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$5 messaging plan is now grandfathered?

I

itouchaddicted

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 2, 2009
138
0
So I transfered my moms iphone 4 and number to me. She originally had 450 minutes for $39.95, 200mb data plan and $5 messaging plan(200messages). After the service got transferred to my name all I had was 450 minutes, there was no messaging or data plan. After calling ATT, the repp told me that i coudnt add the $5 messaging plan as it is grandfathered now. So is their any way to get back the $5 messaging plan, as I use other texting apps to text people , so I dont really need a 'lucrative' texting plan.
Thanks
 
itouchaddicted said:
So I transfered my moms iphone 4 and number to me. She originally had 450 minutes for $39.95, 200mb data plan and $5 messaging plan(200messages). After the service got transferred to my name all I had was 450 minutes, there was no messaging or data plan. After calling ATT, the repp told me that i coudnt add the $5 messaging plan as it is grandfathered now. So is their any way to get back the $5 messaging plan, as I use other texting apps to text people , so I dont really need a 'lucrative' texting plan.
Thanks
Click to expand...

AT&T got rid of the $5/200 message plan on Monday the 24th. Their cheapest plan now is $10/1000 messages.
 
itouchaddicted said:
So I transfered my moms iphone 4 and number to me. She originally had 450 minutes for $39.95, 200mb data plan and $5 messaging plan(200messages). After the service got transferred to my name all I had was 450 minutes, there was no messaging or data plan. After calling ATT, the repp told me that i coudnt add the $5 messaging plan as it is grandfathered now. So is their any way to get back the $5 messaging plan, as I use other texting apps to text people , so I dont really need a 'lucrative' texting plan.
Thanks
Click to expand...

Did you happen to ask the rep that? I really doubt anyone of the forums would know more than a rep...

BUT...all I know is, if you didn't have a $5 or $15 text plan after the switch, you can't get them.
 
OlgaJ said:
AT&T got rid of the $5/200 message plan on Monday the 24th. Their cheapest plan now is $10/1000 messages.
Click to expand...

I still can't believe that carriers charge such insane amounts for text messages. Data plans are one thing, but at least some sort of texting option should be included for free in any basic plan, IMO.
 
MarximusMG said:
I still can't believe that carriers charge such insane amounts for text messages. Data plans are one thing, but at least some sort of texting option should be included for free in any basic plan, IMO.
Click to expand...
It is what business are in business for is to make money. They all know texting is very popular so they charge for it.

With the restructuring of the data plans from $30 to $15 and $25 they felt adjusting the texting plan to $10 will offset some of that lost revenue on the data side. I wish they would of kept the $5 plan and added the $10 plan but the number crunchers at ATT thought differently.
 
FSMBP said:
Did you happen to ask the rep that? I really doubt anyone of the forums would know more than a rep...

BUT...all I know is, if you didn't have a $5 or $15 text plan after the switch, you can't get them.[/

when I transferred the service to my name, all I had was 450 minutes voice plan, didnt have any data or texting plan, so I called the rep and he pounded a data plan on me and I was forced to choose that $10 texting plan cuz I need some sort of texting plan even tho I use other apps to text for free.
Click to expand...
 
I didn't think that a text plan was required. A data plan is required, however. I would go online to see if you can drop the text plan since you don't need it. Either that or call back and tell them to remove it.
 
ucfgrad93 said:
I didn't think that a text plan was required. A data plan is required, however. I would go online to see if you can drop the text plan since you don't need it. Either that or call back and tell them to remove it.
Click to expand...

but I think I need some texting plan just so I dont charged for every text I receive as I cant go on telling all my friends: "hey guys dont text me, i dont have a texting plan lol". Do you guys think having that $10 texting plan or going without any texting plan is better. I do use that textfree app to text people but occasionally my friends sometimes do text on my number.
Thanks
 
itouchaddicted said:
but I think I need some texting plan just so I dont charged for every text I receive as I cant go on telling all my friends: "hey guys dont text me, i dont have a texting plan lol". Do you guys think having that $10 texting plan or going without any texting plan is better. I do use that textfree app to text people but occasionally my friends sometimes do text on my number.
Thanks
Click to expand...

