Greetings!
First time poster, long time reader.
I have been using a SE Xperia X1a that I bought off Ebay since Sept. 2009. I have stuck with this phone because I have an unlimited Medianet HSDPA service that costs $10/Mo. I frequently tether as a wireless router for either my laptop or Ipod Touch 4g. ATT still has not recognized this despite using 2gb+/mo.
The hardware in the phone is breaking down. I am looking for a replacement device that can do a similar service for me- $10/mo/unlimited internet. Are there any foreign branded Androids that can do this?
I did do a search for about an hour before giving up and asking this. Thanks are coming your way for responding
I'm really not sure why you think your plan is tied to your phone? Just get whatever phone tickles your fancy and put your sim card in it.
I don't think my plan is tied to my phone. I'm sorry if that's how it came across.
I am able to capitalize on unlimited MediaNet data because ATT doesn't recognize my Xperia's IMEI- they think I have a dumbphone.
The hardware is failing on my Xperia, and I am looking into a replacement. I'm fully willing to buy an foreign phone out of contract if it's known that ATT can't recognize the IMEI.
If anyone could point me in the right direction it would be much appreciated :-D
They dont think you have a dunb phone(Non Smart Phone) They just havent cared to check. In my experience they only check what style of phone when upgrading services, such as data plans and such. As deathsled said, get any phone that makes you happy and insert yoour sim card. P.S. Make sure phone is able to accept a sim card, and if unlocked make sure its able to listen to the carries specific signal.
Well they do think I have a dumbphone. That's what I had to tell them when I signed up for MediaNet after purchasing the phone.
I don't want to buy a phone that they their system will instantly recognize and upgrade me from my MediaNet to a smartphone plan.
Is there a resource to check the phones that they know of? I could always just purchase the same model and continue doing what I'm doing if not.
Is the problem that nobody knows, or that nobody has seen this thread that does know?
Bamp 10char
Is there another forum I should be trying?
Donteventrii said:
Well they do think I have a dumbphone. That's what I had to tell them when I signed up for MediaNet after purchasing the phone.
I don't want to buy a phone that they their system will instantly recognize and upgrade me from my MediaNet to a smartphone plan.
Is there a resource to check the phones that they know of? I could always just purchase the same model and continue doing what I'm doing if not.
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I'm rather puzzled, why can't you just buy an unlocked phone from (say) Amazon? They do sell nice Nexus One units there...
I know exactly what you are talking about Donteventrii
I can give you a list of phones that might be suitable for you, that are unlocked and use AT&T 3G but their IMEI will still not be recognizable and therefore, you get to keep your $10 unlimited MEdiaNet data plan
Amazon: Any Nokia Phone - E72, N8, E7, E6 etc
NExus S - the one for AT&T which will have the 850/1900 3G bands - http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Googl..._1_1?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1310519566&sr=1-1
T-mobile Galaxy S vibrant - Unlocked. It has AT&T's 3G 1900 band so you will be able to get 3G speeds in many areas since 1900 is the more widespread one.
Any Rogers (Canadian telephone service provider) smartphone unlocked since it uses the same bands as AT&T for it's 3G. I'm using a Rogers unlocked Xperia Play that I bought off a guy who'd bought it off Ebay.
That's just the ones I can think off the top of my head. I'll post again if I remember some more
Thank you very much Abudabu!
I may have some follow ups, but I'm heading to bed.
I would just get another phone like tmobile
Abudabu, do you also use MediaNet for your Xperia Play? I see that ATT is getting Xperia play, do you think this will cause problems for you?
The Nexus S is quite costly still, though 2.3 has me drooling. I believe the Galaxy S may be my best option. I might buy it online and unlock it myself.
Any thoughts?
I don't use MediaNet actually. I'm on the $30 unlimited data plan that I opted for when I went with the iPhone 3GS.
You can swap your SIM card out of your current phne to any phone that does not have an AT&T logo on it and you should be fine. AT&T has the IMEI's of all the phones that IT sells, in it's database. So if you put your sim in an Unlocked Xperia Play from Rogers or from United Kingdom, you can continue using the MediaNet without any hassle. If however, you put your SIM card in a AT&T Xperia Play, the SIM recognizes the IMEI of the phone, and will transmit this data back to AT&T indicating you need to upgrade your plan since you are on a smartphone
Any reason you don't switch back to MediaNet?
I'm aware of the 10$ Medianet plan. But for those that use it with unlocked smartphones, how do you get around the texting?
I see a $30 unlimited data and messaging plan which defeats the purpose of the thread. Are you combining this with the 1000 messages for $10?
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App
Donteventrii said:
Any reason you don't switch back to MediaNet?
