Background:
* I have 2 lines on Family Plan, both with "smartphone exclusion"
* On 1st line, I had Samsung Jack with Medianet Unlimited Plan for 2 years without any problems. Loved the unlimited data for $15 bucks w/ light WIFI and USB tethering, never exceeded 2-3 GB/month.
* On 2nd line, I had a dumb phone
Recently, I upgraded the dumb-phone to Infuse 4G at Best Buy, came home and switched the SIM back into a dumb-phone, called ATT, and had them take the data plan off. I understand that at this point I have lost "smartphone exclusion" on this line because I have upgraded.
Now I took the SIM from my 1st phone (Samsung Jack) and inserted in my Infuse. I used it for happy 3 weeks, no sms from ATT, unlimited data plan stayed on just fine. My billing cycle starts on the 4th; so, today I can see that my unlimited medianet data has been removed, but no data plan has been added (I think smartphone exclusion saved me), but when I look under usage, I can see
Data
GPRS MB WAP/BBRY/ISP 2GB DOM $10.00/1GB ADDL - HSSMTD4O
and then for my data usage, I see:
11.62 MB of 2048 MB
My interpretation is that technically if I wanted to, I could just disable data on my phone, and I wouldn't be forced into a data plan, but they are making sure I can't take advantage of the MediaNet plan either. Any thoughts?
I'm thinking of selling the Infuse and getting a non-ATT smartphone.
Any insightful comments would be appreciated. Please don't bother posting if you don't know what 'smartphone exclusion" is. Or, please don't make a reference to ATT TOC. Thanks!
sumeet909 said:
Background:
* I have 2 lines on Family Plan, both with "smartphone exclusion"
* On 1st line, I had Samsung Jack with Medianet Unlimited Plan for 2 years without any problems. Loved the unlimited data for $15 bucks w/ light WIFI and USB tethering, never exceeded 2-3 GB/month.
* On 2nd line, I had a dumb phone
Recently, I upgraded the dumb-phone to Infuse 4G at Best Buy, came home and switched the SIM back into a dumb-phone, called ATT, and had them take the data plan off. I understand that at this point I have lost "smartphone exclusion" on this line because I have upgraded.
Now I took the SIM from my 1st phone (Samsung Jack) and inserted in my Infuse. I used it for happy 3 weeks, no sms from ATT, unlimited data plan stayed on just fine. My billing cycle starts on the 4th; so, today I can see that my unlimited medianet data has been removed, but no data plan has been added (I think smartphone exclusion saved me), but when I look under usage, I can see
Data
GPRS MB WAP/BBRY/ISP 2GB DOM $10.00/1GB ADDL - HSSMTD4O
and then for my data usage, I see:
11.62 MB of 2048 MB
My interpretation is that technically if I wanted to, I could just disable data on my phone, and I wouldn't be forced into a data plan, but they are making sure I can't take advantage of the MediaNet plan either. Any thoughts?
I'm thinking of selling the Infuse and getting a non-ATT smartphone.
Any insightful comments would be appreciated. Please don't bother posting if you don't know what 'smartphone exclusion" is. Or, please don't make a reference to ATT TOC. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
More than likely eventually they will get you on the Infuse for the regular Smartphone data plan when the system realized the IMEI is from an Infuse.
MisterEdF said:
More than likely eventually they will get you on the Infuse for the regular Smartphone data plan when the system realized the IMEI is from an Infuse.
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Click to collapse
OK, then the remaining option is to get unlimited plan via iPhone 2g route, correct?
I think they could not put me on data plan, but they've put me on some kind of "pay per use" data plan with 2GB/$25 to start of. If I don't use any data, I don't pay anything, but if I use even just 1MB, they charge me $25 that month. Smart move by ATT. So, the medianet option is over.
Unlimited Data Grandfathered
AT&Ts Policy is ,"If they squal loud enough,let them keep their data" I have an Inspire & an Iphone 4 both with 30.00 per month Unlimited Data,Rooted for no Additional Cost for Internet Tethering & Hotspot Use, I came from Blackjack and Palm SMartphones ,said I was leaving for another carrier after I was told I could have a 200mb or 2 gig Data Plan with Overage fees after my Limits were reached,Supervisor was questioned by AT&T Operator and Data was Grandfathered,I have since added a 3rd Line with the Infuse and have Unlimited on that and never even had a 3rd line on the old Plan. SQUEAL LIKE A PIG!!
don't know what smartphone exclusion is but i'm still going to post and ask what is it?
and to my knowledge, when you bought the infuse 4g, the data plan is bounded by the contract for 2 years, how did you tell them to take it off?
Want an unreasonable request granted write the oop.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using XDA App
seeing how i am a sales rep with at&t i will chime in with some thoughts to your question... your old medianet plan isn't compatible with the 4g phone vs wap.cingular apn the new 4G android phones use. So for starters with out modification your internet never would have worked without adding new apn's to the phone.
What happened was, you were correct when your said, your line was grandfathered with smartphone exclusion but that was only for the IMEI of the device that code was added to your account with. The second you changed that data device on that line to another data device, I am willing to bet that code was removed from your line as you lost your grandfather clause by changing device type / IMEI. Thus your plan was changed.
What happened was now since you put your other lines sim card in the phone, it also saw the IMEI didn't match the data plan you had. Removed it, and added the standard 2GB 4G phone data plan to your line. It is not pay per use, you are now most likely being charged $25/month for 2GB of data, the next plan down is $15 for 200MB of data per month, the next plan up is $45 for 4GB of data w/mobile hotspot feature.
Unless you go back to your old phone you can not get your old plan back, that is if you can even get that old plan back as it isn't in the system anymore to my knowledge unless you get a rep with grandfathered plan access over the phone.
You maybe able to call and get a lucky rep to get you on a $30 unlimited plan as you had unlimited before, but they will most likely reject it as it was a different phone/data plan type, otherwise it would have carried over as a $30 unlimited plan automatically when the system changed it.
This is just my 2 cents. I hoped this answered your question without getting in to the TOS as you stated lol
Disclaimer: These thoughts are my own, and don't represent those of at&t.
sumeet909 said:
OK, then the remaining option is to get unlimited plan via iPhone 2g route, correct?
