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[Q] How to avoid change in data plan?

Hi! Is it any possible way to prevent AT&T from detecting what kind of phone you are using? If you using regular phone you can have regular data plan $15, but as soon as they detect smartphone they automatically change your plan to $30 month. Any help will be great!!!!!

Sorry, but I don't think there's a way to beat the system. AT&T and Verizon both add a monthly bill for smartphones. This is one of the advantages of Sprint - no extra smartphone charges IDK if T-mo has these charges.
Sent from my HERO200 using XDA App

Is it any way i can spoof imei from my samsung sync to htc pure so my data plan remains the same?

Captivate without Data Plan

Hey guys,
I'm thinking about getting the Captivate and I was wondering if I can get it without the $15/$30 per month data plan because 90% of the time I'm surrounded with wifi. I did some research and it says that AT&T will be able to track what phone your using with the IMEI number. I was wondering if I can bypass that if I get the Samsung Vibrant and then unlock it so I can use it with AT&T.
I also heard that data block might work is that true? Thanks for all the advice.

Seems kinda silly to get a smartphone and then cripple most of its functionality by not getting at least a minimal data plan. Even if you have ready access to wifi, there are situations where a little data access comes in handy.

I've got around att's data plan by taking a free dumbphone which i got with the "Add-a-line" option, and I swapped it out with an unlocked, not att branded device. Its been over 1.5 years, and I haven't had any data charge.
Just be careful the phone doesn't get any push email or anything like that. I once got charged for getting an email, because when you dont have a data plan, its pay per mb used
Its weird though, my friend did the same exact thing as me, but he bought a different phone, and he gets charged a data plan
EDIT: Actually, I think I got "grandfathered" in. You're most likely going to end up being forced into a data plan. Look at this article

It may sound silly but I am literally surrounded with free wifi wherever I go. Is there no way around this? What happens if I get a different smartphone instead?

If you use wifi there is no data plan utilized. AT&T has no idea what you do when you use wifi. Turn on wifi and enjoy email, the market, surfing...whatever you want.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

I'm using edge on mine. I have tmobile and just unlocked the captivate so that i could bypass the data plan. You could probably do it the other way around
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

just get the phone, you will have to add the data plan to be able to buy it, but a few days later, tell them you lost it and you want to cancel the data, but tell them not only to cancel it, but to block it, because if they do not block it and you go online, they will charge you per MB of usage, but if they block it, there is no way to get any traffic if it isn't thru wifi

is that possible? wont they still be able to detect thatI'm using the Captivate?

A data plan is now required for any smartphone sold by AT$T or one of its authorized agents. So long as the SIM card is in it (it will show what phone it is in on the system and online in your account) they will not cancel the data plan for you. What some people do is put the SIM in a dumb phone, call and cancel their data plan, and then reinstall the SIM to their smartphone. Better be sure you don't use any data, though.
I found a couple of things that absolutely require a data plan and can not be done over wifi. For one, I have Market setup to bill to my AT$T account. When I buy an app this way I have to be on data connection, not wifi, or the charge does not go through. I'm guessing my account info needed to approve the purchase is not accessible via wifi. I also had a program tell me to turn off wifi so it could connect. Can't remember what it was, but it could not work over wifi, only the data connection. aGPS needs a data connection, as well, so you'd be rendering all your GPS apps useless without a data plan.

Process of putting a sim into a dumb phone used to work but it no longer does. Only customers that are grandfathered in can use a smartphone without a data plan provided they did not sign a new 2 year contract agreeing to the new terms and conditions. With a recent upgrade to their system they can detect what type of device the sim is in resulting in a text :data will be automatically added your account.

so nothing can be done?

kenwarez said:
so nothing can be done?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only way is purchasing an unlocked smartphone from a different country. At&t system goes by imei and if it can't recognize the serial it will not classify it as a smartphone. I'm sure there is another way with all the custom options out there but not sure about that one.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk

