var json_comments = new Array("
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georgi55
October 21, 2009 4:24 PM
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I will never pay $30 for data, unless it's due to inflation. If they start charging me that much I will go back to dead phone and use my company provided crap (iPhone) as smartphone (that is actually dumb)

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6 replies
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Oranges w/ Cheese hates what Christmas has become
October 21, 2009 6:48 PM
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@georgi55: Doesn't sound like a troll to me. Sounds like someone who doesn't use $30 worth of data at the PPU rate and doesn't feel like paying for the unlimited plan.

I don't have a smart phone, but I know how they feel. I use the internet on my phone maybe.. twice a week? To tweet or double check an address. That isn't worth $20 I'd have to pay for the unlimited plan. I got the $5 for 5mb plan when it was out, but I believe that was a limited time offer. Its better than the $2/mb plan they changed PPU to recently for all the other non-smart devices.

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jamar0303
October 22, 2009 8:25 AM
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@Oranges w/ Cheese wants it to be winter already: ...dear lord, that's worse than the deal I get roaming in. US$1.40-something/MB.

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ChickenMcTest
October 21, 2009 6:08 PM
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@georgi55: Yo iPhone-troll, I'm really happy for you, I'ma Let you finish, but the Bank-Bailout-troll has one of the best trolls of all time!

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pecan 3.14159265
October 21, 2009 4:29 PM
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I considered this for about 10 seconds, but then I remembered the 3 months in which I was sitting in a cubicle with absolutely no internet access or Wi-Fi access (so I couldn't even use the Wi-Fi for my phone), and I bow once again before the data plan gods.

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2 replies
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ExtraCelestial
October 21, 2009 5:04 PM
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@pecan 3.14159265: If you have an iPhone you'd also lose visual voicemail.

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pecan 3.14159265
October 21, 2009 5:09 PM
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@TinkishDelight: I'm not dropping my data plan because I really like it, and when I went on my trip, I'd go through areas that had little to no cell reception but I had my data plan and I could still send emails if I needed to get ahold of family and friends.

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morganlh85
October 21, 2009 4:32 PM
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If you get just a MESSAGING phone, the unlimited data plan is only $10 or $15 depending on your plan. Works great on my Samsung Impression.

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2 replies
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ChristopherReedsApprovalBlinkage
October 21, 2009 4:41 PM
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I had the AT&T rep input a Blackjack IMEI or so in my account and had been paying $15/mo for unlimited data (which worked fine) up until an AT&T rep saw it and fixed it. It was back and forth with customer service until they finally told me they did not plan on granting me that plan for my iPhone again, and at that point, I didnt care anymore.

I'm pretty sure if I swap phones again I can get the $15/mo plan back.

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2 replies
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Oranges w/ Cheese hates what Christmas has become
October 21, 2009 6:51 PM
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@ChristopherReedsApprovalBlinkage: Yeah, that's called breaking your contract. Of course they aren't going to take your iphone IMEI off there. You're lucky you got a CSR to do it in the first place.

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oblivious87
October 21, 2009 5:39 PM
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@ChristopherReedsApprovalBlinkage: Ok, what you were doing is fraud and you can lose your service for doing it along with getting billed for everything single KB you used.

I'm guilty of doing this, but since the advent of the Iphone, my 3G speeds have sucked and I figured if AT&T wants to over stress their networks, I'm done over stressing my wallet. I ended up giving them the IMEI for an old phone which I don't use anymore and went back to using an unlocked smartphone.

They can tell i'm using this phone, but in the end, they usually don't do anything about it until you start abusing the bandwidth. It's kinda like how I can tether my phone as well without the $60 plan, you'd just get in lots of trouble if you get caught.

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YellowDucati
October 21, 2009 4:47 PM
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I am frustrated in this \"all smart phones need a data plan\" crap. I use a Moto Q now and I don't have or need a data plan. Verizon says I have to get one if I buy a new \"smart\" phone. $360 a year + taxes for something I don't need. NO THANKS

Here is one place I sent my complaint.
[esupport.fcc.gov]

Anyone know a good way to get a smart phone (android would be nice) without getting a data plan?

