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So I just signed up for at&t right after the unlimited data plan was retired.. But I heard the at&t unlimited data plan might be pulling a jay-z (comeback) ..
Does anyone know if this is true? Its all I need to be 100% happy/satisfied with my captivate..
Samsung captivate running d11igaf 5.5
francous said:
So I just signed up for at&t right after the unlimited data plan was retired.. But I heard the at&t unlimited data plan might be pulling a jay-z (comeback) ..
Does anyone know if this is true? Its all I need to be 100% happy/satisfied with my captivate..
Samsung captivate running d11igaf 5.5
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To add to this question: If it were to come back, would it cost more? That will be BS if it does! What sly corporation skills for taking away something people like, and then giving it back for a higher cost. D:
HERE ya go
bigsmitty64 said:
HERE ya go
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Thanks for the info...sucks "new users"like me who were never on a unlimited plan can't have the option tho :/hopefully some day.. I hate being limited!
Samsung captivate running d11igaf 5.5
francous said:
Thanks for the info...sucks "new users"like me who were never on a unlimited plan can't have the option tho :/hopefully some day.. I hate being limited!
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lol, I feel ya. Sort of...I have the unlimited plan
But you'd be surprise how many people don't even come close to the 2gb plan. I use the tethering moderately and stream pandora quite a bit, and there's only been a handful of times that I went over the 2gb mark. I'd say for the majority the 2gb is enough, plus they are offering another extra 2gb. I just don't like how they are charging extra for the tethering.
I also have the unlimited and I can admit I never come close to the 2GB.
There will be a day that even the grandfathered unlimited plan will be terminated one way or another. AT&T's network congestion means it should never offered unlimited plan to begin with.
Verizon actually made it clear, even though it offer unlimited for new iPhone users, top 5% of the data users will be throttled. I sense AT&T will soon follow suit.
If 2GB is not enough for you today, you're on the way to be throttled soon.
Lancered said:
I also have the unlimited and I can admit I never come close to the 2GB.
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Same here - never reachd 2gb... but I need it for peace of mind. I don't have even check what I've used on my phone. I have to worry constantly about my wife and daughter going over their limits. In fact, my wife accidently went over her 200mb limit by using DroidTV and not having it set for "Wifi Only", coupled with her WIFI settings still at the default setting of "Turn off WIFI when screen goes off" instead of "Never". Even if she was set at 2gb I could see an accident like this happening and costing extra money.
AT&T claims that they notify you when you reach 60%, 90% and 100% of your limit. This is bullsh*t. They don't. First, data use reporting is about 12 hours behind. You can blow your cap by quite a bit in 12 hours. Next, when she went over 200, they sold her another 200 for $15 without any text. I believe this can happen up to 5 times ($90 for 1.2gb). 12 hours later she got a text and I got an email saying she was nearing her limit - but the limit she was nearing was 400mb (the second set of 200mb). We were never informed as she blasted right past the first 200mb. Thank goodness she only had a couple movies set to download. If she had a series recording it would have cost a fortune.
I want to set a hard limit and then have data shut off at that point. Don't sell me extra data automatically. Maybe for technical reasons, they don't know for 12 hours... so they once they find out turn off my data and don't charge me for the overage. Until they can and will do this, I don't think they should be selling limited data plans. Until they can send you warnings in a timely manner, they shouldn't be selling limited data plans.
To AT&T's credit, I was able to retroactively change her data plan to the 2gb plan back to the beginning of my billing cycle - so the mistake cost me $10. Now out of piece of mind I will probably have to keep her at the 2gb plan even though in the past she's never even come close to the 200mb.
RE: Verizon "unlimited"... I can understand temporarily throttling back a heavy user maybe for few hours or days, but not for the rest of the billing cycle and definately not for the next billing cycle. Can you imagine you make one mistake like my wife did and have your speed crippled for up to 2 months? How can they even legally cripple service for a future billing period?
This is important for us to follow because AT&T is probably watching this approach closely and will eventually adopt it for us as well.
foxbat121 said:
There will be a day that even the grandfathered unlimited plan will be terminated one way or another. AT&T's network congestion means it should never offered unlimited plan to begin with.
Verizon actually made it clear, even though it offer unlimited for new iPhone users, top 5% of the data users will be throttled. I sense AT&T will soon follow suit.
If 2GB is not enough for you today, you're on the way to be throttled soon.
