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Tmobile $5.99 Plan? Tzones?

I have a question for anyone that can be of assistance. I am looking to upgrade myself and my wife from our old antiquated HTC Wizard finally. The problem is I dont want to lose our grandfathered 5.99 data plan through the upgrade. I'm looking for 3g phones that people have upgraded to without problems. This also has to be done with a plan ( I know it would be easier to by a phone outright but unfortunately I don't have the money for that now.) So please any suggestions? Thanks for all of your help.

I sold an iphone recently to someone with a grandfathered plan and tmobile actually said they can remain on the grandfathered data plan. Have you tried calling your tmo customer support agent?

dont call tmobile support. just get a phone from another carrier. i have the cheap data plan on my lg expo.

Thanks guys. I know I can purchase a phone outright and do it. But unfortunately I don't have the money for that right now. So I have to go the extended contract route and upgrade phone. I have gotten mixed messages on this working for the G1. Some say tmobile finds out somehow and cuts this off after a while forcing you to upgrade data plan. Anyone else?

If at first you don't succeed, try try again..... Anyone else please?

AT&T data plan question

Hello all, I have a question I hope someone has an answer to.
I bought the original iPhone a few months after release and got the $20 data +200 text messages plan. I have gotten rid of that phone and over the last year and a half have used the Lg Incite, Tmobile G1 and the Mytouch 3g all using my original SIM card and never changing my data plan. These phones all used 2g service only, T-mobile 3g is not compatible with ATT 3g.
My question is, if I were to purchase the Samsung Captivate at full price, could I still use my original iphone plan? My SIM card says 3g, and I have no doubt it would work on 2g, I just wonder if it would actually use 3g and if so would ATT notice this and switch plans for me? I don't mind paying a few bucks more for data if I have too, I'm just not cool with extending my contract another 2 years, hence I want to pay full price for phone.
Thanks

bobbylx said:
Hello all, I have a question I hope someone has an answer to.
I bought the original iPhone a few months after release and got the $20 data +200 text messages plan. I have gotten rid of that phone and over the last year and a half have used the Lg Incite, Tmobile G1 and the Mytouch 3g all using my original SIM card and never changing my data plan. These phones all used 2g service only, T-mobile 3g is not compatible with ATT 3g.
My question is, if I were to purchase the Samsung Captivate at full price, could I still use my original iphone plan? My SIM card says 3g, and I have no doubt it would work on 2g, I just wonder if it would actually use 3g and if so would ATT notice this and switch plans for me? I don't mind paying a few bucks more for data if I have too, I'm just not cool with extending my contract another 2 years, hence I want to pay full price for phone.
Thanks
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By purchasing the phone at full price, you won't be forced into a contract. Therefore, your plan will stay the same. The reason you sign a contract with the subsidized phones is because the carrier payes $200-300 of the phone for you. In return, your plan most likely raises in price because AT&T usually does something to jack the price up every year. You will still get 3G and AT&T does not have authorization to change your plan since, you didn't sign a contract with them. So, all will still be the same except for your new phone

you should be fine. You may just need to change your plan to $15 data and $5 text plan. I am not sure if you have any contract with ATT but their current data plan is 15 data of 2GB max and 5 for texting. So you virtually are not paying more (unelss you have unlimited data plna).
Captive should work with 3G network so my guess is that you may be able to use 3G.

[Q] Phone's not in ATT's IMEI bank

Greetings!
First time poster, long time reader.
I have been using a SE Xperia X1a that I bought off Ebay since Sept. 2009. I have stuck with this phone because I have an unlimited Medianet HSDPA service that costs $10/Mo. I frequently tether as a wireless router for either my laptop or Ipod Touch 4g. ATT still has not recognized this despite using 2gb+/mo.
The hardware in the phone is breaking down. I am looking for a replacement device that can do a similar service for me- $10/mo/unlimited internet. Are there any foreign branded Androids that can do this?
I did do a search for about an hour before giving up and asking this. Thanks are coming your way for responding

I'm really not sure why you think your plan is tied to your phone? Just get whatever phone tickles your fancy and put your sim card in it.

