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Just got a new ATT Tilt and have been reading posts on here for a little bit--also flashed Dutty's ROM and the 12.32 radio...
Called AT&T and gave me no definite answer...
Right now, I have a Blackberry BIS Unlimited Plan w/ 1500 Texts, do i have to switch to the PDA personal plan to access data/email?? Or, can i just use the BB plan?
I would like the option to switch to my old BB Curve at bars/clubs during the weekends, since my friends are on BB Messenger.
Sorry for the Super Newb question...
pmpntl said:
Just got a new ATT Tilt and have been reading posts on here for a little bit--also flashed Dutty's ROM and the 12.32 radio...
Called AT&T and gave me no definite answer...
Right now, I have a Blackberry BIS Unlimited Plan w/ 1500 Texts, do i have to switch to the PDA personal plan to access data/email?? Or, can i just use the BB plan?
I would like the option to switch to my old BB Curve at bars/clubs during the weekends, since my friends are on BB Messenger.
Sorry for the Super Newb question...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, you don't have to switch. Unlimited Blackberry plans include unlimited MediaNet data access.
OTOH, you can load up BBConnect on your Tilt and get some use out of the plan you're paying for:
http://www.america.htc.com/connect/8925/
WonkotheSane said:
No, you don't have to switch. Unlimited Blackberry plans include unlimited MediaNet data access.
OTOH, you can load up BBConnect on your Tilt and get some use out of the plan you're paying for:
http://www.america.htc.com/connect/8925/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, i will give this a try.
It says I need to have a BlackBerry Connect Plan... i figure based on what you're saying is that I already have that plan (BB BIS) from my old BlackBerry?
Is there a good reason to switch to the PDA Personal Plan at all?
I will tell you that I got a pain in the ass CSR at AT&T who forced me to switch off the Blackberry plan. She claimed that it doesn't work with the Tilt. I know that not to be true, but she claimed that Premier shouldn't be allowing people to stay with the blackberry version. I didn't care because my old phone died, but understand you could theoretically run into a rep down the road who sees "policy" differently. FWIW.
Hi, I've recently heard that AT&T has a way of now detecting if you're using a smartphone and will automatically bill you with a data plan if you dont already have one. I was wondering if rooting the phone would help bypass this cause my brother is using a jailbroken iphone without a data plan. Thanks guys!
illegit said:
Hi, I've recently heard that AT&T has a way of now detecting if you're using a smartphone and will automatically bill you with a data plan if you dont already have one. I was wondering if rooting the phone would help bypass this cause my brother is using a jailbroken iphone without a data plan. Thanks guys!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
to accomplish this you would have to get involved in much more complicated and nefarious things than just rooting your phone.
This forum is not the place for it, so for you the answer is no.
It is not so much they can detect a smartphone, but they can detect the type of phone, iPhone, Captivate, etc. If these are on the smartphone list, they will add a dataplan if you don't have one - or if you have the wrong type.
You can't change this -when the phone is on the network, it broadcasts information about itself - rooting doesn't change this.
AT&T has millions of subscribers and this information probably has to be mined out of a data base - pull list of all smarthpones seen on the network in the past X days; check all accounts related for data plans, etc. They probably have a bunch of older unconnected systems too. So, it may not happen the first day you connect or even 3 months later, but at some point they will figure it out.
Its true. Before I got my fiance her iphone 3gs, she had a blackberry pearl without data and a few months before she switched they added data to our bill unexpectedly and wouldn't let us drop it.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
i dont get why someone buys a 500 dollar phone if they are too cheap to get the datra plan with it.
I could understand if you got a blackjack, but come on now....
iamamp3pimp said:
i dont get why someone buys a 500 dollar phone if they are too cheap to get the datra plan with it.
I could understand if you got a blackjack, but come on now....
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Click to collapse
I think some people are convinced they are near wifi all day and don't want to waste the money on data they won't use.. But they do have that 200MB plan for $15 - i think it is overpriced - should be $5 - but if you buy a smartphone you should be ready to add a data plan.
If you don't want to add data, get a dumb phone and ipod Touch.
I work for AT&T so I'll give you some inside info. The phones have a sim registration program that talks to the local server through the towers. Within 60 seconds of your phone being turned on it tells the network what kind of phone it is. It can tell the network the make/model but not the IMEI. If it could detect the IMEI then stolen phones would pretty much be useless. The only way around the forced data plan is to have a tag on your account for "smartphone exclusion". Everyone got this tag in September 2009 so we could all be grandfathered with no data plans. When you upgrade to a new phone with a 2yr agreement it removes the tage automatically. But if you buy your own smartphone, this tag allows you to keep data removed if you dont want it. Or in my case it allows me to have a samsung captivate with the $10 family data unlimited plan for dumbphones. The network knows I have a captivate but it cant force the data plan because I have "smartphone exclusion". You can go to a local AT&T store and see if someone is willing to tell you if you have this tag. If you don't have it then it is pretty much impossible to get it. And no I can't add it for you. Hope that helps.
