I just bought a Tilt and am upgrading from a Nokia 6555. My current plan with AT&T does not include data. Obviously, to use the Tilt I will need to add data to my account. My question is this: What is the difference between the $30 "Messaging & Data Unlimited" plan and the $15 "Data Unlimited" plan? On the AT&T website, it says the $15 plan does not work with PDAs/Smartphones. If I throw the sim card into my Tilt from my Nokia phone will the $15 plan work? Is AT&T sent any information about what phone is accessing their network?
Thanks in advance.
cmus
I guarantee that someone is going to tell you to please use the search function. There have been countless threads on this topic.
cmus said:
I just bought a Tilt and am upgrading from a Nokia 6555. My current plan with AT&T does not include data. Obviously, to use the Tilt I will need to add data to my account. My question is this: What is the difference between the $30 "Messaging & Data Unlimited" plan and the $15 "Data Unlimited" plan? On the AT&T website, it says the $15 plan does not work with PDAs/Smartphones. If I throw the sim card into my Tilt from my Nokia phone will the $15 plan work? Is AT&T sent any information about what phone is accessing their network?
Thanks in advance.
cmus
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Click to collapse
One plan gives you unlimited data and I believe a restricted amount of Texts ( 200? ). And the other plan is just data and no texts included. AT$T cannot tell which phone the sim is used in , but they do keep track of data usage, and if they suspect that you are using a pda, due to more than normal data usage,they will consider that a violation of your usage agreement and can cancel your account and charge you the full price of the TilT ( $400 )
denco7 said:
One plan gives you unlimited data and I believe a restricted amount of Texts ( 200? ). And the other plan is just data and no texts included. AT$T cannot tell which phone the sim is used in , but they do keep track of data usage, and if they suspect that you are using a pda, due to more than normal data usage,they will consider that a violation of your usage agreement and can cancel your account and charge you the full price of the TilT ( $400 )
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Click to collapse
Denco, actually you are partly mistaken.
ATT Can tell what phone you are using by its IMEI. When you add the data plan to the device, toss the sim card into your older nokia so it registers as a nokia on their network. ATT Will hassle you to put on a PDA plan and wont allow you to add a medianet package.
ALSO.......
The PDA plans allow a connection to a different APN ( ISP.CINGULAR vs WAP.CINGULAR) which means less traffic and less bottleneck from other mobile users ( Iphones and the likes ). Now i cant prove with 100% certainty that ISP.CINGULAR is always faster, but I can tell you that I DO notice a difference in latency times and tend to always have a decent connection rate.
This might also vary though by your location.
One more thing. This topic has been discussed to death. Use the Search button
True,but AT$T doesn't keep a database of imei's. They have the ability to check, but unless the imei is added to a stolen phone database, they don't check every imei as it connects to the network. They do however check the imsi , to make sure you are a subscrber to the network and that is stored on the sim card.
denco7 said:
True,but AT$T doesn't keep a database of imei's. They have the ability to check, but unless the imei is added to a stolen phone database, they don't check every imei as it connects to the network. They do however check the imsi , to make sure you are a subscrber to the network and that is stored on the sim card.
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Click to collapse
They will check it when he goes to add the plan . . .
When I go on-line to my acount summery. there is a picture of each phone next to the phone number. If I swap sims around the pictures change. I pretty sure AT&T does know.
This is a touchy subject as there are a several lawsuits in place for att
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=406588. There are several suits in play from Att forcing an upgrade charge when finding you're using a pda even though unlimited data usage worked just fine with non pda devices
Related
So, AT&T kills you on a monthly data plan, unlimited for $40 a month are there any alternatives for getting a monthly data plan or do I specifically need to go through AT$T for that service?
Also, I use the "No Data" feature which is awesome by the way to essentially turn off the data to and from my phone, I use WIFI. Someone sent me a text message the other day that I did not receive I assume because I have the data turned off on my phone, as planned.
Is there a way to get around this, t receive messages when connected via WIFI or is that specific to the data plan associated with AT$T?
TW,
u do not need to turn off your connection when using wifi. when you have wifi turned on and properly connected, all data usage will be through wifi so no charges. your phone calls and txt will still come through normally. you can call/email att to confirm, i did. plus you can also check your usage online and it will show no charges for anytime you are using the internet through wifi.
all data usage will be through wifi so no charges
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Click to collapse
I can get sms through my web connection? I thought SMS came directly from my provider?
