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GavinOnAniPhone's profile

Tutor

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Tuesday, January 29th, 2013 7:31 PM

Unlimited Data Plan and Personal Hotspot possible?

Hello all,

 

I have been a customer with AT&T for over 10 years now and was pretty disappointed with the conversation I just had with one of their customer service representatives. Since I first purchased an iPhone I have had the unlimited data plan for $30 that was required for purchase at the time. I recognize that since they've done away with unlimited data as an option, I have not gone over the 2GB $25 plan, but I still have opted to pay the extra for unlimited usage in case the day should come that I needed it. 

 

Today I called the customer service line to inquire about why I was not able to set up a personal hotspot (when I try, my phone tells me to contact AT&T). I was told that I would need to "upgrade" (don't get stuck on the terms) to a 2GB ($25) or 5GB ($50) monthly option in order to use this feature. Something about this seems off to me since I have been carrying forward a plan that AT&T required me to have in the first place, but now it disqualifies me from a feature of the phone - not due to capabilities, mind you.

 

Does anyone know if there is the ability to combine these two features? Really frustrated with AT&T for making it (seem hopefully) an impossibility.

 

Appreciated.

Teacher

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4 Messages

10 years ago

I have "unlimited" with no tethering also.

 

The unlimited is rather misleading in that my iPhone 5 is effectively unusable for data past 3 gigabytes with the throttling policy in place.

 

So AT&T will probably win and force me into a $20 more expensive data plan, but at least the device will be usable above 3 gigabytes. Hotspot could be fun, also.

 

Thank goodness I own some T and may perversely benefit from their increaased income. Smiley Mad

ACE - Expert

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64.7K Messages

10 years ago


@vrv2764 wrote:

I have "unlimited" with no tethering also.

 

The unlimited is rather misleading in that my iPhone 5 is effectively unusable for data past 3 gigabytes with the throttling policy in place.

 

So AT&T will probably win and force me into a $20 more expensive data plan, but at least the device will be usable above 3 gigabytes. Hotspot could be fun, also.

 

Thank goodness I own some T and may perversely benefit from their increaased income. Smiley Mad


Do you not have LTE service where you live? Throttling does not kick in until 5GB on LTE, so you might just want to hold out on dumping your unlimited if LTE service is iminent in your area.

 

Teacher

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4 Messages

10 years ago

Yes we have LTE here. Come to think of it, Last I went over 3 gb may have been on my iPhone 4...

 

I will put it to the test - and thank you for the info! Smiley Happy

Teacher

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1 Message

10 years ago

This is not an acceptable solution.  It is an insult to long term ATT subscribers.  I have paid in excess of $50,000 for service to ATT over the last 10 years for myself and my family, and now they want to nickel and dime me for a hotspot.  Owning shares in T does not make me feel any better about this situation.  It's time to switch to Verizon or some other service.

Teacher

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4 Messages

10 years ago

I hear ya. I just dropped AT&T DSL service that I signed up for in 1994 IIRC. Also dropped my AT&T land line that I had since I first moved out if my parents house three+ decades ago, and switched to some sort of cable phone connection.

As soon as the iPhone 5 contract is up it will be time to switch cell carriers from Cingular who I've been with since forever.

Mentor

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5 Messages

10 years ago

They have made it impossible to be a loyal customer and be treated like one. I have been with ATT since they were ATT, then Cingular, then ATT asgain, and they will not grandfather us in to use this feature. I dont get it. I feel like being grandfathered in for unlimited data was great, but now with technology, we all need to link to our home computers and each others phones (as a family I do this a lot) and I am the odd man out being the only person with ATT in the family. I have found that Sprint offers something more like this. I have to live out my contract with ATT so I can take my phone number of over 10 years with me. After the contract is up, I am vavavoom outa here. I deserve to feel like I am not losing somehting to gain a little. How dare ATT ask us to take a plan that is obviously inferior to what we originally PAY FOR in order to obtain equal opportunity to their other customers. Very disheartening. I was forced to take this data plan at the time, now they tell me I have to take a limited plan so they can charge me more money, God forbid I use some extra internet, and then present it as a service of some kind to us. Newsflash ATT, nobody feels they are getting anything other than "serviced" by you with this plan. I already pay you an arm and a leg, the loyalyty is unappreciated. I have two cell phone plans in my name, one has unlimited and the other goes over their data three times a month and he DOESNT tether, so stop telling me that nobody usually goes over 3GB.... Ugh, I could go on for days with my dissatisfaction and ideas to stop sticking it to me. I pay over 200 a month for two phones, I feel like for that money, I should be able to use that same internet on my dam tablet, without an additional fee!

Mentor

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5 Messages

10 years ago

My siblings have Sprint and love it, they also offer unlimited everything for cheaper than ATT, plus an insurance plan for 7 bux a month that offers water damage coverage!! Once I can afford to pay the cancellation or my contract is finally up, ATT will not get another dime out of me, my ten year loyalty apparently is not enough, I have to fight to get some recognition for this loyalty, so its time to move on. I am with you on that. I am so insulted to have paid for two phones for 10 years and I cant share my unlimited data with my dam tablet (which they want me to pay 25-50 dollars just to give it internet access as another phone line so that will also need the 9.99 for the added line too I presume) Its sick and disapppointing. Is there anything ATT offers that doesnt require the customer to be inconvenienced and work twice as hard to get what they need (or THINK they already pay for - as misrepresentation is another special here)? I even had u-verse, and let it be known there was NEVER a month that the bill was the same, there were always charged that needed to be disputed and it was always getting more and more expensive and not a single Rep could explain it to me where it made sense.  ATT get your stuff in line. With you not offering unlimited anymore and being one of the more expensive plans I think your loyal customers should be more of a priority, as the new ones will be gone as fast as they come when someone else offers a cheaper plan. We have stuck with you paying $80+ a month for a single line in some cases even when $50- unlimited everything plans are out there, and thats not enough for you to make a few exceptions? I would pay another 10/mo to tether my UNLIMITED plan, but like heck I am going to a limited data plan just to tether so you can try and make more money off me, I PAY YOU ENOUGH!

Mentor

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5 Messages

10 years ago

You know, its not like we dont pay for our data, its like they think they gave us something by letting us keep the unlimited data we PAY for, and have paid for, for as long as we have had this option, and frankly, even if it was 5 or 10 a month more to be able to use this plan with hot spot, I would be willing to pay as I know the capability of over-use is there, but to tell us we have to downgrade (or "upgrade " as they present this sack of poo) in order to tether/share internet access with my other devices is nuts. Very scorned by a selfish company. I pay over 200/month for two phones, and why should I be forced to find another provider in order to have features I want? Not good business in my opinion. Isnt every business goal based on KEEPING customers?, retention my friends, its possible if you start thinking about the customer and not dollar signs at every junction in the technology......

Mentor

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5 Messages

10 years ago

http://lifehacker.com/5933152/the-right-to-tether-what-the-verizonfcc-settlement-means-to-you
Check this site out, Verizon was fined and can no longer disallow tethering, I would look into this further, and ATT, the thought is right, we pay for it, you are by your contract stating that we are entitled to s certain service, why cant we take full advantage of it and share what we pay for with our own items?? We should have THE RIGHT TO TETHER....

Mentor

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5 Messages

10 years ago

http://www.extremetech.com/electronics/133810-how-everyone-benefits-from-verizons-fcc-mandated-free-tethering
or this one too, we should all benefit, share this and keep passing these reports/articles around, it should not benefit just Verizon customers, ATT should take a hint and help us out here before their hands are tied to do so, it makes them look better to offer this before they are forced to, just makes a better face for the company
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