Actually the IMEI is reported when the phone talks to the network. It is part of the GSM protocol. Europe enforces a ban on stolen phones via IMEI. American carriers just dont seem interested in banning stolen phones as they would rather have the revenue and not turn off the ebay buyer.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
alphadog00 said:
Actually the IMEI is reported when the phone talks to the network. It is part of the GSM protocol. Europe enforces a ban on stolen phones via IMEI. American carriers just dont seem interested in banning stolen phones as they would rather have the revenue and not turn off the ebay buyer.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
while this is true at&t actually uses the IMSI on the SIM to do its dirty work. Also the captivates ONLY transmit the IMSI while on 3G (reduces over head for more throughput on EDGE) which is why the option to force 2G is hidden on the captivate.
captivatesuperuser said:
The only way around the forced data plan is to have a tag on your account for "smartphone exclusion". Everyone got this tag in September 2009 so we could all be grandfathered with no data plans.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been with AT&T since before 2009, does this mean I'll automatically have the tag? And how would I know if my account has this tag or not?
When you upgrade to a new phone with a 2yr agreement it removes the tage automatically. But if you buy your own smartphone, this tag allows you to keep data removed if you dont want it. Or in my case it allows me to have a samsung captivate with the $10 family data unlimited plan for dumbphones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you mean buying your own smartphone outside of AT&T? I currently have the $10 unlimited data plan for my "dumbphone". Talking to AT&T indicated there was no way to keep the existing data plan and I've have to move to one of the 2 new plans if I got the Captivate.
iamamp3pimp said:
i dont get why someone buys a 500 dollar phone if they are too cheap to get the datra plan with it.
I could understand if you got a blackjack, but come on now....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would be interested in this simply because i want unlimited data. Hell i would pay the extra 5 bucks if they would let me in on the unlimited smartphone plan but it seems like fooling their network would be an easier task lol. Also i have had my sim for over 2 years now and they still were able to change me from the dumbphone plan to the smartphone one.
I've upgraded to the Froyo floating around here and there is the Mobile AP option in the wireless settings. Talking to my friend who has an Incredible, he says that Verizon charges $20 a month to use what I am assuming to be the equivalent thing but on their network.
What I want to know is, do you have to pay to use the built in Mobile AP setting, or should I download a different wifi tether app, or what?
Thanks!
vsboxerboy1 said:
I've upgraded to the Froyo floating around here and there is the Mobile AP option in the wireless settings. Talking to my friend who has an Incredible, he says that Verizon charges $20 a month to use what I am assuming to be the equivalent thing but on their network.
What I want to know is, do you have to pay to use the built in Mobile AP setting, or should I download a different wifi tether app, or what?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No you don't have to pay to use it.
Thanks! Would you happen to know if my friend is correct in saying that he has to pay $20 / month to use the Incredible's version of this?
It seems so un-ATT not to charge for something....
My understanding of it is that the mobile ap option in the leaked froyo is free but not because att is deciding not to charge for it, it is because this is in fact a leaked version of froyo and when it officially comes out they will find a way to charge for it or just include an att version of it that you will have to pay for and this new application that will be on the official froyo will be the equivalent of what your friend has for verizon. Hope that helps and if you want to be extra careful just download one of the wireless tethering apps
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
vsboxerboy1 said:
Thanks! Would you happen to know if my friend is correct in saying that he has to pay $20 / month to use the Incredible's version of this?
It seems so un-ATT not to charge for something....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh ATT would love to have you believe you have to pay their twenty dollar subscription fee to enable tethering on your phone as well.
My guess (and this is just a guess as I have no experience with verizon) is if your friend can get either easy tether or another such app on his phone he would not need to pay them either. Again I don't know anything about verizon or the contract your friend has with them.
Yeah, I poked around a bit on the Incrdible subforum and it seems like all curernt wifi tether apps require root access, which he does not have (I don't want to be his IT guy so I'm not gonna root it for him lol)
vsboxerboy1 said:
I've upgraded to the Froyo floating around here and there is the Mobile AP option in the wireless settings. Talking to my friend who has an Incredible, he says that Verizon charges $20 a month to use what I am assuming to be the equivalent thing but on their network.