I think they could not put me on data plan, but they've put me on some kind of "pay per use" data plan with 2GB/$25 to start of. If I don't use any data, I don't pay anything, but if I use even just 1MB, they charge me $25 that month. Smart move by ATT. So, the medianet option is over.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're not on "pay Per Use" you are on the $25/month 2gig plan unless this is some new secret plan they have. Yes, you probably could do the "iPhone 2G trick
and get unlimited for $30/month.
Hate to be blunt, but you fubared it. The only way to do what you want to is buy an unlocked non att phone with the right gsm radio, and use a feature phone, get the ten dollar unlimited plan, then switch sim to unbranded phone setup apn for att. Not That I've ever done it but a lot of people do. There is also straight talk. 50$a month unlimited everything, but only two of Their phones have the necessary unlocked sim at200$.
CM7, Nightly. Captivate
Vegaslightsss said:
AT&Ts Policy is ,"If they squal loud enough,let them keep their data" I have an Inspire & an Iphone 4 both with 30.00 per month Unlimited Data,Rooted for no Additional Cost for Internet Tethering & Hotspot Use, I came from Blackjack and Palm SMartphones ,said I was leaving for another carrier after I was told I could have a 200mb or 2 gig Data Plan with Overage fees after my Limits were reached,Supervisor was questioned by AT&T Operator and Data was Grandfathered,I have since added a 3rd Line with the Infuse and have Unlimited on that and never even had a 3rd line on the old Plan. SQUEAL LIKE A PIG!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! I can do this since I am well within the return policy and other 2 lines have no contract.
shadow65781 said:
Hate to be blunt, but you fubared it. The only way to do what you want to is buy an unlocked non att phone with the right gsm radio, and use a feature phone, get the ten dollar unlimited plan, then switch sim to unbranded phone setup apn for att. Not That I've ever done it but a lot of people do. There is also straight talk. 50$a month unlimited everything, but only two of Their phones have the necessary unlocked sim at200$.
CM7, Nightly. Captivate
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed. Let me ask you another question then, could I ebay the Infuse, buy an unlocked Galaxy S2 (International version), call them and give them IMEI of dumb phone and get the $15 plan? I did mess it up, but I'm within the 30 day return policy window to fix it; just need to find best way out.
AEDan1977 said:
seeing how i am a sales rep with at&t i will chime in with some thoughts to your question... your old medianet plan isn't compatible with the 4g phone vs wap.cingular apn the new 4G android phones use. So for starters with out modification your internet never would have worked without adding new apn's to the phone.
What happened was, you were correct when your said, your line was grandfathered with smartphone exclusion but that was only for the IMEI of the device that code was added to your account with. The second you changed that data device on that line to another data device, I am willing to bet that code was removed from your line as you lost your grandfather clause by changing device type / IMEI. Thus your plan was changed.
What happened was now since you put your other lines sim card in the phone, it also saw the IMEI didn't match the data plan you had. Removed it, and added the standard 2GB 4G phone data plan to your line. It is not pay per use, you are now most likely being charged $25/month for 2GB of data, the next plan down is $15 for 200MB of data per month, the next plan up is $45 for 4GB of data w/mobile hotspot feature.
Unless you go back to your old phone you can not get your old plan back, that is if you can even get that old plan back as it isn't in the system anymore to my knowledge unless you get a rep with grandfathered plan access over the phone.
You maybe able to call and get a lucky rep to get you on a $30 unlimited plan as you had unlimited before, but they will most likely reject it as it was a different phone/data plan type, otherwise it would have carried over as a $30 unlimited plan automatically when the system changed it.
This is just my 2 cents. I hoped this answered your question without getting in to the TOS as you stated lol
Disclaimer: These thoughts are my own, and don't represent those of at&t.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Before I started using Infuse, I did Google this APN thingy and I had setup a new APN for Infuse rather than using the default one.
2nd: Actually, "smartphone exclusion" is still there. That is the strange part, but yes, to your point, it doesn't apply after equipment change - this has been mentioned by your co-workers and I understand it now.
I just need to call them and start yelling. Technically I'm within the 30 day return policy (or is it 14?). Plus, other 2 lines are not in contract. Otherwise, T-Mobile, here we come.....
tjy8tim said:
don't know what smartphone exclusion is but i'm still going to post and ask what is it?
and to my knowledge, when you bought the infuse 4g, the data plan is bounded by the contract for 2 years, how did you tell them to take it off?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Before Sept 2009, AT&T didn't require data plans w/ smartphones. So, After Sept 4, 2009 they required everyone to buy a data plan w/ smartphone. Customers who owned a smartphone prior to that date, were not required to purchase a smartphone and a feature was added to their accounts called "smartphone exclusion". I owned a Samsung Jack prior to that data. After I got "smartphone exclusion", I added $15 media-net and had it for about 2 years. To preserve that feature, I never upgraded my line; I actually upgraded my sister's line to get a new phone and then switched the SIM cards. Alas, that loophole has been shut. AT&T has a crawler in place that checks this and adds data plans unless you have the same equipment IMEI that you got the smartphone with.
I might need to research if IMEI spoofing is possible/legal. Otherwise, might just buy an unlocked non-ATT smartphone.
Do you have a recommendation for non-ATT smartphone that measures up to Infuse?
sumeet909 said:
Do you have a recommendation for non-ATT smartphone that measures up to Infuse?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Galaxy s2 from Europe. Amazon carries it 600 bones and its yours, or you could get a nexus one with att radio, not sure about it but the nexus s might be unbranded.
Read something last night, after nexus s released on att they caught people who bought it prior to release. Forced them to “rip off" data plan.
CM7, Nightly. Captivate
shadow65781 said:
Galaxy s2 from Europe. Amazon carries it 600 bones and its yours, or you could get a nexus one with att radio, not sure about it but the nexus s might be unbranded.