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Click to collapse
Well couple of reasons:
1) I wasn't sure if they even offer it anymore. I was under the impression they have tiered data plans now. $15 for 200 mb, $25 for 2GB, etc.
2) I switch phones quite a bit. So I prefer to just have the $30 unlimited data plan standard and I switch sim's in and out irregardless.
Ah if you switch phones that makes sense.
But yes, they do indeed offer MediaNet unlimited for 10/month. I am sitting at 2.5gb this month with a week left in my billing cycle.
I mainly use it to tether my laptop while at work. We don't have wifi, and I don't want to use my work computer for personal business. In fact, I'm tethering it right now from work
so where can I find a list of smartphones, compatible with AT&T, not in the IMEI database?
Just to be clear, I can purchase a dumbphone with:
$30 unlimited messaging/mobile to mobile
+
$15 unlimited data
with no voice plan (like the $39.99 for 450 minutes), go home and pop the SIM card to one of these unlisted phones and done.
$45 + tax for unlimited everything on a smartphone.
I can use Google Voice for landlines and international without incurring call forwarding fees and such.
I don't think there is a list other than what's been provided already. I use the Unlimited family messaging and 10/mo unlimited internet.
Really thinking about doing this.
I got wifi at home, I can bring a router and get wifi at work.
Simple Mobile Plan:
750 mb of data at tmobile 4G speeds for one month
no contract
25 bucks a month
http://www.mysimplemobile.com/plans-wireless-broadband-plans.aspx
Once the tmobile samsung galaxy note comes out in june/july Ill buy it straight out, get it unlocked from tmobile then stop my monthly plan of about 55-65 bucks a month (wife and i spend 110-120 total).
This should all be possible correct? I know simple mobile doesnt want me to put a data only plan on a phone but if i bring in a tablet to set it all up then switch then sim card over I dont think i should have any problems.
That's a good idea with the tablet trick
I planning to get this plan after my dad family plan is out in 2 month. I not very knowledge on t mobile plan about this 30 buck unlimited text and web( 4gb 4g plan), just seem to be true good.
I have few question to ask:
1) Does it so work if I just buy the sim card from amazon (hopefully) or t mobile? I have my own cell phone t mobile Samsung galaxy s and I cant afford the 400 buck prepaid phone that come with the sim plan. I am asking because all the research I been doing was from 2011 ( claim that it work only with sim) and now it 2012 with no new information if this so work. I planning to get it amazon(If it work) but I can go for t mobile (according to people in 2011 comment that you more likely to receive a broken sim card) for buying a new sim card.
2) if it does work, can I active right now without interfering my dad plan or my plan connecting to my dad plan ( I on a free ride with t mobile 2 month before he cut it off and switch to at&t), my dad internet plan is not unlimited and I dont want to go over it. I only have 1 phone and for some reason t mobile have an image of my phone information up on there site, so I dont know if my phone can only be use 1 time .
3) How easy is to active the plan? DO I need contact tmobile and what do I say or can it all be done online? Will it ask me for the EMI because I dont have a prepaid phone or the box come with my galaxy.
I think this is pretty much it. I may ask some more question if anything come up.
Thinking about getting the Samsung P3100 after reading about Nexus 7 issues with 4.2 release.
If I buy a Samsung Tab 2 7 I would get the International version for $100 more than the US non 3G version and SIM swap with my Note.
Has anyone been tagged for using this as a phone or worse tagged as a tablet on AT&T?
We have two Smart phones both are International and we are on the shared data plan. I actually tried to convince the ATT CSR I had a smart phone and told her I sold the ATT Note for the International one for the FM radio. She still could not identify it and put it down as a dumb phone. We have the choice of the 700 minute plan with pay per messaging and UL data or UL Phone and messaging with 1 GB of data...both for $100 a month. We don;t use all that much data and if we do I will switch back to the family plan as we do not send and receive 80 messages a month either
I chose the Shared data plan for now. I will be sharing the SIM with the Tablet as well.
Right now I have an old X2 that I can barely get to work. I'm on Verizon with a grandfathered unlimited data plan, so whatever my decision is will involve me buying a phone at full price in an attempt to keep my unlimited data. Should I expect any issues trying to go from a 3G phone to 4G while still keeping my unlimited plan?
I'm very annoyed that there's no 32GB S4 on Verizon, but is there any way at all to get one working on the network, whether I unlock a phone myself or buy one that is already unlocked? Should I hold out and see if there's a way to do that or just bend over and buy the 16GB version, and hope that the apps to SD method works well enough?
I didn't pre-order anything because of all this, what are the odds of me just walking into a store and buying one?