I don't think my plan is tied to my phone. I'm sorry if that's how it came across.
I am able to capitalize on unlimited MediaNet data because ATT doesn't recognize my Xperia's IMEI- they think I have a dumbphone.
The hardware is failing on my Xperia, and I am looking into a replacement. I'm fully willing to buy an foreign phone out of contract if it's known that ATT can't recognize the IMEI.
If anyone could point me in the right direction it would be much appreciated :-D

They dont think you have a dunb phone(Non Smart Phone) They just havent cared to check. In my experience they only check what style of phone when upgrading services, such as data plans and such. As deathsled said, get any phone that makes you happy and insert yoour sim card. P.S. Make sure phone is able to accept a sim card, and if unlocked make sure its able to listen to the carries specific signal.

Well they do think I have a dumbphone. That's what I had to tell them when I signed up for MediaNet after purchasing the phone.
I don't want to buy a phone that they their system will instantly recognize and upgrade me from my MediaNet to a smartphone plan.
Is there a resource to check the phones that they know of? I could always just purchase the same model and continue doing what I'm doing if not.

Is the problem that nobody knows, or that nobody has seen this thread that does know?

Bamp 10char

Is there another forum I should be trying?

Donteventrii said:
Well they do think I have a dumbphone. That's what I had to tell them when I signed up for MediaNet after purchasing the phone.
I don't want to buy a phone that they their system will instantly recognize and upgrade me from my MediaNet to a smartphone plan.
Is there a resource to check the phones that they know of? I could always just purchase the same model and continue doing what I'm doing if not.
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I'm rather puzzled, why can't you just buy an unlocked phone from (say) Amazon? They do sell nice Nexus One units there...

I know exactly what you are talking about Donteventrii
I can give you a list of phones that might be suitable for you, that are unlocked and use AT&T 3G but their IMEI will still not be recognizable and therefore, you get to keep your $10 unlimited MEdiaNet data plan
Amazon: Any Nokia Phone - E72, N8, E7, E6 etc
NExus S - the one for AT&T which will have the 850/1900 3G bands - http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Googl..._1_1?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1310519566&sr=1-1
T-mobile Galaxy S vibrant - Unlocked. It has AT&T's 3G 1900 band so you will be able to get 3G speeds in many areas since 1900 is the more widespread one.
Any Rogers (Canadian telephone service provider) smartphone unlocked since it uses the same bands as AT&T for it's 3G. I'm using a Rogers unlocked Xperia Play that I bought off a guy who'd bought it off Ebay.
That's just the ones I can think off the top of my head. I'll post again if I remember some more

Thank you very much Abudabu!
I may have some follow ups, but I'm heading to bed.

I would just get another phone like tmobile

Abudabu, do you also use MediaNet for your Xperia Play? I see that ATT is getting Xperia play, do you think this will cause problems for you?
The Nexus S is quite costly still, though 2.3 has me drooling. I believe the Galaxy S may be my best option. I might buy it online and unlock it myself.
Any thoughts?

I don't use MediaNet actually. I'm on the $30 unlimited data plan that I opted for when I went with the iPhone 3GS.
You can swap your SIM card out of your current phne to any phone that does not have an AT&T logo on it and you should be fine. AT&T has the IMEI's of all the phones that IT sells, in it's database. So if you put your sim in an Unlocked Xperia Play from Rogers or from United Kingdom, you can continue using the MediaNet without any hassle. If however, you put your SIM card in a AT&T Xperia Play, the SIM recognizes the IMEI of the phone, and will transmit this data back to AT&T indicating you need to upgrade your plan since you are on a smartphone

Any reason you don't switch back to MediaNet?

I'm aware of the 10$ Medianet plan. But for those that use it with unlocked smartphones, how do you get around the texting?
I see a $30 unlimited data and messaging plan which defeats the purpose of the thread. Are you combining this with the 1000 messages for $10?
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App

Donteventrii said:
Any reason you don't switch back to MediaNet?
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Well couple of reasons:
1) I wasn't sure if they even offer it anymore. I was under the impression they have tiered data plans now. $15 for 200 mb, $25 for 2GB, etc.
2) I switch phones quite a bit. So I prefer to just have the $30 unlimited data plan standard and I switch sim's in and out irregardless.