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5% is a huge number of customers - probably a lot of them being business customers. Once enough people get throttled back Verizon may have to rethink this approach. Consider what Comcast did. They went from unlimited to 250gb. That's a very reasonable limit that certainly doesn't catch 5% of their internet customers. Of course as time goes by they will have to adjust that 250 up or they will start catching more and more customers.
I don't think they've defined what they consider heavy users yet. It must be pretty low to include 5% of data users.
An even better option would be data buckets, where your unused data rollsover. I've gone near the 200mb cap quite a few times since the default settings cleverly turn off wifi when the phone sleeps :rollseyes:
Sent from my Captivate using XDA App
"Demographic Research" is why we have the 2gb plan in the first place.
That's why I believe the unlimited plan will be eventually phased out also. Yea, their offering the unlimited plan again, but to me that's mostly PR to get more customers because cases like this: http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/04/verizon-breaks-first-day-sales-record-with-iphone-4-pre-orders/ I don't really know how truthful that is, since corporate tend to inflate stats for the press.
But competition is good for the consumers, as long as both these billion dollar companies are in high competition, it should be easier on the wallet for us. Hoping...but still believe they are ripping us off as consumers (and I will keep the reasons why to myself, I've seen what it did to the other threads )
These are all opinions, and I take your posts as opinions. So...can we keep this civil. The other threads I've seen regarding this subject matter tend to get heated, which I do avoid (I have enough drama in my life
I believe that the limited plans were and still are a great idea. 2 gigs is a ton of data in my opinion.I rarely every go above 1 a month and I am on my phone a fair amount. It just all depends how much data people want. and lets face it the people who want and need the unlimited plan are the 1-5% of people that killed at &ts wireless network speed by streaming 1080p content for several hours a day
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
crystalhand said:
I believe that the limited plans were and still are a great idea. 2 gigs is a ton of data in my opinion.I rarely every go above 1 a month and I am on my phone a fair amount. It just all depends how much data people want. and lets face it the people who want and need the unlimited plan are the 1-5% of people that killed at &ts wireless network speed by streaming 1080p content for several hours a day
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
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I don't think the limited plan is a bad idea, but I do see the amount going up and up. Since mobile internet access will exceed home internet access in the future, in my opinion. Which in turn costing us more and more.
As richb500 said, it is important to follow this and see what AT$T does.
When I was following the Fuze/Tilt2 forums it was pointed out that the is no true unlimited plan. The plan is called unlimited but in the TOS it states that over 5G of data transfered ATT can terminate your service.
All carriers have that clause in their respective TOS.
I have the old unlimited plan and have gone ovef 5G once but repeated go over 4G and never got any warning messages about my use.
Just a word of caution.
Sprint seems to be very loose with enforcement. A co-worker has an EVO and uses upwards of 20G a month using it has a hotspot and has never been warned about abusive use which is again in the Sprint TOS.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
foxbat121 said:
There will be a day that even the grandfathered unlimited plan will be terminated one way or another. AT&T's network congestion means it should never offered unlimited plan to begin with.
Verizon actually made it clear, even though it offer unlimited for new iPhone users, top 5% of the data users will be throttled. I sense AT&T will soon follow suit.
If 2GB is not enough for you today, you're on the way to be throttled soon.
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shouldn't have to terminate it.
if they weren't greedy and shortsighted they could get most to move over voluntarily with the right incentives.
For Example - Anyone with unlimited who is willing to Renew a new 2 year contract on their voice and take a capped data plan gets to choose any At&t Phone @ no cost with the upgrade. Couple this with informing users that stay on the unlimited they will face throttling if it is abused....(soft cap of 5 or 6 gb).
75% or more would likely take advantage if they could get the latest phone for free (iphone, atrix, whatever else comes down the pike).
Couple it with a marketing campaign to the effect of TETHER AWAY. No charges for tether as we respect your right to use the full potential of your phone. Give 250mb data free to all smartphone users. Offer 2gb @ $25 and 4GB @ 45$ (same as tether pricing but removes the stigma and bad taste of being charged for something that costs them nothing and is a native capability of the OS/Device). Keep the $10 overage charge per every GB of data over the cap.
crystalhand said:
I believe that the limited plans were and still are a great idea. 2 gigs is a ton of data in my opinion.I rarely every go above 1 a month and I am on my phone a fair amount. It just all depends how much data people want. and lets face it the people who want and need the unlimited plan are the 1-5% of people that killed at &ts wireless network speed by streaming 1080p content for several hours a day
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
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Damn you guys are making me feel like I have a problem lol...