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8 replies
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rachelxsmith
October 22, 2009 12:43 AM
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@YellowDucati:
I use a g1 w/o a data plan. I had to argue with the rep a bit to remove it, but she did (she full on lied to me, telling me my phone would brick etc.). Now, I can do all the normal stuff on the go and then just use wi-fi for everything.

Works great.

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rachelxsmith
October 22, 2009 12:44 AM
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@rachelxsmith: note: I didn't buy my phone from t-mobile, they may have rules in place for that.

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morganlh85
October 21, 2009 5:48 PM
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@YellowDucati: on AT&T, certain phones are \"messaging phones,\" not smartphones, even though they seem pretty much the same to me. My Samsung Impression has a touch screen, pullout keyboard, mobile, email, web browser, and all that jazz for $10 a month unlimited data. You just have to be careful what phone you choose.

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Oranges w/ Cheese hates what Christmas has become
October 21, 2009 6:54 PM
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@morganlh85: Smartphone means its running either Win-mo, blackberry, or is an iphone (for the most part).

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shubox215
October 21, 2009 5:07 PM
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@YellowDucati: best buy doesn't require data on most phones

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pecan 3.14159265
October 21, 2009 4:56 PM
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@YellowDucati: The fact that AT&T made a data plan on the iPhone mandatory was aggravating, but if it's true that they're letting you drop it, you could get an iPhone and not pay for data. Any of the smartphones with Wi-Fi actually. Just make sure they don't try to tell you that you have to have data if it isn't true.

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Oranges w/ Cheese hates what Christmas has become
October 21, 2009 6:53 PM
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@pecan 3.14159265: Iphone has to have the data period, no questions asked. If you ask them to remove it, they won't, they can't.
If somehow they find a way to do so 1) your voicemail won't work, 2) you'll probably have a ginormous bill because the iphone uses data constantly and 3) the system will detect you have an iphone and add it back on systematically.

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ExtraCelestial
October 21, 2009 7:49 PM
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@Oranges w/ Cheese wants it to be winter already: 3G/3GS is required, but 2G (EDGE)phones can definitely drop the data plan. People raised such a huge stink after launch when they found out it was mandatory while Blackberry's was not that they reversed the decision a few months later. It was actually an option on the home page, but now you have to call and ask.


Yes, it *can* effect your visual voicemail, but your bill would only be ginormous if you have push enabled.


As for the third, the internet is your friend! There are far too many geeky kids with too much time on their hands to not have a counter to anything and everything. I know plenty of people with Data-less 3Gs.

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CompyPaq
October 21, 2009 4:54 PM
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@YellowDucati: On T-Mobile, phones don't NEED data plans, but often you will only get the discounted price for the phone if you have a data plan. (I don't think you pay full price, you just don't get any mail-in rebates)

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ExtraCelestial
October 21, 2009 4:48 PM
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Weren't iPhone users just granted the ability to DROP their data plans, like, yesterday?

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1 replies
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blueneon
October 21, 2009 10:26 PM
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@TinkishDelight: No they weren't. I just got off my shift as an at&t mobility rep 2 hours ago, so I would know. ALL iPhones must have a data plan attached, period. The system does scans and if it comes upon an iphone original/3g/3gS without a data plan it will add one on to it.

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temporaryerror
October 21, 2009 5:08 PM
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On a somewhat related note, I am on Tmo and my contract is nearing it's end. I'm happy with Tmo, and currently use a Samsung Katalyst slider. I was at the Sam's kiosk and saw that they had the new blackberry curve for $30 with contract renewal and $15+ data plan. I asked the sales critter if I would be able to drop the data plan after the first month, and he told me that I would get charged an early termination fee of $175 for doing so. Is this true?
The idea that I have is to get the sub'd smart phone, keep the data plan for a month, then swap the sim into a dumb phone and drop the data, and swap back to the BB.

I suspect that the sales dude was saying that to save his potential commission. Does anyone know if he was telling the truth?

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5 replies
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Psqunq
October 21, 2009 9:17 PM
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@temporaryerror: Yes, he was.

On Tmo if you buy an all in one device (all BBs exept pearl and pearl flip, and the shadow) you have to get a data or sms plan. for bb or winmo it's 15 sms 25 data or 35 combo of the 2). android (cliq, g1, mytouch) and sidekick is 25 data or 35 data and txt.