Is there a way to use another provider for data service?
TW,
I use Unlimited MediaNet for only $19.95.
That would be the best choice if you want to have data wherever you go for less then the DataConnect plan.
Well if you're without an access point that is.
I've been using it for a while now, and I use quite a bit of bandwidth a month, (IMplus / Tethering pretty much all the time) and it works great.
Slayer6234 said:
I use Unlimited MediaNet for only $19.95.
That would be the best choice if you want to have data wherever you go for less then the DataConnect plan.
Well if you're without an access point that is.
I've been using it for a while now, and I use quite a bit of bandwidth a month, (IMplus / Tethering pretty much all the time) and it works great.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've heard this before, I pay $39.99 for MediaNet unlimilted...so how do you get it so cheaply? The tethering can be done with ease but getting caught could encurr the wrath of ATT $$$$$ !
I'm sorry about that.
I'm using MediaMax unlimited.
Its unlimited Data /w only 200 texts a month.
I shoulda mentioned that. =/
Slayer6234,
I know I have the option of downgrading to MediaMax Unlimited online (account access) but I've contacted AT&T and they told me this is not supported so I'm a little leary to change it and have it cost me in the end. How long have you been using this? If it works fine I'll just downgrade and see what happens.
Thanks.
I've been using it for about 2 years now since I got a flip phone with a browser.
I've talked to AT&T about it and they do "frown" upon not using a dataconnect plan with a PDA but I've been using it with the HTC for 3 months and nothing has happened, plus I would just say that I have a flip phone that I can only use medianet on, and that I switch my sim to that from time to time.
The tilt will automatically connect/work with MediaNet.
The PDAconnect / Dataconnect plans will still get you on edge/3g, its just a fancy, more costly way of getting you there.
MediaNet will do the same... and you dont need a tethering plan with the tilt because, well, you have a tilt.
Slayer6234,
Thanks for the info. I'll give it a whirl.
I think I might no longer be confused ... MediaMax is still a service offered through AT&T (https://www.wireless.att.com/media/cingular_video_purchase) at a reduced rate...
So, you can't get an external data plan from another vendor for your phone although @ $20 bones I think that falls in line with everyone else's plans.
TW,
I've had a problem with my tilt since I've bought it. I am unable to send pictures and I never receive pictures until weeks or even months after they have been sent. Does anyone know what the problem i am having is?
Thanks in advance for any help!
Try running the att settings .cab file..
Hi,
I had the same problem. I noticed that it happened to me whenever I was connected to 3G for over 1 hour. Once I disconnect from 3G and the phone reconnects I am OK.
Let me know if this works for you.
my phone doesn't have a data connection at all, i had att put a block on it because i dont have a data plan at the moment and still no luck sending pictures...
Well wouldn't that be your problem? Pictures are data.
Green45 said:
my phone doesn't have a data connection at all, i had att put a block on it because i dont have a data plan at the moment and still no luck sending pictures...
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Click to collapse
I had this issue on my last phone (cingular 3125); I went to the AT&T store and they had to active MediaNet pay per use. The pictures are sent over the MediaNet, and as long as you have unlimited messages, you will not be charged for pictures. But without that plan, you can't get pictures.
Also be warned, AT&T now automatically adds the $30 PDS data plan if they find you have a smartphone. So if you go in and try and add it, they may endup slaping you with a data plan and you cannot say no. Here is what AT&T says in thier terms of use:
"Data Plans: An eligible data plan is required for certain devices, including iPhones and other designated Smartphones and PDAs. Eligible data plans cover data usage in the U.S. and do not cover international data usage and charges. If it is determined that you are using an iPhone or other designated Smartphone or PDA without an eligible data plan, AT&T reserves the right to add an eligible data plan to your account and bill you the appropriate monthly fee. "
From here:
http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/legal/plan-terms.jsp#data
ChumleyEX said:
Well wouldn't that be your problem? Pictures are data.
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Click to collapse
well even when i have my data plan activated they won't send. I just deactivate it when I travel to other countries to save a few bucks because I can't use it anyway.
Did you run the att data setting.cab ?
