Related
I'm currently in a AT&T Family Plan and my line has the old unlimited data plan. While my wife was in the local AT&T store buying a new Blackberry Torch, I was checking out the Captivate and really loved what I saw.
So I started talking to the AT&T guy, asking about data plans and such if I was to update my phone now. He stated that if I bought the Captivate I wouldn't be able to keep my old unlimited data plan, and that I'd have to either change to the 200MB or 2GB data plan. Is this really true, or is the rep just trying to get me into one of the new plans?
Also, I'm curious about the Captivate's GPS - the box states it's aGPS. Now I know this can mean a few things, but I'm curious if the Captivate has a "real" GPS chip in it, or does the Captivate's aGPS just use cell tower triangulation for navigation purposes?
I thought I'd get other's opinions before actually getting the phone - which I really do want!
Rambler358 said:
I'm currently in a AT&T Family Plan and my line has the old unlimited data plan. While my wife was in the local AT&T store buying a new Blackberry Torch, I was checking out the Captivate and really loved what I saw.
So I started talking to the AT&T guy, asking about data plans and such if I was to update my phone now. He stated that if I bought the Captivate I wouldn't be able to keep my old unlimited data plan, and that I'd have to either change to the 200MB or 2GB data plan. Is this really true, or is the rep just trying to get me into one of the new plans?
Also, I'm curious about the Captivate's GPS - the box states it's aGPS. Now I know this can mean a few things, but I'm curious if the Captivate has a "real" GPS chip in it, or does the Captivate's aGPS just use cell tower triangulation for navigation purposes?
I thought I'd get other's opinions before actually getting the phone - which I really do want!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think either the rep is trying to trick you, or he may just not know. When I bought my Captivate I was able to keep my existing unlimited plan, so I'd assume it'd apply to you as well. And yes the GPS receiver is actual GPS, however there are some issues with it at the moment (problems with holding a lock and tracking, etc.), and Samsung is trying to fix them.
KCutrer1 said:
I think either the rep is trying to trick you, or he may just not know. When I bought my Captivate I was able to keep my existing unlimited plan, so I'd assume it'd apply to you as well. And yes the GPS receiver is actual GPS, however there are some issues with it at the moment (problems with holding a lock and tracking, etc.), and Samsung is trying to fix them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks - maybe I can just go to another AT&T store, as there's a few around me and see if the reps give me the same "you must change data plan" story.
I've read about the GPS issues, and it seems some have them and some don't. I also see there's a couple fixes for the Captivate's GPS issue, but do they really work? The GPS feature is something I really want/need, as I'm not planning on buying a standalone GPS as well.
That's a lie. When i purchased my Captivate on my renewal, i ended up having to call AT&T directly as they wouldn't give me the deal price in the store and when the representative on the phone tried to sell me on one of their new plans, i immediately said, "No.. i want the unlimited plan transferred to the Captivate from my iPhone." It took him a few minutes of putting on hold to talk to his supervisor to come back and tell me it was done. So don't believe the AT&T rep in the store, they're probably told to tell you it's not possible. I'm telling you it is.
Remember.. once the unlimited plan is gone.. you can't get it back.
terrigan said:
That's a lie. When i purchased my Captivate on my renewal, i ended up having to call AT&T directly as they wouldn't give me the deal price in the store and when the representative on the phone tried to sell me on one of their new plans, i immediately said, "No.. i want the unlimited plan transferred to the Captivate from my iPhone."
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, this jogs my memory a bit now. The rep did say that if I was coming from an iPhone that I could keep my unlimited plan, otherwise I'd need to get one of the new plans. I currently have a HTC Advantage, but a Motorola Razr is showing up on my account as my current phone - which I was using until I got the Advantage, but obviously not from AT&T.
So even with the above would I still be able to retain my current unlimited data plan? I just want to have my ducks in a row before going back to the AT&T store.
I would call AT&T on the phone and inquire. I don't know about that, I had an iPhone and they didn't give me a hard time at all.
terrigan said:
I would call AT&T on the phone and inquire. I don't know about that, I had an iPhone and they didn't give me a hard time at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, just got off the phone with AT&T. According to the rep, if I previously had a "smartphone" with the unlimited data plan then I could keep that plan. But unfortunately my old Motorola Razr was not classified as a smartphone, and I'd need to choose one of the 2 new data plans available if I got the Captivate. And they're not able to back-date the IMEI number of the HTC Advantage.
So do you guys with the 2GB data plans come close to exceeding that at all? I'm now beginning to wonder if I should drop AT&T and go with another carrier for unlimited data.
Depends on how you use the phone
If you are jumping ship for a different carrier do it soon. I know for a fact Verizon will be doing that soon from a friend that works there. T-Mobile doesn't have a "cap" but they may as well, you get throttled after you use so much bandwidth. I don't know about Sprint, but if you are in a 4G Sprint area, that may be your best bet. The Epic is supposed to be the best Galaxy S phone.