I'm not from USA and I don't know much about your carriers, but coudn't you alegate that the data service drains your battery till the.point you find your phone unusable and ask for at&t to block it threatening of changing your provider? The last part works for almost anything in my country. Also with a good excuse you can build up a consumers defense case asking to be removed from the plan. Like phone racism, all phones should be able to access all plans, and if for example you are on a no data area they are charging you more for the same service.
Just a few ideas... not sure if any of them could work

rastanthology said:
I'm not from USA and I don't know much about your carriers, but coudn't you alegate that the data service drains your battery till the.point you find your phone unusable and ask for at&t to block it threatening of changing your provider? The last part works for almost anything in my country. Also with a good excuse you can build up a consumers defense case asking to be removed from the plan. Like phone racism, all phones should be able to access all plans, and if for example you are on a no data area they are charging you more for the same service.
Just a few ideas... not sure if any of them could work
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Click to collapse
i thought the iphone was the only ATT phone they could force you to have a data plan on even when purchased off contract? I know they may try to turn on your data plan if you are using an off contract but in my past experience when you raise a fuss they take it back off and say it was a mistake (this was on my last phone...a TILT 2). I had purchased it off contract and after a about 1.5 years use without data plan one day i got a text saying it was required and had been added. Logged onto my account and couldn't disable. Called them and told them i did not want the plan added, that i had purchased the phone off contract, and had been completely happy using it for the past 1.5 years without a data plan. They said it was a mistake and removed it. Continued to use it for another 6 to 7 months without data plan then finally decided to add an unlimited plan before they disappeared.
Unless something has changed (which it may have) the iphone was the only phone that they forced the data plan on even when you purchased it without any discount or part of a 2 year agreement to have a plan.

alaimar said:
Process of putting a sim into a dumb phone used to work but it no longer does. Only customers that are grandfathered in can use a smartphone without a data plan provided they did not sign a new 2 year contract agreeing to the new terms and conditions. With a recent upgrade to their system they can detect what type of device the sim is in resulting in a text :data will be automatically added your account.
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Click to collapse
ah..sounds like it has changed this use to only apply to iphone...didn't matter how or when you purchased them once the system saw it you were getting a data plan like it or not.

Look at any smartphone on the AT$T site. All have an asterisk stating that a data plan is required. You used to be able to request a data block, but their thinking now is that if you buy a smartphone on contract, you are doing so knowing that some level of data plan is required. AT$T has no obligation to customers that buy phones from other sources like eBay and Craig's List. I had a grandfathered $15 unlimited data plan since February 2009 that I used with my LG Incite. Last July I bought an HTC Tilt 2 off eBay. Almost as soon as I put my SIM into it AT$T tried to upgrade my data plan (since it was not a smartphone plan) I told them I did not want them to change anything as I would not be using the Tilt 2 for long and would probably be using my upgrade (new contract) in December. They weren't happy about it, but they left me alone until I did just that and got the Captivate a couple weeks ago. They are trying to close the loopholes and move people to one of the current data plans they offer. What does piss me off is that they still have the true unlimited data plans (no caps) available just for iPhone customers.

alaimar said:
Only way is purchasing an unlocked smartphone from a different country. At&t system goes by imei and if it can't recognize the serial it will not classify it as a smartphone. I'm sure there is another way with all the custom options out there but not sure about that one.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk
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Sorry but no. If AT&T decides to carry that phone later, it will be sweep into the AT&T data plans. It happened to my Rogers X10a. Once AT&T decided carrying it, I got a text message that they were switching me to the proper data plan. So hope that whatever unlocked phone you want to buy will never be sold by AT&T.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

Like I said before, are you sure you can't just unlock the Vibrant from T mobile and use that without the data plan? Sure, it isn't the captivate, but it is basically the same thing and could work. I purchased my captivate from some guy off contract and all I had to do was unlock it and it works perfectly without a data plan on T-mobile.

does the sim card affect anything because I have a Cingular SIM card.

I bought a locked at&t captivate on ebay for my girlfriend and she's been using it for almost 3 months now with no data plan and at&t has not added one to her line yet. the asterisk on the at&t website saying a data plan is required is only to get that discounted price on the phone itself. ($200 instead of $500 or whatever)

[Q] Bypass Data Plan

I've been using my Captivate for several months now. But i'm going to upgrade to a newer phone soon, probably during the summer. I'm going to pass my Captivate on to my little brother, who has no need for the data plan. It's been rooted and unlocked. I want to call AT&T and tell them that I have misplaced the phone and am now using my Sony Ericsson w810i, so I have no use for the Data Plan. Hopefully when my brother uses his sim, AT&T wont slap on another data plan charge to my already huge bill! I was wondering if someone can validate if this seems possible, or guide me to where I can find further info on this. I was also wondering is theres a way to change the IMEI# to my SE w810i IMEI#. Not really cheating them, since there will be no data usage and I actually do own the SE w810i =P
P.S.- An employee @ Best Buy told me that if I rooted and unlocked my Captivate, that I would be able to remove my data plan.
Thanks in advance!