CM7, Nightly. Captivate
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm getting ready to bail out Europe by approx 600. That's quite an amount, but ATT is despicable - the lag and bloatware on Infuse is unacceptable and the data restrictions just kill the experience. God save the Euro, USD are on their way.
sumeet909 said:
I'm getting ready to bail out Europe by approx 600. That's quite an amount, but ATT is despicable - the lag and bloatware on Infuse is unacceptable and the data restrictions just kill the experience. God save the Euro, USD are on their way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any updates on what you did? Did you just buy the GSII and use your old $15 unlimited plan?
Infuse is on sale on Craigslist. As soon as it is sold, I will use those proceeds to order a European GS2. Strange, it is so difficult to get rid off Android products compared to Apple Snapple. If I don't get good price, I might just end up returning it since I am within 30 day return period. I was hoping to subsidize the GSII cost.
oofie said:
Any updates on what you did? Did you just buy the GSII and use your old $15 unlimited plan?
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Click to collapse
Related
I was curious of those of you using AT&T's service and have Fuze's. What plans do you have? What do you think is the best overall plan? for unlimited text messaging and unlimited data plan, i dont need many minutes. thanks
Personal plan = 1350 mins $79.99
Unlimited text and media net = $50.00
Maybe the 59.99 plan?
i use the $15 medianet for unlimited internet
omaralt said:
i use the $15 medianet for unlimited internet
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so when i sign up, should i tell them ill be using it on an HTC Fuze? whats the cheapest way i can do this, with having unlimited data
ACMilan07 said:
I was curious of those of you using AT&T's service and have Fuze's. What plans do you have? What do you think is the best overall plan? for unlimited text messaging and unlimited data plan, i dont need many minutes. thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you already buy the fuze? Or are you going to get it from ATT with the rebate? Cause if you get it from them there going to put you on the PDA plan... which cost more that the $15 unlimited media net... you supposed to have the PDA plan for the FUZE but ONE way around it is if you bought the phone without contract and just added the $15 media net unlimited... but theres other ways around it..
sguerra923 said:
Did you already buy the fuze? Or are you going to get it from ATT with the rebate? Cause if you get it from them there going to put you on the PDA plan... which cost more that the $15 unlimited media net... you supposed to have the PDA plan for the FUZE but ONE way around it is if you bought the phone without contract and just added the $15 media net unlimited... but theres other ways around it..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no i already have the fuze, but no service. i need service and i want to know what i should do? i want the cheapest possible plan, but i need unlimited data and text messaging. should i act like im going to buy a motorola razer? and get the unlimited internet package on it? I mean will it work on my fuze? thanks
the cheapest is probably
450 minutes - $39.99 with
MEdia Max Unlimited (Text & Web) - $35
that'll give you 450 minutes talk time along with unlimited data and unlimited messaging. since you already have the phone it should be no problem getting the non-PDA data plan.
just go in and sign up for a plan and get a sim card.
Dyaus said:
the cheapest is probably
450 minutes - $39.99 with
MEdia Max Unlimited (Text & Web) - $35
that'll give you 450 minutes talk time along with unlimited data and unlimited messaging. since you already have the phone it should be no problem getting the non-PDA data plan.
just go in and sign up for a plan and get a sim card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is it really possible to use Media Max with a PDA phone?
I thought AT&T didn't alllow this?
Do AT&T charge extra to have internation roaming?
if you want media max for $15, sign up for it using a regular phone such as a razr. the plan will be $39.99 (voice) + $15 (data). After you sign up for the service, just take out the sim card and put it in your fuze at home. Note that this is against the agreement you signed with AT&T. All PDA phones (yes Fuze is a PDA phone) are only allowed to have PDA data ($35 stand alone or $30 if you tie it to a voice plan). By having media max for $15 you're essentially involved in fraud. Some people obviously have no problem doing that, but if you have a conscience you might want to just sign up for a voice + data plan for Fuze ($39.99 + $30)
and yes ATT does charge extra for roaming.
1. Cheapest will be Nation 450 @ 39.99
2. Best value is Nation 450 or Nation 900 w/ early N&W (extra 60 hours a month of unlimited talking)
3. AT&T DOES NOT charge for roaming. If you are flagged as an excessive off-network roamer, the only consequence is a pushed back upgrade date. Anyone who tells you different is wrong.
4. If you DO sign up for MediaNet or MediaMax and use the IMEI from a RAZR or what have you, note that you will be faced with the following:
- It will be counted as fraud and violate AT&Ts Terms and Conditions leaving you open for legal action or service cancellation
- You WILL NOT receive insurance replacements
- You WILL NOT get the instant $100 Data Phone discount and $50 MIR meaning you will pay $450 for the phone. And no, you can't ask for it. And it's going to look fishy going into a store buying the phone outright and not getting the IMEI activated onto your account. You might get investigated.
- You CAN NOT call customer service or tech support with issues regarding your phone. They will investigate your account, notice the IMEI discrepancy and put the correct smart phone plan on your account.
Get the correct data feature.
clarification
TProUser said:
3. AT&T DOES NOT charge for roaming. If you are flagged as an excessive off-network roamer, the only consequence is a pushed back upgrade date. Anyone who tells you different is wrong.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AT&T doesnt charge extra for international roaming?
I thought they charge extra if you receive data when you're in, say, Canada. Same goes with phone calls. could you please clarify? thanks
wouldnt att notice the high data consumption through a regual phone and ivestigate anyway?
No. To be clear, the plan separation is ATT's way of charging per use. Basically they use different plans for different phones that are more data intensive (iPhone, Blackberry, PDA phones). The phones all use the same data network (PDA phones get assigned a publicly addressable IP, there is that one difference) and get the same data throughput. They don't really monitor data usage (except for crazy high amounts), and the infrastructure's not really there to have everything separated out, so they just sign you up with a data plan that's priced to the phone you buy. Then they put some legalese in the account agreement to try to enforce that. I've never heard of them actually enforcing it.
isaacfinnegan said:
No. To be clear, the plan separation is ATT's way of charging per use. Basically they use different plans for different phones that are more data intensive (iPhone, Blackberry, PDA phones). The phones all use the same data network (PDA phones get assigned a publicly addressable IP, there is that one difference) and get the same data throughput. They don't really monitor data usage (except for crazy high amounts), and the infrastructure's not really there to have everything separated out, so they just sign you up with a data plan that's priced to the phone you buy. Then they put some legalese in the account agreement to try to enforce that. I've never heard of them actually enforcing it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I work for ATT and i have to agree. like he said, its in the contract but as far as enforcing it, there is no worry, unless for crazy data usage. i do it all the time for friends that dont wana pay 30 a/mo. $75 a month is the best possible price you can get unless you work for a company that provides a discount. ie Best Buy is a 21% discount, USPS is 28%...
what about att recognising your imei and changing the plan to match? a friend of mine said that att recognized and changed her plan to a pda plan and her phone as the blackjack she used. anyone hear of this happening?
