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AT&T Will Force Your Data Plan For Your Unlocked Out-of-Contract "Smart" Phone

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Re: AT&T Will Force Your Data Plan For Your Unlocked Out-of-Contract "Smart" Phone

#41

Post by lucb1e »

That's why I got prepaid. 10 euros a month off it for 250MB internet, 2-3 euros for calling and texting. Cheaper than any plan, even plans without calling and texting.

Oh no, prepaid is always more expensive! they tell me in the shop. They then walk straight over to their computers to show me, and they show me something slightly more expensive. What a joke, these subscriptions. Right now all my carrier has on me is my rough location (must be kept by Dutch law), call history, and phone number. Good luck billing me for using a Galaxy Note II.

Re: AT&T Will Force Your Data Plan For Your Unlocked Out-of-Contract "Smart" Phone

#42

Post by amartya916 »

MichaelGG wrote: post #6

It's not clear if he's referring to a prepaid plan here. Prepaid definitely is the safest bet - essentially no surprises, and little ability for them to rip you off. I use prepaid AT&T (T-Mobile seems to have less coverage where I go) when I'm in the States, and the data is optional. On prepaid it used to be that the available/required plans depended on the IMEI used to activate the SIM. So if you bring a crapphone a…

I use the AT&T prepaid service as well (GoPhone) on a factory unlocked smartphone; I don't use the data, but have the ability to turn it on if I need to.

As it turns out, one can just get a GoPhone sim at an AT&T store and get it activated then and there (no need to take a dumbphone or your smartphone there at all). The sim costs 99 cents. I have been using this sim for the past 6 months.

Re: AT&T Will Force Your Data Plan For Your Unlocked Out-of-Contract "Smart" Phone

#43

Post by nickm12 »

For those wanting smartphone functionality without smartphone prices, I suggest using T-Mobile prepaid. I have a Nexus 4 that I use without a data plan. 90% of my life is spent within the comforting rays of wifi and I use my phone for email, web browsing, etc. When I'm out I can make voice calls when needed.

The best part, though, is that you can purchase data access for $3 a day. So when I travel I usually turn on the data so I can stay connected and look things up.

Re: AT&T Will Force Your Data Plan For Your Unlocked Out-of-Contract "Smart" Phone

#44

Post by moe »

aharrison wrote: post #39
kevingadd wrote: post #3

AT&T are scum and this sort of stuff is standard practice with them. You shouldn't be giving them your money if you can avoid it. If you've got a GSM phone with the right radio bands, I suggest taking a look at the $30 plans here: http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/monthly-4g-plans For CDMA I believe Sprint and Verizon offer prepaid plans without contracts at around $50 for talk/data. The key is that IMO, a prepaid p…

I love T-Mobile, and not just for their sane plans and prices. They are also, you know, nice to me. Every time I have called their support they have been friendly, competent, and helpful. I have never gotten even 1 of 3 from any of the other carriers. Seriously T-Mobile, come up with more excuses for me to give you money.

It's funny how nice these corporations seem to act when breaking into new markets. Ask an european about T-Mobile and he will tell you pretty much the same stories that you tell about AT&T.

Re: AT&T Will Force Your Data Plan For Your Unlocked Out-of-Contract "Smart" Phone

#45

Post by gergles »

mkhattab wrote: post #29
ewillbefull wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If you've got a GSM phone with the right radio bands, I suggest taking a look at the $30 plans here: http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/monthly-4g-plans Keep in mind the top $30 plan (unlimited data) requires you to activate a new phone that you have to buy from Walmart.

Yes, however you can order the (micro, if applicable) SIM activation kit online for $0.99 and free shipping. If you can't wait then your only option is picking up a SIM card kit from a T-Mobile store for $20.

T-Mobile stores no longer sell SIM card kits; you must buy them online.

You can also regularly get a T-Mobile prepaid phone of some variant for $20 at Walgreens, which comes with the "Activation Kit" (SIM card and secret number) as well as a terrible GSM-only phone you can throw away.