from what i have heard, as long as the imei that is registered is not one from a smart phone then you should not have to worry about a data plan being added on. so if the sony is registered with att and then swap the sim into the captivate then you should be good. now that said, some one i know had a different phone registered under their account, then switched to a iphone and had the data plan put on their account. i guess as soon as att detects it they add it on even if a different imei is on the account. i know 3 other people that have the captivates and all have different imei under their accounts and none of them have a data plan. one of them even has an imei from one of those pay as you go phones from att which was like $10 or $20 and everything has been good.

xxsanioutlawxx said:
I've been using my Captivate for several months now. But i'm going to upgrade to a newer phone soon, probably during the summer. I'm going to pass my Captivate on to my little brother, who has no need for the data plan. It's been rooted and unlocked. I want to call AT&T and tell them that I have misplaced the phone and am now using my Sony Ericsson w810i, so I have no use for the Data Plan. Hopefully when my brother uses his sim, AT&T wont slap on another data plan charge to my already huge bill! I was wondering if someone can validate if this seems possible, or guide me to where I can find further info on this. I was also wondering is theres a way to change the IMEI# to my SE w810i IMEI#. Not really cheating them, since there will be no data usage and I actually do own the SE w810i =P
P.S.- An employee @ Best Buy told me that if I rooted and unlocked my Captivate, that I would be able to remove my data plan.
Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Changing the IMEI is not legal so will not be supported on XDA.
As far as the rest. ATT does an IMEI sweep every now and then to update the system to make sure they have the right IMEI on the account. After a while (if you give the phone to your bro) he will get a text stating that his data plan doesnt match the device and they will change it over for you. Only way they can tell is if the IMEI is not in the system like a device from another carrier. I ran my old HD 2 without a data plan for almost a year and it came up as an old nokia device.

You will find no joy...
I gave my son my old Blackberry. Within two weeks, we both recieved a text saying his sim card was in a smart phone, and his account was being upgraded.
ATT does not care what you do, so long as you pay your dues.

Prior to this phone, I used a BB Pearl for over 2 years with no data.
Although I hear they automatically add data plans to smart phones now.

I appreciate all the replies! Thanks everyone... Just gotta cross my fingers and see how long it takes them to figure it out
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xxsanioutlawxx said:
I appreciate all the replies! Thanks everyone... Just gotta cross my fingers and see how long it takes them to figure it out
Sent from my SGH-I897 using XDA App
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Should figure out immediately. Try to get the account data blocked.

I'll definitely do that...
Thanks again.
XDA ftw!
Sent from my SGH-I897 using XDA App

I bought my cappy back in November online from AT&T. I haven't had a data plan on this phone or my old LG Incite in over a year and a half.
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something to consider is did you buy the cappy out right? or buy on a contract plan? if you bought on a contract you agreed to have a Data plan for a set # of years, they might let you sign a new contract or try to hold you to your older more profitable data plan.. even if you no longer have a data phone. depends on how evil they feel today.

one used to be able to just cancel the data plan after a month on new contract with ATT without getting charged extra or termination fee etc. Just be sure to not use any data, otherwise you'll be paying a hefty charge on any data usage.

I would think that as long as you continue with the data plan on the sony, AT&T shouldn't care what happens to the other phone unless you're trying to access data with it...to avoid that, as soon as you put the new sim in it, change the apn settings. Make sure the actual APN settings are deleted as well as ports...but you can leave the mms settings intact.
Sent from my arse

whyareyou said:
one used to be able to just cancel the data plan after a month on new contract with ATT without getting charged extra or termination fee etc. Just be sure to not use any data, otherwise you'll be paying a hefty charge on any data usage.
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Click to collapse
LOL
I dont ever remember a time where a company would say:
"hey, you signed a contract promising to pay us 80$ or more a month for the next 3 years, but NAH you change it to $40 and keep the expencive cell phone we practically gave you"....

[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.
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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.
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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!

AT&T: want LTE phone? Give up your unlimited data!

I went to my local corporate store to upgrade to a white Vivid and was told that in order to do so I will have to give up my unlimited data plan and be switched to LTE plan. The kicker is that LTE is not even available here and will not be in the near future. Needless to say I said no thanks and walked away. Has anyone else ran into a similar issue and is there a way around it?
Sent from my SGH-i917 using Board Express

This is untrue plain and simple.
Sent from my HTC PH39100 using xda premium

drewdatrip said:
This is untrue plain and simple.
Sent from my HTC PH39100 using xda premium
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How do you know that? I don't understand why would they lie to me and lose a sale.
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AnyMal said:
How do you know that? I don't understand why would they lie to me and lose a sale.
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Click to collapse
maybe because a lot of us got to keep our unlimited plans?

