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[Q] Do i really need a data plan

Hey guys I just wanted to ask one question before I actually buy the desire hd. When i got my Tilt 2 one year ago, I told them I didnt want a data plan and they told me it was ok because i have been a customer for 5 years. So question is are they going to force me to get a data plan when i get the desire hd. thanks in advance.

you cannot get it without the data plan, this is ATT's policy now. that said, android OS works much differently, and not having a data plan would probably not work simply because of the way android OS works. you can try it though, curious to hear results...

from what i was told in the past, if you get a cool rep at the store, which i have come across in my area.
You can get them to cancel the data plan after the first month.

epicKA8 said:
from what i was told in the past, if you get a cool rep at the store, which i have come across in my area.
You can get them to cancel the data plan after the first month.
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This is NOT the case anymore. If you get a smartphone on AT&T, you are required to get a dataplan. End Of Story.
If you don't want a data plan, the question you should ask yourself is (unless you have WiFi to connect to all the time) do you really need a smartphone?

epicKA8 said:
from what i was told in the past, if you get a cool rep at the store, which i have come across in my area.
You can get them to cancel the data plan after the first month.
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Click to collapse
Once that person makes their first phone call with their phone, the network registers their IMEI and puts them on the correct data plan.
Nice try though.

The ATT policy aside, because android uses data for so much, I doubt you could even set up the phone unless near WiFi. When out and about away from WiFi, so many parts of the OS reach out for data that it would be very different than what one might realize. It's not like the old windows mobile days where data can just be shut off. But this is why I'm curious to see the results though.

I called att support and they can block data on your line so you never get any data ever, you could turn off data plan that way

Hypnopottamus said:
This is NOT the case anymore. If you get a smartphone on AT&T, you are required to get a dataplan. End Of Story.
If you don't want a data plan, the question you should ask yourself is (unless you have WiFi to connect to all the time) do you really need a smartphone?
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Click to collapse
really? i was told this when i got my phone from my guy who works at the store. you sign up, the must, but after teh first month they can remove it.
Sportsguy15 said:
Once that person makes their first phone call with their phone, the network registers their IMEI and puts them on the correct data plan.
Nice try though.
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Click to collapse
only if you don't unlock it

epicKA8 said:
really? i was told this when i got my phone from my guy who works at the store. you sign up, the must, but after teh first month they can remove it.
only if you don't unlock it
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Click to collapse
If you unlock it, what trick is there to fake the imei? I haven't heard of any yet on android and I looked thru the source code and all to try compiling a kernel to do so. Curious what method you know of!

2 things, you can't drop a data plan as far as i know with at&t, they are changing stuff every week right now however trying to get some sort of edge it seems.
I turned on an old tilt this past week for my kid and they no longer require a data plan it seems on older PDA's. It was a ridiculous rule. So i have data blocked on it and he uses the wifi. Finally one tiny issue solved.
More good news.. (remember you get a different answer with every rep)
I was able to turn on the 2gig plan for 25 instead of the normal $30 its been.
And i was told i can turn on a 4 gig plan now for 40 with 250mb roll overs @ 15$ per.
This is news to me ive only seen the 200mb and the 2 gb plan up till now. Tmobi is like 5 gb a month (unlimited) so its nice to see this (since i swear the 4g is eating up data on me)

I've heard from my aunt, who "worked" for att, that if you were grandfathered in, since the old days where you didn't need a Data plan for a Smartphone, you can still get one without a plan. (I remember my first WM Smartphone was bought this way)
You just have to be sure to specify this point, that you are Grandfathered in.
Since she knows this, Her Son, bought a BlackBerry for his daughter, and insisted on no Data plan, the Rep. allowed it because he was Grandfathered in.
I intend to Buy an Inspire, later this week, using my Mom's upgrade; she actually uses a Blackberry, without a Data Plan too! ;D
It should work the same, my dad says we should be Great-Grandfathered in, cause we were there when it was still Cingular and the First $10.00 Unlimited Data Plans came out.