(works for tmo, and this is not a company secret I'm posting. Any CSr that does their job and reads the system can tell you this)

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Oranges w/ Cheese hates what Christmas has become
October 21, 2009 7:41 PM
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@temporaryerror: I *think* AT&T stopped paying their clerks commission, and I'm not sure if Tmo does their corporate employees either. Do yourself a favor and go to an actual store - the \"kiosks\" are the bane of a CSR's existence because they're absolutely dead set on nothing but commission, and rarely give truth.

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sonneillon
October 21, 2009 5:42 PM
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@temporaryerror: Maybe I suppose it depends on the CSR who handles you when you try to drop your data plan. You might be better off trying a big box retailer because they do not care about commissions.

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temporaryerror
October 21, 2009 7:51 PM
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@sonneillon:
Yeah, I figured that he was full of crap. Also, if it means anything, I believe that the kiosk I was at was owned by RadioShack (er, The Shack) and I know that they are heavily pressured to sell data plans. In my experience as a wireless sales whore, as long as the feature stayed attached for 30 days, we kept the commission. Unless the contract stipulates that you must maintain a minimum data package. I've used a HTC Hermes/8525 in the past without data, and found it to be quite useful. If I really needed to get online with it I would just find a WiFi hotspot.
Oh, one more thing. If I were to drop the data plan, I would first put my SIM in a dumbphone long enough for the network to ID it then go to the my-tmo website and remove the plan. No CSR involved.

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pecan 3.14159265
October 21, 2009 5:27 PM
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@temporaryerror: I don't see how you would be charged a ETF for dropping data. The ETF refers to your overall contract. If you drop your contract entirely, you'd be charged a ETF, but you're not terminating ties to the company, only one aspect of your plan.


I doubt he was telling the truth. And I wouldn't go back there because obviously he'd lie just to get your money.

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HomerSampson
October 21, 2009 5:14 PM
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I dont think i get it... If i am not in my contract and i dont want to be in a new contract, nor do i want to get a new phone, whyyyyy cant i just ask for voice service only?? What gives them the right to dictate what i do with MY phone?

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1 replies
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pecan 3.14159265
October 21, 2009 5:29 PM
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@HomerSampson: I don't think I understand why you think this applies to you. If all you want is voice, just do that then. Don't add data, or if you have it, just drop it. No one says you have to buy a new phone or get a new contract.

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Scuba Steve
October 21, 2009 5:18 PM
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I pay $20 bucks a month for Unlimited data on the IPhone, and Wouldn't pay more unless they gave me a free upgrade to the 3G version.

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1 replies
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enascar88
October 21, 2009 5:18 PM
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I recently had problems with my Samsung Propel so I went to a back up phone which is a Samsung Blackjack II. After I inserted my sim card bout an hour later I receive a text message from AT&T informing me a data plan is required. I called up AT&T and was told if I did not upgrade to the $30.00 data plan that they would force it on me. I have since then got a another phone from EBAY and I will be cancelling my account with AT&T and going to Verizon. At least Verizon wont force a plan on me!!

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DjDynasty
October 21, 2009 5:21 PM
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OK here's how you screw the AT&T system, Been doing it for years, EVEN with an iPhone! Buy a Pre-paid phone, or any cheap low end razr, get the $10 family data plan, or $15 for an individual. THEN never ever give them the IMEI of your smart phone, even though the system can technically detect it. (even works with iPhones) Anytime they ask, just say the prepaid phone is the device your using.

The iPhone will give you crap about \"Incorrect data plan\" which is when you point your browser (while on wifi of course) to [www.unlockit.co.nz] Download the correct ANI and then just kill the damn over priced data plan! Like visual voicemail? use Youmail instead.

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Optimizer
October 21, 2009 5:49 PM
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OK, help me out here: Girlfriend and I are on a shared AT&T account. She already has said $30/month data plan and is using a Samsung Epix. I have no data plan and I'm using a non-smartphone.


Girlfriend is going to get an HTC TouchPro 2 before next April. At that point, I'll inherit the Epix and swap our SIMs around. I *don't* need or want any data plan attached to my phone number (same as now).