Over the past 10 months, I have only had one month less than 2GB, at 1.4GB. My max was 4.8GB, and it appears I average about 3GB. My wife on the other hand, ranged from 90MB to 550MB, with most months at around 250MB. We both use our phones a lot. We both had iPhones until the Captivate came out. Once we switched to the Captivate both our data usages spiked. The difference is HOW we use our phones. We both use the web, a lot. But I stream Pandora almost daily for hours at work, and I download a lot of Podcasts. Sometimes I download podcasts on my phone when I am home even though I have WiFi just so I feel like I am getting my $$ from AT&T.
Sure you can survive on the new $15 data plan, but I wouldn't do it.
quarlow said:
Sure you can survive on the new $15 data plan, but I wouldn't do it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I was to stick with AT&T I'd definately get the $25 2GB data plan. Unfortunately AT&T isn't offering any higher data plans - even for business users!
If I did drop AT&T, I was thinking about Sprint and the HTC EVO (for the larger screen). But I just checked Sprint's 4G coverage for the west coast, and it's very slim. So Verizon would be my other option. I'll talk to the wife and see what she thinks. I'd definately be paying more for service by leaving my current AT&T Family Plan though, so that's something I need to consider as well.
Rambler358 said:
Okay, just got off the phone with AT&T. According to the rep, if I previously had a "smartphone" with the unlimited data plan then I could keep that plan. But unfortunately my old Motorola Razr was not classified as a smartphone, and I'd need to choose one of the 2 new data plans available if I got the Captivate. And they're not able to back-date the IMEI number of the HTC Advantage.
So do you guys with the 2GB data plans come close to exceeding that at all? I'm now beginning to wonder if I should drop AT&T and go with another carrier for unlimited data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am in a similar predicament as I have an unlimited non-smartphone data plan that I am still using. Recently I put my sim into my friends Captivate to see if it would still work. I lose internet on some programs will retain it on others. For example, Google Maps works and connects fine, but FriendsStream does not, and most if not all widgets. The Android browser also doesnt work, but there is a workaround (Opera Mini). I'm always surfing the web, and like someone said earlier I stream music from Pandora about 6 hours a day, and I feel bad for my friends who have the capped plan when I see them run like roaches when we are at a WiFi available restaurant. I dont know if the 2GB plan will be enough for me.
I currently have my non-smartphone plan on my blackberry, and although I cant use BB apps like BBM, or the BB Browser... Opera Mini does the job, and 3rd Party apps including Google maps and Pandora work fine. I miss out on not being able to use some cool apps because of this, but the Captivate for sure is an internet-friendly phone.
quarlow said:
If you are jumping ship for a different carrier do it soon. I know for a fact Verizon will be doing that soon from a friend that works there. T-Mobile doesn't have a "cap" but they may as well, you get throttled after you use so much bandwidth. I don't know about Sprint, but if you are in a 4G Sprint area, that may be your best bet. The Epic is supposed to be the best Galaxy S phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Funny part is, AT&T is the only carrier with a truly unlimited data plan. (If you still have the unlimited data plan that is) Verizon, T-mobile, Sprint, all of their "unlimited" data plans are capped at 5gb.
I just got my captivate a week ago. They never said i had to change my data plan if upgrading. My unlimited plan just carried over. I switched from the htc pure.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
nuwayman said:
I just got my captivate a week ago. They never said i had to change my data plan if upgrading. My unlimited plan just carried over. I switched from the htc pure.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If AT&T had your HTC Pure indicated on your account previously, then you're good to go. Unfortunately when I got my HTC Advantage, I never called in to get the IMEI switched over. Now that's hurting me because I want to upgrade and keep the unlimited plan.
I had a Samsung A-737 (not a smart phone) and the $15 unlimited data plan. When I upgraded at an AT&T store, I was not allowed to keep that plan; I decided to go with the 2 gb, $25 plan. Additional usage is charged at $10/gb.
Though I'm sure I went over in the first month, for some reason AT&T was not able to track my usage. This second month, I'm approaching my limit; I've downloaded a lot of apps and other files, watched quite a number of youtube videos, surfed a lot, but I never stream audio, preferring to play from my own collection.
Regardless of whether 2gb is enough, having to watch data usage is a hassle... If, somehow, you can keep your unlimited plan as others have, that would be preferable. My counsel is to not give in so easy as I did. Perhaps, try upgrading by phone, direct to AT&T.
gary_lankford said:
I decided to go with the 2 gb, $25 plan. Additional usage is charged at $10/gb.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The bad part is anything over 2GB is charged the extra $10, even a byte over will be charged extra.
Perhaps, try upgrading by phone, direct to AT&T.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I tried this as well to no avail.