AnyMal said:
I went to my local corporate store to upgrade to a white Vivid and was told that in order to do so I will have to give up my unlimited data plan and be switched to LTE plan. The kicker is that LTE is not even available here and will not be in the near future. Needless to say I said no thanks and walked away. Has anyone else ran into a similar issue and is there a way around it?
Sent from my SGH-i917 using Board Express
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Click to collapse
Not factual, or did not ask.

I got my White Vivid off contract so I had to call AT&T to switch my data plan. After about a 15 min. call I was able to keep my unlimited data plan. Some CSR's can't do it so you have to speak to/get permission from their supervisor.
Edit:
Although technically the unlimited data plan isn't unlimited. They give you a 10238976 MB (9,999 GB) limit. I don't know when they start throttling though.
Sent from my HTC Vivid

Sold my s2 and got a white vivid and I was allowed to keep my unlimited data plan
Sent from my HTC PH39100 using xda premium

I got unlimited 4G LTE. Unfortunately many att store reps can't do it, they'll have to call 611 also, that's how he did it for me to keep my unlimited, he couldn't do it in the store through their system for some reason.
Sent from my HTC Vivid via Tapatalk

This makes no sense. Why would they lie???
@slimslim. that's what the store rep told me, that the system is not allowing him to retain my current data plan. I am going to call 611 later tonight and will try to order over the phone.
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The only thing I can think is you had a non PDA unlimited plan which does not grandfather you into unlimited for a PDA in the future. That or you or tjr Rep misunderstood
Sent from my HTC PH39100 using xda premium

I have a $30 smartphone data plan, had it since iPhone 2G days.
drewdatrip said:
The only thing I can think is you had a non PDA unlimited plan which does not grandfather you into unlimited for a PDA in the future. That or you or tjr Rep misunderstood
Sent from my HTC PH39100 using xda premium
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AnyMal said:
I have a $30 smartphone data plan, had it since iPhone 2G days.
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Click to collapse
the iPhone 2g was a $20 unlimited data the $30 is from the 3g and newer.

rodger-sp said:
the iPhone 2g was a $20 unlimited data the $30 is from the 3g and newer.
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Click to collapse
Ugh.. I know. The POINT is that I have an unlimited smartphone data plan since iPhone 2G. Better?

Unlimited Everything ..
I have the unlimited plan, was grandfathered in and LTE was given to me without a problem..

AnyMal said:
Ugh.. I know. The POINT is that I have an unlimited smartphone data plan since iPhone 2G. Better?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL i was just kidding with you.
I would call AT&T they did the switch for me in the store no problem.
I live in Cabot, AR it is by Little Rock, AR if that helps you out.

I did the iPhone 2g loophole without any issues so I'd try another rep. When I went from the iPhone back to the Vivid my data wouldn't work and I called in and they wouldn't switch it. Went to the store and they did it in a couple minutes.

rodger-sp said:
LOL i was just kidding with you.
I would call AT&T they did the switch for me in the store no problem.
I live in Cabot, AR it is by Little Rock, AR if that helps you out.
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Click to collapse
On hold with 611 now.

From the official AT&T press release.
http://www.att.com/gen-mobile/press-room?pid=21882&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=33192
LTE Data Plans
Customers can choose from tiered data plans starting as low as $15 per month. Existing smartphone customers do not have to make changes to their data plan. All plans include access to AT&T’s national Wi-Fi network of more than 29,000 hotspots.
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Click to collapse
Saved and Texan by the grace of God, Redneck by choice.

Tx Redneck said:
From the official AT&T press release.
http://www.att.com/gen-mobile/press-room?pid=21882&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=33192
Saved and Texan by the grace of God, Redneck by choice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Link not working

Part of the email they sent me after:
" This is to confirm the following feature has been changed to: Feature: unlimited data for 4g lte Effective Date: 11/19/2011 Monthly Recurring Charge: $30 Included Data: unlimited
- Your new feature and its benefits are available immediately. - Your monthly recurring charge and included data will be prorated by the number of days remaining in your billing period. - On your next invoice, you will see the prorated monthly recurring charge for the new feature for the current billing period and a full monthly recurring charge for the next billing period. - On your next invoice, you will see a partial credit for your old feature. - You may also see overage charges, if you exceed the prorated amount of included data in either feature."
Also had the unlimited data for $30 before.
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