Ah if you switch phones that makes sense.
But yes, they do indeed offer MediaNet unlimited for 10/month. I am sitting at 2.5gb this month with a week left in my billing cycle.
I mainly use it to tether my laptop while at work. We don't have wifi, and I don't want to use my work computer for personal business. In fact, I'm tethering it right now from work

so where can I find a list of smartphones, compatible with AT&T, not in the IMEI database?
Just to be clear, I can purchase a dumbphone with:
$30 unlimited messaging/mobile to mobile
+
$15 unlimited data
with no voice plan (like the $39.99 for 450 minutes), go home and pop the SIM card to one of these unlisted phones and done.
$45 + tax for unlimited everything on a smartphone.
I can use Google Voice for landlines and international without incurring call forwarding fees and such.

I don't think there is a list other than what's been provided already. I use the Unlimited family messaging and 10/mo unlimited internet.

[Q] Keeping grandfathered unlimited data

So I call AT&T before ordering on amazon, and the rep tells me that I'll be able to call back and switch my data plan to the "5GB Unlimited." I inquire as to how the plan works, she says that if I go over 5GB, I get charged, because it is not unlimited. But then she confirmed that I'll be keeping the grandfathered data plan.
Is this consistent with what other people are getting? Just want to make sure I'm not screwing myself over. Thanks!

It is not called 5GB unlimited. It is LTE unlimited and you will never be charged for overage. What happens is you will be throttled (300k to 500k speed) when you use over 5GB.
You will have to call AT&T to switch back to your unlimited plan after you received your phone from Amazon.

You will probably want to follow up with AT&T after you get your phone to make sure you are actually keeping your grandfathered unlimited plan and that you have not actually been switched over to the 5GB plan.

I had to convince the at&t rep when ordering over the phone that I should have unlimited grandfathered plan.
It is always worth checking to make sure they didn't take it away from you.

While on the phone and on web chat, I asked this specifically with radioshack rep several times that i want to keep my grandfathered unlimited data and they say yes it will be possible. I told them why on my receipt it shows mt dataplan got switched to the 5gb+tether for $50, they said this is only for initial processing, but after approval, everything will go back to the way it was. I made sure to get them to confirm this before I purchased and after i purchased haha.
We will see if this is still the case when I finally get my phone. If not, sucks I might have to cancel and return the phone. unlimited data is pretty valuable especially when you get to go all the way up to 5GB before being throttled in LTE.

When I placed my pre-order through AT&T, I specifically had the option to add the "LTE Unlimited Personal" data package. I was pretty tempted by RadioShack offering it at $50. But given all I read about them farqing things up for pretty much everybody they sell things to, I paid the whole $200 through AT&T. I am willing to pay extra to make sure nobody screws up my unlimited data plan. But that's just me.

I kept my smartphone unlimited plan. AT&T had no problem letting me keep my plan

Keeping my unlimited data plan is the sole reason I always upgrade through ATT. Sure the Radio Shack and Amazon prices are always lower but I never fully trust that ATT will put unlimited data back after I get the phone...

snvyas said:
Keeping my unlimited data plan is the sole reason I always upgrade through ATT. Sure the Radio Shack and Amazon prices are always lower but I never fully trust that ATT will put unlimited data back after I get the phone...
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Agreed. Spending more in the store is worth it to me rather than running the chance of losing the unlimited data plan.

SR4 said:
Agreed. Spending more in the store is worth it to me rather than running the chance of losing the unlimited data plan.
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Even if somehow they screw your data plan up. You can always get your unlimited data plan back. As long as you can:
-Prove that you've had it
-Say that it was changed without your knowledge / consent.
I cannot add them back in the store. You will have to call 611 to get it added back to your account if it was messed up by some other retailer. It's always worth checking your account online to make sure. Or dial *3282#. That will tell you what data plan you currently have.
The type of data connection doesn't matter either. If you are just now moving to your first LTE device, the amount of data you are allowed to transfer before the throttle increases to 5gb from 3gb. The cost is the same and it is still unlimited. Meaning no overage costs.
If you have any specific questions or if customer service gives you any trouble. Please message me and I can help resolve it.