As far as I know it doesn't work that way. You are already grandfathered in because they are allowing you to use a smart phone without data. But as soon as you get a new phone you will automatically be forced to upgrade to a data plan. My wife tried the same thing, she had a blackberry with no data but when she got a new phone they automatically gave her a data plan.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App

freekquency said:
2 things, you can't drop a data plan as far as i know with at&t, they are changing stuff every week right now however trying to get some sort of edge it seems.
I turned on an old tilt this past week for my kid and they no longer require a data plan it seems on older PDA's. It was a ridiculous rule. So i have data blocked on it and he uses the wifi. Finally one tiny issue solved.
More good news.. (remember you get a different answer with every rep)
I was able to turn on the 2gig plan for 25 instead of the normal $30 its been.
And i was told i can turn on a 4 gig plan now for 40 with 250mb roll overs @ 15$ per.
This is news to me ive only seen the 200mb and the 2 gb plan up till now. Tmobi is like 5 gb a month (unlimited) so its nice to see this (since i swear the 4g is eating up data on me)
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where were you able to do this?

aeneas3 said:
where were you able to do this?
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The 2GB data plan has always been $25. The unlimited data plan is $30.

LOOK HERE! How to get AT&T to bring back $30 data.

Hey guys! Just got off the phone with an AT&T rep, tried to talk him into getting me unlimited data for $30 per month. Obviously that didn't work so well, but he did share some valuable info with me...
Every time someone calls and asks for it, they file a report and send it make to the main department. The keep each report, and he says they've been getting so many recently, they're considering bringing back the plan for those who have called in and asked for it sometime in the next few months.
I don't really know how it will work, but here's your time to call!
Can someone else ask AT&T if these reports actually exist so I know this thread isn't pointless?
Just dial up an ATT rep and ask for unlimited data. They'll most likely say no, but they will also most likely file that report that one guy mentioned.

ok thank.........

In other news, the temperature of earths core has dropped buy over nine thousand degrees.
-sent via 1.21 giggawatts of android.

When I spoke to a CSR manager he didn't say anything about reports but he did confirm that they've been getting bombarded with irate customers who want the unlimited data plan back. His outlook on it was that AT&T was forever changing their plans to meet customers needs and that it was very likely that an unlimited plan would become available in the near future.
BUT and this is a big BUT .... He insinuated that it would come at a heftier price tag. So maybe instead of $30, we might be looking at a $50 all you can eat smorgasbord of data.
Sent from my Inspire w/rapid fire and dual mags

I foresee a lot of people switching to Verizon is that is their comeback.

berryman13 said:
I foresee a lot of people switching to Verizon is that is their comeback.
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Verizon is getting rid of unlimited data too...

Sounds like something I would say to a customer who had spent the last 30 minutes bombarding me with impossible requests.

Just wanted to confirm that I also got 'grandfathered' into an unlimited data plan at $30/month, though it took almost 3 weeks in 'management review' to get there. The problem for me is that I wanted the MEdia Net plan back, and I'm half tempted to tell them to stick their new phone and go back to using my HD2.
Here's why.
In all the years I've been with AT&T (four or more have been out of contract), I've never gone over 200MB a month, and I don't think I've ever gone over 30 text/mms messages a month. Never. Ever. Not when using my Kaiser, and not when using my HD2 both of which were bought privately from Ebay, and not as an upgrade. If anything, I've paid for MEdia net for many months when I didn't use data or messaging at all.
So, for me, a 2G data plan with 200 messages at $20/month would be fine for my needs, and still not hurt AT&T, since I'm not a data hog.
Anyway, just sayin'. YMMV.

Lol I doubt they will bring it back. It had more to do with them having network capacity issues than anything else.
Besides if they actually do keep that info then they will probably corolate the info with the average usage of the people making complaints and if those people are considered high use then it is unlikely their voices will be heard.
Besides I think they where even looking at getting in trouble for the network overload. Doubt they will go back.
Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

Unlimited Data $10

Just switched to this $10 medianet plan and I've still got hspa speeds!
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using XDA App

How did you do this? On ATT website it shows that the $10 Media Net data plan is only for non-smart phones.

give it a day...you will be put back on the capped plans without being asked as soon as they do an IMEI sweep

buddy17 said:
give it a day...you will be put back on the capped plans without being asked as soon as they do an IMEI sweep
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Click to collapse
Wondering why it worked for my blackberry for over 6mo?
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using XDA App

I put my wife's Sim Card in an old Motorola q9h and they knew within a day.
I put my Sim in an Inspire I got in a trade for my Pre2, and they knew by the next morning.

