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.
Click to expand...
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?
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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
Get it while u can they finally broke down after losing a lot of customers they are doing unlimited everything
Sent from my SM-N910V using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Yep. My question: Is it possible to root/flash a rom onto a phone, say a nexus, and get unlimited tethering with Verizon as opposed to the 10gb that's included in the plan? I'm going to take into account the taxes/fees tacked onto the $80 monthly fee before jumping ship, but I'd also like the option of tethering a bit over the 10gb allotment once in a while.
Oh, and if history has taught us anything, they can still kick us off the plan whenever they'd like. All they did up until now was increase prices and remove subsidies for it.
I am still grand father in my old unlimited plan
Sent from my SM-N910V using XDA-Developers Legacy app
I still use FoxFi on mine works great
Sent from my SM-N910V using XDA-Developers Legacy app
chris9000 said:
Yep. My question: Is it possible to root/flash a rom onto a phone, say a nexus, and get unlimited tethering with Verizon as opposed to the 10gb that's included in the plan? I'm going to take into account the taxes/fees tacked onto the $80 monthly fee before jumping ship, but I'd also like the option of tethering a bit over the 10gb allotment once in a while.
Oh, and if history has taught us anything, they can still kick us off the plan whenever they'd like. All they did up until now was increase prices and remove subsidies for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Use FoxFi for tethering u will have both just letting people know good luck
Sent from my SM-N910V using XDA-Developers Legacy app
calidroid31 said:
Use FoxFi for tethering u will have both just letting people know good luck
Sent from my SM-N910V using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So FoxFi's still the tethering app of choice for many, I see.
I'll more than likely give Verizon a second look later into the year when it's time to get a new phone.
As a Pixel XL user with Verizon UDP, keeping tethering is now a hassle for some of us. Tethering worked great with workarounds until the new patches started coming out. Between losing root when taking new updates and not being able to use a non-root tethering app; I'm at the point of giving up and just going with the new UDP plans.
Reasons that make the New UDP seem acceptable:
> you can buy more and more data
> no capping of video service quality while under your cap
> when going past your cap, you are only throttled if the tower is under high utilization (not sure if this is true) (so theorhetically you can maintain high level of service past your cap during non-peak times)
> rollover data
> 10GB of tethering tossed in
Benefits
> can use the upgrade pricing for phones instead of having to bring your own to the table
> dont worry about root and tethering and taking updates, etc... hassle free
> non-rooted phone I can use my Maas360 and android pay and other apps that dont work while rooted
Is there any draw back (outside of VZW could be lying)?
Khanusma said:
As a Pixel XL user with Verizon UDP, keeping tethering is now a hassle for some of us. Tethering worked great with workarounds until the new patches started coming out. Between losing root when taking new updates and not being able to use a non-root tethering app; I'm at the point of giving up and just going with the new UDP plans.
Reasons that make the New UDP seem acceptable:
> you can buy more and more data
> no capping of video service quality while under your cap
> when going past your cap, you are only throttled if the tower is under high utilization (not sure if this is true) (so theorhetically you can maintain high level of service past your cap during non-peak times)
> rollover data
> 10GB of tethering tossed in
Benefits
> can use the upgrade pricing for phones instead of having to bring your own to the table
> dont worry about root and tethering and taking updates, etc... hassle free
> non-rooted phone I can use my Maas360 and android pay and other apps that dont work while rooted
Is there any draw back (outside of VZW could be lying)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just called to get more info it seem legit and it's here stay for a while I am think about finally switching and go with this so I can get 2 more phones and have 4 lines for what I pay now and this plan to will be grandfathered in if it goes away so a win win for everyone
Sent from my SM-N910V using XDA-Developers Legacy app
chris9000 said:
Yep. My question: Is it possible to root/flash a rom onto a phone, say a nexus, and get unlimited tethering with Verizon as opposed to the 10gb that's included in the plan? I'm going to take into account the taxes/fees tacked onto the $80 monthly fee before jumping ship, but I'd also like the option of tethering a bit over the 10gb allotment once in a while.
Oh, and if history has taught us anything, they can still kick us off the plan whenever they'd like. All they did up until now was increase prices and remove subsidies for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I echo this question.
On the grandfathered unlimited plan, the stock rom had a subscription check where, if you weren't signed up for the tethering add-on, verizon would block hotspot from working. Custom roms got rid of the subscription check so you could have unlimited tethering.
With the new plan, will there be a workaround to hide the fact that you are tethering? Does foxfi do such a thing?
I know that when I was on the t-mobile walmart 5gb plan, they had an absolute prohibition on tethering non-mobile devices, and there was no workaround without paying extra.
So FYI verizon is fazing the old unlimited plan customers and either u switch to ther new unlimited or they are going to shut ur service off
Sent from my SM-N910V using XDA-Developers Legacy app
I've been using FoxFi, with the new UDP, for about a week now. I've already exceeded 10gb while tethering and have not seen my speeds throttled.
calidroid31 said:
So FYI verizon is fazing the old unlimited plan customers and either u switch to ther new unlimited or they are going to shut ur service off
Sent from my SM-N910V using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where did you hear this? I haven't heard this anywhere. Why would they shut down the $350+ i pay for my plan? Anyhow, what I'm wondering is, I have a rooted lg v20 on the old udp & can get ulimited tethering using portable wifi hotspot but it does open the native hotspot, so will verizon know how much data I'm using on tether if I switch & throttle me?
calidroid31 said:
Get it while u can they finally broke down after losing a lot of customers they are doing unlimited everything
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought I would never see the day lol