What I want to know is, do you have to pay to use the built in Mobile AP setting, or should I download a different wifi tether app, or what?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What Data Plan do you have with AT&T? If you weren't grandfathered in on the old $30 unlimited plan and you exceed your cap you could end up paying quite a bit for tethering.
ranjo65 said:
What Data Plan do you have with AT&T? If you weren't grandfathered in on the old $30 unlimited plan and you exceed your cap you could end up paying quite a bit for tethering.
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Click to collapse
how can you "exceed a cap" on an "unlimited plan"?
dayv said:
how can you "exceed a cap" on an "unlimited plan"?
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Click to collapse
You can't.
But there was a point at which you would raise flags and be investigated.
MikeyMike01 said:
You can't.
But there was a point at which you would raise flags and be investigated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Investigated for what exactly? Who would do the investigating? And a what point would the flags raise?
dayv said:
how can you "exceed a cap" on an "unlimited plan"?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Read a little slower next time. I said if he wasn't ("weren't") grandfathered in on the unlimited plan.
dayv said:
Investigated for what exactly? Who would do the investigating? And a what point would the flags raise?
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Click to collapse
1. Excessive data usage, even on an unlimited plan. (A clue to tethering when tethering isn't allowed...like, say, with a Captivate.
2. AT&T
3. Don't know.
edited out by me.
ranjo65 said:
Read a little slower next time. I said if he wasn't ("weren't") grandfathered in on the unlimited plan.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am a slow reader, but I still missed that up. LOL
dayv said:
I am a slow reader, but I still missed that up. LOL
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No worries.
I have unlimited data, grandfathered in.
My friend has unlimited data as well, but AFAIK there isn't an easy root solution for the Incredible yet - thus, there is no wifi tether app (that I know of) for him to use.
vsboxerboy1 said:
I have unlimited data, grandfathered in.
My friend has unlimited data as well, but AFAIK there isn't an easy root solution for the Incredible yet - thus, there is no wifi tether app (that I know of) for him to use.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The simple answer is - if you use tethering and not paying for it, then you are violating the terms of service. Tethering is officially a separate product.
But, the captivate has no AT&T tethering app, so they have no easy way to monitor tethering usage. If you use a lot of data, they may start looking, and even then, they have to do some deep packet inspection to determine that you are tethering and not doing all this on your phone - and even deep packet inspection is not 100% conclusive as you could say you are using a custom browser that makes your phone look like Firefox on Windows 7.
So even if they were suspicious, all they could first is send you a letter about bandwidth. They would have a hard time proving anything. BUT, they can always terminate service - they can say they don't want you as a customer any more.
The only people that get in trouble for tethering are the ones that run their whole house internet off their phone. Occasional use, and under 5GB per month, and they wont bother you.
alphadog00 said:
The simple answer is - if you use tethering and not paying for it, then you are violating the terms of service. Tethering is officially a separate product.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What? If this is true, and by this logic, I must be violating my terms of service every time I use google navigator -- after all att has their own paid subscription for att navigator.
I must be violating my terms of service every time i use dropbox since att paid service net share and storage.
I must be violation my terms of service every time i use google talk to send a text message since att has a texting plan.
I must be violating my terms of service every time i use a non att product or service on my phone if att offers a paid version of that service.
As far as tethering being an "officially separate product" exactly what do I get from att if I pay them for their subscription tethering plan and I have a captivate? I will tell you, I would get nothing, nada, zilch. ATT has no tethering product for the captivate, even though they are more than happy to charge anyone willing to pay for it.
As far as I'm concerned, and I'm not all that concerned, I pay for the phone, the data, and the rest of the services, I shall use them as I want to. Mind you I will be smart about it as I only have a 200MB a month plan, but that's not a lot of usage and would probably never raise a red flag to AT&T.
To tether or not to tether! It's not really a question anymore.
dayv said:
What? If this is true, and by this logic, I must be violating my terms of service every time I use google navigator -- after all att has their own paid subscription for att navigator.
I must be violating my terms of service every time i use dropbox since att paid service net share and storage.
I must be violation my terms of service every time i use google talk to send a text message since att has a texting plan.
I must be violating my terms of service every time i use a non att product or service on my phone if att offers a paid version of that service.
As far as tethering being an "officially separate product" exactly what do I get from att if I pay them for their subscription tethering plan and I have a captivate? I will tell you, I would get nothing, nada, zilch. ATT has no tethering product for the captivate, even though they are more than happy to charge anyone willing to pay for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Important distinction being that tethering may be a violation of your services contract. Nothing seems to indicate that "duplicating core functionality" (thanks for the term, Apple) constitutes a violation of AT&T's acceptable use policy.