I go over 2 gigs almost every month and have to pay the additional 10$ for another gig..came to the point I have to turn off my data and use it only when I need to just to stay under.. (when I'm not home under wifi)
Il trade with you unlimited ppl any day!
Samsung captivate running d11igaf 5.5
francous said:
Damn you guys are making me feel like I have a problem lol...
I go over 2 gigs almost every month and have to pay the additional 10$ for another gig..came to the point I have to turn off my data and use it only when I need to just to stay under.. (when I'm not home under wifi)
Il trade with you unlimited ppl any day!
Samsung captivate running d11igaf 5.5
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Do you have your wifi set to never turn off? A lot of people think they're safe at home on their wifi... But as soon as the screen turns off, so does the wifi. They default this way to save battery.
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richb500 said:
Do you have your wifi set to never turn off? A lot of people think they're safe at home on their wifi... But as soon as the screen turns off, so does the wifi. They default this way to save battery.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
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mine stays on all the time.. but i turn my Data Off while my wifi is on so if wifi were to cut out it wouldnt use my data anyway
UPDATE: i called AT&T just for kicks to see if there were a unlimited data plan no one knew about.. turns out there isnt for us smartphone customers but there is for NON Smartphone customers because they use less data.. wtf..
Can we LIE and say we are not a smartphone, say we're on some ol' school slidey phone or something and get that plan!? lol..
Good for us consumers, but anyone that is like me that uses 1GB a day with ease "when you are at work with nothing better to do then surf the net, and watch movies" it becomes a problem, lucky I have unlimited data though and I don't see why they don't sell it to more customers because most who have it don't use nearly that much so its extra money in the pocket
francous said:
mine stays on all the time.. but i turn my Data Off while my wifi is on so if wifi were to cut out it wouldnt use my data anyway
UPDATE: i called AT&T just for kicks to see if there were a unlimited data plan no one knew about.. turns out there isnt for us smartphone customers but there is for NON Smartphone customers because they use less data.. wtf..
Can we LIE and say we are not a smartphone, say we're on some ol' school slidey phone or something and get that plan!? lol..
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The unlimited data plan offering is not official, and I don't think customer service will know anything until Verizon iphone official launch date. What I've been reading (ex.) http://www.zdnet.com/blog/apple/at-t-quietly-matching-vzws-unlimited-data-plan-for-iphone/9317
But this is only a business move, in my opinion, since there are certain criteria you must meet to get back the unlimited plan.
And for your question: No you can't lie about not having a smartphone, when actually you are using a smartphone, they will know.
Is it possible to change the tethering application built into most roms so that it won't deincrement the ttl value?
where did you get this info at?
http://osxdaily.com/2011/03/17/att-cracking-down-on-unofficial-iphone-tethering-mywi-users/
http://www.electronista.com/articles/11/03/18/att.clamps.down.on.unofficial.tethering.users/
If you dig through the comments on those articles, it appears that the people who receive the letters are using in excess of 5GB on their unlimited data plan.
Case in point: One of the comments was from a guy who said that his wife was sent the notice from AT&T. From what he says, she hasn't ever tethered, but she's always listening to streaming audio or watching streaming video.
This is nothing new for AT&T. They have long held that 5GB is 'effectively unlimited' for a smartphone, and that anyone who uses more must be using a computer tethered to the phone. With the phones we have now, that simply is not the case anymore. But AT&T is using that as an excuse to try and get people off of the unlimited plans and on to something where they can charge customers more money.
Krynn! said:
If you dig through the comments on those articles, it appears that the people who receive the letters are using in excess of 5GB on their unlimited data plan.
Case in point: One of the comments was from a guy who said that his wife was sent the notice from AT&T. From what he says, she hasn't ever tethered, but she's always listening to streaming audio or watching streaming video.
This is nothing new for AT&T. They have long held that 5GB is 'effectively unlimited' for a smartphone, and that anyone who uses more must be using a computer tethered to the phone. With the phones we have now, that simply is not the case anymore. But AT&T is using that as an excuse to try and get people off of the unlimited plans and on to something where they can charge customers more money.
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I hope you're right.