Though what's interesting is that I've been using my phone's SIM card in my Alienware M11x laptop (with the Gobi WWAN card) for data when WiFi isn't available. And it doesn't seem like the laptop's data usage is being recorded by AT&T for some reason. If that's the case, then maybe the 2GB plan just for the Captivate won't be an issue.
This is my second month with the Captivate on the 2gig plan. The first billing cycle was only 2 weeks and I totaled 465mb. Not bad, I though; I figured I could keep it under 2 gigs. However, two weeks into this billing cycle I got a warning message from att that I was nearly at my limit. I have no idea how I could have used 2000mb in two weeks. I don't stream anything and I kill tasks that might use background data. Even so, 2gigs is a lot.
This was my first smartphone. I truly regret signing on with ATT for two years. If I could do it again, I'd go with T-Mobile for the Vibrant or Sprint with the Epic (which wasn't out yet when I got my phone).
ATT's plan is a rip-off.
DemonWav said:
Funny part is, AT&T is the only carrier with a truly unlimited data plan. (If you still have the unlimited data plan that is) Verizon, T-mobile, Sprint, all of their "unlimited" data plans are capped at 5gb.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Still better than AT&T's 2GB data plan, for not much more money.
Ordered ours over the phone (after lots of hassle to get them to cave and allow an early upgrade from the 3GS) and it seems our unlimited data carried over. However, I didn't put in the new SIM they sent or "activate" it as they say to do... was worried it would require changing the data plan.
A couple months ago my iPhone 3gs got stolen and I had to use a razr as a backup phone for a couple weeks. They removed my unlimited data and changed me to unlimited Media Net... When I called to inquire and be sure I could change back over to unlimited smart phone data with no problem, they assured me there would be no hassle and they'd note the account. When I did get another iPhone, it actually ended up taking me about an hour on the phone with several reps that went through a few managers to get them to put my unlimited smart phone data package back on. They argued over whether they should be allowed to do it or not :-/ So I'm worried about losing it again, even though I actually don't even use much data at all in reality (I don't have 3g in my area, just EDGE, and I'm often around wifi... but just never know when I may need that unlimited )
Keeping Your Unlimited Data Plan
I was able to keep my unlimited data plan on AT&T. I had an iPhone which i gave to my wife when her Blackberry broke. I acquired an old Blackberry Bold 8800 from work to use until I got ready to upgrade. I moved jobs and had to return the phone. Stuck my SIM card in an old LG flip phone for the weekend until i was able to get to a store to upgrade. The rep switched me over to a 200 MB plan without saying anything. When I checked my features online the next day as I never trust the sells reps, I found the change. I immediately called AT&T. The cust. serv. rep began to explain that since I had switched from a smartphone to a non-smartphone I was no longer eligible to continue my Unlimited Data plan. I immediately asked for a manager. Within a few short mins I had my Unlimited Data Plan restored. I believe if you press them hard enough they will give in. It may take a call to AT&T customer service waiting for a manager and making your case, but he seemed ready to help and didn't want to lose a customer.
natedog75 said:
I was able to keep my unlimited data plan on AT&T. I had an iPhone which i gave to my wife when her Blackberry broke. I acquired an old Blackberry Bold 8800 from work to use until I got ready to upgrade. I moved jobs and had to return the phone. Stuck my SIM card in an old LG flip phone for the weekend until i was able to get to a store to upgrade. The rep switched me over to a 200 MB plan without saying anything. When I checked my features online the next day as I never trust the sells reps, I found the change. I immediately called AT&T. The cust. serv. rep began to explain that since I had switched from a smartphone to a non-smartphone I was no longer eligible to continue my Unlimited Data plan. I immediately asked for a manager. Within a few short mins I had my Unlimited Data Plan restored. I believe if you press them hard enough they will give in. It may take a call to AT&T customer service waiting for a manager and making your case, but he seemed ready to help and didn't want to lose a customer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've spoke to 2 different reps and each time they spoke to their managers. Unless your unlimited data plan was previously on a iPhone, then they won't (they specifically said can't) switch you over.
This is the main reason I think I'm going over to Sprint, as well as moving the wife over once her contract is up this December. Oh well, it's AT&T's loss not mine.
[Q] Is the rumor that the AT&T "Unlimited" plans are not as unlimited as advertised?
Please forgive me for asking the following as Ii am sure there are threads upon threads talking about this but it is very late, I am very tired and I would just like an answer from some of the MASTERS I know are on this site!!! I did search but nothing in the first 10 or so were what I needed
I have the Cappy w/ the "Unlimited" data plan but I've heard that once you start racking up the gigs that ATT will either begin to charge you after going over some arbitrary limit or they begin to throttle your phones data reception capability.
My brother says that T-Mo does this and has found an app to switch off his "data governor" or whatever you want to call it...
Does AT&T do this and if so, is there anyway of stopping it? I listen to online radio all day at work, haven't checked my data usage lately but I'm up in the 7+ gig range and I do seem to notice a definite decline in my already spotty 3g reception.
