Traveler
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4 Messages
Why can't I tether with my Grandfathered Unlimited Data Plan?
Today, I called AT&T to setup a personal hotspot on my iphone. AT&T said I had to get an LIMITED DATA plan. I could not use the UNLIMITED DATA plan I had signed up with. I was told AT&T does not grandfather unlimited data for personal hotspots on my iphone. I asked for an email regarding AT&T not honoring UNLIMITED DATA plans. I have not recieved the email. It is not fair AT&T will not honor what I signed up for with them. What can I do to make AT&T honor their contract with for UNLIMITED DATA?
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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117K Messages
9 years ago
Picture Busternutt banging his head against the wall....
Yes, he has acknowledged you have a grandfathered PLAN. You only get a 2 year CONTRACT. Once the 2 years is over you keep the plan on a month to month basis, which is why you have unlimited data. Once you were on a month to month plan, AT&T can change the service provided. One of the services, tethering, is not offered unless you are on a paid data plan. This is also why they can throttle your data after 5 GBS.
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MR_SMiT
ACE - Professor
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1.8K Messages
9 years ago
You misunderstood about "grandfathered unlimited data" plans. Anybody on AT&T's "grandfathered unlimited data" plans are allowed to keep them, but the thing is, "tethering" not allowed! I consider you and everybody else on AT&T with "grandfathered unlimited data" plan lucky, maybe I should have switched to AT&T when they still offering it.
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ATTTimCS
Employee
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420 Messages
2 years ago
Hello there, Community!
When it comes to tethering and grandfathered AT&T Unlimited Plans, here is what you need to know.
Tethering will not work on any of the original AT&T Unlimited Data plans, and it was only permitted on a limited basis with the introduction of AT&T Unlimited Plus and Choice. While not all of our plans support personal hotspot use or tethering, it’s easy to switch to a compatible plan that does.
You can view all of our new AT&T Unlimited plans to find out which of our current plans work best for you.
Heads up: We don't offer Unlimited &More Premium, AT&T Mobile Share Plus, or AT&T Unlimited Plus Enhanced anymore. If you have one of these plans, rest easy. They do include personal mobile hotspot data.
With all that said, if you want to use mobile hotspot, here's how to get started:
A compatible AT&T plan:
If you need to find out what your current plan is, do one of the following:
Upgrade to a compatible plan:
You can also visit Learn about plans for hotspot and tethering to find out which wireless plans let you use your device as a mobile hotspot.
While rate plans are based on data usage, we're making adjustments on our network to better accommodate next generation technologies and services. One of the advantages of our Unlimited Plan is that you don't share data with other lines on your account, which makes it easier to avoid going over your monthly usage.
There are additional benefits including AT&T ActiveArmor security, mobile hotspot, 5G access, and more."
Thanks
Tim, AT&T Community Specialist
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Busternutt
Professor
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3.2K Messages
9 years ago
You have no contract with AT&T for unlimited data. Your contract expired a long time ago, and just as you now have no contractual obligation to AT&T, they have no contractual obligation to you. You are on a month to month service plan. Any time they want now, they can force you into a limited data plan. So far, they've chosen not to do that.
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0214Fl
Traveler
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4 Messages
9 years ago
My unlimited data plan has not expired.
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0214Fl
Traveler
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4 Messages
9 years ago
FTC sues AT&T for "limiting" unlimited data. Result: AT&T is has to deliver unlimited data services. See the FTC website regarding this. http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/ftc-sues-att-limiting-unlimited-data
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guitargain
Scholar
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187 Messages
9 years ago
I believe if you will read your contract that you signed when got it, that you will find that you have unlimited data on the phone itself but it doesn't include tethering.
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joemach
Tutor
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12 Messages
9 years ago
They don't honor anything. In fact I went to sign up for a contract because I have been with verizon for 9 yrs. they said we didn't qualify for the next program but we did for zero down. Then said with the zero down we had to pay 2yr price on a phone which I was told later that it was a deposit then told it was for the phone. I really don't think they know anything.
[Legal discussions are not permitted per the Guidelines]
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Busternutt
Professor
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3.2K Messages
9 years ago
I didn't say your plan, I said your contract. The last unlimited ATT contract was sold in 2010. That means the last unlimited contract expired in 2012. ATT has allowed the "plan" to continue for "grandfathered" customers, but the legal fact is you have no existing contract. Try to enforce a contract in a court of law that ended almost 3 years ago. They can shut it off anytime they choose.
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Busternutt
Professor
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3.2K Messages
9 years ago
Two key points in that story:
"Even after it stopped offering unlimited data, AT&T allowed customers who already had unlimited plans to renew them."
"The FTC’s case, filed in the U.S District Court for the Northern District of California, seeks to stop AT&T from using data throttling on customers who have been promised unlimited data plans."
As I said, AT&T can stop allowing this any time they please. Nowhere in your original contract did it say you had unlimited data for life. You had a two year contract for unlimited data and that contract was fullfilled and is now over.
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