Database Develop

[Q] Caught Red Handed - Data Plan

Was there a way around this: Didn't have a smartphone before so I had a fifteen dollar "unlimited" plan. Then bought the captivate sans contract off ebay. Received a text this morning that I was switched to an appropriate limited smartphone data plan.
What really irks me is I haven't been using AT&T's data! I've been strictly wi-fi at the house since putting the SIM in.
Was that the sound of inevitability since they know the IMEIs of all Captivates? Or would rooting / custom mod helped? I hate being forced into the age of data caps.

AT&T's policy is if it's a smartphone you have to have a data plan.. period..
And yes, they know if you are using one by the IMEI.
Sucks yes.. and not much you can do. I had a Tilt for a long time without a plan and lived quite nicely by just using wifi.. ahh.. those were the days..!!

You may be eligible to be grandfathered in and keep your plan. Call 611 and ask for the cancellation department (I think they refer to themselves as "Customer Relations/Care/whatever") and let them know you aren't happy and why. Can't hurt to try, right?

I doubt seriously that you'll be able to keep your MediaNet plan. Most of us think that data is data is data, but not where AT&T is concerned. They tend to place this magical premium on smartphone data in the name of maximizing revenue.
If you don't use more than 200 mb a month then the $15 plan should be fine. If you think you'll use more, which is very likely with these phones, you'll want to get the 2gb plan.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

I won a Samsung Epix a year ago and signed up for the MediaNet plan on my old feature phone. I swapped in the SIM, and I have been on $15 unlimited data ever since. This is a WinMo smartphone, and they have never caught on.

You have a pretty good argument if you bought the phone from e-bay. AT&T didn't subsidize your phone and you didn't agree to any plan changes. You just have to call them on their BS be firm but polite and see where you get. You should also check your account and see if they actually changed it. I received one of those text messages too but still have my mediamax plan.
Charging different $$ amounts for the same thing simply because you MIGHT use more is absurd. Hopefully one day they'll be called out on price fixing along with the other cellular carriers. Data IS data, just because you consume it using a smartphone instead of a dumbphone or a laptop doesn't make it any different or more costly for them. Data plan prices are a subject that will instantly send me into a frenzy.

Yeah, I might just let them win this one. Was using a Nokia E71 on the MediaMax and they were never the wiser. I guess this will end my long run with AT&T.
I absolutely love this Captivate and will hate to part with it...but because of their "smartphone" logic I'll be switching carriers within 6 months (as soon as T-mo has a good android HSPA+ or Metro has a good LTE). In the meantime I'll be wary of the 200 MB limit and use lots of wifi.
Thanks for the input! I love discussing corporate cents (non-sense)

ScottyNuttz said:
I won a Samsung Epix a year ago and signed up for the MediaNet plan on my old feature phone. I swapped in the SIM, and I have been on $15 unlimited data ever since. This is a WinMo smartphone, and they have never caught on.
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You were grandfathered in. Before september 09 you could easily switch plans. They restricted this and customers who had already done it now have a smart phone exclusion soc code on their account.
Essentially if you had already cheated the system your grandfathered. If you hadn't then youre screwed.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

ag4vr said:
Most of us think that data is data is data, but not where AT&T is concerned. They tend to place this magical premium on smartphone data in the name of maximizing revenue.
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Isn't it obvious? Bits and bytes and packets that go to a smartphone device are inherently more expensive to produce and transmit than bits and bytes and packets that go to a "feature" phone!

nbohmer said:
Essentially if you had already cheated the system your grandfathered. If you hadn't then youre screwed.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Click to expand...
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Damn... maybe I should buy w/o a new contract then...

ScottyNuttz said:
Damn... maybe I should buy w/o a new contract then...
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Click to collapse
Won't matter. If you use the captivate on ATT at all they will add the $15 plan to your account.

dontshakepandas said:
Won't matter. If you use the captivate on ATT at all they will add the $15 plan to your account.
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Click to collapse
This is true. But once you're on a smartphone plan, it doesn't really matter which one. FWIW, I am running my Captivate on my Blackberry Enterprise Plan. They insisted it wouldn't work but it does. I often switch between a Bold 9700, 3GS and the Captivate for testing purposes on the same SIM. All work on the same account.