(I'd use WiFi but my Nazi IT guy at work has any site that streams anything he deems possible of being "recreational" data blocked(at least all the ones he has found) but yes, my Sirius and Tune-In radio app are blocked thru company WiFi)
~once again, please forgive my lazy-ass, which currently, is totally whooped from the day I've had~
The simplest "solution" would be to just stop listening to the radio as much. I don't know what you do for work but the IT guy doesn't block off those sites just to make your working conditions miserable. He is instructed to block off "recreational" sites from his superiors. In that case, you shouldn't be listening to the radio during your work hours anyways.
I don't think they would throttle your speed or charge you right off the bat. If anything, you should get a letter in the mail saying that you're using insane amounts of data. Bad 3G reception is probably placebo.
They don't do that. ATT is a lot of things, but they're not outright swindlers. If you're reaching or have breached some kind of arbitrary "cap" that you're unaware of for whatever reason, they send you a text message and probably an email as well to let you know.
And for the record, an application that "Freezes" whatever it is that tells ATT you've used up your given data is most definitely illegal. I'm talking fraud-illegality, not some silly, false open-source thing.
AT&T's plans are at a max of 2GB data limit. Unless you have been a member for years and was "grandfathered" into the "unlimited" plan that actually has a cap of 5GB. If you have used 7GB im sure they'll let you know before taking drastic actions. I just wished I would have stayed with them because I had the larger limit but briefly switched to Verizon and when I came back to AT&T I could only get the 2GB plan. I have WiFi pretty much everywhere I go though so its not so bad.
sent from my Captivate
I have unlimited and have used 14 gb in a month with out a peep from at&t. The unlimited is truly unlimited.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897
I hope they bring back unlimited
The reason AT$T now caps data on their network is the same reason your employer also limits what data-hungry access you have to their network. Such over-use slows down the network for everyone. While you may think you should be able to use the networks as you please, work or cellular, there has to be some kind of balance so that there are many happy users instead of just a few among lots of unhappy ones. If you must have music at work, buy a radio or an iPod.
There is no throttling down of data (I made a thread on this) and there is no way for it to block app's wifi packet data.
So T-Mobile's 50MB hard cap on data roaming with the unlimited data plan is seriously cramping my style. Knowing that whenever I'm out of T-Mobile coverage area, my phone roams on AT&T, today I picked up a prepaid SIM on AT&T. I went with the $65 smartphone plan, just so I could try it for a month and see if I might want to switch from T-Mobile.
For those who don't know, it includes unlimited talk and text, plus 1GB of data. After using it tonight, I'm quite aghast at some of the restrictions AT&T places on these prepaid plans.
First off, prepaid accounts don't get access to MyAT&T, neither on the web nor the Android app. This means that the only way you can check your data usage is to dial *777*3# every time. To add insult, it only tells you the amount of data you have remaining, not how much you've used. Its easy to do simple arithmetic, but couldn't they show data usage in the same manner everyone else does? I've never seen anyone show data remaining in lieu of data used.
Next, it appears, for prepaid users anyway, that speedtest.net is blocked somehow. When opening the app, it finds a server, does the ping test, then hangs, unable to start a download. Trying it over WiFi works fine, so it would seem to be an AT&T issue.
Next, they do not offer any prepaid plan with more than 1GB of data. The guy at the store said that it will just cut off after you reach the 1GB cap, but the info sheet I got says they would bill $0.05 per megabyte, deducted from my prepaid account. This would NEVER work for me if using AT&T as my daily carrier. 1GB is child's play for me. I'd burn through that in a week.
Because of all this, I'm kinda faced with a predicament. I will either need to switch to an AT&T individual postpaid month-to-month plan with 450 minutes, unlimited texting, and 5 GB of data for $110/mo and get the vast coverage, or I can stick with my T-Mobile Simple Choice plan where I get unlimited talk, text, and data for $70/mo, but am limited to 50MB of data roaming. And before anyone mentions an AT&T MVNO like Straight Talk, it's not an option for me. I have friends that use Straight Talk with an AT&T SIM, and I can tell you horror story after horror story of data throttling headaches. In addition, most of them have had issues with traffic prioritization. It can be a real problem during heavy use times in this market.
So I'm going to go straight to the source and either stay with T-Mobile or go to AT&T. Any thoughts or suggestions? I'm really torn.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk HD
You should check out AT&T's $50 pre-paid go-phone plan. If they don't recognize your IMEI, then you essentially have unlimited data (HSPA+ included), voice, and text for $50 a month.
dsass600 said:
You should check out AT&T's $50 pre-paid go-phone plan. If they don't recognize your IMEI, then you essentially have unlimited data (HSPA+ included), voice, and text for $50 a month.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I assume you mean if they don't recognize the IMEI as a smartphone?
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk HD
oldblue910 said:
I assume you mean if they don't recognize the IMEI as a smartphone?