What do you mean by "they knew"?
The phone has always updated on the website but the plan would stick. That's how it worked for the blackberry I had using a medianet plan.
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using XDA App

maybe maybe not
yeah u will prob be changed but there is a chance they could miss u like they did for the bb. have heard of people calling in after that long and wondering why it got added. i know someone who tethers with a $10 plan and does 55gb a month and has, consistently, for years and never been caught....just know.....big brother is watching

Hehe they just switched it this morning.
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using XDA App

The only way to get something like this to work is to use a device from another carrier not already on at&t. Even then they may still nail you depending on what apn you are using.

buddy17 said:
give it a day...you will be put back on the capped plans without being asked as soon as they do an IMEI sweep
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Click to collapse
Ha Ha yes it happened to me and it didn't even take a full 24hrs
3pm had $10 unlimited and by 6am the next morning, I was switched back to a gay tiered plan.
Anybody who wants to try this, just save yourself some time and use the iPhone 2G trick. Worked for me.

you can get it to "stick" if you have an older grandfathered plan. If you have a new plan, you can make them change it back by just calling them, and they will switch it back to the medianet plan, as long as you have a different IMEI that is NOT a smartphone. They will also back date it to the date their system changed to the more expensive plan. BUT, you will have to keep doing this over and over again. I actually had them "fix" my account so it never changes, and it doesnt matter what phone I use. You will have to get to the technical department, and have them do it. Their plans are based on bytes, not speed. So they cannot charge you for the same amount of bytes, only based on your device. If they had different speeds, ala internet service for your home, then it wouldnt be an issue. But since their data plans are only based on bytes, the fact that they have a "unlimited" plan only makes sense for everyone to utilize it, and it matters not what device you use, because a byte is a byte is a byte. They dont provide different upload and download speeds in their data rate plans. I have been with the company since it was originally PacBell, so I have been able to get them to do certain things that arent normally done for customers.

i know what you're talking about with making it stick. you can either use a smartphone NOT from ATT, or call in and give them an IMEI for ANY phone not from ATT (ie unlocked unbranded nokia) or any other phone you have lying around (ie tmobile). They will then lock this into their system as the IMEI for your data plan and you won't be switched over. I used this trick for 2 years with no issues, switching back and forth between my e72 and my tilt2 every day or two (i know, im odd). i watched my data consumption and always stayed under 2 gb because i heard of people getting caught this way, but i'm pretty certain that if you have tech support 'lock in' your IMEI of a dumb phone/non-att phone, you're SET.
unfortunately, i had to upgrade to the 2gb data plan when i purchased my inspire (they wouldn't give me the subsidized rate unless i did this) and my dad got pissed at me for being a cheat too lol

E-Phizzle said:
yeah u will prob be changed but there is a chance they could miss u like they did for the bb. have heard of people calling in after that long and wondering why it got added. i know someone who tethers with a $10 plan and does 55gb a month and has, consistently, for years and never been caught....just know.....big brother is watching
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Click to collapse
55gb I'm sure they would never notice that

Just canceled verizon service over this phone!

After having so so many issues with this phone and issues with my previous OG Droid i came to my wits end and dropped my service today after verizon refused to give me anything other than a Revolution or thunderbolt as a replacement!

Loving my Charge on Humble 4.22 with unlimited data. It can only get better when I move into Humble 5.0 or other EP4P ROM.
I really can't complain about this phone, although I'm sure I couldn't hang with stock.
Are you getting other service? In general, Verizon's network is superior. I'm sure that varies with location though.

i have my charge on humble and all i have to say is WOOOOOOOOOOOOOW.

The head of customer service told me that she wasn't recommending anything because a software update is coming. What a see you next Tuesday.
Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk

I was running a custom rom also but the constant lack of data is unacceptable! i have tried EVERY rom, modem and combination out there! after having 8 of the other droids, and 3 of these i was told that i could swap to ANY other phone i wanted so i researched it and chose the bionic because it has higher ratings the rep then told me no not that phone anything but that, so i said ok let me do some research and i did and decided to go to the iPhone for the reason of apple has better support! and the rep said oh, sorry not that either.... ok so if i can have ANY phone what can i actually have? he replied thunderbolt or revolution... UH.... NO... So o can canceled my service and will sacrifice the poorer networks....

I kinda feel stuck as well. But I don't want to cancel my service.