You can call em and they may credit you back the money and take the plan off your account, but next month it will just go right back on...its a completely automatic system and they don't currently have a way to override that from happening.

they are doing this with all smartphones now. Once I got my captivate, I gave my old Fuze to my little brother. Within a day, AT&T had signed him up for a data plan. I had bought my phone subsidized from AT&T and had it with them up until the release date of the captivate without a problem, but as soon as my brother put his SIM card in the phone, AT&T decided it was a smartphone... They also charged the $18 upgrade fee too, which I thought was f***ing obnoxious...

ag4vr said:
I doubt seriously that you'll be able to keep your MediaNet plan. Most of us think that data is data is data, but not where AT&T is concerned. They tend to place this magical premium on smartphone data in the name of maximizing revenue.
If you don't use more than 200 mb a month then the $15 plan should be fine. If you think you'll use more, which is very likely with these phones, you'll want to get the 2gb plan.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't forget the 30 dollar surcharge for the "privilege" to tether your computer to your phone and use "your" data.

I've been kicked back and forth through various AT&T departments for the past month over this...
According to AT&T's official line, if you were using a smartphone on a non-smartphone data plan before November of last year, you have a 'smartphone exclusion' added to your account. This will keep you from automatically getting 'upgraded' to a smartphone data plan as long as you don't change to a different smartphone.
Actually, it's a bit more complex than that. The above is true... as long as you're talking about AT&T smartphones. They have a database with the IMEI number for all of the smartphones they offer... but it does not include smartphones that they don't offer. As a result, if you plugged your SIM into a Nexus One, AT&T would be perfectly happy letting you continue on a 'featurephone data plan'. Same goes if you picked up a sim-unlocked HTC Desire from Telus.
Anyway, if you get stuck that way, just move your sim back to your featurephone and give customer support a call. They can get you back on the cheap data plan.
Actually, there's been reports of people trying to add a smartphone data plan to an account using a Nexus One and having AT&T refuse because 'it's not a smartphone' - or rather it's not in their list of smartphones. AT&T insisted on putting them on a featurephone data plane instead.
Now what's really nasty (and what happened with me) is that if you had ben running on an ancient data plan (like a $20 per month plan that provided unlimited data, unlimited text, and 200 mms), and you stuck your sim in a Captivate, you're screwed. Actually it was the AT&T rep who stuck my sim in and tried to process the upgrade. And before the upgrade had even completed, my old data plan was gone and a 2gb smartphone plan was stuck in it's place. What's worse, when told to cancel the upgrade if I can't keep my old data plan, it was too late. Once that data plan is gone, it's gone for good. I tried to get it back for the next month, going through about 9 support cases and hitting multiple levels of support in 3 different divisions. About the best they could do was to give me a heavy discount on the Captivate and put me on the old smartphone unlimited plan.
With the amount of jerking around I was given before anybody could give me a straight answer, I'm seriously considering returning my Captivate anyway and giving Verizon a shot. Except that they're going to cost the same amount I'm paying now, and they don't (yet) have any good android phones that work international.

mesasone said:
Don't forget the 30 dollar surcharge for the "privilege" to tether your computer to your phone and use "your" data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Or the $20 "privelege" of connecting to an "enterprise" email system

ag4vr said:
I doubt seriously that you'll be able to keep your MediaNet plan. Most of us think that data is data is data, but not where AT&T is concerned. They tend to place this magical premium on smartphone data in the name of maximizing revenue.
If you don't use more than 200 mb a month then the $15 plan should be fine. If you think you'll use more, which is very likely with these phones, you'll want to get the 2gb plan.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm on this plan and it's not too bad. Only things I don't really do with my phone while I'm on data: browse the web, use google navigation, or use pandora radio. those things seem to eat up bandwith more than anything else.
Also, use a program like NetMeter, it'll let you know how much data you're using via data plan and wifi, very handy. It let's me monitor my use so I can be sure I won't go over.
And last thing to consider: The way AT&T's billing plan is that you're paying 15$ a month for the first 200mb of data that you use. If you go over that 200mb, they're going to charge you another 15$ for the next 200mb of data, and so on..
It really sucks they've done it like that, but they definitely had a lot of leaks in their network as far as data goes, which is why they've cracked down on it so much. I used to have the same 15$ unlimited data plan for the longest time ever and enjoyed it with my various HTC phones (Wizard, 8515, tilt), but ultimately, I hurt myself in the end since I didn't bother to get on an unlimited smart phone data plan back then, which would have cost me more at the time, but would more than make up for it as far as being grandfathered in goes.

The best way around it is getting a Tmobile phone because you dont need 3g and ATT usually doesnt mess aorund with there imei numbers. But Att has made data plan very cheap $15 and if u usually use wifi then u will never go over. I have never gone over 200 in the past year and its basically i download apps on wifi using other features in moderations u should be good.

