[ale] OT: AT&T data charge

[Greg Clifton]

It was precisely that exorbitant REQUIRED data pack ($30/mo @ Verizon) for a
smart phone that drove me to leave them after being a loyal customer with a
peak of 7 lines (5 on family plan and 2 more) for something like 10 yrs.
Well, that and the $350/per line cancellation fee (seems to me they are
worried about future technology, e.g. SIP via wifi instead of relying so
much on the wireless carrier's service).

I looked at Metro PCS but finally decided on Virgin mobile. As of last
Sunday, I am running a LG Optimus V on the $25/mo Beyond Talk plan which
includes 300 minutes (no free time) and unlimited WEB and Text. $40 gets you
1200 minutes or the PayLo plan gives 1500 minutes with limited data for
$30.00. If I find I talk too much on Beyond Talk, I'l switch to PayLo. I
don't have enough experience to rate the quality or availability of coverage
yet, but I am enjoying the Android phone. Only complaint so far is the
battery life is pretty short on the phone, requiring daily charges. I don't
ever intend to go back to a post-paid contract plan. In fact, I intend to
set up an Asterisk install (PBXIF from NerdVittles.com) and use a SIP client
on the phone to make free calls through the PFXIF.

My $.02 worth.
GC

On Tue, Jun 7, 2011 at 2:49 PM, scott <scott at sboss.net> wrote:

> if you read your license agreement (EULA?) that you had to sign when
> you got the simcard/original phone there is verbiage in there.  It
> blows. I think it is wrong. But any non-dumb phone has to have a data
> plan.  I had to have an employee show me where it was.  it was burried
> in the middle of a paragraph.  Both AT&T and Verizon care about what
> phone you have and charges appropriately.  T-Mobile doesnt care but
> doesnt allow you to use services you dont pay for (texting is either
> paid for OR you pay $0.10@ with t-mobile).  I took my mom's sim car
> put it in my google smart phone and it works with no extra charges
> except she didnt have any data traffic.  Only phone/SMS.  Once I
> switched my card back in it fully worked.
>
> fight it but dont be surprised if they dont buckle.
>
> On Tue, Jun 7, 2011 at 2:37 PM, Richard Bronosky <Richard at bronosky.com>
> wrote:
> > They have to generate a signature or a voice recording of your consent
> > in order to add that charge. Fight them. Don't try to continue using
> > the device. But for the one month where you were uninformed of their
> > choice to charge extra for the same service based on the device
> > consuming it, don't give in.
> >
> > On Tue, Jun 7, 2011 at 2:32 PM, Edward Holcroft <eholcroft at mkainc.com>
> wrote:
> >> All
> >> My daughter recently got a used iPhone and put her AT simcard from her
> >> non-smartphone in - kids just gotta have an iPhone, ya know. She only
> >> accesses data using wifi and 3G is switched off. This month I get my
> phone
> >> bill and they've added a $30 3G data plan even though she did not use
> any
> >> ATT data. When I queried with AT&T they said I am not permitted to use a
> >> smartphone without a data plan, even if I do not access ATT data.
> >> Does anyone know about this? Is this even legal? It just seems
> fraudulent.
> >> Is this even worth contesting or do I choose to either pay up or switch
> back
> >> to the old phone?
> >> ed
> >>
> >> --
> >> Edward Holcroft
> >> Madsen Kneppers & Associates Inc.
> >> 3020 Holcomb Bridge Rd. NW
> >> Norcross, GA
> >> 30071
> >> Tel (770) 446-9606
> >> GoogleVoice (678) 587-8649
> >>
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> > --
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