ChumleyEX said:
Did you run the att data setting.cab ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
stupid question but where do i find this cab
you find it by using search
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=337481
Hopefully someone may know the answer to my question. My wife has a POS Blackberry Flip 8220. It's on its last legs so I got her a G1 on eBay. Everything I read said I would have to switch to an Android data plan but when I put her SIM in the G1 everything was working with a 3G signal.
Is that something that will only work until they catch on? Or should it continue to work?
MrBigFeathers said:
Hopefully someone may know the answer to my question. My wife has a POS Blackberry Flip 8220. It's on its last legs so I got her a G1 on eBay. Everything I read said I would have to switch to an Android data plan but when I put her SIM in the G1 everything was working with a 3G signal.
Is that something that will only work until they catch on? Or should it continue to work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do tell... WHAT is an "android" data plan?
Android phones do NOT require any special data provisions. ANY GENERIC DATA PLAN is fine.
Well T-Mobile used to have a Blackberry unlimited data plan. with unlimited messages for $34.99 and an Android unlimited data plan with unlimited messages for $34.99. Those have been replaced with the Even More plans. But my wife still has the grandfathered Blackberry plan. Everyone I've asked said the data wouldn't work because of the APNs and even if it did T-Mobile would be able to tell I was using a G1 on a Blackberry data plan and they would shut it down.
I was just wondering if anyone had used a blackberry data plan successfully in the past or are still using one. If I have to change anything the plan will go up $10 ($30 for data and $15 for unlimited text)
I took my wife from a BB to a Nexus One. No calls to T Mobile and our bill started showing two Android Data Plans. Same thing.... no need to call unless her data suddenly acts funky.
That's good news. Of course when she tries to upgrade to the mytouch slide soon then we may have to deal with that.
Thanks
MrBigFeathers said:
Well T-Mobile used to have a Blackberry unlimited data plan. with unlimited messages for $34.99 and an Android unlimited data plan with unlimited messages for $34.99. Those have been replaced with the Even More plans. But my wife still has the grandfathered Blackberry plan. Everyone I've asked said the data wouldn't work because of the APNs and even if it did T-Mobile would be able to tell I was using a G1 on a Blackberry data plan and they would shut it down.
I was just wondering if anyone had used a blackberry data plan successfully in the past or are still using one. If I have to change anything the plan will go up $10 ($30 for data and $15 for unlimited text)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Three things to say about this;
1) RIM phones require *extra* provisions, but still require the STANDARD provisions, therefore a RIM-compatible data plan will work with any phone, but a regular data plan won't work with a RIM phone. This is a matter of RIM phones being horribly crippled and VERY VERY poorly designed.
2) Anything between you and YOUR CARRIER has nothing to do with this forum. I suggest you consult your carrier for instructions on this.
3) You never even mentioned what carrier you were using, therefore NOBODY could possibly make any reasonable guess about what their responses will be.
few things to note...
1, if your using Tmobile, i know enough to answer your questions,
- blackberries have their own server farms for data (email especially, but all data for a blackberry goes through a "blackberry" channel.
- androids, also have their own seperate channels or farms that handle all of their data,
however, if you have any data plan, and simply pop your sim into any smartphone, it should work for a while, until your connection gets a time failure, or gets red flagged for requesting (or getting) too much bandwidth.
this is known as blackballing, and you can even trick the system sometimes, by putting your sim back in your old phone, calling tmo, and telling them to open mtas, (or something like that) and addressing that connection (tier 3 can do it in about 5 minutes if they know wtf is up).
but for this channelized crap to work, they are separating the non-tmobile brand phones, into a more simplified system for them...
this way, i guess, when blackberries have a massive outage (like when the Storm was released, and every storm on the planet had to get updated, and that killed all the servers, all the blackberries had no-connection at all, for about 3 days...)
my point, is if one system fails, at least other clients (with other phones) are not effected.
sofar, my g1 has been very reliable and fast with out any data plan at all.
screw their overpriced data, and run wifi.
older, sneaky people were using tzones to get full data plan for 10bucks, and just calling in every 2 weeks to get their MTAS updated, or unlocked...
thats been resolved by now, but hopefully you get the picture. and i havent confused anyone,
MrBigFeathers said:
Hopefully someone may know the answer to my question. My wife has a POS Blackberry Flip 8220. It's on its last legs so I got her a G1 on eBay. Everything I read said I would have to switch to an Android data plan but when I put her SIM in the G1 everything was working with a 3G signal.
