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JoeDan's profile

Tutor

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7 Messages

Friday, September 16th, 2011 4:19 AM

Question about changing from postpaid to prepaid

Heard news about AT&T starting to offer a $25 a month prepaid plan that allows for unlimited messaging and 250 minutes starting on the 18th. Figured this would be a great idea for me, but does anyone know, would I be able to transfer my number from my current AT&T iPhone to this GoPhone service? 

 

One of the main reasons is because I'd like to keep my iPhone, but I am wondering if AT&T allows a customer to keep an iPhone but have it not have a rate plan or text messaging included. Basically, I want to use my iPhone just for data and have my GoPhone be used for talk & text. Any help would be appreciated!

Accepted Solution

Official Solution

Scholar

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182 Messages

13 years ago


@JoeDan wrote:
actually disregard part of what I said there, it'd be better to just use the Google Voice number instead of porting the iPhone # so I wouldn't have to cancel my contract.... I would just give people my Google Voice #. Then I would just cut my text off and go to the cheaper rate plan. Then I may not even need the GoPhone thing...

OK final round, right?

 

Yes, if you don't port, and simply use the new Google Voice number (requested for your area code) then you do not need messaging packages at all.  But without porting you will have to readvertise your Google Number as your new text number (and optionally, possibly later, your Google Voice number as you new voice number).  You will effectively have a change of phone identity.

 

But if you port, then your account gets shutdown.  And your contract for the iPhone ends even though you are month-to-month without ETF.

 

So, yes.  You can just clip-off messaging, and remain put otherwise.  That will work especially if you need 2G-month cellular data limits.  Prepaid doesn't provide that level of cellular data cover, and probably will never do.

 

Over and out.  I think we have closure.

Master

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10.2K Messages

13 years ago


@JoeDan wrote:

Heard news about AT&T starting to offer a $25 a month prepaid plan that allows for unlimited messaging and 250 minutes starting on the 18th. Figured this would be a great idea for me, but does anyone know, would I be able to transfer my number from my current AT&T iPhone to this GoPhone service? 

 

One of the main reasons is because I'd like to keep my iPhone, but I am wondering if AT&T allows a customer to keep an iPhone but have it not have a rate plan or text messaging included. Basically, I want to use my iPhone just for data and have my GoPhone be used for talk & text. Any help would be appreciated!


Yes, you will be able to transfer your existing account and phone number to a new prepaid account. You can even still use your iPhone, but it depends on which model you have. The iPhone 4 uses a MicroSIM, and AT&T does not provision iPhone 4 MicroSIM cards for prepaid use.

Your rate plan would be the $25 250 minutes/messaging plan, but I'm fairly sure that messaging is not required. Even if it is, you would still have unlimited, which wouldn't hurt. 😉

To get prepaid data to work on your iPhone, you will have to change the APN settings. That is one downside to the process.

Scholar

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182 Messages

13 years ago


@JoeDan wrote:

Heard news about AT&T starting to offer a $25 a month prepaid plan that allows for unlimited messaging and 250 minutes starting on the 18th. Figured this would be a great idea for me, but does anyone know, would I be able to transfer my number from my current AT&T iPhone to this GoPhone service? 

 

One of the main reasons is because I'd like to keep my iPhone, but I am wondering if AT&T allows a customer to keep an iPhone but have it not have a rate plan or text messaging included. Basically, I want to use my iPhone just for data and have my GoPhone be used for talk & text. Any help would be appreciated!


Hey, Joe.

 

First, as Wild Banchi mentioned above you can transfer your number from postpaid to prepaid.  No problem.

 

Second, there are AT&T original microSIMs, ready-to-activate, for sale in eBay.  Example:  http://www.ebay.com/itm/AT-T-Go-Phone-Micro-Sim-Card-iPhone-4-/290562299407?pt=SIM_Cards&hash=item43a6dcd60f  Read the page of the eBayer.

 

But, third, I do not understand.  Are you asking to have a single SIM (under prepaid) to share among two phones?  The iPhone and the new GoPhone?  That is, when you want to text/call you use your GoPhone, but when you want to use data you use your iPhone, flipping the SIMs between the two?

 

Sounds wacko, so I probably (and seriously) misundestood.

 

I use an iPhone as a GoPhone with talk (10cent-minute plan) and $15 100MByte-month data feature package.  My messaging (incoming and outgoing) is completely free from per-message charges as I use Google Voice.  http://www.google.com/voice (Under Google Voice, messaging runs on the data plan, not on the cellular voice plan.)