First off, this is my first post on these forums.. second. I had the unlimited data plan on a dumbphone, switched to the smartphone. Was told I couldn't keep my plan. Called customer support. Explained I had been with ATT since 1998 and I don't understand why I couldn't keep my plan. They said I couldn't, agent was rather rude IMHO, I said, well I can change carriers, can I speak to a manager. She put me on hold. Came back rather quickly and said in a nice voice. Sir, I spoke to my manager and they agree to give you your plan back, since you have been with us for so long. But you know, it will cost you 5 dollars more a month. I laughed and said, that's not the point."

[Q] Data Plan

Not sure if anyone know's but let's say I get two of these phones one for me and one for the wife and Only one needs Data considering I am home all day with wi-fi access. Is there a way to get it so I can call in and drop one of the data plans after getting the phone?

The only way you could do that is if you buy it off contract. The carrier will force you to have a data plan.
Sent from my LG Thrill 3D using XDA Premium

Well what if I buy it and say I sold the phone and plug in My OLD Motorola Rokr to the Sim when I call them. I mean they can't prove that I didn't sell it.

But the network knows your imei and att will know what kind of phone it is.
Would your plan work? Probably. Would it be surprising for att to surprise you with automatically adding a data plan later? No.
If you look online at your account it will show you what phone you have. I once tested their system with a few phones I got from friends. One was an att branded flip phone, one was a unlocked HTC WinMo phone with a custom ROM, and another was a TMo blackberry. Each time within a day or two the website updated itself with my phone.
Sent from my Captivate running Continuum 5.6

you'll be able to switch to another data plan when you change device
or outright remove it
but when you switch back to the thrill it will detect it and automatically add the $15mb 200 meg data plan
just do the iphone or unlocked smartphone idea to get her unlimited data. that way at least she can listen to pandora, stream videos, and use gps when she's out.

againareku said:
you'll be able to switch to another data plan when you change device
or outright remove it
but when you switch back to the thrill it will detect it and automatically add the $15mb 200 meg data plan
just do the iphone or unlocked smartphone idea to get her unlimited data. that way at least she can listen to pandora, stream videos, and use gps when she's out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have heard of the iPhone idea but what's the unlocked Smartphone idea. I mean I have an unlocked T-Mobile Mytouch 4G (That Work?)

plenty of other ways, port out number to another carrier.....port it back in, dont have to use same rate plan when you come back, dif phone now, no data needed...

Any time you put your Sim card in a smartphone, the phone will update the IMEI on your account and send you a text saying it added the plan within about two days of use. Pretty much no way around it that I know of.
Sent from my LG-P925 using xda premium

The price of your phone is subsidized by the contracted data plan. As far as I know they would leave it on your account no matter what actual phone you are using, since they gave you a $550 phone and will be getting their money back one way or another.

Not actually. You can start a contract with a smartphone but later change your IMEI to a regular phone and drop the data altogether. They get their money back from your monthly rate plan.
Sent from my LG-P925 using xda premium

TylDurden said:
The price of your phone is subsidized by the contracted data plan. As far as I know they would leave it on your account no matter what actual phone you are using, since they gave you a $550 phone and will be getting their money back one way or another.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you got the phone for a reduced price then switched to a non smart phone you could drop the data, but if you use any smartphone with att they add a data plan.
Sent from my LG-P925 using xda premium

AzraelsVoice said:
Not actually. You can start a contract with a smartphone but later change your IMEI to a regular phone and drop the data altogether. They get their money back from your monthly rate plan.
Sent from my LG-P925 using xda premium
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Click to collapse
So why are data plans contracted and required on some (smart) phones and not others?

Data plans aren't contracted. smartphones require data plans because of the large amounts of
data they consume due to the full html browser, app downloading, and app data use.
Sent from my LG-P925 using xda premium

Interesting. I don't have too much experience with ATT but on TMobile when I got a BB and sold it, I attached a different phone and tried to remove the Data plan and it gave me a disconnection fee. I had to get a sales rep friend work some magic, when ATT says that a phone "requires data and a 2 year contract" I just put 2 and 2 together. Glad to hear I'm not locked into a data plan.