Is that something that will only work until they catch on? Or should it continue to work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it should fail at some point, and you don't want RIM or blackberry to handle android stuff anyways.
get the android plan, but before you do, go to www.google.com and search for " speedtest " and compare your actual speeds before and after the switch.
would be interesting if there was a huge diference.
Just curious if i order my captivate from amazon's wireless center(since it's cheaper than at&T) can i just put my iphone 3gs sim card in it and start using its data services? Downloading,uploading, etc. or do i have to call at&t and activate something for this device instead?
The new data plans are all the same across platforms, but if you're like me and are grandfathered into the unlimited data plan, then you're going to have to have the feature changed on your account. Unlimited Iphone data and Unlimited Smartphone data are two seperate features.
do not call in to have it switched from the iPhone data plan to the smartphone plan if you want to be able to swap back *easily* to an iPhone.
The iPhone data plan works fine on both the captivate and iPhone.
The Smartphone data plan only works with the Captivate - and requires APN changing with the iPhone, which may not work.
Be careful ordering the phone through Amazon wireless because it doesn't help you grandfather the unlimited plan to the Captivate. When you check out you have to select a new data plan, by doing so AT&T won't be able to honor your unlimited data plan. Luckily I was able to call AT&T and correct it. Amazon includes a new sim card that you activate over the phone.
I second just putting your iPhone sim into the Captivate, that is exactly what I did and I've had no problems since. I also was able to swap back and forth btw and iPhone and the Captivate with no problems as well because the data plan is still the iPhone plan on my bill. I don't know how it works with a phone that's been activated on a new sim card however.
mikejames07 said:
I second just putting your iPhone sim into the Captivate, that is exactly what I did and I've had no problems since. I also was able to swap back and forth btw and iPhone and the Captivate with no problems as well because the data plan is still the iPhone plan on my bill. I don't know how it works with a phone that's been activated on a new sim card however.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can do this, but at some point AT&T may re-adjust your plan (still unlimited). It should not matter if the phone shipped with a new SIM card or not - as there is no activation procedure on GSM phones. AT&T likes to know the IMEI number of your phone, but they don't stop service over it.
I have a friend that tests phones for one manufacturer - they ship him a new phone every month or so (mostly android) and he just pops his iPhone SIM in and goes. A couple times he would put his SIM back in the phone and have no data and he would have to call to get it fixed.
As for Amazon - make sure you are getting the phone on upgrade and not new service. If it is new service then they expect you to keep your old line active too.
i read that iphone sim cards are specifically programmed to work with iphones only. it could be a load of crap...but it's what i heard.
My data didn't work when swapping my sim from my 3GS to my Captivate. I had to change features from the unlimited iPhone data to the unlimited Smartphone data.
I have a T-Mo tab/T-Mo contracted service (for another year) running OC Hermes (which totally rocks!).
Problem is, I want to use my Tab as my phone (light phone use, but I need it to ring and answer it when I need it, hence I have to lose T-Mo/modem switch. I need 3G data - who doesn't? Use is in Domestic US with Europe for a month out of the year - seems simple enough.
I have a depricated VZ Winmo 6.5 device with my "real" number, and found a 3rd party SIM (Tru) that will let you port your number, and provide "reasonable" cost US Domestic and European Voice and Data roaming, so I can get voice/data service and keep my number.
Now I just need to figure out which Tab to buy:
Can the AT&T Tab be customized to work with voice and 3G data simultaneously without modem/switching, and if so, on which SIM/Network(s) in the US other than AT&T?
If I were to replace my T-Mo Unit, should I buy the AT&T or the European Tab?
Will either get this done? Thanks all in advance for any help.
- Cathy
would also like to know the answer to this...
T-mobile tab with t-mobile sim:
Voice, sms, mms, and EDGE data **or** 3g data only.
Flash any rom besides stock to get the dialer capability. Use the Rotohammer modem switch to go between these options. If you are on the 3g mode the phone won't ring, your caller will get the same thing as if they called you when your phone was turned off. You have to delete a system folder to enable web browsing.
At&t tab with at&t sim:
Voice, sms, mms, 3g data, no switch necessary.
Flash any rom besides stock to get the dialer capability. No system files to tinker with.