 

Anyway, maybe you can explain what you want to do other than just use your existing iPhone as a GoPhone, which makes complete sense and can be done without violating any Terms and Conditions, but it is discouraged by AT&T.

Tutor

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7 Messages

13 years ago

Actually I wasn't looking to use my iPhone under the prepaid... I figured I'd get one of the AT&T GoPhones, like maybye the LG Thrive, since it's on sale for an incredible price for a contract-free Android smartphone, even if it's not one of the best models out there.

 

What I am trying to do is, best way to describe it, use the LG Thrive, let's say, and only use it for the $25 messaging/250 minutes GoPhone plan. Then, I'd want to use my iPhone 4 only for data. Basically, I need to find out one primary thing....

 

Would AT&T allow me to have an iPhone 4 (or future iPhone) with ONLY the 2GB data plan on it?  with no rate plan or texts included?  That's the most important thing.  🙂

Master

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10.2K Messages

13 years ago

Oh, now I understand what you're saying.

I think the highest data plan for prepaid is only 500MB - not 2GB. And I'm pretty sure that you will need a rate plan, but that doesn't mean you have to use it on your iPhone. Text messaging is your choice, too.

Scholar

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182 Messages

13 years ago


@JoeDan wrote:
  1. Actually I wasn't looking to use my iPhone under the prepaid... I figured I'd get one of the AT&T GoPhones, like maybe the LG Thrive, since it's on sale for an incredible price for a contract-free Android smartphone, even if it's not one of the best models out there.
  2. What I am trying to do is, best way to describe it, use the LG Thrive, let's say, and only use it for the $25 messaging/250 minutes GoPhone plan. Then, I'd want to use my iPhone 4 only for data. Basically, I need to find out one primary thing....
  3. Would AT&T allow me to have an iPhone 4 (or future iPhone) with ONLY the 2GB data plan on it?  with no rate plan or texts included?  ...

Joe, I think I now understand.

 

First, you want to have a prepaid GoPhone (say, Thrive, or whatever Android) as a dedicated talk/messaging phone.  And, second, maintain your iPhone separately but only for 3G data access under a contract (postpaid) plan.  So, in this arrangement, you want to transfer your iPhone number to the new GoPhone, as the iPhone is data-only and does not need your current number as it is not being "called".

 

Well, if this summary is accurate, I will answer 1 thru 3 above:

 

  1. You can transfer your postpaid 10-digit to the new GoPhone.  No problem.  But once you transfer the number your account on postpaid (the iPhone) will be closed, and the iPhone will have no service.
  2. It will not work as you think, because of number 3.
  3. No.  AT&T does not allow data-only cellphones on prepaid or postpaid.  There is no 2G-limit data-only plan for cellphones.  Cellphones under US carriers all require a voice plan first.  Without a voice plan, even under prepaid, data simply stops.

In summary, your plan will not work as you anticipate:

  • once you transfer your number to prepaid, you close your iPhone postpaid account (and its SIM is deactivated).
  • there is no data-only contract for cellphones, iPhone or otherwise.
  • postpaid has stricter monthly caps on data use via data feature packages (max 500MB-month at $25-month today, with rollover balance enabled).

You will conclude that it is just simpler to leave things as they are, or alternatively, sell your iPhone 4 on eBay (before the "new" iPhone 4S, which is being predicted, comes along), use the money to pay partially for an iPad2 under the AT&T broadband plan, and use the Android under prepaid for mobile WiFi, talk and messaging.

 

Instead, I use my iPhone under a GoPhone plan, but I keep a keen eye on data use, minimizing its cellular data use with the "settings" soft-switch that turns cellular data off, anytime I am under WiFi cover.  I can live under the 100MB-month plan this way, which by the way I also use for messaging under Google Voice for the iPhone.  But this may not work for you.

Tutor

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7 Messages

13 years ago

I see, thanks so much for your help. If there was a cheaper rate plan, that might work for me, but maybe leaving things the way they are might be best, since I know I will want the next model of the iPhone. Maybe I'd be better off with getting an iPod Touch so I'd at least have wi-fi access in enough locations to have access to have iPhone apps with no monthly bill.

But, how do you manage to use your iPhone with the GoPhone plan? and which plan do you use? I'd really be curious to know how this would work if I wanted to do that with my iPhone 4 (and iPhone 4S in the future)

Scholar

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182 Messages

13 years ago


@JoeDan wrote:

I see, thanks so much for your help. ... I know I will want the next model of the iPhone. Maybe I'd be better off with getting an iPod Touch so I'd at least have wi-fi access in enough locations to have access to have iPhone apps with no monthly bill.