If you can't get your friends to stop texting to your regular number, then you're stuck. But how many do you really get? I mean, if you don't have a text plan (they are not required), I believe you pay something like $0.30 per text. Don't quote me on that price. Call ATT to verify.

So if you don't get more than 33 texts per month (assuming the $0.30 price per text), you would save money by NOT having a text plan.
 
Is it possible to block texting altogether? That way even if someone tries to text you, you won't get charged.
 
FSMBP said:
Did you happen to ask the rep that? I really doubt anyone of the forums would know more than a rep...
Click to expand...
Asking an AT&T rep is probably the least reliable way to get factual information about AT&T services. Lack of training and incompetence are standard fare with them. This forum is more reliable.
 
itouchaddicted said:
Do you guys think having that $10 texting plan or going without any texting plan is better.
Click to expand...

Well, your choices are:
  1. Pay $10 for cheapest texting plan
  2. Go without a plan and pay $0.20 per text message
Going without a plan is cheaper if you send/receive less than 50 text messages per month (50 x $0.20 = $10).
 
Nothlit said:
Well, your choices are:
  1. Pay $10 for cheapest texting plan
  2. Go without a plan and pay $0.20 per text message
Going without a plan is cheaper if you send/receive less than 50 text messages per month (50 x $0.20 = $10).
Click to expand...

How about cancel texting altogether and just use AIM (free sms), Google Voice, or any other of the dozens of free texting apps available?
 
Nothlit said:
Well, your choices are:
  1. Pay $10 for cheapest texting plan
  2. Go without a plan and pay $0.20 per text message
Going without a plan is cheaper if you send/receive less than 50 text messages per month (50 x $0.20 = $10).
Click to expand...

While this is true, it's probably not the best course of action. For example, say he knows he will send/receive 40 messages a month. In that case, he would have to pay $8 for the 40 messages. Instead, you can pay $10 and get 1000, which would make more sense.
 
TheyCallMeSaint said:
While this is true, it's probably not the best course of action. For example, say he knows he will send/receive 40 messages a month. In that case, he would have to pay $8 for the 40 messages. Instead, you can pay $10 and get 1000, which would make more sense.
Click to expand...

How is that better if you know you will only send/receive 40 messages? You spend $2 on something you won't use. Keep in mind that you can add and remove features on a date in the past, which means at the end of your cycle you can see if you went over 50 messages. If you did, add the plan on the first day of that cycle so it's cheaper (and remove it the next cycle). If you didn't, leave it as it is and that's cheaper.
 
Scott90 said:
How is that better if you know you will only send/receive 40 messages? You spend $2 on something you won't use. Keep in mind that you can add and remove features on a date in the past, which means at the end of your cycle you can see if you went over 50 messages. If you did, add the plan on the first day of that cycle so it's cheaper (and remove it the next cycle). If you didn't, leave it as it is and that's cheaper.
Click to expand...

Thanks, this helped but will i have to call Att everytime or I can do it online myself.
 
Last edited:
thanks a lot everyone, now i will cancel my texting plan and see if I go over 50 messages/mo and if I do I will add the plan or else stick to no texting plan. I dont know how and when to add/cancel the plan and how all this billing cycle still work.!!
 
itouchaddicted said:
Thanks, this helped but will i have to call Att everytime or I can do it online myself.
Click to expand...

You can do that yourself in OLAM. When you add the feature, it's going to ask you for a date and (I assume, haven't done it myself yet) you can pick any date within your current cycle.
 
I believe you can add "account controls" or is it called "parental controls"? for $5 a month and use those to block features like text. Spending $5 a month to avoid being charged for text is kind of a ripoff since it was possible only a few days ago to pay $5 a month for enough text messages to easily make it through a month (unless you are a teenager).
 
If they are charging you for blocking texts, you are being ripped off. They will block for free.

Note - I don't think AT&T does any kind of bounce-back, so anyone sending you a text will not get any kind of failure message.
 
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