Someone call the WAAHmbulance.
Sent from my Droid Charge running Infinity Beta

Rofl! In September, I had eleven gigabytes of mobile data downloaded through the cell network, mostly 4G. I have unlimited data. I'll never leave the big red.
Sent from my SCH-I510 using xda premium

kvswim said:
Someone call the WAAHmbulance.
Sent from my Droid Charge running Infinity Beta
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+1 I'm loving my phone lol.
Sent from my SCH-I510 using XDA App

klovar said:
Rofl! In September, I had eleven gigabytes of mobile data downloaded through the cell network, mostly 4G. I have unlimited data. I'll never leave the big red.
Sent from my SCH-I510 using xda premium
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same here man unlimited data and tethering ill never leave

The only issue you mention is "constant lack of data", which would seem to have nothing at all to do with the phone and a lot to do with the network. A Bionic doesn't have magic cell tower creation sauce in it. Neither does an iPh*ne. You say you've been through 11 phones over this, proving the phones aren't related, and proving that VZW has bent over backwards to please a whiney idiot. They've lost a pretty penny giving you phone after phone for something that has NOTHING to do with the hardware, because they actually care about whiners (most of us don't). Good luck finding another company that dedicated to keeping you around while they lose money on you.
If you KNOW of a better carrier in your area, from you know actually talking to real friends on other carriers in your area (if you haven't WAAHed them all away), then just switch to them. No need to post a gee tell me I'm right and a great martyr to strangers all over the world on a forum. Just switch.
Maybe you wanted to be Thomas Paine and start a revolution with all of us. Umm... too bad. Many of us get great service. Sorry yours sucks, but no need to post anywhere but a site dedicated to your local geographic area. Otherwise the info is pretty worthless to most of us.
Finally, THANK YOU, for finally leaving VZW. Your antics have contributed to driving up their overall costs (passed on to all of us eventually).

I dont see how you can complain when you were running custom roms.
Did you ever give the Charge a chance at a complete stock setup?

mtmcghee said:
After having so so many issues with this phone and issues with my previous OG Droid i came to my wits end and dropped my service today after verizon refused to give me anything other than a Revolution or thunderbolt as a replacement!
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Click to collapse
I to was fed up with data drop but it isnt a charge issue. It's a network issue of some sort and as far as the bionic goes let me tell you. You aint missing much. Sure its nice and smooth but the screen is horrible.... i would choose the charge over this any day. Oh well, i lent my charge to someone and borrowed this bionic. Just waiting on the galaxy nexus to drop..... Best of luck with your new carrier.........
Sent from my DROID BIONIC using XDA App

i like the service and coverage that verizon offers, i have 5 lines with them 2 in which i carry with me daily! im not a whiny customer however when my blackberry can stay connected to the network and send/receive calls, messages, data, ect. and my charge sitting right next to it cant i have a problem! the first month i had this phone i had no problems then things went down hill so i started experimenting with roms to see if any of them helped, some did, some didnt. i wasnt trying to get the next best phone as im not in contract on any of my lines and pay the retail prices to avoid a contract! i simply want a phone that i can use without hassle. as for being on my 11th+ phone how is it my fault when my CLR shows up with a broken screen, broken keyboard, not able to boot, factory resets its self every 45min, speakers not work, wifi not work, oh best yet how about when you open the box and they send you a used phone that hasnt been inspected or cleaned!?! my problem is that i need a phone that works and they arent able to send me one, i even agreed to go to a non 4G phone and was denied! So ill go over to att where i expect things not to work!

Humble 5.0 has made this phone good and I agree with others dont leave big red when you have unlimited. Tons of new devices to come.
GL

Really not a good time to bail ... the latest EP4 leak is a big step up in modem performance (almost never drop data anymore -- If I do, it's for maybe 10 seconds).
EP4 will (supposedly) be released within the next few weeks OTA.
Plus this improved modem performance lets me use 2X Battery (similar to Juice Defender) to turn off data while the phone is not in use, yet turn it on every xx minutes to check email, etc.... resulting in a big battery savings. I could never do this with the previous leaks or when the phone was stock -- it would take FOREVER to pick up data each time I turned the screen on.

ilovesoad said:
The head of customer service told me that she wasn't recommending anything because a software update is coming. What a see you next Tuesday.
Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
We are past Tuesday WTF? I'd call back and demand satisfaction!