Also just saw this......I personally dont tether much but have used mobile AP. Might be worth looking into for those that do tether.
http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2011/03/18/att-shutting-down-unauthorized-tetherers/
cnigro1279 said:
Also just saw this......I personally dont tether much but have used mobile AP. Might be worth looking into for those that do tether.
http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2011/03/18/att-shutting-down-unauthorized-tetherers/
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If they are using ttl to detect tethering, then mobile ap would be effected. I'm not sure if usb tethering does deincrement ttl. All the reports seem to be mentioning WiFi tethering.
i think its a scare tactic.
I don't think they are detecting tethering. I think they are targeting people going beyond a certain threshold of usage as suspected tethereres (4gb or 5gb or more likely)
bames said:
i think its a scare tactic.
I don't think they are detecting tethering. I think they are targeting people going beyond a certain threshold of usage as suspected tethereres (4gb or 5gb or more likely)
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+1
Just a scare tactic. I'm on my 11th day of this months cycle, and between tethering, mobile ap, and downloads, I'm sitting at 9gb of data usage and haven't heard anything from AT&T. Yet
vunuts said:
+1
Just a scare tactic. I'm on my 11th day of this months cycle, and between tethering, mobile ap, and downloads, I'm sitting at 9gb of data usage and haven't heard anything from AT&T. Yet
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WOW what are you doing to use 9gb of data lol.
Even though i think its more of a scare tactic i think it can be done...its just not cost efficient to do it wide scale unless their is a huge red flag...like oh say 9gb of data usage . I won't be surprised if you get a letter if your usage rates continually reach anywhere near that later as i suspect that is the type of red flag that may cause them to actually take the time to audit the account and look at the ttl/packet data more closely.
if you have a 2gb or even unlimited and tether never going over 2gb i seriously doubt you would received letter or raise an eyebrow.
This goes back to my initial thought on how stupid their marketing team and management decisions are.
ALLOW FREE TETHERING
Pay for the extra data you need. It breaks down to the same cost...they are just being short sighted and greedy hoping people will think oh...2gb more data for 20bucks and then continue to not even fully use the 2gb they already had paid for on their smartphones plan (they are playing on peoples ignorance of how much data they are actually using). Part of good business and sales is fitting the client with their needs so they can afford it and continue to be a good longterm customer rather than bilking them for services they don't need or use (much like requiring all smartphones to have data plans when some smartphone users could be completely happy with a smartphone and wifi only usage).
If i have $25 2gb plan and want to tether and don't go over 2gb DON'T CHARGE EXTRA or REQUIRE TETHERING. If i go over charge me by the GB just like you would if i used all the data on my smartphones. 2gb Plan + 2gb overage =$45 for that months data (shouldn't matter whether it was used tethered or untethered). If i have a 2gb plan and tether and only use 3gb for the plan why not allow my to pay for 3gb data instead of forcing me to pay for 4gb/tethering. Let people police and pay for their usage. DATA IS DATA and it doesn't cost more for att to deliver 4gb to a tethered user than it does to someone using the 4gb downloading torrents or streaming movies on their smartphone.
Seems like it would be great customer relations, marketing, and a blow to verizon if ATT and came out with a marketing campaign that said Free Mobile AP/Tethering. Use as much data as you need....pay for the data you use. If those still grandfathered under unlimited plans are the concern you could easily audit those accounts if the usage is excessive and either throttle or require tethering for unlimited plans only which might encourage more people to give up the unlimited and take one of the tiered plans. They talk about tethers using all the data while i suspect those doing a combination of significant streaming and downloading torrent using in an untethered state.
A good question is why is one industry being allowed wipe their A** with net neutrality (with so little backlash)
bames said:
WOW what are you doing to use 9gb of data lol.
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Lol, I just opened my own auto shop, and we have yet to get internet hooked up in there, so I'm tethered to my desktop there for about 5-8 hours a day. I wouldn't be surprised if I do hear from AT&T, but they can't do anything to me. They've tried before and I fought them and won. I have unlimited text and data and I'm going to use it to my advantage. If they want to try and blow smoke up my ass, go for it. I'll blow it right back
Funny how this coincided with the new bandwidth cap for cable customers... AT&T is slowly trying to eliminate all unlimited customers. I wish they spent as much time working on increasing signal strength across the US as they do finding ways to squeeze more money from their customers.
vunuts said:
+1
Just a scare tactic. I'm on my 11th day of this months cycle, and between tethering, mobile ap, and downloads, I'm sitting at 9gb of data usage and haven't heard anything from AT&T. Yet
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I thought my 3 -4 gb / month was a lot.
