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Cell Phone Data Plans

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  • Cell Phone Data Plans

    Wow, had an interesting powwow with ATT.... We are one of the few remaining "unlimited everything" plan holders, and apparently ATT is working hard to end those.

    My granddaughter is on my plan, and was due for an upgrade. She wanted a fancy new phone that was going to be $199 with a 2 year contract.

    The ATT dude tried to talk us into the "Next" plan, where we paid only $27 up front, and $27 a month for 24 months. That means we pay the FULL PRICE of the $600 phone ON TOP of our current plan. When I resisted, he said he could save me that much money by switching us from our unlimited plan to their shared data plan.

    Then it got confusinger. When I asked why I would want to pay $600 for a phone instead of $200, he insisted I was already paying for the other $400 in my data plan.

    I said, "OK, but if I do the $27 for 24 months, it doesn't DECREASE my current plan, it ADDS TO IT".
    Well, he said, "NOT if we change you to the shared data plan!"

    OK, I said, my granddaughter uses 10 Gigs a month, so that's 2/3rds of the 15 Gig plan you want to sell me, and once I give up my UNLIMITED plan, I can never get it back!

    He started getting angry, and there were a couple small children running and screaming in the store, and another salesman brought another couple to our same small table, and it was getting really hectic.

    I said, "OK, maybe I'm not understanding something, but I don't see how it benefits me to give up my unlimited plan AND pay $27 a month MORE for a phone that will end up costing me $600 instead of $200. He seemed to be getting angrier, and I called a time-out, and said my wife and granddaughter will step outside and discuss this.

    We walked outside, and my wife reminded me that we did our LAST upgrade through BEST BUY, and they had given us a better price on the plan, AND a $50 Best Buy gift card.

    SO, off to Best Buy we drive, where a helpful young man tries to sell me on the "next" plan, but when I explain my circumstances, he respond with a big smile "OH, then this wouldn't make any sense for you at all, but OUR phone is $149 instead of $199 PLUS you get a $50 Best Buy gift card that you can immediately apply to the purchase!

    So, we got a MUCH better attitude, AND saved $100 bucks by upgrading through Best Buy!

    So, how bout it --- are you on one of the unlimited data plans, or a shared plan, or what? And have you had any difficulty trying to EXTEND your unlimited plan?

    I'm thinking that the ATT guy must get a bonus or something for getting us out of the unlimited plan, because he sure was determined!
    The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

  • #2
    Remind me why I'd want a cell phone?

    Comment


    • #3
      If you want a low cost plan. Virgin Mobile (a Sprint) no contract plan. It is limited. Uses a 3G phone, not a smart phone. 1500 any time minutes (averages to 50 minutes a day in a 30 day month) 1500 text. And 30mb internet. $30. a month (taxes are already in that $30.). [Overages 10 cents a minute on talk, text 15 cents, pictures 25 cents, internet $1.50 per mb.] There is also $40. unlimited talk, unlimited text. 50mb internet. [internet overage $1.50 per mb]

      For smart phones 3G/4G, Boost Mobile (also Sprint) they have 3 unlimited plans $40, $50 and $60. Video may be limited to 3G. The high speed data caps being 500mb, 2.5gb and 5gb. [Again, the taxes are already in the price.]

      Of course Virgin Mobile also offers smart phone plans too.

      Just shop and compare before you buy. And if you are grandfathered in a contract style plan learn form CP before you swtch and so not to loose the better plan.

      I use a Virgin Mobile 1500 minute plan. My daughter is grandfathered into Boost Mobile $55 to $35. plan now only paying $35.

      BTW, it is my understanding AT&T has the faster 4G network.
      Last edited by 37818; 08-31-2014, 12:04 AM.
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      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by lao tzu View Post
        Remind me why I'd want a cell phone?
        Amen

        I'm always still in trouble again

        "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
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        • #5
          I learned a long time ago to NEVER, under any circumstances, EVER EVER do any phone upgrades in an AT&T store. Just don't. They will charge you a LOT more for the phone than stores that carry phones from all carriers, like Sam's Club, Best Buy, Radio Shack etc.. The last time I upgraded my phone I did it at Radio Shack and paid $10 for a smartphone. AT&T still charged me an upgrade fee but they were charging a lot more for the same phone if I got it in an AT&T store. It was one that was on the verge of being discontinued and Radio Shack was wanting to get rid of them to make room for whatever phone was replacing it. It is still a nice phone even by today's standards.

          I am still using the same phone two and a half years later, but I am on a different carrier now (as soon as I could legally unlock the phone) for WAAAAAYY less money per month for basically the same plan I had with AT&T. I'm in the UK now and don't want to pay AT&T's "low" fees for international use (I am not made out of money) so I am with O2 for £10/mo (about $16) for a pay-as-you-go plan rather than a contract. I told the cashier at O2 what I had been paying for the same plan with AT&T and she was horrified. Cell phone service here is a lot cheaper.
          Curiosity never hurt anyone. It was stupidity that killed the cat.