Question: Am I going to be impacted by this policy change? Should the girlfriend get the new phone now so that I can get the Epix without a data plan? Or, is this non-issue? This is potentially very annoying.

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7 replies
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Oranges w/ Cheese hates what Christmas has become
October 21, 2009 7:11 PM
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@Optimizer: Also, your sim is connected to your account, regardless of the phone you are using. If she gives you her phone, you won't automatically inherit the data plan. The data will stay on her sim.

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Optimizer
October 21, 2009 8:07 PM
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@Oranges w/ Cheese wants it to be winter already: I am aware of that, but thanks for noting it. My concern was spurred by reading enascar88's comment above, though. He said that when he put his SIM in a smartphone, AT&T contacted him and told him he had to add an unlimited data plan.

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SDreamer
October 21, 2009 6:00 PM
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@Optimizer: From what I've read, you might, but from what I've investigated you most likely won't. Some will argue, that AT&T can see the IMEI number of the phone (tells them what phone it is), and it is true, you can see on your OLAM, when you switch phones, after a few days it switches on there as well. However, it seems AT&T only stores the IMEI number that you activated (the reason you pay the 35$ activation feeon new contracts and 18$ on upgrades). I called AT&T, they apparently have my Moto SLVR L7 as my registered phone, which I did activate in store, and since then I've been swapping phones between an older Moto, and a Nokia 6102i, and also now I have an Fuze from them, and they still said they have my SLVR L7 as the IMEI. Not sure how long that will be when they start updating IMEI without telling you. The rep told me I'd have to call in the number myself in order for it to be changed. That's just my 2 cents on that.

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Oranges w/ Cheese hates what Christmas has become
October 21, 2009 7:10 PM
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@SDreamer: There are two systems the AT&T CSR's regularly use. One is our billing system - this stores the IMEI that you ACTIVATED on the line of service. This determines what we can add to your account, such as for example, you activated an iphone, we can add iphone services. You activated a smart phone or a black berry, we can add those services. They aren't interchangeable. If you have an iphone, we can't add a BB plan, etc.

The other system we use is the main one that contains all the categorization of why you're calling - notes, and also how we file tickets, etc. This one will show the IMEI of the phone you are currently using and provide us the make and model. This is helpful for us so if you're paying for an iphone plan, but say you don't use it any more we can prompt you for that and save you some money.

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pecan 3.14159265
October 21, 2009 5:58 PM
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@Optimizer: What AT&T is doing is simply letting you drop an existing data plan. If you were going to inherit her phone and she was going to upgrade, I would have her drop her data plan, pass the phone onto you and then she can upgrade.


The reasoning behind this is so you don't inherit the phone and AT&T, through incompetency or just glitches in their computers, tells you that because you only got the phone October 22 (for example), you don't quality to drop the data plan because data was \"activated\" for you after the original Sept. 6 date.


If your girlfriend can get a new phone now (if the HTC ToughPro 2 is available right now, for instance) I would have her drop her data plan first (don't even mention the upgrade yet) then change her phone. And then after that was done, she should give you the phone and you can activate it under your shared plan.


The key with AT&T is to do everything in small steps. Don't try to make things complicated for them.

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Optimizer
October 21, 2009 7:58 PM
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@pecan 3.14159265: I think you just outlined a foolproof method here for me. I really appreciate it. The question now is, can the g/f go one day without mobile web?

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pecan 3.14159265
October 21, 2009 6:00 PM
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@pecan 3.14159265: Qualify, not quality. I meant \"don't qualify to drop the data plan..\"

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SDreamer
October 21, 2009 5:56 PM
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Data plans should be a choice these days since like almost all the new smartphones are coming with wifi. Enforcing data plans almost makes the wifi really useless (only use it if you need faster speed, but from my observation its a pain in the but if you're already connected to go through menus to connect to a wifi hotspot). I could understand with phones back then that didn't have wifi, but most phones coming now have wifi standard.