Hey guys, my 1st post here.
i am on AT&T and i am going for galaxy s device, obvious choice being captivate, but i want to know if i have basic unlimited data plan (the one for my current SE w760, $15/month) will continue to work? i am going to buy captivate from ebay, not directly from AT&T, so can i still use non-smartphone data plan for captivate? cuz if im not getting unlimited data, i will prefer going to Vibrant.
It will work fine, but AT&T will eventually notice and switch you to an "appropriate" plan.
thank you for the reply, but then what if i go for Vibrant instead of captivate? that way AT&T cant change my plan to smartphone plan right?
It depends on whether they have the Vibrant's IMEIs in their database. It's possible they don't, but it's possible they do.
But then you would have to get an unlocked Vibrant, and would you even be able to use the 200MB on the smartphone $15 plan since you'd be using EDGE (I'm assuming the Vibrant doesn't have AT&T 3G).
I'm good friends with a manager from an AT&T store, and yes, it will change, unfortunately, even if you got the Vibrant... Had to ask him pretty much the same question for a friend of mine, and they manage to see that you have a data/smart phone pretty quick.
yeah that is true, clocking 200MB on EDGE is not that probable, but that is my deciding factor. if i can get unlimited 3G on captivate (i guess AT&T no longer has an unlimited plan) then i would go for captivate else i would go for Vibrant, as vibrant is better in many aspects than captivate, especially less bloatware and more useful apps pre-loaded.
And you can get an unlocked Vibrant?
thats a shame, but then in that case Vibrant is better choice, as having a limited 3G is a pain, and that was the only reason i was going for captivate over vibrant.
and yes there are lots of unlocked vibrants on ebay from pretty reputed sellers.
xargs1 said:
It will work fine, but AT&T will eventually notice and switch you to an "appropriate" plan.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my case they didn't. I used my at&t Tilt (Kaiser) on MEdia Net Unlimited for the last two years. I never got switched back to the smartphone data plan or got any sort of nasty note about using too much data.
I had a unlocked G1 on At&t and after configuring the APNs I had unlimited data for $15 a month. Needless to say there was no 3g but it still worked with no issues.
If you have an old unlimited data plan, its called grandfathered I think. Anyways, if you have an old smartphone plan it should just stay the same as long its the smartphone, I still had my unlimited plan when I switch from iPhone 3GS to SGS. But I don't know if you have the smartphone unlimited data plan since you mention the 15 dollars one. I would go directly to AT&T cooperate store and speak in person cuz representative on the phone are just dumb! LOL so yeah meeting in person would be good.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
mlb1988 said:
If you have an old unlimited data plan, its called grandfathered I think. Anyways, if you have an old smartphone plan it should just stay the same as long its the smartphone, I still had my unlimited plan when I switch from iPhone 3GS to SGS. But I don't know if you have the smartphone unlimited data plan since you mention the 15 dollars one. I would go directly to AT&T cooperate store and speak in person cuz representative on the phone are just dumb! LOL so yeah meeting in person would be good.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OP doesn't have any smartphone plan to be grandfathered in.
chirantan.f said:
yeah that is true, clocking 200MB on EDGE is not that probable, but that is my deciding factor. if i can get unlimited 3G on captivate (i guess AT&T no longer has an unlimited plan) then i would go for captivate else i would go for Vibrant, as vibrant is better in many aspects than captivate, especially less bloatware and more useful apps pre-loaded.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
200 MB on EDGE is easy to do on the Captivate. I'm already past that point and I do use Wifi at home.
so from all the posts, i think getting a captivate means i have to pay for smartphone plan, even though i should have an option to cancel the data plans totally (while some forums say that i cant cancel a data plan, but i dont believe thats the case if i have bought the phone at full price and not subsidized).
Now i am interested in seeing what will AT&T do if i go for Vibrant (instead of Captivate) and use the non-smartphone data plan on it. I doubt they will know what is connected as they wont have IMEI for Vibrant (some forums said that AT&T does differentiate their smartphones based on the list of IMEIs) so with Vibrant i should be able to use non-smartphone data-plan, what do you guys think about that?
chirantan.f said:
so from all the posts, i think getting a captivate means i have to pay for smartphone plan, even though i should have an option to cancel the data plans totally (while some forums say that i cant cancel a data plan, but i dont believe thats the case if i have bought the phone at full price and not subsidized).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AT&T requires ALL smartphones to have data plan regardless how you purchased it. Just ask any Nexus One owners.
Now i am interested in seeing what will AT&T do if i go for Vibrant (instead of Captivate) and use the non-smartphone data plan on it. I doubt they will know what is connected as they wont have IMEI for Vibrant (some forums said that AT&T does differentiate their smartphones based on the list of IMEIs) so with Vibrant i should be able to use non-smartphone data-plan, what do you guys think about that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally, if I'm only getting EDGE speed, I'll not pay any data plan for it. It's like you buy a top of line PC today and put a dialup networking for internet connection.
Posting this here since it's specific to the Inspire, but it applies to AT&T's smart phone policy in general. I'm looking for input from those of you who have managed to somehow get your data plans grandfathered successfully.
Here's the deal.
After some 6 years with Cingular/AT&T, four years of which were off contract while using a Kaiser (not a Tilt) and HD2 (Telstra) I upgraded last month to the Inspire. While I have no beef with the phone, I do have a problem with the data plan.
My problem is this. I'm 'Goldilocks'. I need a plan that's "juuuust right" for me, but AT&T is hammering me into one of three cubbyholes, none of which fit my needs.
