Tutor
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6 Messages
Can't use Mobile Hotspot or Teethering with unlimited plan.
I called AT&T today and tried to set up Internet for my laptop through my phone. My friend has it and loves it!
I really only need it to send word documents and files and attachments for work. Something you can't really do from your iPhone.
Since my unlimited data is Grandfathered in I was told I couldn't use any of their Internet options including a USB wi-fi device without downgrading my data plan and paying more.
Being a loyal AT&T customer for over 8 years this is very disappointing they are trying to trick you out of your current plan to make more money and have no solution to this.
Advice?
Thanks in advance.
I really only need it to send word documents and files and attachments for work. Something you can't really do from your iPhone.
Since my unlimited data is Grandfathered in I was told I couldn't use any of their Internet options including a USB wi-fi device without downgrading my data plan and paying more.
Being a loyal AT&T customer for over 8 years this is very disappointing they are trying to trick you out of your current plan to make more money and have no solution to this.
Advice?
Thanks in advance.
sandblaster
ACE - Expert
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64.7K Messages
11 years ago
Yes, you would have to give up unlimited data to accomplish what you want via your iphone but since you don't want to give up unlimited data, I presume you mean going to another internet provider just for the laptop connectivity, not your entire service. If so, you have other options with AT&T. You could also purchase a separate mifi or usb device that would have it's own data plan. If you go to another provider and you are not switching all of your service, that's pretty much what you'll have to do with them as well.
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Timsierramist
Contributor
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1 Message
10 years ago
Trick may be too harsh a word, but rest assured, it is an "incentive" to get you to ditch your old grandfathered unlimited data plan. Believing anything else is just naive, no offense. AT&T's CEO himself says he regrets ever offering unlimited data.
If it was simply a concern about overusing unlimited data via mobile hotspot on all your devices at home such as laptops, TV's, tablets, etc, then they would simply offer it to you with your unlimited data, but put a cap on how much of the hotspot you can use per month (for example, T-Mobile lets you use 2.5 gb of hotspot data with your unlimited plan).
Just sayin'.
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wingrider01
Expert
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12.2K Messages
10 years ago
you do realize that even when the unlimited plan was available tethering / hotspot usage was not permitted either, so you have to purchase an additional tethering plan that was capped at 5GB and you where charged for overages if you exceeding that cap, just like today. So there it is neithe a "trick" nor and "incentive" since it was never allowed in the first place. By the way t-mobile included the feature when the plan was announced unlike att's which never allowed it.
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Anp1215
Tutor
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6 Messages
10 years ago
Timsierramist- I think you are right on the mark!
I think your point that if they offered it with the unlimited data just with a cap for tethered devices that would be an excellent solution! Like I said, I would be willing to pay extra monthly even and I'm not downloading movies off of it or anything. I just need it for work purposes.
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wingrider01
Expert
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12.2K Messages
10 years ago
the unlimited plan is discontinued, pretty much 100 percent chance they will never make a change to it again, the discontinued unlimited plan is already capped for excess usage, 3GB for 3G and 5GB for LTE, then the speed is dropped to edge level. Your best option is to get a cellular modem and set that up with a data plan especially if you are willing to pay extra for it as you state.
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loganic
Former Employee
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636 Messages
10 years ago
You don't have to give up unlimited to get hotspot service. It would just need to be in addition to. And on a seperate device.
Get a seperate hotspot device. 5gb hotpsot service. If you don't want to be tied to a contract, pay the non contract pricing. It'd be worth it, to be able to use it intermittently.
I regularly have to answer this question for unlimited customers, and it boils down to either setting up the phone on a hotspot or another device.
The unlimited is not meant for advanced phones usage, since 2010, much less the for what computers can do.
-Alex
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Jay5ice
Contributor
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2 Messages
10 years ago
Of course it don't work with unlimited!! We could use it all day long.
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Jay5ice
Contributor
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2 Messages
10 years ago
If you give me a new upgraded phone with tethering capabilities I should be able to use it. My thing is u can make all the changes to have me upgrade and stay in contract but you can't let me use as hot spot
[Inappropriate content removed]
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GeekBoy
Master
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4.1K Messages
10 years ago
If you want to use the tethering feature if your new phone, you can. You just need to move to a different data plan. The old (and discontinued) "unlimited" data plan does not support tethering. If you want to use tethering, yu just need to switch to a data plan that supports it. AT&T can't help it if you refuse to move to a data plan that has been updated to support that new feature of your new phone.
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bsvg78
Tutor
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5 Messages
9 years ago
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