That's crazy that t mobile contracts plans. No wonder they're going out of business lol. with AT&T, pretty much the only thing that is contracted is your service. You can change any rate plan or data plan anytime as long as it's within the guidelines for your device.
Sent from my LG-P925 using xda premium

AzraelsVoice said:
That's crazy that t mobile contracts plans. No wonder they're going out of business lol. with AT&T, pretty much the only thing that is contracted is your service. You can change any rate plan or data plan anytime as long as it's within the guidelines for your device.
Sent from my LG-P925 using xda premium
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Click to collapse
Makes sense to me. Data usage of a phone has nothing to do with a required data plan. You can always turn it off (the data) from the phone. Getting money back for a more expensive phone is a much better excuse to require data. I'm still doubting that I can just change to a flip phone and turn off my data plan on ATT. I liked tmobile (and still do) better than ATT. I just wanted a Thrill and I joined my Dads plan so I pay less, but I almost payed the same with my own plan on Tmobile without splitting the bill with anyone. ATT is way more expensive.

TylDurden said:
ATT is way more expensive.
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Click to collapse
I keep hearing this. I shopped around and couldn't find another carrier that had a significantly reduced rate from what I pay.
5 lines
2 smart phones w/unlimited data
2 non-smart phones w/unlimited data
1 non-smart phone not on any data plan
1500 minutes
unlimited text
Total monthly=~$230
We had 2100 minutes but since AT&T went free mobile to mobile calling and up 10 non-cell lines free to and from calling, we had a ton of rollover minutes.
US Cellular was like $250
Verizon was $160 before you even threw in data plans and insurance
Sprint is terrible in my area for reception
T-mobile was ~$240
Granted I get 15% off my bill so it'd be a bit more expensive. But when price comparing, all the companies are about the same when it comes to family packages.

I have 4 lines
3 smartphones w/ $25 data
1 regular Joe
Insurance on all 4
Unlimited texting for all
Around $225 before my discount
Sent from my LG-P925 using xda premium

Mobile to Mobile is sweet

Clearing things up
Ok ok ok, so I work for ATT Customer Care, and I have to deal with this every darn day. ATT's systems are smarter than you, sorry, it's true. They do random sweeps and see what IMEI (id for phone) the sim card is attached to. They also look at the calls, and every call has an IMEI attached to it. I promise you, even if you buy the phone outright, or say you have a different phone, it will catch you. It will also notify you saying your busted, and it will put on the $25 2gb with $10/1gb overage on it. You cannot get around it, sorry. The only way was to have a smartphone exclusion on the acct, and that is not possible because you are changing IMEI's. Sorry, deal with it.
On a side now, if you want unlim data, then buy an ORIGINAL iPhone, put it on your acct for a few days, call back in and have the imei changed to the thrill, and you get to keep the data package.
Have a great day!

Verizon to kill unlimited plans for existing customers

Have you guys seen this? Doesn't totally surprise me. I figured it would happen sooner or later. Still makes me sad though.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57...plans-for-existing-subscribers/?tag=cnetRiver

as soon as it happens, I'm cancelling my contract (since they violated the TOS), and jumping ship to an MNVO.
I don't mind not having unlimited data so as far as my bill reflects that.

xredjokerx said:
as soon as it happens, I'm cancelling my contract (since they violated the TOS), and jumping ship to an MNVO.
I don't mind not having unlimited data so as far as my bill reflects that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please forgive my ignorance, but what is an MNVO?

I don't know if they would be violating the TOS. I'm pretty sure the contracts that we all signed gave them the right to change any damn thing they want, whenever they want to.
This move has probably been planne for since 4g was a but a twinkle in their eye.
I'm pretty sure we'll have to wait out our "upgraded" contracts until the original end dates. And they're betting that by then, we'll have gotten used to the "upgrades."
I just love that have the nuts to call this an upgrade. Freaking hilarious.

well from what ive read, it's for customers with a 3G phone going to a 4G phone. I think if you don't upgrade from them you should be able to keep it. Looks like if the Nexus line expands and is sold through the google play store, im buying my phones straight from google

dewhashish said:
well from what ive read, it's for customers with a 3G phone going to a 4G phone. I think if you don't upgrade from them you should be able to keep it. Looks like if the Nexus line expands and is sold through the google play store, im buying my phones straight from google
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that how i'm reading it too, it doesn't sound like i will be required to change my data plan until i upgrade again.
The way it will likely work is that as 3G unlimited contracts expire, Verizon will push subscribers to upgrade their devices to smartphones on company's 4G LTE network. These customers will then have to sign up for the data share plans.
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Click to collapse

standard101 said:
that how i'm reading it too, it doesn't sound like i will be required to change my data plan until i upgrade again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Probably. But that's the velvet glove. Do we know anything about the iron hand inside? If Verizon's spiel is "Upgrade to 4G LTE" and the customer's response is "No thanks", will Verizon counter with "Upgrade to LTE or else find another provider"?
The mindset I'm sensing behind killing off grandfathered unlimited is that they want all of their customers capped, and if you won't be capped, you won't be their customer. They're playing chicken, and most of their affected customer base will be the first to flinch.