Isn't a byte of data still a byte of data no matter how you view your porn.
what they are doing with tethering would be akin charging us $10 per month to use google navigation.
They could say "hey our navigation per att nav with your device is $10 per month.....if you want to use navigation on your phone you must have a navigation plan add on and if you try to use another free navigation program we can tell and will change your plan without your permission"
I don't get any letters, but I get a "friendly call" from AT&T about every other month asking why I use so much data. I've been on unlimited since it first came out and I'm taking full advantage of it. When I get the call about my usage, I start downloading on my phone, just to eat more data. I've downloaded several ISOs of Linux distros and MS ISOs from the MSDN. Is it my fault I signed up for 'unlimited data' or is it there fault they didn't look into the future? ComCast tried to complain when I pulled down over 300gb in a month and wanted to charge me for it. Sent off a copy of the original contract and there was no bandwidth cap in it. It becomes a breach of contract if you haven't physically signed anything new accepting and agreeing to the new changes.
If you don't mind switching carriers (which isn't that attractive because they all suck and use the same ploys pretty much)
but if they change your plan (for example adding a tethering plan to your account) you have 30 days to cancel your contract WITHOUT penalty no matter how many months you have remaining.
bames said:
If you don't mind switching carriers (which isn't that attractive because they all suck and use the same ploys pretty much)
but if they change your plan (for example adding a tethering plan to your account) you have 30 days to cancel your contract WITHOUT penalty no matter how many months you have remaining.
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This is true. You can avoid any early termination fees and essentially end your contract in good standing credit wise.
pbclst said:
I don't get any letters, but I get a "friendly call" from AT&T about every other month asking why I use so much data. I've been on unlimited since it first came out and I'm taking full advantage of it. When I get the call about my usage, I start downloading on my phone, just to eat more data. I've downloaded several ISOs of Linux distros and MS ISOs from the MSDN. Is it my fault I signed up for 'unlimited data' or is it there fault they didn't look into the future? ComCast tried to complain when I pulled down over 300gb in a month and wanted to charge me for it. Sent off a copy of the original contract and there was no bandwidth cap in it. It becomes a breach of contract if you haven't physically signed anything new accepting and agreeing to the new changes.
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For every time they call and ask you you should place 20 calls to their customer support line asking them why someone called you again and telling them you just wanted to make sure they knew you had an unlimited data plan because someone keeps calling.
vunuts said:
Lol, I just opened my own auto shop, and we have yet to get internet hooked up in there, so I'm tethered to my desktop there for about 5-8 hours a day. I wouldn't be surprised if I do hear from AT&T, but they can't do anything to me. They've tried before and I fought them and won. I have unlimited text and data and I'm going to use it to my advantage. If they want to try and blow smoke up my ass, go for it. I'll blow it right back
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I'm sorry, but this attitude just rubs me raw. Cell phones were never designed to be ISPs. It's abusers like you that have made it hard for the rest of us by forcing AT$T to eliminate unlimited plans and by slowing down the network with your extreme usage. Why do so many feel the need to squeeze whatever they can however they can out of a company? If you think they're screwing you then simply take your business elsewhere.
People receiving the letter today are iphone users? am i correct? Did any android user receive it?
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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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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Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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!
Has anyone actually been caught by the tethering police? I mean have they sent you a notice or anything?
Also, do you think I would be caught? I have used between 11 to 20 gigs a month for 6 months straight with my previous phone(Tilt2) and now I that I have the Infuse, would they even know If I was tethering or not since I would be using the same amount of data as I previously have?
Any input would be appreciated
Without trying to sound like a jerk, you do realize it's people like you that are the reason they have to police it in the first place?
20 gigs isn't off the charts outrageous, cause there are guys that say they've used up to 50 gigs in a month. Every time my bill goes up, I say a thank you to each one of you.
antuus said:
Without trying to sound like a jerk, you do realize it's people like you that are the reason they have to police it in the first place?
20 gigs isn't off the charts outrageous, cause there are guys that say they've used up to 50 gigs in a month. Every time my bill goes up, I say a thank you to each one of you.