I have spent over two hours on the phone over the past couple weeks with line reps and one supervisor to explain to them that for those 4 years I was on a MEdia Net unlimited plan at $20/month, never did I exceed 200MB of data. In fact, there were months when I used no data or text at all, but still paid for the plan. But my concern is that I can see exceeding 200MB/month on occasion with the new phone, therefore my point to them is that they should let me use the MEdia Net plan, or risk losing my account entirely.
So after all that time on the phone and almost two weeks of waiting for them to see what they were going to do, they 'Grandfathered' me into a $30/month unlimited data plan with no text.
Now, I don't mind paying another $5/month more than I used to, to cover myself for up to 2Gig of data, though I doubt I'd ever use that much. For my usage pattern, 2Gig is virtually unlimited to me. But I have no messaging units and I resent spending $10 for 1000 messages when I only use about 20 or so per month.
What I'd be perfectly content with is $25/month for 2Gig and 200 (or even just 50!) messages. But none of the rocket scientists there can figure out how to make it happen. Interestingly enough, Tmobile is offering $80/month with unlimited data, unlimited voice and unlimited texting.
So, here I am with these choices:
1) Take the $25/month plan and just tell my friends to not text me as much anymore.
2) Take the $30/month unlimited plan and use the crap out of it just for spite.
3) Tell AT&T to go pound salt, return the phone, revert to my MEdia Net plan and use my Kaiser until I go with Tmobile at $80 unlimited for voice/data/text and get the upcoming HTC Sensation
Hoping y'all have some advice for me.
Thanks!
Sign up for the 200mb plan. If you exceed your data, you can retroactively upgrade to the 2gig plan for $25 and not pay any overage.
And then you can lower it down to the 200mb plan for the next billing cycle.
Edit, also, with unlimited data from tmobile, you get 2gigs of full speed data, after which you are throttled until the end of the billing cycle.
I was with Cingular when it started and then AT&T when they bought 'em. I was lucky enough when my wife and I got our first iPhone 3g's we got the unlimited plan. At that time, texting was included. A few years later, while upgrading our phones...they told us that the unlimited data would stay the same, but we would have to pay for the texting...so we got the Unlimited Texting Family Plan. Its a few dollars more, but well worth it.
I say go for it!
Get the 2 gig plan for 25...its 10 bux for each gig after...So what...... i pay 5 dollars a month for 200 text messages. I can still see that offer when I hit upgrade.
Perhaps the bigger question is why do you need a smart phone since you don't want to pay for the best features. Internet, email, texting....
harlenm said:
Sign up for the 200mb plan. If you exceed your data, you can retroactively upgrade to the 2gig plan for $25 and not pay any overage.
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Only partially correct. Here it is, straight from the AT&T website:
On the 200MB plan:
DataPlus 200MB for Smartphone includes 200MB. Once 200MB is exceeded, an additional 200MB is automatically provided at a rate of $15 for each additional 200MB provided. Unused data usage does not carry over. For HSPA+/4G SmartPhones ONLY.
On the 2G Plan:
DataPro 2GB for HSPA+/4G Smartphone includes 2GB. Once 2GB is exceeded, an additional 1GB is automatically provided at a rate of $10 for each additional 1GB provided. Unused data usage does not carry over. For HSPA+/4G SmartPhones ONLY.
So, you're right, but only as it applies to the 2Gig plan at $25/month.
tweaked said:
Perhaps the bigger question is why do you need a smart phone since you don't want to pay for the best features. Internet, email, texting....
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Click to collapse
Maybe you missed my point. I am willing pay for data. In fact, if anything, I have overpaid. My problem is that I'll probably use a bit more than the $15 plan, but not as much as the $25 plan. I wouldn't even mind it so much if they bumped me automatically to the 2G plan and charged me an extra $15 on those months where I go over the 200MB base plan. But it's the little 'scumbaggy' business of giving the modest users the shaft. Does the first byte of data over 200MB cost any more to deliver than the first byte of data over 2 Gig? Of course not. Yet they charge $15/200MB (7.5 cents/meg) for those on the base plan, and $10/GIG (ONE CENT PER MEG!!!) for those on the 2G plan. I'd really like to hear the explanation for how they justify charging nearly EIGHT TIMES the rate per meg for data overages from one plan as opposed to the other.
I work for an AT&T Authorized Reseller. IMHO take the $30 Data package if you are offered it.
As long as you can keep the Unlimited Package use the crap out of it. It really is true from what I see that the overwhelming majority (not on XDA of course) will never approach the 2GB threshold. If, however, you want to use your phone for something other than Facebook and TXTing having the Grandfatherd $30 Unlimited is SOOO worth it!
Even if you returned the phone at this point, you would be in for a hella battle with Customer Service to get your MediaNet Unlimited re-instated. In retrospect I would have purchased the phone outright without anyone touching your account. You may not have had "4G" provisioned on your phone, but thats what WiFi's are for.
Hope this helps a little ...
sraitter said:
I work for an AT&T Authorized Reseller. IMHO take the $30 Data package if you are offered it... As long as you can keep the Unlimited Package use the crap out of it...
In retrospect I would have purchased the phone outright without anyone touching your account...
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Ah, an expert authority!
Yes, the unlimited plan at $30 is an option in my 'features' section in the web account manager.
Well, here's the deal. I can still return the phone, revert to my previous plan by using my Kaiser, then next month go with Tmobile and an HTC Sensation for $80 a month for unlimted data/text/talk. And since AT&T will be buying Tmoble shortly, I'll have the benefit of the expanded network when customer accounts are migrated.
Does that make sense in your experience, or am I overthinking this?
I gotta say with your story I would return the phone and wait for the sensation. Don't get me wrong the inspire is the best phone I have ever owned and I love it but if I had the choice to revert to my captivate for a couple months and didn't have a family plan with ATT I would be gone. Tmobile has faster hspa and has way higher customer satisfaction not to mention that the sensation is gonna be the best thing out, and will probably stay that way for a while. And to top it all off this time next year your quad band sensation, that's assuming that's what tmobile is getting, you will have the benefit of two networks combined. Look at this way, no matter what you do u will be with ATT this time next year lol.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA Premium App
BillTheCat said:
Ah, an expert authority!