#####At&t tab with at&t sim is the easiest, best option for a complete phone and data experience.
Thank you @Rangercaptain!
@Rangercapain, you are a gentleman and a scholar!
I thought AT&T did both now, but the info on the boards conflicts, some because it is dated before you fine folks figured this all out, and some because newer users haven't flashed a custom ROM, but I wanted to be sure before sinking another $350 into a dead-end with the telephony.
I was contemplating the SGSII but at $700 US and without Alter's incredible ROM for everything else, it wasn't going to work, and I really don't want two devices.
I realize T-Mo is on the funky 1700 band here so I knew non-T-Mo SIMs were likely only going to get me 2G, but I wasn't sure about AT&T.
If I go with the AT&T Tab, do you know if the 3rd party SIMs like SimpleMobile or Tru Mobile will also do both 3G and voice? AT&T rapes you like everyone else US domestic on Euro Roaming Data ($15/mb is insanity), and I was foolishly hopiing for a SIM that I could use here and in Europe without re-mortaging the house!
Can I determine this definitively by confirming the GSM bands specified by the SIM reseller?
Thank you thank you thank you
My at&t voice, unlimited text, and 2 gigs of data is $35 per month. Like you said, don't use the pay as you go, because that is crazy. Have you seen the Walmart phone/data pay as you go - Straight Talk I think. I will check it out and post back here.
SimpleMobile is exactly the same as T-mobile, so not good with at&t tab or euro tab. I haven't heard of TruMobile. Just google "trumobile frequencies". You want to see 1900/900 or 1900/850.
Straight Talk is a no-go. They sell phones, not sim cards.
rangercaptain said:
T-mobile tab with t-mobile sim:
At&t tab with at&t sim:
Voice, sms, mms, 3g data, no switch necessary.
Flash any rom besides stock to get the dialer capability. No system files to tinker with.
#####At&t tab with at&t sim is the easiest, best option for a complete phone and data experience.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
does it have a minimum data plan requirement? have an ATT iphone4 with the $15 200MB data plan. can i just put my iphone simcard on the GalTab? will i get the dreaded text messages from BIG BROTHER? or will it suffice? or will i be asked to upgrade to a higher data plan?
TIA
jeraldyne
tanjeraldyne said:
does it have a minimum data plan requirement? have an ATT iphone4 with the $15 200MB data plan. can i just put my iphone simcard on the GalTab? will i get the dreaded text messages from BIG BROTHER? or will it suffice? or will i be asked to upgrade to a higher data plan?
TIA
jeraldyne
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can put that sim in your tab, and you won't get the dreaded message. They are after unlimited iphone plans. But you will BURN through 200mb in about 20 minutes. Study your at&t bill, then add 1gig for $15, or 2gigs for $25 (my plan).
Tru Mobile is at&t compatable, but the data works out to $350 per gigabyte.
Global SIMs
@Rangercaptain -
You are right about the data cost, but overseas, that is a "bargain" compared to roaming rates even on AT&T. They have a fixed data rate for "business" customers that is pretty competitive ($30/month 500mb in the US, $60 if you are in the UK or AUS, and they are adding 20 more countries in 2012). I may try them for a little while (till I return in late September) since I can always go to AT&T later (there is no contract) if I want to.
Did AT&T let you get a SIM for the tab that does both voice and data without any gripes? Maybe I can just go AT&T, port my number over, and get a MaxRoam for overseas.
I have been researching this like crazy, and at .80 Euro/MB they are about the cheapest I could find for "global" roaming, but they are one of those pay-go cos that eat your balance if you don't use it.
We are in 11 countries (a cruise) and there is no feasible way to buy a SIM in every port, or all I will have seen at the end of this odyssey will have been a ton of Vodaphone stores .
Thank you so much again!
I bought the tab at a retail store and told them I didn't want any contract. A few days later I added a 2 gig per month data and voice plan to a family plan. I told them it was for an android phone I had at home. They gave me the sim and I went out, and put it in the tab, and whammo! So sweet, 3g and voice.
When you are overseas there are so many pay as you go options, but yes, it could involve a lot of phone shops. No way to buy vodafone or orange sim and pay the roaming? And I'm guessing the cruise ship and hotels will have wifi for free. There are methods to make voice calls when you are on awifi connection, called skype.