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Click to collapse
Lol
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using XDA Premium App
antuus said:
Without trying to sound like a jerk, you do realize it's people like you that are the reason they have to police it in the first place?
20 gigs isn't off the charts outrageous, cause there are guys that say they've used up to 50 gigs in a month. Every time my bill goes up, I say a thank you to each one of you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That doesn't really answer my question... but hey, thanks!!
antuus said:
Without trying to sound like a jerk, you do realize it's people like you that are the reason they have to police it in the first place?
20 gigs isn't off the charts outrageous, cause there are guys that say they've used up to 50 gigs in a month. Every time my bill goes up, I say a thank you to each one of you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
10characters
Thanks for the tiered data.
Hope you do get caught.
Sent from my Infuse 4G
antuus said:
Without trying to sound like a jerk, you do realize it's people like you that are the reason they have to police it in the first place?
20 gigs isn't off the charts outrageous, cause there are guys that say they've used up to 50 gigs in a month. Every time my bill goes up, I say a thank you to each one of you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well if he stops know, theyll suspect something!
tbh, i pay for unlimited data. ive tethered a few times but not more than checking that i can or to run speed tests. even though i dont really tether, i still use alot of data. thats why i have the unlimited data plan. att knows this. ive been paying them for years to know this.
The Jack of Clubs said:
well if he stops know, theyll suspect something!
tbh, i pay for unlimited data. ive tethered a few times but not more than checking that i can or to run speed tests. even though i dont really tether, i still use alot of data. thats why i have the unlimited data plan. att knows this. ive been paying them for years to know this.
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I'm not going to get into the "well unlimited is unlimited and why does it matter how I use my unlimited." That's an argument that I feel both sides has a good argument for, so why waste the time.
I have no issues if you download gigs of porn to your phone, month after month. My issue is with the people that tether to excess just because they can. I can't tell you how thankful I am that ATT did lose a good amount of customers to VZW when the iP4 hit their shelves. Now those fanboys are bogging down the VZW network and not ours. Now I can only hope that more of these guys look for greener pastures so my bill stops inflating.
att prepared for the iphone originally with its separate apn and all that. it helped but you saw more iphones with down service than other phone users. really set up a bad name for att. has anybody even bought the iphone on verizon? i remember the launch day being a flop, havent really kept up with apple news since then.
antuus said:
I'm not going to get into the "well unlimited is unlimited and why does it matter how I use my unlimited." That's an argument that I feel both sides has a good argument for, so why waste the time.
I have no issues if you download gigs of porn to your phone, month after month. My issue is with the people that tether to excess just because they can. I can't tell you how thankful I am that ATT did lose a good amount of customers to VZW when the iP4 hit their shelves. Now those fanboys are bogging down the VZW network and not ours. Now I can only hope that more of these guys look for greener pastures so my bill stops inflating.
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Click to collapse
I do not tether on excess just because I can. I do it because I have no other means to connect to the internet and It wouldn't be the same on my phone's browser. Yes it has a flash player plugin, but that doesn't mean I can do everything I can do in a computer environment. If I had access to internet by any other means, then I wouldn't tether from my phone. There was no need for you or anyone to be harsh to me without hearing my side of the story thank you very much.
MikeyMike01 said:
Thanks for the tiered data.
Hope you do get caught.
Sent from my Infuse 4G
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree. If I tether a lot in a month, MAYBE I'll cross 2 gigs. I make a point of keeping my tethering light.
However with the new phone I suspect I'll come closer to that 2gig limit a lot more often. (Fortunately I don't have it, since I'm unlimited.)
But 11-20 gigs/month without paying for tethering is just plain irresponsible. With abuse like that I'm surprised you haven't gotten busted and I wouldn't feel sorry for you if you did.
I had a grandfather plan - $20/mo unlimited data.
I've changed 5 or 6 smartphones since I had it, now on Infuse 4G, I'm getting the sucky-ass AT&T 4G speeds, tether to laptop when needed - no tethering plan.
I don't use that much though, about 2GB/month max.