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk HD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly.
dsass600 said:
Exactly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting. That may definitely be worth checking out. The bigger question would be, how long until that IMEI *IS* recognized as a smartphone? haha
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk HD
I recently switched to AT&T prepaid too so maybe I can help
oldblue910 said:
First off, prepaid accounts don't get access to MyAT&T, neither on the web nor the Android app. This means that the only way you can check your data usage is to dial *777*3# every time. To add insult, it only tells you the amount of data you have remaining, not how much you've used. Its easy to do simple arithmetic, but couldn't they show data usage in the same manner everyone else does? I've never seen anyone show data remaining in lieu of data used.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While I agree it's kind of weird that they do that, I can kind of see why. With prepaid, you buy it, then drain it. This way, you can see how much you have left before you need to reload. I'm not disagreeing with you and saying it's good that they do it this way, I'm just saying that maybe I can see why.
oldblue910 said:
Next, it appears, for prepaid users anyway, that speedtest.net is blocked somehow. When opening the app, it finds a server, does the ping test, then hangs, unable to start a download. Trying it over WiFi works fine, so it would seem to be an AT&T issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've noticed this too. I can't get speedtest to work. However, I know that I am getting HSPA+ 15 when using data. I don't know how fast it is, but I am getting HSPA+ 15.
oldblue910 said:
Next, they do not offer any prepaid plan with more than 1GB of data. The guy at the store said that it will just cut off after you reach the 1GB cap, but the info sheet I got says they would bill $0.05 per megabyte, deducted from my prepaid account. This would NEVER work for me if using AT&T as my daily carrier. 1GB is child's play for me. I'd burn through that in a week.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While one gig is enough for me, I can see if you use more. Technically, you can buy data in increments, at $25/gb. This can get expensive basically after the first gb. My solution? In your next paragraph.
oldblue910 said:
Because of all this, I'm kinda faced with a predicament. I will either need to switch to an AT&T individual postpaid month-to-month plan with 450 minutes, unlimited texting, and 5 GB of data for $110/mo and get the vast coverage
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right here. If I found that I used more than one gb a month, I would go month-to-month post-paid, get better coverage (coverage isn't a deal for me, but whatever), get way more data, and get more options from AT&T, all for cheaper than prepaid. Basically, I'm paying $50/month for prepaid and getting 1 gb a month and 250 minutes (I barely ever talk on the phone, that's plenty). To add another gb would hike the price another $25 up to $75. For post-paid, I got quoted by a salesperson at my local store 450 minutes, 3gb, and unlimited texting for $70/month.
So basically, if I found myself using more than one gb a month of data, I would go post-paid, and that's what I suggest you do. That's my two cents, anyway.
**EDIT**
As for that $50 unlimited everything plan that was posted earlier: I've heard of people getting their Nexus 4 working on it, but that plan is for feature phones. Why does that matter? Since the plan is for feature phones, the data is throttled at 2G speeds. I can't remember using 2G, but I'm pretty sure even web-browsing would be painful at that speed. That's just what I've heard, anyway.
If you're having problems with speedtest go into apn and clear our everything but apn, mmsc, mms proxy
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Wow, in Canada people complain about 3 year contracts (I never sign them myself thank god), but our monthly prices are not this insane!
For $50/month postpaid I'm getting 500 minutes, unlimited incoming, unlimited calling between 6 pm and 7 am and on weekends, unlimited SMS, and 1 GB of LTE data. And that's on a subsidiary of Rogers which is Canada's AT&T pretty much.
jlear3 said:
If you're having problems with speedtest go into apn and clear our everything but apn, mmsc, mms proxy
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That worked! I'm getting about 6 megs down and one meg up inside my apartment. That's about what I get with T-Mobile. I'll see what it's like outside with a good strong signal tomorrow.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
jlear3 said:
If you're having problems with speedtest go into apn and clear our everything but apn, mmsc, mms proxy
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
oldblue910 said:
That worked! I'm getting about 6 megs down and one meg up inside my apartment. That's about what I get with T-Mobile. I'll see what it's like outside with a good strong signal tomorrow.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Worked here, too. Now my only question is this: should I permanently keep my APN with just those 3 settings or does that lag only apply to the speedtest? FYI: I'm only pulling 3.6mbps down and 1mbps up with that APN on that test.
dsass600 said:
You should check out AT&T's $50 pre-paid go-phone plan. If they don't recognize your IMEI, then you essentially have unlimited data (HSPA+ included), voice, and text for $50 a month.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The $65 plan the OP is on is a GoPhone plan. I also don't see your reasoning about the IMEI. Even if they don't have the IMEI in their database they can still see your data use and there is a 1GB cap regardless of type of data used (2G, 3G or 4G). The OP obviously needs a plan with more data and the only way to get it reliably is to pay for it.