Yes, the unlimited plan at $30 is an option in my 'features' section in the web account manager.
Well, here's the deal. I can still return the phone, revert to my previous plan by using my Kaiser, then next month go with Tmobile and an HTC Sensation for $80 a month for unlimted data/text/talk. And since AT&T will be buying Tmoble shortly, I'll have the benefit of the expanded network when customer accounts are migrated.
Does that make sense in your experience, or am I overthinking this?
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Just noticing you live in Milford .... g'luck with TMobile there. Check with a friend who has them how decent the service is for them.
Huge fan of Tmobile and Sprints pricing ... but living the past few years in cities that are sub-metropolitan areas their service is spotty at best.
Also, going with the $30 Unlm Smartphone Data and Rooting your Inspire you will have the ability to WiFi Hotspot your android device w/o AT&T caching on (as long as you are not using it excessively). Don't use to stream Netflix on the old Laptop, but excellent for iPad or Nook use.
Hope this is helpful as this is my 10th post so I may now comment in the Dev Forms.
Happy Rooting!!!
sraitter said:
Just noticing you live in Milford .... g'luck with TMobile there. Check with a friend who has them how decent the service is for them.
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Point taken, but I have a 10MB cablemodem connection and wifi at home, so I'm pretty much covered in the voice/data department. Already rooted and running RCMix 5.9.x so wifi router is there, though I have to admit I haven't bothered testing it yet.
Anyway, you make sense. Utica, huh? Still got snow up there?
Sadly snowed this morning ... thought about crying.
If/when you get bored with that ROM consider the MIUI ROM. Battery life is recently meh but it so much fun... screams like an eagle and purrs like a kitten ... feels like an iPhone OS without the awful and has widgets and folders!
Enjoy!
So I went to the local AT&t warranty center to exchange a bricked captivate.
Luckily I had exchanged my captivate 3 months ago hoping the gps would be fixed, it wasnt. They give you a 90 day warranty on the exchange if 90 days is past your 1 year warranty. otherwise I would have been sol 2 months ago. He told me that even my 90 day warranty was up 2 days ago, and he still exchanged it!
but thats not why Im writing this
there was a woman waiting in line with me, bragging that she was grandfathered on the unlimited data plan. I proceded to tell her that its not truly unlimited as At&t has announced the throttling of customers who use lots of data.
One of the women working the counter said something to me that I hope is not true for you who have an unlimited data plan. She said that At&t has plans to soon implement policy which would require you to choose a new tiered data plan if you want to upgrade your phone.
Now this is an At&t employee, however there is always a chance she does not know what shes saying..
Wouldn't be surprised. After this t-mobile merger thing at&t is going haywire with its policies...
Sent from my GT-I9000 using xda premium
I think sprint did the same thing to people on sero plans iirc. I'm not really surprised.
Sent from my Captivate
Retail pricing ftw?
Sent from my Nexus S 4G via XDA Premium
I think they have been doing this already, I had to go back to At&t from Cingular. When I had the Cingular 3125 with Unlimited Data, I was told there was no grandfathered plans if I went to HTC Fuze with At&t since Cingular didn't count the 3125 as "smartphone" data plan. Unless I got the iphone 1 or something I forget.
AT&T is indeed forcing all unlimited contracts onto tiered data when they can. The best policy is to buy a phone without using the upgrade/contract extension. If you take the upgrade, it triggers a conversion to tiered data.
There is a major caveat to all of this....do you remember when they decided to force you onto a data plan just for the privilege of owning a smartphone? Well, it worked once before, so they are doing it again. This time, if you try to activate any device with an EMEI that is listed as 4G capable, you will be forced to change to a 4G plan. Since it is a 'new' contract, you are forced to accept the tiered data, as well. This means that a SGS or the unbranded SGSII is the best choice (since it is considered 3G). The AT&T version of the the SGSII (Attain) has different hardware and is a 4G device, if you can call HSPA+ 4G, which I don't.
I for one sincerely hope the T-mobile merger is nixed by the FCC and/or SEC. I'm just about ten seconds away from switching to the Tmob Walmart plan, which only charges for the data you use, and you can pre-purchase 'blocks' of data. You can bet your sweet patootie that will evaporate if NewMaBell gets ahold of Tmob. Just in case you might be thinking that AT&T is not all that bad, and are just getting a bad rap, here is a link to an article all AT&T customers need to read.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20097133-17/fcc-asks-at-t-for-more-information-on-lte-rollout/
What are we to do? Simple. Write your congressmen and senators and tell them to pass a simple bit of law. Require all cellular devices to operate equally well on all versions of LTE. Level the playing field. I cry foul on all cellular providers, who worked their way around the FCC's requirement to allow wholesale access to wireless networks by running different protocols. We need to unify the cellular spectrums and protocols, and let them differentiate themselves based service, price and coverage. Since they have spectrum and protocol niches, competition is stifled, and we are paying the price with higher costs and reduced coverage and data rates. Wanna change networks? It's gonna cost you! You have this nasty $4000, 2 year contract, supposedly justified by the cost of providing you new phones that you can only use on one network.
OwenW71 said:
AT&T is indeed forcing all unlimited contracts onto tiered data when they can. The best policy is to buy a phone without using the upgrade/contract extension. If you take the upgrade, it triggers a conversion to tiered data.
There is a major caveat to all of this....do you remember when they decided to force you onto a data plan just for the privilege of owning a smartphone? Well, it worked once before, so they are doing it again. This time, if you try to activate any device with an EMEI that is listed as 4G capable, you will be forced to change to a 4G plan. Since it is a 'new' contract, you are forced to accept the tiered data, as well. This means that a SGS or the unbranded SGSII is the best choice (since it is considered 3G). The AT&T version of the the SGSII (Attain) has different hardware and is a 4G device, if you can call HSPA+ 4G, which I don't.