Re: AT&T Will Force Your Data Plan For Your Unlocked Out-of-Contract "Smart" Phone

#46

Post by agwa »

jacalata wrote: post #32

This has been happening for at least several years now. I haven't tried it myself (I want a dataplan), but I hear that one way to avoid this is to have a smartphone that they don't sell, because they identify it by matching the device id to their database of smartphone ids, which is only populated with devices they sell? I'd be interested in hearing if this is true or not.

AT&T doesn't consider my Nokia N900 a smart phone. I'm pretty certain AT&T never sold the N900, so this could support your theory.

Re: AT&T Will Force Your Data Plan For Your Unlocked Out-of-Contract "Smart" Phone

#47

Post by Harkins »

joelrunyon wrote: post #14
acak wrote: post #5

I've had this happen to me. I agree it's presumptuous and toeing the line but just so you know I've always been able call them and have the data plan turned off for good on that line. One of the arguments I make with them is that if I have kids on my family plan who go off to school and pop their feature phone SIM card into their friends smartphone, I can't be expected to deal with that headache - and if AT&T isn't g…

I spent about 60 minutes on the phone with them today and they didn't back down (they'll take it off if I use a dumb phone, but they'll still charge me for this month). I'll try your line of thought. Thanks.

Chargeback. Your credit card company takes a dim view of people who try to bill you for things you haven't ordered.

Re: AT&T Will Force Your Data Plan For Your Unlocked Out-of-Contract "Smart" Phone

#48

Post by gergles »

Moto7451 wrote: post #22

Id suggest 86-ing them and go to Straighttalk. They're an AT&T MVNO and for $55 you get unlimited service and data.

It's $45, but you only get 2GB of data. They advertise 'unlimited' but if you go even a byte over 2 GB they harass you with automated phone calls and then 'throttle' you (down to less than 1 Kb/s, so basically disable your data access, as everything times out).

The California Department of Consumer Affairs doesn't seem to care about their abuse of the term 'unlimited', but we should here.

Re: AT&T Will Force Your Data Plan For Your Unlocked Out-of-Contract "Smart" Phone

#49

Post by aharrison »

moe wrote: post #44
aharrison wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I love T-Mobile, and not just for their sane plans and prices. They are also, you know, nice to me. Every time I have called their support they have been friendly, competent, and helpful. I have never gotten even 1 of 3 from any of the other carriers. Seriously T-Mobile, come up with more excuses for me to give you money.

It's funny how nice these corporations seem to act when breaking into new markets. Ask an european about T-Mobile and he will tell you pretty much the same stories that you tell about AT&T.

It is my goal to support the most desirable company in any market. Don't think that I would hesitate for a second to change carriers if T-Mobile stopped being nice, competent, and helpful and AT&T stopped being jerks and offering reasonable plans and policies. Vote with your wallet and all that, and right now, T-Mobile is the only cell phone service provider that I am aware of that doesn't suck in my market.

Re: AT&T Will Force Your Data Plan For Your Unlocked Out-of-Contract "Smart" Phone

#50

Post by moe »

aharrison wrote: post #49
moe wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's funny how nice these corporations seem to act when breaking into new markets. Ask an european about T-Mobile and he will tell you pretty much the same stories that you tell about AT&T.

It is my goal to support the most desirable company in any market. Don't think that I would hesitate for a second to change carriers if T-Mobile stopped being nice, competent, and helpful and AT&T stopped being jerks and offering reasonable plans and policies. Vote with your wallet and all that, and right now, T-Mobile is the only cell phone service provider that I am aware of that doesn't suck in my market.

The tragedy - at least in my experience - is that in the long run they're really all the same. "Trust us, we want only your best! (your money)".

I can only second kevingadd's advice to try and not tie yourself to one with a longterm contract. The fewer customers they have locked in, the more careful they have to be about not pissing them off.

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