Need help understanding your bill?
nioby10's profile

Contributor

 • 

1 Message

Monday, July 2nd, 2012 8:40 AM

Do I have to have a data plan for my smartphone?

So i have att and i hate that you need a data plan to buy a smartphone. so i this is what i do..  i buy a smartphone and get a data plan on it ( i get the lowest one 20$)  after a week or two i call say something happened to the phone and is no longer usable (water damage , bricked , exploded ,dropped , cracked blah blah blah) and i would like to cancel my data plan thats it thats all you gotta do.. all those lies about the phone wont work or it wont turn on if u dont have a data plan arent real. also its might help if you put ur sim in a different phone for 24 hours and then call so it doesnt look like ur still using it well i think thats it comment if u have any questions

Accepted Solution

Former Employee

 • 

636 Messages

10 years ago

For our new Mobile Share Value plan, if you are out of contract, (much like Tmobile), cost of Smartphone is only $5 more than basic phone.

 

If you really don't want data plan, switch to Gophone.

 

But yes, Terms of Service, (which you basically agree to as part of using the service) says smartphone must have data plan. Our systems are designed to enforce that and catch people who try to skirt that.

 

-Alex

Official Solution

Expert

 • 

12.2K Messages

12 years ago


@nioby10 wrote:

So i have att and i hate that you need a data plan to buy a smartphone. so i this is what i do..  i buy a smartphone and get a data plan on it ( i get the lowest one 20$)  after a week or two i call say something happened to the phone and is no longer usable (water damage , bricked , exploded ,dropped , cracked blah blah blah) and i would like to cancel my data plan thats it thats all you gotta do.. all those lies about the phone wont work or it wont turn on if u dont have a data plan arent real. also its might help if you put ur sim in a different phone for 24 hours and then call so it doesnt look like ur still using it well i think thats it comment if u have any questions


Won;t work, as soon as they detect the phone is back on the plan it will be automagicly added back. and there is nothing you can do with it, it is well with in the terms of service that you agreed to

Tutor

 • 

2 Messages

12 years ago

why I have to hire a data plan that I do not want, if you could give me a logical explanation, not only because "it's smartphone", I really would appreciate this answer

Guru

 • 

294 Messages

12 years ago

One funny reason from one of the higher ups at ATT for data requirements is because ATT listens to customers. There were a lot of customers who didn't want data, but still wanted to send picture messages. Those same customers would call in every month and complain about the data charges. So eventually, ATT decided to require all smartphones have a data plan. That's the story he gave us. 

 

Just like more recently, a lot of people complained about the slowing down of unlimited data after only a very small amount of data usage. So after the news and everyone else complained, they made it for 3gb or 5gb for lte to be slowed down (I didn't like it because I could get up to 6 gb and still not be slowed down at that point).

 

I agree with some of what he said though. I remember back in 2006-2007?, customers calling in for data charges, but didn't want the block or add unlimited. Every time a customer calls into customer care, it costs ATT money. So, at that point, this would have helped with those customers. Now though, with the data option to be turned off in phone settings and wifi almost everywhere, It's just about more money.

 

We have to be careful what we ask for from our cell phone providers. It sometimes backfires. Like the pricing for the verizon shared data plans for example ( I had people calling into ATT asking if we will ever have family shared plans a couple of years ago). . 

 

[Edited to comply with Guidelines]

Expert

 • 

12.2K Messages

12 years ago


@thejoedark13 wrote:

why I have to hire a data plan that I do not want, if you could give me a logical explanation, not only because "it's smartphone", I really would appreciate this answer


Want or Not, it is policy, you can go to T-Mobile I think they still allow you to have a smartphone without a data plan, but it has to be a full retail cost purchase or one that you brought. You want to have one of the top 3 cellular providers as your wireless source then you play by their requirements, smartphone = required data plan. If you don't want T-Mobile then try a gophone.

 


 

Tutor

 • 

1 Message

11 years ago

Unfortunately, its ALL about the MONEY!!!! 😞 😞 They don't care if you don't want the data plan and if you wont use it.  Simple as that.

Tutor

 • 

5 Messages

11 years ago


 

and btw, there is a way to get a smartphone with no data plan. My friends have bought european phones and ATT doesn't recognize the imei, so it lists it as a dumbphone. They have been doing this for a few years now. They also have the option to add unlimited internet for 10 dollars since it looks like a dumbphone to ATT. Only drawback to that is they will only get 3g speeds. Can't guarantee this will work forever though, but at least it works for now. 



 They told my son at the ATT store that if he bought his Iphone at the APPLE STORE, there would be NO DATA PLAN....I get the bill a month later and it was almost $400.  I looked through the bill to fine to highest phone service.  I called ATT support - they told me it didn't matter where we bought the phone, if ATT detects a smart phone on the account, they will automatically add the hihghest data plan to the phone without your permission.

 

[word filter avoidance]

Professor

 • 

2.1K Messages

11 years ago


@ezunigafamily wrote:

 

and btw, there is a way to get a smartphone with no data plan. My friends have bought european phones and ATT doesn't recognize the imei, so it lists it as a dumbphone. They have been doing this for a few years now. They also have the option to add unlimited internet for 10 dollars since it looks like a dumbphone to ATT. Only drawback to that is they will only get 3g speeds. Can't guarantee this will work forever though, but at least it works for now. 



 They told my son at the ATT store that if he bought his Iphone at the APPLE STORE, there would be NO DATA PLAN....I get the bill a month later and it was almost $400.  I looked through the bill to fine to highest phone service.  I called ATT support - they told me it didn't matter where we bought the phone, if ATT detects a smart phone on the account, they will automatically add the hihghest data plan to the phone without your permission.

 

[word filter avoidance]


They don't need your permission. It's in the terms of service you agreed to when you signed the contract.

Contributor

 • 

1 Message

10 years ago

Your post states:

 

"ATT doesn't recognize the imei"

 

What is a imei?  if you get an international phone. Do you have to choose a different language so att does not understand in u US

Guru

 • 

294 Messages

10 years ago

An imei is almost like a serial number. It is possible to get an international phone and not need data. But it's not guaranteed. It is possible AT&T will eventually figure out you have a smartphone. I have friends who are still using international phones with no data requirement. You do not need to change the language. It's just a matter if the imei is in AT&T's database. 

Not finding what you're looking for?
New to AT&T Community?
New to the AT&T Community? Start by visiting the Community How-To.
New to the AT&T Community?
Visit the Community How-To.