I just browsed through some of the restrictions listed on AT&T's website. I did see some information about plans that do include tethering, but I did not find an express prohibition of tethering for other plans. Seemed that the tethering plans may have just eased the process. I am personally on an unlimited plan, but since this isn't offered anymore I was not able to find the specific terms of this plan. Can anybody point to an actual paragraph in a terms of use statement or contractual language expressly prohibiting tethering?
Also, has anybody actually been "flagged" for tethering? I'm curious because it seems that warnings abound, but I've yet to see a person actually complain of having been so much as given notice of violation by AT&T.
Thanks. My first post. I like this place.
I've looked at a couple of threads in many forums (including this one) and was contemplating on this idea for a while before I came here. If this question was asked, then pardon me for posting a repeated question.
I've recently been testing Google Voice on both my phone and computer. I got a Google number and was able to make a call directly on my computer to so many people on Gmail and Google Voice website (no apps), so I assume that Google Voice uses voip technology. If that's the case, is it possible to get an unlimited data plan without talk and/or text for a good low price and use Google Voice over it to save a couple of $$$? And if so, what would be the best carrier to use in the US?
Not sure where you can get them from.. But something like an iPad plan sounds right Just internet
MacaronyMax said:
Not sure where you can get them from.. But something like an iPad plan sounds right Just internet
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm looking for something closer to an android powered phone, or a wm6. If there's a good plan for one of those, then I'm all for it.
slicknessessity said:
I'm looking for something closer to an android powered phone, or a wm6. If there's a good plan for one of those, then I'm all for it.
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Click to collapse
He meant taking out an iPad plan, without the iPad.
Like use the SI-- Oh you can't.
Damn MicroSIMs. If you can get an adapter, then there you go.
Otherwise, keep looking.
DanWilson said:
He meant taking out an iPad plan, without the iPad.
Like use the SI-- Oh you can't.
Damn MicroSIMs. If you can get an adapter, then there you go.
Otherwise, keep looking.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think that he really means....
Is there a App for Android or WP6+ (What I am looking for too) that will make calls with Google voice and not use any air time, only VOIP calls through google voice ?
Right now, in the US, Verizon still offers unlimited internet access, not like AT&T caps at 2gb...
DanWilson said:
He meant taking out an iPad plan, without the iPad.
Like use the SI-- Oh you can't.
Damn MicroSIMs. If you can get an adapter, then there you go.
Otherwise, keep looking.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did some searching and found that there are micro sim to sim adatpors. But the service only caps at 2GB. It may work, but I am a heavy data user. If there's any other plans out there that offers unlimited data for a good price, then I may just go with that.
DavidinCT said:
I think that he really means....
Is there a App for Android or WP6+ (What I am looking for too) that will make calls with Google voice and not use any air time, only VOIP calls through google voice ?
Right now, in the US, Verizon still offers unlimited internet access, not like AT&T caps at 2gb...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If there is an app to do that, then that works too, but I'd rather still get rid of the air time service and go with an unlimited plan only to save a couple of bucks.
slicknessessity said:
If there is an app to do that, then that works too, but I'd rather still get rid of the air time service and go with an unlimited plan only to save a couple of bucks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've looked into doing this same thing, but nobody in the US is eager to hand out data only plans. Additionally, Sprint is the only company (correct me if I'm wrong) that still has true, unlimited data, others have switched to a 5gig cap, which is still likely sufficient for your needs.
One way you might be able to get around it, and this may not be MORALLY sound, is to say you are hearing impaired and thus, aren't willing to pay for the voice portion of your plan.
booyakasha said:
One way you might be able to get around it, and this may not be MORALLY sound, is to say you are hearing impaired and thus, aren't willing to pay for the voice portion of your plan.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm. I could use this method for a family member of mine. He's hearing impaired, but he is on the internet a lot and he may be interested in that. I wonder if I can ask Sprint (or whom ever) if I can do that as well.
So many phone companies are getting rid of their unlimited data plan, so it's hard to find a good one. I heard that T-mobile has a reputation of having bad signal, but they have the no contract unlimited data plan for $50/mo, but given what I heard of their reputation, I'm not so sure it's worth it.
slicknessessity said:
Hmm. I could use this method for a family member of mine. He's hearing impaired, but he is on the internet a lot and he may be interested in that. I wonder if I can ask Sprint (or whom ever) if I can do that as well.
