3gs from my sis who had ATT unlock it for her and then turned off data and she has been using it fine.
I think as long as data is blocked on their end they dont notice. It WILL show the correct phone if you log in her account and even if you change it it will still change back to whatever yoru using but they never tried to start charging her for data. she loves having the phone with WIFI and me tethering my nexus s to her without having to have a 30$ charge on her bill.
ps
she still uses her regular SIM in the phone and it works for calls/texts normally. she didnt need a different sim for the phone.

Surely you could just delete the APN settings so it couldn't connect on mobile data?

Kitch16 said:
Surely you could just delete the APN settings so it couldn't connect on mobile data?
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You can also just switch off cellular data.
---------- Post added at 09:14 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:08 AM ----------
WinterAce said:
I bought my unlocked Nexus S (i9020) back when it released and have been using it in India. Now I've moved to the States and bought myself an AT&T plan.
I've read that if I insert a SIM into a smartphone, AT&T automatically detects the IMEI as a smartphone and starts charging a data plan. But since my phone was bought unlocked and it isn't an AT&T branded one either, can AT&T start charging me? Also, if they do start charging me, will they charge $20 on the 300MB plan or any other plan?
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It would be great if the Original Poster provided his experience with this after using the phone on the AT&T network for a month or two. i.e. did AT&T detect the Nexus one phone via the sweeps and try to impose a data plan?

Verizon Data Plan Question

I can't find an answer to this and I know what Verizon's answer would be if I asked them. If anyone has tried this, I'd love to hear how it went.
I have a 3g phone (X2....ugh) with an unlimited plan that's still on contract. If I buy a 4G phone from a 3rd party, will I be able to activate it and keep my current plan? Or will VZW make me switch the plan when I call to activate the phone?

xawen said:
I can't find an answer to this and I know what Verizon's answer would be if I asked them. If anyone has tried this, I'd love to hear how it went.
I have a 3g phone (X2....ugh) with an unlimited plan that's still on contract. If I buy a 4G phone from a 3rd party, will I be able to activate it and keep my current plan? Or will VZW make me switch the plan when I call to activate the phone?
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This should help you:
http://www.ehow.com/how_5046976_switch-phones-easily-verizon-wireless.html
Be warned, you might be stuck at 3G speeds using this method as that is probably part of your contract. Upgrading to LTE (4G) would probably mean changing your contract.

That's an interesting take. I'm pretty sure you're right that it'd end up with only 3G that way since the SIM wouldn't be activated.
Does anyone know what would happen to the plan if I just waked into VZW with a 4g new phone and asked them to activate it?
I keep shaking my head that I can't just call Verizon, but I've already gotten 3 different answers from them...
--Edit--
This looks promising...

rep told me
I rep told me as long as you buy your own phone retail keep the unlimited data. I bet you have to buy the phone from them to keep it though.