kzoodroid said:
I also don't see your reasoning about the IMEI. Even if they don't have the IMEI in their database they can still see your data use and there is a 1GB cap regardless of type of data used (2G, 3G or 4G).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure if I fully understood your post. Are you certain that on the $50 Unlimited Call, Text, & Data GoPhone Plan that there is a 1GB cap even though it states it is unlimited on the AT&T website? If so, is that from experience?
a63548 said:
Not sure if I fully understood your post. Are you certain that on the $50 Unlimited Call, Text, & Data GoPhone Plan that there is a 1GB cap even though it states it is unlimited on the AT&T website? If so, is that from experience?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The $50 unlimited plan only has unlimited data for basic phones, smartphones have to add a data package to this plan. Which now I think I understand the other persons post, he's claiming that since the IMEI is not registered it shows up as a dumbphone and he's able to use the $50 unlimited plan as is. I didn't even think of going with that option and paid for a separate 1 GB data plan with the $25 monthly calling plan. After I use up the 1 GB of data, which I never have, I should get charged the per KB fee. Of course once AT&T adds the IMEI to their database, if they haven't already, they will tell you you need a data plan to keep that service.
So as an update, I went to an AT&T store today and signed up for a postpaid account. 450 minutes, unlimited texting, 5GB data. Unfortunately I canceled the service 2 hours later. First, I get MyAT&T set up only to discover that the app has no widget and getting to your data usage requires 3 or 4 taps. Strike one. Both Verizon and T-Mobile have data widgets so you can check your usage at a glance or one tap at max.
Strike two was visual voicemail. After sideloading AT&T's visual voicemail app, it wouldn't work. I called AT&T's customer service and after looking, the rep (who was very helpful) said that he couldn't provision visual voicemail on my account because it's only included on LTE accounts. Unless the SIM was tied to an IMEI of an LTE device, visual voicemail on the N4 is a lost cause. I need visual voicemail because navigating past voicemail messages via the system prompts over the phone is a deal breaker. If you get a lot of phone calls and messages, visual voicemail is the greatest thing ever.
Strike three was the data speeds. I drove to five different areas of town doing speed tests and never got more than 2.6mbps down. At these same sites, I would always try the T-Mobile SIM and never got below 9mbps down. The other night at my apartment, I was getting about 6mbps down on AT&T prepaid, but it was late at night on a weekday. Clearly the network is going to be busier at mid morning on a Saturday and it showed.
Luckily, since I canceled within 3 days, I wasn't liable for any charges and basically we just called it a wash.
For now I'll stick with T-Mobile since they give me the stuff I've grown accustomed to, plus truly unlimited data. I'll just learn to live with the 50MB data roaming cap.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD
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.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
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
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
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.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
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.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ATT
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
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
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
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.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
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
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
This month I decided to upgrade from the $30 5gb value plan to the $70 unlimited 4g plan in order to save on my home internet by tethering via wifi for my home network. I've had tmobile since february and I always go over the 5gb limit rather quickly and end up spending almost as much as the unlimited 4g plan per month because I have to top up early or suffer painfully waiting for a page to load with their god-awful 2g speeds.
Well, it seems tmobile isn't happy about how much data I've used since upgrading (close to 50gb in 3 weeks), and my internet speeds have PLUMMETED to the point where I'm lucky if I get 10kbps download speeds. Hmmm....that seems eerily similar to the speeds I would get when throttled down to 2g speed prior to upgrading my service plan.
In the past weeks I've been re-routed to a tmo page that says I'm either over my limit or not authorized to tether a couple of times, but I was able to bypass this by simply resetting my wifi access point, or at worst rebooting my phone. Well, now it seems they're tired of me outsmarting them, so they just throttled me. BTW, my phone shows I'm able to connect to h, h+, and 4g.
Having said that, here's why I'm so upset about all of this: Last night I called tmo customer service, and a rep told me there is an outage in my area, and it's expected to be resolved in a week (hmmm....my month ends in a week....coincidence???) So I called up my buddy and had him bring his nexus 4 over to my house so we could see if it really was an outage. Guess what??? He was able to connect to h, h+, and 4g, and when he ran a speedtest he got the results we both expected....normal h, h+ and 4g speeds....NOT 10kbps like I've been getting.
So, my summation: Tmobile is lying to their customers who use too much data, telling them that there is an outage in order to keep them on a leash. I don't remember signing/agreeing to anything that says "I will agree to pay for unlimited 4g data, as long as I limit my monthly data usage"
Anyone else experience this issue, or am I the only one?
Lets see if I got this straight..
you were tethering
They told you, you were not authorized to tether. Probably because you were over your 500mb allowance.
You tethered anyways, raking in 50gb of data used.
and you complain they are throttling you?
So you break their policy and complain they do something about it?
Move along here....nothing to see.
SinisterDragon said:
Lets see if I got this straight..
you were tethering
They told you, you were not authorized to tether. Probably because you were over your 500mb allowance.