So many phone companies are getting rid of their unlimited data plan, so it's hard to find a good one. I heard that T-mobile has a reputation of having bad signal, but they have the no contract unlimited data plan for $50/mo, but given what I heard of their reputation, I'm not so sure it's worth it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tmobile's signal strength varies. I am in Jersey City, New Jersey and their signal and speed is very good. However, the fifty dollar plan is for internet cards or usb dongles. They do have a $40 data and unlimited texting plan for the galaxy tab... I have both tmobile and sprint and tmo's hspa+ kicks sprints wimax butt
Sent from my Llama powered N1 courtesy of the xda app! Llama Power!!
My wife likes her Captivate but never uses data capabilities. AT&T requires a data plan for any smartphone. Has anyone thought about making it emulate a dumb phone? Is it even possible? This would save me $15 a month by not using data. I would be willing to pay for instructions for such a mod.
This would be better in the q&a forum, not development.
No, you can't. Att uses the phones IMEI number to determine if data is needed.
Mod pm'd...
My wife is also on a captivate. She doesn't have a data plan. This is what I did. I backed up the efs folder on the external SD card and I also put a copy on my computer for safe keeping. Delete the efs folder on the sdcard. Then reboot the phone. You look at the imei number it will be a generic number. Hence non detectable by atts systems. She's had it for about six months and no data plan yet.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
durrence said:
Has anyone thought about making it emulate a dumb phone? Is it even possible?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you mean that you want to use the phone as it is without the internet plan?
If yes, go to Settings >Wireless and networks > Mobile networks . uncheck the Use packet data box
Advantage in this method is that you can hop on a wifi network when it is available.
If you mean you want to fool AT&T network to recognize your captivate as a non-smartphone and continue to use the dataplan, I believe this forum doesn't allow such discussion.
Not that I know anything, but couldn't you wipe the phones EFS data and replace it with a "dumb phones" information?
Like I said I know nothing. I don't suggest you do this, or anything like it for that matter.
FWIW, I bought a Captivate on EBay (put Pinnacle on it), put my wife's SIM in it and she uses it without any requests from ATT to get a data plan...
If you want to make the phone look dumb, you could just paint/theme it to look like an iPhone.
(bah-doomp-thud.)
The Gibbs said:
Not that I know anything, but couldn't you wipe the phones EFS data and replace it with a "dumb phones" information?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is illegal in most countries of the world, USA included.
your best bet would be this http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1093696, though i have never tested it
Aus_Azn said:
This is illegal in most countries of the world, USA included.
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Click to collapse
It's not illegal to ask questions (which this is the wrong thread to do that by the way @ OP), and nobody has broken any laws its just web chat. Informing someone how to do something is not against the law, freedom of speech corrects that. I can tell you exactly what to do to rob a bank, but you won't be charged for robbing one until you do it. Talk of terroism, treason, or any communicative threat...now that is illegal.
Klyentel said:
It's not illegal to ask questions (which this is the wrong thread to do that by the way @ OP), and nobody has broken any laws its just web chat. Informing someone how to do something is not against the law, freedom of speech corrects that. I can tell you exactly what to do to rob a bank, but you won't be charged for robbing one until you do it. Talk of terroism, treason, or any communicative threat...now that is illegal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was answering his question. Changing the phone's IMEI is illegal...
Sent from my SGH-I897 using XDA Premium App
But will it still function as a phone if it has an unknown IMEI?
Suppose I call AT&T to cancel her data plan and re-activate her old Motorola Razr, then take the SIM out of the Razr and put it in the Captivate? Could they still tell I was using a Captivate if I disable data on it?
durrence said:
But will it still function as a phone if it has an unknown IMEI?
Suppose I call AT&T to cancel her data plan and re-activate her old Motorola Razr, then take the SIM out of the Razr and put it in the Captivate? Could they still tell I was using a Captivate if I disable data on it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Without changing the imei, yes.
I bought my Captivate from AT&T last year and not once have they questioned me about not having a data plan. I had an LG Incite before that without a data plan. Maybe I simply lucked up but I'm not complaining.
Sent from my SGH-I897 using XDA App
you need data plan only when buying phone from at&t. if you bought captivate from ebay/somewhere else then you can just put in the sim card and use it without getting data plan
This is the best answer yet
bigy4n said:
you need data plan only when buying phone from at&t. if you bought captivate from ebay/somewhere else then you can just put in the sim card and use it without getting data plan
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
bigy4n said:
you need data plan only when buying phone from at&t. if you bought captivate from ebay/somewhere else then you can just put in the sim card and use it without getting data plan
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Until att does an imei sweep and just add it to your account.
mrhaley30705 said:
Until att does an imei sweep and just add it to your account.
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Click to collapse
i think that's illegal if at&t does that
Which part? If they can add a tethering plan or drop people from unlimited data, they can add a data plan to your line if they gave proper reason to do so. Check the Terms of Service.