I for one sincerely hope the T-mobile merger is nixed by the FCC and/or SEC. I'm just about ten seconds away from switching to the Tmob Walmart plan, which only charges for the data you use, and you can pre-purchase 'blocks' of data. You can bet your sweet patootie that will evaporate if NewMaBell gets ahold of Tmob. Just in case you might be thinking that AT&T is not all that bad, and are just getting a bad rap, here is a link to an article all AT&T customers need to read.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20097133-17/fcc-asks-at-t-for-more-information-on-lte-rollout/
What are we to do? Simple. Write your congressmen and senators and tell them to pass a simple bit of law. Require all cellular devices to operate equally well on all versions of LTE. Level the playing field. I cry foul on all cellular providers, who worked their way around the FCC's requirement to allow wholesale access to wireless networks by running different protocols. We need to unify the cellular spectrums and protocols, and let them differentiate themselves based service, price and coverage. Since they have spectrum and protocol niches, competition is stifled, and we are paying the price with higher costs and reduced coverage and data rates. Wanna change networks? It's gonna cost you! You have this nasty $4000, 2 year contract, supposedly justified by the cost of providing you new phones that you can only use on one network.
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I was on unlimited data when I got my iphone 3g. I bought a captivate at full retail a year later, and used it for almost a year. By the time my 2 year contact was up from my iphone, I decided to use my upgrade to get the infuse 4g. They let me stay grandfathered in to unlimited data, even though I had to switch to the 4g data plan.
So in other words, since I'm drunk right now, haha, if you are grandfathered in to 3g unlimited data, switching to a 4g phone still lets you keep unlimited data, unless they changed something in the last couple of months.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using XDA Premium App
I just went nine rounds with the CS manager at a local store, and there was no way I was going to be allowed to keep my unlimited data and go to a 4G phone. My situation was perhaps a little different, however. I am a former Alltel customer, and in our area, they grandfathered our $20 unlimited data from Alltel (they did revoke my free tethering) and they are doing anything they can to get that back from those of us that still have it.
I am honestly surprised that they let you go 4G without a change to tiered. Not sure how you pulled it off, since the manager I was working with showed me the plan options and unlimited 4G was not anywhere to be seen. He did say that there were people that had unlimited 4G prior to the tiered plan roll-out, but that was no longer an option for plan changes.
Unlimited plans will be going away. Deal with it.
Pay for what you use, or don't use anything at all.
You sound like you work with att.
Sent from my SGH-I897 using XDA Premium App
silver91342 said:
I think they have been doing this already, I had to go back to At&t from Cingular. When I had the Cingular 3125 with Unlimited Data, I was told there was no grandfathered plans if I went to HTC Fuze with At&t since Cingular didn't count the 3125 as "smartphone" data plan. Unless I got the iphone 1 or something I forget.
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3125 is using a cheaper $20/mo unlimited plan just like iPhone1. Such $20 plan is known to be not grandfathered in. Only the $30+ plans are grandfathered in.
I can't help but think of the irony that with every new generation of phone the big selling features are how much faster it can use data and all the data consuming features, while at the same time the phone companies are trying to keep us from using data. They keep it up eventually the new generation phones will be low data consumption Razors.
bulletproof1013 said:
You sound like you work with att.
Sent from my SGH-I897 using XDA Premium App
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Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=17044408&postcount=42
That would be an easy way to get out of your contract early. If they alter your contract then you can refuse and they have to let you out of your contract without penalty.
Sure AT&T I'll upgrade... to Verizon, T-Mobile, or Sprint!!!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
toy028 said:
That would be an easy way to get out of your contract early. If they alter your contract then you can refuse and they have to let you out of your contract without penalty.
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That's a great point.
unlimited data- they are going to allow you to keep it, but are using the throttling to scare you into a tierd plan. Either way, I'm keeping my unlimited.
refer to this post for directions. A friend who was also originally with Alltel, just did a transfer of responsibility, and they said he had to change plans entirely since he was leaving a family plan. He now has the unlimited data on his phone as well. Hope you guys find this helpful.
I doubt they truely revoke it, as their customer base would be non-existent.
ashies7 said:
unlimited data- they are going to allow you to keep it, but are using the throttling to scare you into a tierd plan. Either way, I'm keeping my unlimited.
refer to this post for directions. A friend who was also originally with Alltel, just did a transfer of responsibility, and they said he had to change plans entirely since he was leaving a family plan. He now has the unlimited data on his phone as well. Hope you guys find this helpful.
I doubt they truely revoke it, as their customer base would be non-existent.
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Except that very few customers are still on that plan. And most of those are people that frequent sites like XDA. Hardly AT&T's bread and butter sadly...
Unfortunately, by the time I got a smart phone, a captivate, they didn't even offer an unlimited plan.
Eventually, I would think that data plans, in general, would become more affordable.... supply and demand, baby!!
Hi Forum,
My wife bought a Iphone 4 last year with a 200MG/ month data plan. She gave her Iphone to her nephew. She told AT&T that her Iphone was broken. She has been using my old Samsung Vibrant with no issue from AT&T, for several months now. I got her a used Infuse yesterday and was using data. AT&T sniffed it and sent a text message.
( Did you know an eligible data plan is required for your 4G Smartphone? Pls call 611 to select a plan and establish your 4G data connection today.)
Do any one know what AT&T will do if she continue to use the Infuse?
Thank you in advance for your opinions, and knowledge!
They are going to add the data plan to your account. You have a choice currentley between 200mb/$15 @ overage rate of 200mb/$15, or 2gb/$25 @ overage rate 1gb/$10. if you dont call and choose a plan they will stick you with the 2gb/$25 rate.
Thanks!
So the options are pay more for data or back to the Vibrant! Do you think calling them and explain the situation would change anything?
Romeo20 said:
So the options are pay more for data or back to the Vibrant! Do you think calling them and explain the situation would change anything?
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Call them until you get a rep that does what you want. That usually does it, haha. I'm sure this situation could be no exception.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using xda premium
You can try calling and yelling all you want, theres always that small chance you may get sombody to bend a rule for you. However it is at&t's policy that with all smartphones you are required to have a data plan, so understand you are on the losing side of the battle and can only HOPE sombody bends the rule for you to allow you to continue with no data plan.
She has data plan, 200 mg/ per month for $15. AT&T want her to have 4G data plan.