          Comment


          • #6
            We had so many problems with AT&T that we stopped using them.

            Comment


            • #7
              I hardly ever use the data on my phone. Just about everywhere I go there is wi-fi. I use about 1/2 gig a month at most. Most of the time a lot less than that.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Sparko View Post
                I hardly ever use the data on my phone. Just about everywhere I go there is wi-fi. I use about 1/2 gig a month at most. Most of the time a lot less than that.
                Yeah, me too neither!
                The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Cerebrum123 View Post
                  We had so many problems with AT&T that we stopped using them.
                  Unfortunately, they're the only ones who have consistent and continuous coverage in the areas of Texas I routinely travel.
                  The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
                    Wow, had an interesting powwow with ATT.... We are one of the few remaining "unlimited everything" plan holders, and apparently ATT is working hard to end those.

                    My granddaughter is on my plan, and was due for an upgrade. She wanted a fancy new phone that was going to be $199 with a 2 year contract.

                    The ATT dude tried to talk us into the "Next" plan, where we paid only $27 up front, and $27 a month for 24 months. That means we pay the FULL PRICE of the $600 phone ON TOP of our current plan. When I resisted, he said he could save me that much money by switching us from our unlimited plan to their shared data plan.

                    Then it got confusinger. When I asked why I would want to pay $600 for a phone instead of $200, he insisted I was already paying for the other $400 in my data plan.

                    I said, "OK, but if I do the $27 for 24 months, it doesn't DECREASE my current plan, it ADDS TO IT".
                    Well, he said, "NOT if we change you to the shared data plan!"

                    OK, I said, my granddaughter uses 10 Gigs a month, so that's 2/3rds of the 15 Gig plan you want to sell me, and once I give up my UNLIMITED plan, I can never get it back!

                    He started getting angry, and there were a couple small children running and screaming in the store, and another salesman brought another couple to our same small table, and it was getting really hectic.

                    I said, "OK, maybe I'm not understanding something, but I don't see how it benefits me to give up my unlimited plan AND pay $27 a month MORE for a phone that will end up costing me $600 instead of $200. He seemed to be getting angrier, and I called a time-out, and said my wife and granddaughter will step outside and discuss this.

                    We walked outside, and my wife reminded me that we did our LAST upgrade through BEST BUY, and they had given us a better price on the plan, AND a $50 Best Buy gift card.

                    SO, off to Best Buy we drive, where a helpful young man tries to sell me on the "next" plan, but when I explain my circumstances, he respond with a big smile "OH, then this wouldn't make any sense for you at all, but OUR phone is $149 instead of $199 PLUS you get a $50 Best Buy gift card that you can immediately apply to the purchase!

                    So, we got a MUCH better attitude, AND saved $100 bucks by upgrading through Best Buy!

                    So, how bout it --- are you on one of the unlimited data plans, or a shared plan, or what? And have you had any difficulty trying to EXTEND your unlimited plan?

                    I'm thinking that the ATT guy must get a bonus or something for getting us out of the unlimited plan, because he sure was determined!
                    So were you able to keep your unlimited data plan? On Verizon, if you get a subsidezed price for the phone, whether at a corporate store or BestBuy, you cannot keep your unlimited data plan.
                    βλέπομεν γὰρ ἄρτι δι᾿ ἐσόπτρου ἐν αἰνίγματι, τότε δὲ πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον·
                    ἄρτι γινώσκω ἐκ μέρους, τότε δὲ ἐπιγνώσομαι καθὼς καὶ ἐπεγνώσθην.

                    אָכֵ֕ן אַתָּ֖ה אֵ֣ל מִסְתַּתֵּ֑ר אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by robrecht View Post
                      So were you able to keep your unlimited data plan?
                      Yes, but only after a battle. I suspect the employee gets a bonus or something to convince customers to abandon their unlimited data plans.

                      On Verizon, if you get a subsidezed price for the phone, whether at a corporate store or BestBuy, you cannot keep your unlimited data plan.
                      I believe our Best Buy guy DID say that Verizon does not allow ANY renewals of their unlimited data plans.
                      The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
                        Yeah, me too neither!
                        so how the heck does your granddaughter use 10GB/month?

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Sparko View Post
                          I hardly ever use the data on my phone. Just about everywhere I go there is wi-fi. I use about 1/2 gig a month at most. Most of the time a lot less than that.
                          That was something I was wondering about - do you get an option to use wi-fi or dataplan when you log in?
                          "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

                          "Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
                            Unfortunately, they're the only ones who have consistent and continuous coverage in the areas of Texas I routinely travel.
                            Kind of like how TWC is the only place that offers internet around here.

                            I would really love to be able to have 3mb\s* download speeds.

                            *I drop down to about 500 kb a second sometimes.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Sparko View Post
                              so how the heck does your granddaughter use 10GB/month?
                              What part of 'girl' didn't you understand?
                              "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

                              "Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman

                              My Personal Blog

                              My Novella blog (Current Novella Begins on 7/25/14)

                              Quill Sword

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