My contract just ended and I have the $30 unlimited data grandfathered. I've always been able to keep it when upgrading by speaking to customer service. But this time I don't want to upgrade for another 2yr contract. I've been a customer forever and would like to have the freedom of no contract for a little bit. I'm currently using a 3g samsung captivate but want to get the s3. I found a really good deal on craigslist. Will at&t let me keep unlimited data without upgrading? I'm just worried that they tell me yes when I call, then after I buy the phone they say no you gotta upgrade. That would suck..

Just swap the sim card into the new phone.
Sent from my One X using xda premium

hugebulge said:
Just swap the sim card into the new phone.
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I believe the GS3 is a MicroSIM, and the Captivate is a "regular" SIM. So the person can get a MicroSIM from AT&T. If you call for one, I think they charge you $15. But in store, they will often give it to you for free to AT&T account holders.
You can also cut the SIM to make it work, using guides online. But its probably easier to just get a free new one from the store.
jsmizzle said:
My contract just ended and I have the $30 unlimited data grandfathered. I've always been able to keep it when upgrading by speaking to customer service. But this time I don't want to upgrade for another 2yr contract. I've been a customer forever and would like to have the freedom of no contract for a little bit. I'm currently using a 3g samsung captivate but want to get the s3. I found a really good deal on craigslist. Will at&t let me keep unlimited data without upgrading? I'm just worried that they tell me yes when I call, then after I buy the phone they say no you gotta upgrade. That would suck..
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Click to collapse
Dont' worry, they can't make you upgrade, you can use whatever hardware you want (as long as its compatible with their network).
If you don't presently have LTE on your account, and the phone you are buying is compatible with AT&T's LTE bands, you can get it added to your account w/o an upgrade and w/o a new contract. But you have to go through AT&T to do it (either by phone or in an AT&T store). Simply tell them you want to keep unlimited data, and add LTE. They technically have to change you to a "new" data plan that is unlimited data with LTE, but its really just the same - unlimited data, but with LTE capability added and no extra fee (its just what they do to make it work in their system). Just make sure they do it right before you leave the store or hangup the phone. Its not completely straightforward, it took them about 15 minutes to get it right for me at my AT&T store, and the rep had to bring the manager into it, and they were really trying. But its worth the hassle, since if they screw it up and take unlimited data off your account, its a real pain to add it back.
And this is the only way to add LTE to your account, if the S3 you are buying has LTE.

Thanks guys for the replies. Apparently, the LTE microSIM is different from the 3g microSIM. Even though they're the same size the coding is different. So i'm gonna need to visit the store to get the LTE card. AT&T customer service did tell me that my unlimited data won't change and I won't need to upgrade. So that's cool.. Now it's about choosing which phone to get. I'm still thinking the S3 but I just looked at the demo models at best buy. Damn this is hard. The one x is a beauty and even the atrix hd looks great too. I might just wait until the iphone 5 release on the 12th so all the other phone prices will drop. But that's a whole different thread..

Options/what would you do in my postition?

Right now I have an old X2 that I can barely get to work. I'm on Verizon with a grandfathered unlimited data plan, so whatever my decision is will involve me buying a phone at full price in an attempt to keep my unlimited data. Should I expect any issues trying to go from a 3G phone to 4G while still keeping my unlimited plan?
I'm very annoyed that there's no 32GB S4 on Verizon, but is there any way at all to get one working on the network, whether I unlock a phone myself or buy one that is already unlocked? Should I hold out and see if there's a way to do that or just bend over and buy the 16GB version, and hope that the apps to SD method works well enough?
I didn't pre-order anything because of all this, what are the odds of me just walking into a store and buying one?