Romeo20 said:
She has data plan, 200 mg/ per month for $15. AT&T want her to have 4G data plan.
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well than your just on the wrong 200mb/$15 plan, pricing is same for 3g/4g devcies the feature code is just different. call and get it fixed so they dont change you to the $25 plan or somthing stupid
Thank you all!
I resolve the issue with AT&T. After over 30 minutes on the phone, AT&T rep said that I need to provide the SIM and IME number of the Infuse. The data plan is still the same which is 200 Mg/ month for $15. As first, AT&T tried to hook a new 2G data plan. I did not complaint or yell; in fact, I was very polite. I stated that the Vibrant was not getting Voice mail notification, and that my wife hardly use the 200 MG that she has per month. Anyhow, a bit of patience and gratitude seem to do it, this time!
Tomdg07 said:
You can try calling and yelling all you want, theres always that small chance you may get sombody to bend a rule for you. However it is at&t's policy that with all smartphones you are required to have a data plan, so understand you are on the losing side of the battle and can only HOPE sombody bends the rule for you to allow you to continue with no data plan.
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Back when I got my HTC Tilt I had a very annoying situation with them. At the time of contract signing I was told I had to have a data plan. 3 months later on a night I was not even around my phone I had a $200 data charge for megabytes upon megabytes of transfer charges. Complained to high heaven, and had ALL data service cut to my line.
Fast forward to this past Sept, got online to upgrade our two phones. Well it seems I got lucky and got an Infuse WITHOUT any data plan. Kind of annoying I have someone trying to text my photos...wink wink, that I can not receive. However our other phone AT&T was kind enough to automatically add the data plan (most expensive one of course) without indicating this. Only when we got the October bill that I saw this. *** I just hate these mobile carriers with a passion. Been years of bend over and take it up the arse with this fools. Actually had AT&T try to change terms AFTER a contract was signed.
Honestly folks, with these phones how having Google Voice, we have actually talked about saying FU to ALL carriers and just using the internet. Yeah, so I cant call when I am driving...dont want to talk then anyways. Just anything I could do to give these **** the finger.
i wouldn't imagine they can do anything if you didnt buy the phone on contract. but if you are on an iphone unlimited plan they might try like hell to get you off of it.
ssa2204 said:
Actually had AT&T try to change terms AFTER a contract was signed.
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Are you referring to the terms and cinditions YOU signed, which actually state subject to change at any time without giving notice?
I also want to remind you, you can also leave att at any time
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using xda premium
If you buy your smartphone outright, paid full price, they can not make you buy a data plan.
But, you then "can not" use your phone to access the internet or e-mail unless on WiFi. Or they can/will force a data plan on you.
Texting and MMS are part of the Phone plan not data.
Truckerglenn said:
If you buy your smartphone outright, paid full price, they can not make you buy a data plan.
But, you then "can not" use your phone to access the internet or e-mail unless on WiFi. Or they can/will force a data plan on you.
Texting and MMS are part of the Phone plan not data.
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unless you have smartphone exclusion, get a dumb phone, put the infuse on that sim card and turn off data.
If u are in contract with att and you buy a phone out of contract u are still required to have a data plan as long as its on an active acct.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using xda premium
FIX !!!
1. Get a.dummy phone put sim card in it and have att put your number on that phone
2. Have them remove data on that phone
3. Hang up with att
4. turn OFF DATA on the infuse(long press power button and turn mobile data off)
also delete att APN
5 enjoy your phone with out att adding data plan on your phone and still use wifi
Ive been using this method for years. Cheers
Justinfedor said:
If u are in contract with att and you buy a phone out of contract u are still required to have a data plan as long as its on an active acct.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using xda premium
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not if you have smart phone exclusion. my brother uses my old captivate without mms or data on att. only if you lose smart phone exclusion do they force it on you, so if you have a number that never had a data plan you are good, if you had a data plan and got rid of it and bought another phone you need to change phone numbers and sign a new contract to get smartphone exclusion. also how many people are using iphone unlimited plans and arent forced to upgrade to a 4g plan? only people who are suspected of tethering are forced to change.
Dani897 said:
not if you have smart phone exclusion. my brother uses my old captivate without mms or data on att. only if you lose smart phone exclusion do they force it on you, so if you have a number that never had a data plan you are good, if you had a data plan and got rid of it and bought another phone you need to change phone numbers and sign a new contract to get smartphone exclusion. also how many people are using iphone unlimited plans and arent forced to upgrade to a 4g plan? only people who are suspected of tethering are forced to change.
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Click to collapse
The smartphone exclusion is being removed if someone has it on the acct and upgrades to a diff phone and data plan. So make sure he doesnt get data added on it
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using xda premium
I tryed to change the 3G to a 4G plan (switch from Captivate to Infuse) online.
This did not work right away and so I started a chat with an ATT representative and it was taken care of in no time!
I am jsut wondering, if ya'll ain't got no datat plan. What do you use your smartphone for?
timf79 said:
I tryed to change the 3G to a 4G plan (switch from Captivate to Infuse) online.
This did not work right away and so I started a chat with an ATT representative and it was taken care of in no time!
I am jsut wondering, if ya'll ain't got no datat plan. What do you use your smartphone for?
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Media player and phone. Before I got my unlimited data plan, I didn't have much of a need for a data plan as I was always on campus using their wifi.
Romeo20 said:
I resolve the issue with AT&T. After over 30 minutes on the phone, AT&T rep said that I need to provide the SIM and IME number of the Infuse. The data plan is still the same which is 200 Mg/ month for $15. As first, AT&T tried to hook a new 2G data plan. I did not complaint or yell; in fact, I was very polite. I stated that the Vibrant was not getting Voice mail notification, and that my wife hardly use the 200 MG that she has per month. Anyhow, a bit of patience and gratitude seem to do it, this time!
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In case anyone comes here with the same question.. I started off with the 2 gig plan a year and a half after they canceled the unlimited plan. Popped my SIM card into the original iPhone set it up in iTunes and 20 minutes later had the unlimited data plan. Popped my SIM card in later that day and get that text every month. Just don't call or mention it. Hint: They don't really care.