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Channan

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Mar 7, 2012
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I waited a while, then Googled it to see if anyone else can do this also, but I can't find anything.

Backstory: My family was on the old unlimited data plan with 5 lines. I left for Verizon years ago because two of my siblings had to use Virgin Mobile (not enough available lines on AT&T) and I knew I was going to have to get my own plan eventually, so I switched on they last day they offered unlimited, since AT&T didn't offer it anymore. My brother was able get on AT&T, but not my youngest sister.

Well, when AT&T announced the new unlimited plan with DirecTV, my dad switched to it since it offered up to 10 lines instead of five and it was going to save him about $100/month. Since there were going to be extra available lines and I had my old iPhone 5s, I figured I'd just pay an additional $40 on top of my Verizon bill to have two phones with unlimited data. I'll skip the story on why that really benefits me.

Actual point of this topic: AT&T had a promotion for an iPad Air 2 for $99 with a two year contract when you added a line. Since my dad added one for my sister, I figured I'd just get the iPad for $99, sell my current Wi-Fi iPad Air 2, and get unlimited data on the iPad for $40/month instead of my old iPhone. This plan isn't supposed to include tethering, but for some reason it does. The SIM card doesn't work in any phones. I've tried it already. But the iPad they gave me has the option to activate hotspot out of the box. And the rest of my family on the plan can't use hotspot on their phones. It's only me on the tablet plan.

Did anyone else get an iPad or any other tablet on this plan and have the option to hotspot, or is this just a freak accident? It's been like this for a few weeks now.
 
All tablets on that plan are $10 and only get 3GB of data. If you want more than that it's $15 a GB.

If you want "Unlimited" data on your "Unlimited" account for tablets, it's $40.

Still, throttling kicks in at 22GB's.

It's not actually a good deal.
 
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All tablets on that plan are $10 and only get 3GB of data. If you want more than that it's $15 a GB.

If you want "Unlimited" data on your "Unlimited" account for tablets, it's $40.

Still, throttling kicks in at 22GB's.

It's not actually a good deal.
Actually 1GB of Data.
 
All tablets on that plan are $10 and only get 3GB of data. If you want more than that it's $15 a GB.

If you want "Unlimited" data on your "Unlimited" account for tablets, it's $40.

Still, throttling kicks in at 22GB's.

It's not actually a good deal.
Besides the fact that the hotspot is enabled for whatever reason, unlimited data in the US on an iPad for $40 which only might be throttled after 22GB isn't a good deal? I have to know, what do you consider a good deal then?
 
Have you power cycled your iPad? I think the hotspot will go away after you do. I don't know for sure since I don't have the new unlimited data plan. I would be curious to find out.
 
Yeah, I rebooted, put it in airplane mode, took the SIM out and put it in a phone (which didn't work) and the hotspot still works.
 
What I'd like to know is, if you transfer the line to someone who doesn't have direct tv, does he get to keep the unlimited data? Or will he be forced to go to limited plans?
 
What I'd like to know is, if you transfer the line to someone who doesn't have direct tv, does he get to keep the unlimited data? Or will he be forced to go to limited plans?
The primary account holder has to have the same address as someone with DirecTV. If you have a spare line, you can sign someone up on your plan for an extra $40/month.
 
I wonder if you ever cancel directv will the unlimited plan go away?

Yes
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The primary account holder has to have the same address as someone with DirecTV. If you have a spare line, you can sign someone up on your plan for an extra $40/month.


But you cannot transfer to somebody who does not have DTV.
 
Alright.
So what if the account holder has direct tv and do NOT cancel, but one of the line just leave the family? Will the UDP get canceled?
You can't take the line off the plan. It has to be one of the 10 lines you can add for the plan. It doesn't matter if you live in the same house as the account holder, though.
 
A couple of years ago, I got an offer from AT&T to upgrade my then-6gb data plan to 30gb for an extra $15/mo. I jumped at it. I've had it ever since. And just before Christmas, I got an iPad Pro on the NEXT plan.. so for a total of $65/mo for 20 mos, I have a 128 gig iPad Pro that is also on my 30gb data plan.

So far I have yet to use more than maybe 5-6 gig in a given month, but it's there in case I need it, and for the price, you can't beat it.
 
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That's pretty good. I definitely get my use out of unlimited, though. I've already used 30GB on AT&T with 3 days left and 66GB on Verizon with 5 days left.
 
Well, it's been over a month since I started this topic, so I figured someone else must have gotten an iPad on this plan by now. I really just want to know if the hotspot is working on the iPad (or any tablet) on AT&T's new unlimited plan for anyone else.

It's still working on mine, which I'm very happy about. Unlimited data on an iPad with hotspot included, even with the possibility of being throttled after 22GB for only $40/month is really awesome.
 
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