They updated their plan...
http://m.cnet.com/news/57436642
Sent from my DROID4 using XDA

When does this take into effect

sirrdeezy said:
When does this take into effect
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Verizon hasn't said anything more exact than "this summer".

Class action lawsuit.
Tappin' and talkin' with Tapatalk.

theeStig said:
They updated their plan...
http://m.cnet.com/news/57436642
Sent from my DROID4 using XDA
Click to expand...
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Yeah, looks like they've opened a loophole in their plan. You lose your grandfathered unlimited if you buy a subsidized new phone (i.e., renew contract). So, if you craigslist or ebay a phone, and convince Verizon to activate it, you'll keep the unlimited data. (Or, if you like giving money to Verizon, buy the phone new from them.)
Interesting. I wonder how many upgrading customers who want the new-new shiny and don't pay much attention to contract plan dynamics will miss that distinction and lose their unlimited access without fully realizing it?

Yup im switching to tmobile! This is such bs!! Tmobile will b the only carrier left with "unlimited" data, after verizon pulls this stunt!!! Oh well, tmobile @ least has the one series phones. Suck it verizon!!
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Xparent ICS Blue Tapatalk 2

kwyrt said:
Please forgive my ignorance, but what is an MNVO?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its fake cellphone company, Basically the mvno just runs a billing system but "borrows" the cellphone network from someone like Att.
virgin mobile is an example of an mvno as they run off of the sprint network
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_virtual_network_operator

Just upgrade now, or get a new one off cl like someone already stated
...
Sent from my DROID4 using XDA

Wow, ridiculous. Does your greed know no bounds, Verizon?
Sent from my DROID4 using XDA

Bye bye grandfathered unlimited data

I just got done reading an article from USA Today that was talking about how users who have grandfathered data will be forced to select one of Verizon's shared family plans or tiered plans if or when they go to upgrade their device.
I really despise Verizon for this and will be heading to sprint if I have to give up unlimited data. If they think they will make more money from this move, I suggest everyone leave Verizon and show them the error in their ways.
And just wait, they are trying to eliminate unlimited data for home internet also and the head of the FCC supports limited data. Online gaming and video will suffer and our country will wonder why businesses will struggle. Who's going to let their kids play online games when they have to watch their data usage. Bad news for companies like Sony who have the PS3 and online gaming and bad news for online video streaming companies like Netflix.
Sent from my DROID BIONIC using XDA

In the end though, I really can't see Verizon being too negatively affected by all of this. The heavy duty users will either pony up the extra cash (because of Sprint's shoddy coverage) or leave and bog down another carriers network.
I have unlimited data right now, and I rarely go over 2GB and I've never been over 4. I stream music pretty often, use fox-fi for thether, and spend a good bit of time on my phone.
Does it suck? Yea. Will it get me to switch? Probably not. I guess it depends on what the pricing structure looks like. I'm intrigued by the idea of the shared data plans too.

Cut off will be June 27th 1159pm to keep it for one last contract.
New plans are expensive! http://solutions.vzwshop.com/shareeverything/pdf/verizon_share_everything_plan_details.pdf

I love Verizon...I have 2 lines on my account (both Bionics) one has the 10GB plan and my wife has the 6GB + mobile hotspot and our monthly bill is around $215/month. Plenty of data for that price.
Peace.

Your on xda, and still paying for the hotspot service? We're the reason Verizon started offering the tethering service in the first place once they realized we were already doing it for free.
Sent from my DROID BIONIC using XDA

Believe me I love FoxFi. My wife is a by the book type person.
She uses the hotspot feature for work as a necessity. No matter how many times I tell her that I'm 99% sure she wouldn't get caught using FoxFi she comes back and says that what if they do? I need this for work! I then just sigh.

I think if they are going to force limited data plans on us, at least give an exemption for apps such as Netflix. You will eat your plan up real fast just by streaming a couple movies.
Also include services such as slacker radio and Pandora into the exemption.
Sent from my DROID BIONIC using XDA

So if we have grandfathered unlimited data (we been on verizon for years) do we keep it as long as we dont upgrade or buy phones off contract (like ebay)?

