3G with the AT&T Data Plan NOW has it (against my wishes)

[braddick]

When I purchased my 3G S on launch day, I was able to switch my original 3G to a second line with AT&T at $9.95 a month after activating the 3G S. It meant my 3G iPhone was a full featured phone, just no 3G service.

The WiFi worked perfectly though so I felt fortunate that I got a pretty good deal.

Fast forward to yesterday when I was charging my 3G S and was tooling around with the 3G spare when I noticed 3G in the upper left of the phone screen.
Up to this point it only had AT&T there along with the bars.
I opened up Safari to see what would happen and sure enough, full internet service via 3G!

I bet you anything somehow AT&T upgraded this phone and now I'm paying for a full service iPhone- really something I don't need nor contracted for.

Edited to add:
Having the extra phone (without the data plan) is worth $9.95 a month even though it is used sparingly, but having to pay the addional fees will be a bummer.

Is anyone else experiencing these issues? Is AT&T going through customers service records and upgrading service that was not requested?

 

[samcraig]

From what I understand and from what was posted pretty clearly on all the sites selling the iphone was that if it was activated, a data plan is required. So if you turn your 3g or 3gs phone on, they are within their right, if you haven't added a data plan - to add one for you...

 

[aristobrat]

I thought you had to have data for the entire length of the original contract.

i.e. if you signed a 2-year contract for your iPhone 3G, then it's required to have data for 2 years?

 

[braddick]

From what I understand and from what was posted pretty clearly on all the sites selling the iphone was that if it was activated, a data plan is required. So if you turn your 3g or 3gs phone on, they are within their right, if you haven't added a data plan - to add one for you...

I get that, and it was activated a year ago when I purchased it. The AT&T representative switched my service/phone number from the 3G to the new iPhone, 3G S. When he asked what I planned to do with the now older iPhone and I told him I had no plans (maybe just use it like a Touch...) he suggested making it a second line phone at the $9.95 a month.

I don't need two phones, but that seemed like a good deal.

Had I known the phone would be upgraded I'd have just gone with the 3G S and had the 3G turned off.

 

[braddick]

I thought you had to have data for the entire length of the original contract.

i.e. if you signed a 2-year contract for your iPhone 3G, then it's required to have data for 2 years?

I paid the extra fee to extend my original contract (something along the lines of $400. I think. . .)

 

[dave006]

When I purchased my 3G S on launch day, I was able to switch my original 3G to a second line with AT&T at $9.95 a month after activating the 3G S. It meant my 3G iPhone was a full featured phone, just no 3G service.

The WiFi worked perfectly though so I felt fortunate that I got a pretty good deal.

Fast forward to yesterday when I was charging my 3G S and was tooling around with the 3G spare when I noticed 3G in the upper left of the phone screen.
Up to this point it only had AT&T there along with the bars.
I opened up Safari to see what would happen and sure enough, full internet service via 3G!

I bet you anything somehow AT&T upgraded this phone and now I'm paying for a full service iPhone- really something I don't need nor contracted for.

Edited to add:
Having the extra phone (without the data plan) is worth $9.95 a month even though it is used sparingly, but having to pay the addional fees will be a bummer.

Is anyone else experiencing these issues? Is AT&T going through customers service records and upgrading service that was not requested?

It sounds like you need to provide more details about how you setup this $9.95 add-a-line second line. You should have provided the rep with the IMEI of a non-iPhone to be the active device on your second line. Then you should have requested that you have a WIXBlock placed on that line to prevent any accidental data access on that line. The default is Pay Per Use (PPU), so you may be paying very dearly for data on that second line.

I would strongly suggest you check your accout online and see what features are active on your "second" line. Also, if you have Visual Voicemail on the second line, then you have the iPhone data plan. Again, just another way to check / confirm what is happening on your line.

The official AT&T response is that if you have an iPhone active on a line of service you are required to have a valid iPhone data plan. You also agree that AT&T can add a valid data plan in your contract.

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/legal/plan-terms.jsp

Dave

 

[braddick]

Thanks Dave (and others) that was the information I was looking for.
I have not even checked to see if I'm being charged any additional fee (outside of the agreed upon $9.95) but will do so and go from there.

 

[FSMBP]

I get that, and it was activated a year ago when I purchased it. The AT&T representative switched my service/phone number from the 3G to the new iPhone, 3G S. When he asked what I planned to do with the now older iPhone and I told him I had no plans (maybe just use it like a Touch...) he suggested making it a second line phone at the $9.95 a month.

I don't need two phones, but that seemed like a good deal.

Had I known the phone would be upgraded I'd have just gone with the 3G S and had the 3G turned off.

Clearly that AT&T rep was an idiot and talked about something incorrectly. ANY iPhone on AT&T is required to have a data plan.

As a informed customer you should know, but if a rep tells you it's $9.95 extra I can see how you can be blindsided. If AT&T doesn't let you cut off the extra line without a fee, explain the story to them because the rep totally lied.

 

[dave006]

I get that, and it was activated a year ago when I purchased it. The AT&T representative switched my service/phone number from the 3G to the new iPhone, 3G S. When he asked what I planned to do with the now older iPhone and I told him I had no plans (maybe just use it like a Touch...) he suggested making it a second line phone at the $9.95 a month.

I don't need two phones, but that seemed like a good deal.

Had I known the phone would be upgraded I'd have just gone with the 3G S and had the 3G turned off.

OK, so how much did you pay for your new iPhone 3GS? Were you eligible for an upgrade or did you just get the iPhone 3GS on the second line at the full subsidy and then have the rep swap the numbers?