But,

  1. how do you manage to use your iPhone with the GoPhone plan? and
  2. which plan do you use?
  3. I'd really be curious to know how this would work if I wanted to do that with my iPhone 4 (and iPhone 4S in the future)

Hello Joe.  Glad that I was able to help.

 

First, let me say that you should not need to buy an iPod Touch last generation to get the benefit of iOS with its simplicity, stability, and great look-and-feel.  No random drops, fouls, and errors with my iPhone as its APPs are solid and do not crash my phone.  I am sure that Android fans will disagree, but so be it.

 

Bottom line:  An iPod is just an iPhone as a GoPhone with its cellular data soft-switch "off".  Plus you need to feed the "iPhone as a GoPhone" with an average of less than $15.00-month net (no taxes, no fees) to preserve your GoPhone Plan with a healthy 10-cent minute plan and the 100MB-month data feature package.

 

I use the iPhone 3G, but I know this will work with any iPhone (3G,3GS,4).  The only difference is the form factor on the SIM of the iPhone 4.  But there are ready-to-activate AT&T-original microSIM cards on eBay for less than $6 with free shipping.  You do not need a GoPhone branded card, as an AT&T 3G microSIM will also do.  But look for close to 100% feedback of the eBayer to get assured service.

 

Obviously, I know nothing about the 4S and/or 5 as they may have radically different provisioning requirements (e.g. software-only SIM).

 

Now to answer your numbered questions above:

  1. There are two simple hurdles to the activation of the iPhone.  But only during activation, not during use:  IMEI settings and APN Carrier Settings.  That uses secret sauce *grin*.  But be reassured that you will not violate either your iPhone warranty (no need for jailbreaking!) or the Terms and Conditions of the GoPhone Plan for smartphones.  Cannot say anything more in here.
  2. You do need obviously a smartphone data feature package (I use the 100MB-month data feature package) if you are interested on cellular data.  No data feature package required if you are not interested on cellular data.  Details listed on this lessons which has been recycled recently: http://forums.att.com/t5/Prepaid/Lesson-Learned-How-to-Feed-my-iPhone-as-a-GoPhone/td-p/2842367  Note:  I also use Google Voice for the iPhonehttp://www.google.com/voice So any texting (incoming or outgoing, domestic or international) is completely free as texting is over data (WiFi or cellular) not over the calling plan.  No 20cent-message charges for me.
  3. Yes.  It will definitely work on the iPhone 4.  The iPhone 4S and/or 5 isanother ball of wax, as it may bring new  carrier-specific twists and turns (but doubt it), so your guess is as good as mine.

Hope this helps, Joe.

Tutor

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7 Messages

13 years ago

Hmmm, so much to think about! Only thing that makes this a dilemma for me is I'm absolutely addicted to the iPhone and have never liked any other phone more, and have tried a lot. But, saving money is important and that $25 plan does that for me in spades... It seems like having an iPod Touch (since wi-fi is plentiful around me) might be the closest thing to having a data only iPhone. Have a lot of thinking to do!

I could still use wi-fi on the Thrive even if I only get the minimum data package required, couldn't I?

Scholar

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182 Messages

13 years ago


@JoeDan wrote:
Hmmm, so much to think about! Only thing that makes this a dilemma for me is I'm absolutely addicted to the iPhone and have never liked any other phone more, and have tried a lot. But, saving money is important and that $25 plan does that for me in spades... It seems like having an iPod Touch (since wi-fi is plentiful around me) might be the closest thing to having a data only iPhone. Have a lot of thinking to do!

I could still use wi-fi on the Thrive even if I only get the minimum data package required, couldn't I?

I still do not understand.

 

How does that $25 plan save money?  It is a wash if you use Google Voice, which provides a much larger scope of service (free texting, call forwarding and voicemail transcription on email and/or text).

 

Without Google Voice, yes you are correct.  But watch this comparison side-by-side:

 

  1. AT&T prepaid with New 250-Minute Talk-per-Month Plus Unlimited Messaging Plan and no Google Voice:  $25-month (250 minutes-month) + free messaging + old-style voicemail (per-minute charges to retrieve and manage voicemail)
  2. AT&T prepaid with 10c-minute Plan with Google Voice:  Variable Pay-per-Use Talk (with 250 minutes exactly $25) + free text messaging (domestic and international, incoming and outgoing)  + free unified voicemail with transcription via email and/or text.

At a bare minimum it appears to me to be a wash with the scales in favor of (2) over (1).  And, I still do not see why you need the iPod as a separate "data-only" device when you already have an iPhone 4 which readily could be under a GoPhone plan.

 

But obviously you should do what you feel best.  Good luck.

 

 

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