HorsexD said:
So if we have grandfathered unlimited data (we been on verizon for years) do we keep it as long as we dont upgrade or buy phones off contract (like ebay)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is precisely how to keep unlimited data.
If Verizon sells you a subsidized phone, that's where they get to force you into a new contract.
If you buy a phone at full retail price from Verizon, or buy a used phone from a place like eBay or Swappa your unlimited data is safe.
Even if you're sitting on something like a Samsung Fascinate, you can go on Craigslist and buy a Razr Maxx, head to a Verizon store, and get a free SIM card to continue service on the Razr Maxx. Nothing on your plan changes except a line item or two for $0.00 indicating that you have 4G Unlimited instead of 3G Unlimited.

projektorboy said:
This is precisely how to keep unlimited data.
If Verizon sells you a subsidized phone, that's where they get to force you into a new contract.
If you buy a phone at full retail price from Verizon, or buy a used phone from a place like eBay or Swappa your unlimited data is safe.
Even if you're sitting on something like a Samsung Fascinate, you can go on Craigslist and buy a Razr Maxx, head to a Verizon store, and get a free SIM card to continue service on the Razr Maxx. Nothing on your plan changes except a line item or two for $0.00 indicating that you have 4G Unlimited instead of 3G Unlimited.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is wrong. That is how it used to work before, now if you attempt to activate a new phone you will be forced to choose new plan options before they will activate it, regardless of where you got your phone. Welcome to the new Verizon.

I will probably be forced off of Verizon at some point. I am already paying $245 a month for 2 androids with unlimited talk, text, and data with insurance and a $3/month slacker radio subscription.
While the data limitations would be no concern to my girlfriend, I am at 5.341gb for the month, with another week left in the month. They are already getting enough money from us every month.
With the changes, I will be forced to cancel my slacker subscription because I use it mainly while driving and won't be able to do that anymore. I don't mind paying $3 a month for being able to listen to music I like while driving. This is an example of why limited data plans have an economic impact on other companies.
I don't know, but I think $245 a month is enough. Is business really that bad for them that they have to try to push for $300 a month? This is why corporate America is seen as greedy.
Sent from my DROID BIONIC using XDA

Does this include prepaid also?
Sent from my DROID BIONIC using XDA

The shared data plans are a complete rip anyway. From what I read, they charge you for the pool, than the first device, than the second device. That means that I would pay the same I pay now for my plan's two devices and only get 4GB of data for the two of them to share. I know exactly what I am going to do when I get my next upgrade; I won't upgrade.

nobreak1970 said:
Believe me I love FoxFi. My wife is a by the book type person.
She uses the hotspot feature for work as a necessity. No matter how many times I tell her that I'm 99% sure she wouldn't get caught using FoxFi she comes back and says that what if they do? I need this for work! I then just sigh.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I understand your point. Your wife sounds like someone who should be paying for it since its for work.
Its the average user whom I think its overpriced for. I don't use it myself too often, but I did pay $10 for easy tether so I can hook up through USB and share my data with my computer when I need to. Since I don't typically need other people using my data, I rarely use wifi tether since it kills your battery faster.
I don't just oppose limited data based on my data usage though. I look at the bigger picture. It will slow down technology growth and may put some businesses out of business. Any business that uses bandwidth will be impacted. Customers will be less willing to pay for services that they could be charged twice for using (the service and the data overage charges, Netflix, slacker radio, etc). Even app developers will be impacted because people will be less willing to download as many apps to try out.
Some flashers may impacted as well. Some of us download the roms directly on to our phones. Our data plans would be eaten up a lot just by keeping up to date with the roms.
Sent from my DROID BIONIC using XDA

Sadly when I first found out about shared family plans I thought it would save me money but it seems to get an amount of data equivalent to what the three basic data packages on my account have i will have to pay a good bit more.
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nullness said:
This is wrong. That is how it used to work before, now if you attempt to activate a new phone you will be forced to choose new plan options before they will activate it, regardless of where you got your phone. Welcome to the new Verizon.
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Okay then. Debunk this article which contains an official statement from Verizon
http://www.droid-life.com/2012/05/1...d-data-says-exactly-what-we-already-told-you/

What to do.... I don't think Sprint is an option. Go to AT&T? Is it worth paying list price just to keep unlimited data? Since I am not upgrading soon, I will have the benefit of lots of examples.

ronaldheld said:
What to do.... I don't think Sprint is an option. Go to AT&T? Is it worth paying list price just to keep unlimited data? Since I am not upgrading soon, I will have the benefit of lots of examples.
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AT&T was the first to eliminate unlimited data. They are worse than Verizon. At one point in time, they had their phones locked to where you could only install apps from the android market. They stopped that when Amazon released their own app store and their users couldn't install the Amazon app store, or any of the apps from it.
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projektorboy said:
Okay then. Debunk this article which contains an official statement from Verizon
http://www.droid-life.com/2012/05/1...d-data-says-exactly-what-we-already-told-you/
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That article is a month old...read more recent statements from them.