I asked AT&T rep directly about this - she said they'll never change the plan unless I specifically allow it. She said they can't switch me.
well, there is that tethermanager.apk on stock that seems to report back to AT&T if you're tethering.
then if they feel like it they will text you and say "don't keep doing it or we'll swap you to the tethering plan"
you can freeze that with titanium backup (well you need to be rooted too) and that reactivates the stock tethering stuff built into the phone (both mobile ap and usb tethering)
hwaters said:
well, there is that tethermanager.apk on stock that seems to report back to AT&T if you're tethering.
then if they feel like it they will text you and say "don't keep doing it or we'll swap you to the tethering plan"
you can freeze that with titanium backup (well you need to be rooted too) and that reactivates the stock tethering stuff built into the phone (both mobile ap and usb tethering)
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Click to collapse
Well that really isn't helpful(since I have already done all that) but thanks. I'm talking about AT&T's "Tether Police" that monitor data spikes and accuse you of tethering if your data seems different for any other month.
Earlier this year, a At&t added a tethering plan to thousands of accounts based on data usage. They also alerted many more they would do the same. I only know of three people to have this done to them
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MikeyMike01 said:
Thanks for the tiered data.
Hope you do get caught.
Sent from my Infuse 4G
Click to expand...
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1++++++++++++
That's why att sucks ass...
Grapes
I've been unlimited for years now, i don't know nor care how much data I use. I can tether if I want, which means if my home internet goes down and I need my pc, guess what... I'm tethering. I give att $200 per month for my phone plan over the past 4 years at lest, I highly doubt they'll piss me off and attach a tether plan to my account.
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Rldowney said:
Earlier this year, a At&t added a tethering plan to thousands of accounts based on data usage. They also alerted many more they would do the same. I only know of three people to have this done to them
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While what you say isn't exactly what happened they have been flagging a very large percentage iPhone users who have tethered even for a matter of 3 minutes.
I currently have an iPhone 4 (should finally have my INFUSE today) and only one time have tethered and probably for less than 30 seconds just to see if the Cydia app worked. All I did was go to speedtest.net and ran the test 2 or 3 times. That was it. About 2 weeks later I got the WARNING text. Plan was never changed. They only will change it if you ignore their warning(s) and do not call them to "discuss" it as they request in their text.
As for me, traveling in North, Central and South NJ, AT&T 3G is virtually useless. Speeds are terrible and the latency is horrendous. I have no idea how people can actually regularly use tethering. I guess it's better in other areas. Been that way through 3 iPhones over 4+ years so I have no desire to tether anyway.
I think the tethering and data caps are completely separate issues. ATT had a plan, or at least the idea, for tiered data plans long before the iPhone was even capable of tethering without being jailbroken. Tethering plans are complete bull****, and I'm sure the FCC will eventually make them illegal. If you pay for a data connection, you should be able to use it any way you want. It's like ATT trying to charge you for the separate phones in your house (or at least a premium to allow you to use more than just one phone). I also think the tethering police are a joke too. I'm sure (especially since they allow sideloading), that any kind of traffic that can be generating by a computer can be replicated in android.
AT&T Says it will Move Unlimited Data Customers Who are Tethering to a Tiered Plan
http://androidcommunity.com/att-say...-who-are-tethering-to-a-tiered-plan-20110804/
AT&T has said that starting as soon as August 11th, it will start moving those customers whom they’ve contacted about tethering without a specific tethering plan on to one. Those customers in question will be moved onto AT&T’s Data Pro plus Tethering, giving them 4 GB of data to use for $45 a month.
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Click to collapse
You mean they will actually enforce their terms of service all users agreed to?
Shocking. You don't like it, don't agree to it. Simple.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA Premium App
Hold your horses there hotrod and lose the holier than thou facade, I could care less since I don't tether, I just despise the fact that they rape you for the use of data transferring. Data is data is data no matter how you cut it.
I personally believe the carriers should be taken to the cleaners over this issue on principle alone.
/rant
Tx Redneck said:
Hold your horses there hotrod and lose the holier than thou facade, I could care less since I don't tether, I just despise the fact that they rape you for the use of data transferring. Data is data is data no matter how you cut it.
I personally believe the carriers should be taken to the cleaners over this issue on principle alone.
/rant
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Click to collapse
Whoah Nellie, that wasn't directed at you at all. My fault. It was directed at those who are sure to complain. I'm with you 100% on this, but I did sign an agreement so i can't complain about it.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA Premium App
..........