Now it the wrong time to switch carriers. Unless you go to Sprint. Verizon's Unlimited Data on 4G @12mbs(av.) is something I would have tried to stay and deal with.
I understand your fustration. All I want is a phone that works and does what was promised. I tether and still have probs when playing Xbox live, or downloading torrents. Speedtest gets me 12mbs, but still have problems then it locks or freezes. So I know what you mean. I've tried ALL ROMS. I'm on Humble 5.0 right now, and I love it.
But all you need to do is restart, or turn off then on mobile data, and it works. It'll work for awhile. But there are still those problems that happen. Despite all that...I still Love Verizon. I've had no probs with cust serv or phone coverage. To me, the problem is bad, but not enough to make me EVER leave Verizon.
Luckily I won this phone and still have my new every two discount. So I will sell this phone for 200 and end up paying 50 for Galaxy Nexus. I hope that the problems with tethering and data freezing don't exist with the GN.
I've had them all. Treo on ATT, Samsung Flip Phone on Sprint then flashed to Cricket, G1 on T-Mobile, then Droid Eris and Charge on Verizon. VERIZON IS HANDS DOWN THE BEST!...Luckily I got unlimited data before it was gone. If you had that and let it go...I'm sorry, but I think you will look back and realize you mad a big mistake.

BlazinDANDAMAN said:
Now it the wrong time to switch carriers. Unless you go to Sprint. Verizon's Unlimited Data on 4G @12mbs(av.) is something I would have tried to stay and deal with.
I understand your fustration. All I want is a phone that works and does what was promised. I tether and still have probs when playing Xbox live, or downloading torrents. Speedtest gets me 12mbs, but still have problems then it locks or freezes. So I know what you mean. I've tried ALL ROMS. I'm on Humble 5.0 right now, and I love it.
But all you need to do is restart, or turn off then on mobile data, and it works. It'll work for awhile. But there are still those problems that happen. Despite all that...I still Love Verizon. I've had no probs with cust serv or phone coverage. To me, the problem is bad, but not enough to make me EVER leave Verizon.
Luckily I won this phone and still have my new every two discount. So I will sell this phone for 200 and end up paying 50 for Galaxy Nexus. I hope that the problems with tethering and data freezing don't exist with the GN.
I've had them all. Treo on ATT, Samsung Flip Phone on Sprint then flashed to Cricket, G1 on T-Mobile, then Droid Eris and Charge on Verizon. VERIZON IS HANDS DOWN THE BEST!...Luckily I got unlimited data before it was gone. If you had that and let it go...I'm sorry, but I think you will look back and realize you mad a big mistake.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sprint is having their own data problems right now. You guys are complaining about dropping data until you reboot. How about not having any data at all regardless of how many times you reboot. That's how bad Sprint is in some areas right now (northwest Indiana). If I try to go to the market sometimes the phone will sit there for literally five minutes and still won't connect. I get data time-outs and the spinning circle multiple times a day. Which is why I went back to Verizon on my hands & knees hoping their network has improved in the past couple of years.

Big red came through. They have very nice CS (well 95% nice) LOL. I got the Bionic just in time to sell it after I use my upgrade to get the nexus!!!! (The Bionic is a very good phone BTW) Verizon service hands down beats the rest. When it comes to the big red, you get what you pay for. That's the truth.

[Q] Best way to use carrier's money?

Hi All,
I am a happy nexus 5 owner. I recently switched from sprint to att and couldn't be happier with how my n5 is performing. It's like a new phone.
Not sure if this is the right forum for this, but here goes, it'll probably be a fun post anyway.
Anywho, in switching, I ran up against a nice issue that apparently all carriers sneakily do in their terms. If you cancel service (not a contract, been out of contract for some time) they charge you for the full month of service. In my case, I left 2 days into my billing cycle and am being charged for the whole month! Pretty crappy.
Sob story aside, I really don't have the time or energy to fight them, nor take them to court, nor risk my credit score all over $130. But since I feel crappy about it, I'd like to get back at least in some nominal way.
One idea is since I'm paying for the month, take an older sprint phone, activate it for the month and set it up to just download and upload as much data as possible. Any suggestions? Another idea I had is that I've heard roaming alot causes all kinds of charges for the carrier. So I thought I could write a quick script to call a landline or my google voice number every night when free nights and weekends kicks in and leave the phone plugged in somewhere where it is roaming? Anyone know if this is better? Should I just use roaming data?
Any and all comments most appreciated.

You're right this is not a good place for this. This is a development forum, not a get-your-own back forum.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

tmobile only charges you for the days you still were using them. if you used them for only two days, thay would only charge you for two days

simms22 said:
tmobile only charges you for the days you still were using them. if you used them for only two days, thay would only charge you for two days
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Click to collapse
this.
it depends on the plan you were on. if you were on a prepaid plan, you're SOL. if you're on a post-paid plan, they should pro-rate it.
also, with 2 days left, the amount in question that would be credited back to you is quite low.
eitherway, this is not the proper forum for you to be angry and try and get back at a carrier.