If you are in a Sprint 4G area, go for it.
I had to have an Airave device just to make a phone call.
Sprint changed their billing, I opted out with no etf's(a moto photon and a nexus s4g, about one month old), went to Verizon, signed on, came home, had full bars of 3G, and a week later they flipped the switch and I now have 4G.
I sent an open signal text to my old Sprint rep showing her the 4G and strength. WHat else could she do?

Confirmed: New AT&T "All In One" $55 prepaid

Update: It's official. http://www.aiowireless.com/shop/plans.html
Not quite as good as initially promised. Unlimited voice and text on all plans. You get 250 MB for $40, 2 GB for $55, or 7GB for $70. Also, 250 MB of tablet data for $15. On all the phone plans, you get unlimited throttled data after going over your high-speed allotment.
The fine print says maximum data speed of 4 Mbps, which is lower than the 7Mbps I can often get on AT&T's network, but still not bad.
They do have a bring your own phone program. They ask for your IMEI. I put mine in and went ahead as if I were going to check out, and they seemed okay with me using a Nexus 4.
When you go to the website, it may ask for your zip code before you can view plans. This is presumably because it's being test-marketed in certain parts of the country. The earlier reports were that test markets would be Florida and Texas. I entered a random Florida zip code (34105) and it let me in to view plans. I haven't tried signing up, but I think there's a pretty good chance you could sign up and enter your real Zip code.
My take on this now is that $55 is a little too high for what they're offering. I'll stick with Net10, with 1.5GB of high-speed data guaranteed for $42.50 with a discounted SIM. But if you regularly use more data, this could be a worthwhile offering. The $70 for 7GB of high speed data is pretty much unheard of for prepaid, so if you use that much per month, I'd jump on that.
Original post:
A website called Fierce Wireless has reported that AT&T will start offering a new prepaid option starting as early as June. The plan will include unlimited voice and texts, plus 2GB of HSPA data, for $50 per month. Once you go over 2GB, you'd be throttled back to 2G. The Fierce Wireless report doesn't clarify if it's HSPA or HSPA+ (in other words, is it 3G or 3.5/4G?). They may offer a plan with 5GB of high-speed data for $70, though that's undecided.
You can read the entire article here: http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/att-planning-june-launch-all-one-prepaid-brand/2013-05-02
I've never heard of Fierce Wireless, so I don't know if they have a good reputation, but the report is very specific, talks about things happening in the very near future, and is about a subject most trolls would find too boring to make up a whole fake thing about. Also, The Verge, which I consider a reputable source, published a story about the Fierce Wireless piece without doubting its truth.
Even so, this sounds a little too good to be true. In comparison, here are the other deals you can get right now with AT&T prepaid or MVNO:
PureTalk USA: $44 unlimited voice and text, 1GB data, $10 per extra 100 MB overage
Straight Talk: $45 unlimited voice and text, ambiguous amount of high-speed data.
Net10: $50 unlimited voice and text, 1.5GB hard data cap
AT&T GoPhone: $50 250 minutes, unlimited text, 1 GB data
Red Pocket: $60 unlimited voice and text, 2GB hard data cap
Black Wireless: same as Red Pocket
H2O Wireless: same as Red Pocket
AT&T GoPhone: $65 unlimited voice and text, 1GB data
Every one of these plans has a severe disadvantage vs. the new rumored AT&T plan. It's no longer possible to buy Straight Talk SIM cards from their website, and many customers (including me) have been throttled at much lower data levels than ever recently. PureTalk looks like a good deal but has insanely expensive overage charges. The others are either the same price or more expensive than the rumored AT&T prepaid plan, and you have to pay for more data if you go over, rather than simply being throttled down to 2G. Note also that most MVNOs are known for having atrocious customer service.
The comparison is especially stark if you compare it to AT&T's postpaid plans:
450 minutes, unlimited texts, 3GB data: $90
unlimited minutes and texts, 3GB data: $120
That's a lot of money to pay for LTE data, more coverage in unpopulated areas, and a subsidized phone every two years.
If AT&T really does come out with the rumored data plan, and they do give you full speed HSPA+ data, it could put a lot of their MVNOs out of business. And I suspect it will start to cannibalize their lucrative postpaid business.
So my guess is, AT&T will hobble this plan somehow. Either your data will be throttled to 1Mb down, or you'll only get 500 MB or 1 GB of high speed, or the price will be higher. Nothing about the way their MVNOs have behaved recently tells me AT&T wants to make its prepaid offerings more attractive. But I hope I'm wrong with that prediction.

