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thelung4's profile

Tutor

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4 Messages

Sunday, December 14th, 2008 4:27 PM

Closed

Using XPress mail without a data plan

Hi,
I have two questions about using Xpress mail, and I have read several conflicting answers on this forum. I have a Samsung Epix smartphone, if that is relevant.

First, I called AT&T and the rep said that if I canceled my PDA Personal unlimited data plan and signed up for Xpress mail for $5/month (which I did), I can get my email with NO additional data charges.  On this forum, however, several posts state that Xpress mail DOES use data, and that I will be charged (I am now on pay-as-you go at $0.01/kb). So will I be charged for data, or not (as the rep told me)? (Note--I understand the $5/month charge, so I am just asking about additional data charges).

Second, if I AM charged for the data, then which method would use less data? Some posts say that the push email (using silent SMS triggers, for which I am not charged--right?) uses a ton of bandwidth. Is this true? It seems to me that it shouldn't use much more data than checking for mail at regular intervals, since it will only connect when there is a message to download.

Thanks

Accepted Solution

Expert

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2.5K Messages

15 years ago

There are Data charges with Xpress Mail.  And according to AT&T's terms and conditions, Xpress mail requires an eligible data plan.  But it doesn't really say what data plans are elgibile. 

"Xpress Mail Service: Eligible data plan required.  Not available with DataConnect plan activation on LaptopConnect card.  You may cancel Xpress Mail at any time.  You will be billed for all usage up to cancellation of Xpress Mail.  Measured usage will be charged as sepcified in your plan.  Xpress Mail leverages point-to-point secure encryption, using the following technologies: AES and SSL.  AT&T provides devices that support both AES and SSL.  AT&T encrypts and stores your email address and pasword to enable delivery of your email to your device."

XpressMail

If you click on the above link and scroll down to the bottom of the page there is a "AT&T Xpress Mail Terms of Use" link which will open up in PDF for your viewing...

Tutor

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4 Messages

15 years ago

I assume the pay-as-you-go ($.01/kb) plan qualifies, since the phone rep signed me up for xpress mail with the pay-as-you-go data plan. Of course, this rep also told me I would not be charged for the data. I guess I will call back to cancel. Thanks for the reply.

Master

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1.7K Messages

15 years ago

IIRC, Xpressmail is included with any unlimited data plan, not pay-as-you-go.  To get Xpressmail without an unlimited data plan, you'd pay an extra $4.99.  However, the point of Xpressmail is to deliver your email constantly as it arrives.  So without a data plan, your phone could be going online constantly and you could be looking a LOT of extra data charges.  If you have a phone with W-Fi, it might be possible to have Xpressmail only check over Wi-Fi.  But it is not a supported feature and you would probably have to do a lot of tweaking to your phone, if your phone is even capable of doing that at all.
 
In general, don't use Xpressmail without a data plan.

Tutor

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4 Messages

15 years ago

I just wanted to send an update--I got off the phone with another customer service rep who said that the previous rep should NOT have added the $4.99 Xpress mail plan to my account with pay-as-you-go data and that it eventually would have stopped working. She also found that I was being charged for the data, but said that they will refund the charges since the first rep said I would not be charged.

 

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