Again the fastest way out of your mess may just to call Customer Care and provide an IMEI of another phone for the add-a-line and this will allow you to drop the iPhone data plan. Also see my post above about a WIXBlock to prevent any accidental data charges.

Dave

 

[dave006]

Clearly that AT&T rep was an idiot and talked about something incorrectly. ANY iPhone on AT&T is required to have a data plan.

As a informed customer you should know, but if a rep tells you it's $9.95 extra I can see how you can be blindsided. If AT&T doesn't let you cut off the extra line without a fee, explain the story to them because the rep totally lied.

Actually it sounds like the OP might have used the add-a-line to qualify for the full subsidy on the new iPhone 3GS and did not understand the full impact. Again, without specific details on the price paid by the OP for the iPhone 3GS we are only going to be able to guess.

If the iPhone 3GS was purchased on the second line then the OP will not be able to cancel that line without paying the ETF. This is just a version of the "Upgrade Swap" by adding a line to a FamilyTalk plan or converting to a FamilyTalk plan to get an iPhone 3GS at the full subsidy.

There are going to be many more stories like this as soon as everyone starts to receive their bills. I am counting the days, based on the June 19 launch, most billing cycles will begin triggering big suprises...

Dave

 

[braddick]

Without sounding too convoluted, at the same time I was picking up the 3G S my wife and I were also turning in an AT&T Air Card. That contract had run out and I no longer wanted to pay $60. for my laptop data plan.

The rep. stated he could take that SIMS card from the Air Card and place it in the now older 3G thus providing the Family Plan at $9.95 a month. The SIMS from the 3G was then to be placed in the 3G S.

Based on that representation we went for it. (As a side note, I even offered my wife the 3G but she'd rather keep her Sliver!)

So, essentially we walked out of AT&T with a new, full service 3G S and a mostly functioning 3G and our total bill is $107.00 a month (give or take, as long as we don't go over our minutes... and we don't have the texting service).

I'm going to call AT&T on my lunch break and confirm that is still the deal.

Purhaps the rep. did more than he was authorized to do and if so, no big loss as again, I don't really use the second iPhone so much and will just give that line up if need be and as I had originally intended to do upon entering the store on launch day.

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

ANY iPhone on AT&T is required to have a data plan....

I thought that only applied when you where under the 2 year contract, once the contract is up and you DON'T upgrade into a new contract, then you can drop the data plan if you desire.

 

[gr8whtd0pe]

I thought that only applied when you where under the 2 year contract, once the contract is up and you DON'T upgrade into a new contract, then you can drop the data plan if you desire.

nope as long as the phone is active on their network you have to have a data plan.

 

[rburly]

I paid the extra fee to extend my original contract (something along the lines of $400. I think. . .)

I had the same thing.

I was checking my bill every day and Monday it showed a $433 charge for this month (up from $99). I called yesterday morning (my situation is a bit different in that I'm letting my son use the 3G). I called and was told the extra costs (other than line charge, data, and SMS) was "pro-rated charges from launch to the new bill" and that my next bill will be along the lines of $156. Anyway, if you're using data, you'll be billed for it. And... check your bill.

 

[aethelbert]

nope as long as the phone is active on their network you have to have a data plan.

Not true. This only applies if it is on a postpaid plan.

 

[gr8whtd0pe]

Not true. This only applies if it is on a postpaid plan.

From what I have read AT&T recently changed their terms on the iPhones and now ever require all the 1st gens to have a data plan, where before you could call and get it removed.

EDIT:
From http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/legal/plan-terms.jsp#iPhone

Data Plans: An eligible data plan is required for certain devices including iPhone and other designated Smartphones and PDA's. Eligible data plans cover data usage in the U.S. and do not cover international data usage and charges. If it is determined that you are using iPhone or other designated Smartphone or PDA without an eligible data plan, AT&T reserves the right to add an eligible data plan to your account and bill you the appropriate monthly fee. Use of iPhone 3G to access corporate email, company intranet sites, and/or other business applications requires an Enterprise Data Plan for iPhone. For applicable rates, terms and conditions, see AT&T Business Plans for iPhone 3G brochure.

 

[braddick]

From what I have read AT&T recently changed their terms on the iPhones and now ever require all the 1st gens to have a data plan, where before you could call and get it removed.

I'm not being a poor sport, either way, it would seem if AT&T changes policy they should grandfather the older accounts where other promises were made.

To simply jack up rates after agreeing not too seems a bit like wreckless business planning on the coporate level.

 

[gr8whtd0pe]

I'm not being a poor sport, either way, it would seem if AT&T changes policy they should grandfather the older accounts where other promises were made.

To simply jack up rates after agreeing not too seems a bit like wreckless business planning on the coporate level.

I agree totally, you would think they would jump through more hoops to keep us happy, but they don't. They see it as, well you paid X for a phone, and we make you do this and you say sure, we can keep adding stuff and they can't do anything about it tude'. I mean look at all the people that upgraded to the 3G's and renewed and now can't get a 3GS due to it. I know it was subsidized and yadda yadda, but still.

 

[aethelbert]

From what I have read AT&T recently changed their terms on the iPhones and now ever require all the 1st gens to have a data plan, where before you could call and get it removed.

The prepaid and pay-as-you-go accounts do not actually support the $30 data plan, so they can't add that on. They can attempt to block your data service, but changing the lineups of the APN on the phone prevents them from doing that. And if you're not using data as the OP suggests, there's no negative if they don't let you use something that you didn't want to begin with. If they don't want you using data without their plan, they can't make you add the plan. Nobody is going to pay $30 to remove a restriction on something that they want restricted to avoid charges anyway.

In order to prevent such a problem in the future, you need to change the APN off of the iPhone-specific one and probably set it to be blocking data access as well.