Sounds too good to be true. Guess time will tell. Thanks for the breakdown of mvno's, getting ready to look into one as soon as my contract ends in a couple months.
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If they did I would probably directly my parents there. Right now I am on straight talk with t mobile and while its better and much faster in Atlanta I don't know about their part of KC. But they already have AT&T so they know what they'd be getting.

Meh, ATT still sucks around here (socal) they have good coverage but they still have call quality issues so I'll stick with Tmo but bring on the competition.

If this is true I'll be all over it
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My ex-wife works at AT&T and says she's heard nothing about this to date. They usually get info around 30 days ahead of a released plan so if this is in the works, it's quite a ways under the radar. I would suspect it'd be more of a working memo that got released or something but, hey, who knows? It'd be great to see them all finally start competing on price!

Bump because new information in OP about confirmed plans.
This looks to me like an okay deal if you want presumably better service, 2GB of data guaranteed, and to be throttled rather than shut off if you go over.
The $70 plan for 7GB looks like a great deal if you use that much data.

$55 is a good price, direct from ATT, and they seem to be far more honest about what they are offering. I still don't like ATT but this is the right direction for them to be going.

Has anyone outside of the cities listed tried putting in a zip code from one of the listed cities and then just have it shipped to there address outside of that city?
I'm on straight talk and hardly use any data but yet I'm still constantly throttled to the point that it's not usable.
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DJPrelude said:
Has anyone outside of the cities listed tried putting in a zip code from one of the listed cities and then just have it shipped to there address outside of that city?
I'm on straight talk and hardly use any data but yet I'm still constantly throttled to the point that it's not usable.
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ATT or Tmo on straight talk? I never got throttled on either SIM using over 1gb/mo but I'm curious what you are using.

What I'm wondering is if they'll throttle people for steaming like straight talk or if they'll be more like T-Mobile in the way that you can do whatever you want with your data until its used up.
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lowrider262 said:
What I'm wondering is if they'll throttle people for steaming like straight talk or if they'll be more like T-Mobile in the way that you can do whatever you want with your data until its used up.
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We won't know for sure until people start actually using the service and report back, but their terms of service do not say anything about streaming. They do say no tethering, and of course they give themselves an escape clause that "unlimited does not mean unreasonable," and you can't do anything that congests the network too much.
http://source.aiowireless.com/legal-info/terms-and-conditions-of-service.html
I'd be very surprised if they banned streaming. I've only ever seen that from Straight Talk and other services owned by the same company. AT&T has often been accused of prioritizing their own customers over MVNO people when the network gets congested. I wonder if AIO customers will get any priority at all.

threeclaws said:
ATT or Tmo on straight talk? I never got throttled on either SIM using over 1gb/mo but I'm curious what you are using.
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ATT
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I have 500 minutes, unlimited text and unthrottled 4g LTE/HSPA+ data for 75/month from T-Mobile. Eff At&t prices. They do, however, have good coverage.

DJPrelude said:
ATT
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They are supposed to be more stringent

I called yesterday and they told me I can get service even though I'm not in one of the 3 cities as long as I do it online or drive to a city with a store.
Doing it online isn't a problem but she told me that right now you can only port your number if you go into a store and that porting should be available online within a week.
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DJPrelude said:
Has anyone outside of the cities listed tried putting in a zip code from one of the listed cities and then just have it shipped to there address outside of that city?
I'm on straight talk and hardly use any data but yet I'm still constantly throttled to the point that it's not usable.
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I did and it didn't work. I got some error telling me to enter a valid ZIP code for my city and state, weird.

MkVsTheWorld said:
I did and it didn't work. I got some error telling me to enter a valid ZIP code for my city and state, weird.
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When it just asks for your zip code at the beginning put in 77002. Later it should allow you to put in your real zip code and address
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Is this just another mvno or is it directly from at&t. I couldnt find anything regarding roaming and whether or not these are treated like mvno or at&t prepaid. How do you guys expect this to function during peak hours? Since they cap the speed at 4mb/s does that mean they have the same priority as postpaid on at&t?

DJPrelude said:
When it just asks for your zip code at the beginning put in 77002. Later it should allow you to put in your real zip code and address
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That's exactly what I did. It won't let me order using my zip code. Either it's a site glitch or they really don't want people outside the test markets ordering.