Does AT&T PREPAID have a travel plan?

@sandblaster @lizdance40

Hi @phatphug

Here is what I got from my source:

• The $45 monthly plan includes Wi-Fi hotspot capability, which provides compatible smartphones the ability to share their data with other devices and support video calling over cellular. 
  • Wi-Fi hotspot is only available in the U.S. Data package stackable up to 6GB.
  • The $65 monthly plan does not include Wi-Fi hotspot capabilities. 

I hope it helps and I apologize for the delay.

Dmitriy

Prepaid service requires no identification.  I advise you pay with a prepaid, prepurchased card, not your credit card.  We get complaints often of auto pay being turned on and it’s impossible to turn off once you leave the USA.

@ormskirt Prepaid service does not roam internationally except Canada and Mexico. Getting that message from the UK means nothing because prepaid service does not work in the UK. As long as your prepaid account is open, you will have service when you arrive back in the US.

Hello @phatphug!

Planning your visit ahead is definitely important, and I am glad you reached out to us to find out more about our prepaid options!

The good news is you can certainly purchase an AT&T prepaid SIM card and use it for as long as you need it without a contract!

You can obtain a SIM card by visiting any of our local AT&T stores or ordering it online. To review our available plans, please click here.

Also, feel free to connect with your loved ones via third party calling apps using your cellular data or Wi-Fi network, if desired.

I hope you find this information helpful. If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

Thank you for considering AT&T as your service provider during your stay. Have a safe trip!

Anabel, AT&T Community Specialist

Thanks for your reply. I'd prefer to walk into a local AT&T store to purchase.

If I want to use my phone as a hotspot, would the $45 monthly plan work? This gives me 6GB of 4G LTE allowance? Then, if I need more data after a week or two, I can purchase a 1GB or 3GB add-on for $10 or $20?

Can you confirm my other questions?:
- Do I need a local US credit card to purchase this? T-Mobile have this requirement (which is a nuisance for tourists).
- Are there any restrictions on making calls using AT&T mobile data? (Whatapp or Viber calls for example).

thanks again!
Andrew

$45 plan and added data at $20 for 3 gigs.    https://www.att.com/prepaid/plans.html

This is prepaid, they don't care how you pay for it.  No credit checks.  ATT hosts tourists and foreign students all the time as the largest GSM network in the USA.   

Calls through apps would use data, or might go through as cellular calls.  Use care when calling long distance (out of the USA).  Use in and between Mexico and Canada are included at no extra cost.  Using wifi where you are staying would cut down on the mobile data use.  But you can use data as you like.  

Hello again @phatphug,

I hope your day is well so far!

At this time, the Prepaid monthly plans for smartphones prohibit the hotspot feature. However, if you have a tablet, plans are available which include it! If you’re interested, please click here for more info on all the plans offered.

The $45 plan is a great choice if you will be using mobile data and browsing the internet and yes, this does include high speed 4G LTE! You also do have the option to add on more gigs – 1GB for $10 or 3GB for $20 at any time online.

As far as making your purchase, you can certainly use an international card and make payments to your account! There’s also no restrictions with the 3rd party apps you mentioned if you would like to use them as an alternative option for calling.

Best regards. Have a great one!

Anabel, AT&T Community Specialist

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@ATTHelp wrote:

Hello again @phatphug,

At this time, the Prepaid monthly plans for smartphones prohibit the hotspot feature. However, if you have a tablet, plans are available which include it! If you’re interested, please click here for more info on all the plans offered.

 

Anabel, AT&T Community Specialist

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WHAT?    The $45 plan DOES include the hotspot feature.   It is the only prepaid plan that allows tethering.  Could you please recheck your information.   

Thanks for your replies.

My understanding from the prepaid plans page is that hotspots are only forbidden on the unlimited $65 plan (indicated by footnote 2). Hotspots should not be forbidden on the $35 and $45 plans, as there is no indication of this on footnote 3. Please can you confirm Anabel?

If, as you suggest hotspots are not available on any of the $35/$45/$65 plans. Please can you tell me the names of the specific plans which do allow this feature? I find the web page very confusing.

@lizdance40 The plan page used to specifically list hotspot as a feature. The current plan page does not mention it at all. @ATTMobilityCare, can you please clarify? Is hotspot still supported on the $45 plan or any prepaid plan?

@phatphug   Geesh.  Still no reply.   Hang in there.   The website has no information, but users say the $45 plan has tethering.  We need clarification and to know where it is posted on the website or on the plan information.  

Given the difficulty to get clarification from AT&T, I will simply presume that tethering/hotspots are not permitted on the prepaid plans. That isn't an unusual position (my own UK provider, "Three" has a similar policy).

In this case, I think the best option is that I stick with my UK provider (which also doesn't allow tethering, but does allow me to roam in the US at no charge).

Finally, just a general thought on this whole AT&T support process... I do find it irritating that I can't contact AT&T directly via email or chat. Or perhaps you just buried the contact details somewhere on your website. In any case, thanks for the community input into this thread.

@ATTDmitriyCM, would you please clarify whether the $45 prepaid plan still allows hotspot or not? We asked @ATTMobilityCare for clarification two weeks ago but no reply. @phatphug needs to know before traveling to the US.

@ATTDmitriyCM    Thank you got the answers, it is as we thought, don't know why customers are told no hotspot on the $45 plan.  

Sorry to ask for clarification, does this, "Wi-Fi hotspot is only available in the U.S. Data package stackable up to 6GB." Mean that hotspot only works in the US?  Not in Canada or Mexico?

@lizdance40

That's my understanding, yes.

Dmitriy