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1 replies
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pecan 3.14159265
October 21, 2009 6:26 PM
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@SDreamer: Data plans make sense in a lot of ways, chiefly that Wi-Fi is not always available. Wi-Fi isn't available when I'm on the road for 16 hours. The gas stations I stopped at didn't have Wi-Fi, so how else am I supposed to check e-mail or do anything else? We set our GPS to take us home, but we wanted to gauge how far we were from some point in the middle. I used Google maps on my phone to calculate how far we were from the landmark we were looking for. These are reasons why data plans are useful, but they shouldn't be mandatory.

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Optimizer
October 21, 2009 6:03 PM
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Some more thoughts, after looking at the original Consumerist post about having to have an unlimited data plan for smartphones ...


The article says, \"customers who activate or upgrade to a Smartphone will need to sign up ...\"


This makes it seem like I won't have a problem: I'll be swapping my SIM into an existing, already activated, phone. She'll be getting new one (activating it) and wants the plan.


The article also says that unlocked phones are exempt from the unlimited data plan requirement. I intend on having AT&T provide me with the unlock codes for both phone prior to April, when we're slated to travel internationally (I want to be able to use pre-paid SIMs). Again, this *seems* like I'll be OK.


Thoughts?

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4 replies
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Laura Northrup
October 21, 2009 7:40 PM
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@Optimizer: AT&T will give you the unlock codes when you tell them that you are traveling to a country they do not have a roaming agreement with.

I worded that very carefully.

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pecan 3.14159265
October 21, 2009 6:37 PM
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@Optimizer: To my knowledge, AT&T will not give out unlock codes.

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Optimizer
October 21, 2009 8:15 PM
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@pecan 3.14159265: I was able to obtain unlock codes for two prior phones without difficulty. The representative said that the only stipulation was -- and I can't remember which now -- that I had to have been a customer for a certain amount of time or that I had to be a certain percentage through my contract. I didn't have to give a reason.


I'll keep everyones' suggestions in mind, though, in case I run into any difficulty this time around. Going the prepaid SIM route is the only way to go, IMHO.

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Oranges w/ Cheese hates what Christmas has become
October 21, 2009 7:07 PM
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@pecan 3.14159265: They *will* if you get a CSR who is willing to help. If they follow the by the book checklist, they'll say no.

By policy, AT&T doesn't give out unlock codes strictly for international travel. But I'd wager a guess and say 9 times out of 10 the CSR will provide them to you. At least, I gave out many many many.

Plus, there's no way for them to know by looking at your account whether or not your phone is \"unlocked\".

Also, the type of phone you're planning on purchasing will have an impact on what sort of plans they'll push on you. What are you looking to switch to/ buy?

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viqas
October 21, 2009 10:45 PM
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meh

How about i drop the voice plan and just pay the 30 bucks for unlimited texting and data?

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KelloggKid
October 23, 2009 4:21 AM
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This article appears to me to be false, as are several of the comments/sugggestions.

I was really excited when I saw this article so called 611 and talked to a customer service rep. She told me that the deadline had not been extended and still stands at Sept 6th. I called again, talked to another rep and was told the same thing. I then printed out this article and took it to an AT&T retail store. The clerk there told me that she had heard nothing about an extension. They are having a staff meeting in the morning and she is going to bring this up and then call me afterward. Bottom Line - It appears that AT&T has NOT extended the deadline.

For those of you who think you can take the sim card out of a dumb phone, place it into a smart phone and beat this new (and totally unfair) change in policy, I'm afraid you are in for an unpleasant surprise. AT&T is continually scanning the system and checking IMEI numbers. They can tell from the IMEI number whether the phone is a \"smart\" phone or not. Once they determine that it is a smart phone they then check their records to see if there was a data plan associated with that IMEI number on Sept 6th. If there was, they automatically start charging you the $30/mo. It doesn't matter if the sim card was in a dumb phone for 6 months and you just put it into a smart phone. It doesn't matter whether the phone is locked or unlocked. All that matters is if the IMEI is tagged to a smart phone that had a data plan on 9/6.

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KelloggKid
October 23, 2009 5:31 PM
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Last night I called Customer Care twice and went to a retail store and all three told me they had not heard of this extension. The lady at the store talked to her District Manager this morning and he verified that the extension was real. I just called Customer Care and again they didn't know anything about it (nor did his supervisor) but he put my two Blackberry IMEI numbers back into the system without a data plan and with a data block and the system took it. Sure hope this works.

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