You tethered anyways, raking in 50gb of data used.
and you complain they are throttling you?
So you break their policy and complain they do something about it?
Move along here....nothing to see.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't wait for the "but unlimited means unlimited!" crap to come.
You paid for unlimited mobile data usage, without tethering. What made you think you could then turn around and use this as your home internet service provider?
SinisterDragon said:
Lets see if I got this straight..
you were tethering
They told you, you were not authorized to tether. Probably because you were over your 500mb allowance.
You tethered anyways, raking in 50gb of data used.
and you complain they are throttling you?
So you break their policy and complain they do something about it?
Move along here....nothing to see.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Who told me I wasn't authorized??? A random webpage I was re-routed to, not any service agreement I signed.
also, if you acually read my post you would see that I didn't complain I'm throttled. I'm pissed they lied and said it's an outage, rather than just coming clean and saying "you tethered too much"
You did something bad...they did something bad. You both are even. Why get mad over something you're not supposed to be doing?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
defnow said:
You did something bad...they did something bad. You both are even.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did nothing wrong. I didn't agree to not tether, and my phone (sold officially by tmo with the same firmware and capabilities) comes with the option to tether. If they don't want me doing it, it should 1. clearly state in the agreement this is prohibited. 2. stop selling phones with the ability to tether out of the box.
hp420 said:
and my phone (sold officially by tmo with the same firmware and capabilities) comes with the option to tether.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This logic is flawed due to the fact that phones come with the option of using mobile data, you still need to pay for the option to utilize it.
"But my phone came with the functionality to make phone calls, why should I have to pay to do so?"
Whether they lied or not, it's right on their site that the limit of tethering is 500MB on the $70 plan and you abused it. Be lucky they didn't terminate you.
hp420 said:
1. clearly state in the agreement this is prohibited.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/plans/mobile-broadband-plans.aspx
Limited-time offers; subject to change. Taxes and fees additional. Compatible device required; not voice-capable. Domestic use only; no domestic roaming. Mobile Internet Plans: Partial megabytes rounded up. Full speeds available up to monthly allotment; then slowed to up to 2G speeds for rest of billing cycle. Domestic use only; no roaming. Roaming charges may apply to use via non-T-Mobile-owned Wi-Fi networks. Credit approval, deposit and $10 SIM starter kit may be required. If you switch plans, you may be bound by existing or extended term (including early termination provisions) and/or charged an up to $200 fee. Regulatory Programs Fee of $1.61 per line/month applies. Taxes approx. 6–28% of your monthly bill. Full speeds available up to monthly allotment; then, slowed to up to 2G speeds for rest of billing cycle. On-network and domestic roaming data allotments differ: 500 MB full-speed plan includes 10 MB roaming; 2.5 GB, 4.5 GB and Unlimited 4G full-speed plans include 50 MB roaming; 6.5 GB and 8.5 GB full-speed plans include 100 MB roaming; and 10.5 GB and 12.5 GB full-speed plans include 200 MB roaming. Unlimited text includes unlimited nationwide text, and picture and video messaging.Pay-In-Advance Mobile Internet Plans: Service available for time period and/or usage amount provided by Pass. For time period, a day is 12:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m., based on time zone associated with account phone number. Usage rounded up to the nearest KB each session. Only one Pass may be active at a time. Account suspended after 365 days of inactivity. Data only; does not include voice, messaging or Wi-Fi services. Domestic only; no roaming. $10 Mobile Internet Discount: Requires one other line of post-paid phone service with T-Mobile on the same account as Mobile Internet line. Smartphone Mobile Hotspot: Qualifying plan required. Plan data allotment applies; Unlimited 4G data plan includes 500MB of tethering. No domestic roaming. Use of connected devices subject to T-Mobile Terms and Conditions. Coverage not available everywhere. Network Management: Data traffic of plans with limited high-speed data allotments greater than 2GB will be prioritized over other currently offered plans during periods of congestion. Service may be slowed, suspended, terminated, or restricted for misuse, abnormal use, interference with our network or ability to provide quality service to other users, or significant roaming.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hp420 said:
I did nothing wrong. I didn't agree to not tether, and my phone (sold officially by tmo with the same firmware and capabilities) comes with the option to tether. If they don't want me doing it, it should 1. clearly state in the agreement this is prohibited. 2. stop selling phones with the ability to tether out of the box.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whether you knowingly accepted it or not you did. When you purchased the $70 unlimited you agreed to only 500mb of tether data. It says it on your paper work, I know cause I just looked. It says it online. Whether you noticed that or not is a different questions. As far as lying to you, oh well. You were going behind their back and doing something you weren't supposed to do. As someone said before, you are lucky they didn't just terminate you.
What does this have to do with Nexus 4, apart from the fact it was used to tether?
kzakhar said:
What does this have to do with Nexus 4, apart from the fact it was used to tether?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you see a tmobile forum?