As i've said before in a thread somewhere...I definetly use wifi tether....when i absolutely need it. IE, i'm out of town and not around a wifi hotspot. I do not use it to download, like some others do. I've been using wifi hotspot since February, and not once have i been contacted by AT&T about "illegally" using the hotspot. The difference is...when you are doing something youre not supposed to, common sense says to stay low key and keep a low profile to stay under the radar. This decreases your chances of getting caught. So as far as I am concerned, for those who abuse this feature deserve to get caught and get sent to a tiered plan.
Corporate Greed
I also tether lightly occasionally and have not been contacted ...
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ThEiiNoCeNT said:
I also tether lightly occasionally and have not been contacted ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here...
Is this the same threat they were spouting about three months ago, when those mass emails went out?
i still have my grandfathered unlimited data plan, and honestly i will fight to keep it. i dont tether. but when the highest plan is $25 for what 2gb i think, and i pay 30 for unlimited i will keep it thank you. but dont really see a reason to tether anyway... where arent you nowadays that doesnt have a free wifi hotspot? hell the grocery store has one here because there is a starbucks inside...
Data is data is data is not correct. Data cost money no matter how u want to look at it. Yes u are paying for a plan with a certain amount of data, lets say 2gb. First they are a company for profit not a non profit company, Most people dont use all there data, not even close to it, and they factor this in before pricing it. Data isnt cheap, while u feel like your paying for 2gb of data, that u should beable to use it how u want, doesnt mean you can tether and increase the amount of data u use.
if everyone who has a 2gb plan for 25 dollars uses 90% of there data or more every month, u would be paying alot more than 25 dollars for internet.
Do u really think when they created unlimited plans they also can give unlimited amounts of data away and it doesnt cost them any extra? while u feel you are being cheated, the ones actually being cheated are the ones not tethering paying high prices for data.
What you are saying is the same thing as saying a bank can give everyone all there money back, or that a insurance company can afford to pay claims for every person that has insurance, its not feasable. If u truely want it that way they would probaly more than double the current price for data if everyone used there max but they count on alot not using it so there cost is down and so is yours.
A couple of things-first off I too have unlimited data and if they decide to alter my plan in any way I will leave and not look back. As far as unlimited data goes, I guess I don't know what it means. If I pay for unlimited I expect to have unlimated why does it matter how I use it. Is there a differnece from downloading something on my phone vs my pc, if not than who cares.
When I stopped at att today the chick was viewinf my account and noticed I don't use that much data on my 3 lines, she was begging me to switch to a 2gb plan, I laughed in her face. Side note- att has no idea of any attain coming.
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@jc,
I read an article a few weeks back that the average cost for an ISP to support 1GB of network traffic is $0.10. Let's say it's double that for a wireless provider even though it's all 1's and 0's, that would mean on average what we pay $25 per month for 2GB of traffic generation only cost the $0.40 to serve.
I agree that they're in it to make money and don't fault them for it, but their profit margin is GROSSLY disproportionate to the Co's most folk like to piss and moan about(Exxon Mobile..).
Tx
http://gigaom.com/broadband/mobile-data-costs-to-jump-7x-for-operators-to-370b-by-2016/
its not as cheap as u think.mobile data is alot more expensive than cable internet or dsl
Btw all major isp's have caps on there unlimited plans, mine is 450gb a month, comcast i think is 250gb. There was also a story recently of a guy that got suspended by cable isp for a few months after exceeding cap, and after he exceeded cap for a second time was suspended for 1 year.
It is your right to switch to a different mobile carrier, but fact is they all have caps. and with att buying tmobile who is left? not many choices.
I use tethering when I really need some Internet in the middle of nowhere where there is no free wifi or free with aircrackng. Att has never said anything because I use less than 400mb of data per month with occasional 1 to 3 gb spikes if I'm tethering or I look down and notice I have ridiculous reception and run a ****load of 200mb tests from testmy.net
If they do say anything about my infrequent tethering resulting in the loss of my unlimited I think I will give testmy.net money so I can have it run the huge test repeatedly for a month.
Sent from my Inspire 4G using XDA Premium App
I posted the same info in the other similiar thead. For those that don't know it or never read it, there was a 5GB fair use clause for your unlimited data plan. So that might be the magical number to watch.
Ok guys I am gonna close this up. On a side note if you look at the TOS everyone agreed to when then signed the contract it states that as long as ATT sends you an email or a text to notify you, they can change your account to the proper plans.
But no one will know for sure till it hits. Could be they are gonna bring this policy over from tmobile with the merger but till then no one knows for sure.
Thread closed