Also, afaik, nexus devices are the only ones I know of that come with the ability to tether built into the firmware. All other devices (again, afaik) may have the option in settings, but you have to pay for the plan to actually enable it.
As said already, you are only allotted 500mb of tethering with that plan. You went over, they throttled you.
As far as the CSR that lied to you, I'm sure they didn't know what was going on, so they just said there's an outage because they weren't sure what else to say. Getting mad at T-Mo because one CSR didn't know what they were talking about (none, from any company, do) is like getting mad at Red Lobster because a waiter recited the wrong specials of the day. It was a mistake that one CSR made. It's not like the T-Mo board put the order down to all CSR's to outright lie to customers so they could sit around their meeting table and laugh as customers get angry.
hp420 said:
Also, afaik, nexus devices are the only ones I know of that come with the ability to tether built into the firmware. All other devices (again, afaik) may have the option in settings, but you have to pay for the plan to actually enable it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't see you complaining that you have a phone bill because you bought a phone that makes phone calls. Same logic.. you need to pay to play.
algorhythm said:
http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/plans/mobile-broadband-plans.aspx
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Limited-time offers; subject to change. Taxes and fees additional. Compatible device required; not voice-capable. Domestic use only; no domestic roaming. Mobile Internet Plans: Partial megabytes rounded up. Full speeds available up to monthly allotment; then slowed to up to 2G speeds for rest of billing cycle. Domestic use only; no roaming. Roaming charges may apply to use via non-T-Mobile-owned Wi-Fi networks. Credit approval, deposit and $10 SIM starter kit may be required. If you switch plans, you may be bound by existing or extended term (including early termination provisions) and/or charged an up to $200 fee. Regulatory Programs Fee of $1.61 per line/month applies. Taxes approx. 6–28% of your monthly bill. Full speeds available up to monthly allotment; then, slowed to up to 2G speeds for rest of billing cycle. On-network and domestic roaming data allotments differ: 500 MB full-speed plan includes 10 MB roaming; 2.5 GB, 4.5 GB and Unlimited 4G full-speed plans include 50 MB roaming; 6.5 GB and 8.5 GB full-speed plans include 100 MB roaming; and 10.5 GB and 12.5 GB full-speed plans include 200 MB roaming. Unlimited text includes unlimited nationwide text, and picture and video messaging.Pay-In-Advance Mobile Internet Plans: Service available for time period and/or usage amount provided by Pass. For time period, a day is 12:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m., based on time zone associated with account phone number. Usage rounded up to the nearest KB each session. Only one Pass may be active at a time. Account suspended after 365 days of inactivity. Data only; does not include voice, messaging or Wi-Fi services. Domestic only; no roaming. $10 Mobile Internet Discount: Requires one other line of post-paid phone service with T-Mobile on the same account as Mobile Internet line. Smartphone Mobile Hotspot: Qualifying plan required. Plan data allotment applies; Unlimited 4G data plan includes 500MB of tethering. No domestic roaming. Use of connected devices subject to T-Mobile Terms and Conditions. Coverage not available everywhere. Network Management: Data traffic of plans with limited high-speed data allotments greater than 2GB will be prioritized over other currently offered plans during periods of congestion. Service may be slowed, suspended, terminated, or restricted for misuse, abnormal use, interference with our network or ability to provide quality service to other users, or significant roaming.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for pointing that out... I never saw any of that
Now...as I said, I was aware that it's prohibited, but I was not aware of any TOS stating this.
I'm still not happy about them lying to me, though lol They could have at least said "you were a data hog, so we throttled you, as per our TOS". At this point I would have shrugged my shoulders, and been happy they let me go 3 weeks at the rate I had. Lying to customers, no matter what the reason is definitely not winning them any awards, to say the least. I mean, hypothetically speaking, if they terminate my service for using this much data, what are they gonna say? "our tower is completely inoperable, and maybe we'll have it fixed in two years"???? lol
hp420 said:
Do you see a tmobile forum?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
support.t-mobile.com/
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
thedudejdog said:
support.t-mobile.com/
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought it went without saying that I was referring to this website. I wasn't aware I had to clearly state every single detail as if I'm lawyering this sh!t
way to be a douchebag
Come and ask a random unrelated question that eventually leads to someone reading and highlighting some ToS for you, exercise passive-aggressive behavior when someone disagrees with your opinion.
way to be a douchebag
they didnt disagree....they pointed to a completely different website!!!
way to miss the point entirely! and still be a douchebag
Sent form my Paranoid Nexus 4
Instead of calling people douchebags, try this next time:
1. Open the 'Nexus 4 General' forum
2. Locate the 'Nexus 4-T-Mobile U.S.A Thread'
3. Open the 'Nexus 4-T-Mobile U.S.A Thread'
4. Ask your very important question
5. ???
6. Profit.