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Grandfathered unlimited data - why the fuss?

Great Username to Post....anyways, I want to keep my unlimited data simply for the fact of never having to worry about going over at any time or "keeping track" of what I have, or haven't used. It's more for peace of mind to me. As long as they keep it, I'll be sure to have it.
 
KeepCalmPeople said:
If your monthly usage is 6GB+ I can see the advantage, but look at the disadvantages:
- No tethering unless jailbroken
- No taking advantage of iOS 6 Facetime over cellular (at least with AT&T)
- No taking advantage of the shared data plans (I know they are not attractive to most, but for families with 3+ smartphones/devices they have merit I think)
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I think the important part here is that the first two reasons you listed are unnecessary restrictions placed by AT&T to restrict the unlimited plan. Going from the reality that data is data, there is no actual reason why an unlimited user can't tether their connection to another device. Similarly, there is no legitimate reason why someone on an unlimited plan cannot make a facetime call (you know, using the data we pay for?).

These restrictions (you can argue otherwise, but I view disabling features that a phone can normally carry out as a restriction) are in place simply in a poor attempt to persuade unlimited plan users to switch out to the new plans. The first 3gb of bandwidth on the unlimited plan is kb for kb the same exact data a user with a 3gb plan uses. Ask yourself how it makes sense for one to be able to use facetime and the other not.

For me, I keep the unlimited plan because I tend to use just over 2gb of data per month and want the security of knowing the data will be there even if I accidentally go over 3gb. I don't want to worry about closely monitoring it like a checkbook. That's just yet another stress I don't need.
 
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What I really want to know is if we already have unlimited 3G, how would we go about preordering on Apple.com(when you can of course) and still keep unlimited. Will the option be there or would we have to contact AT&T to do it for us? Anyone have an idea as to how this will work?
 
I switched and got rid of my unlimited data. For me it was a matter of being aware that att is cutting my data speed (with the constant text messages informing me).

So I took to a little research. First I took my iPhone and a friends who has "limited data" and played a YouTube clip. Only to watch my phone sit and "load" while theirs played right away in full. That right there was clue number 1. Clue number 2 was I have Uverse as well thus I have wifi at home. I contacted att and checked out my usage numbers with unlimited data. I never even used 4GB. One month I believe I was at about 3.5GB used. After these two factors I had them switch me to a shared plan. That in itself was ridiculous because one Rep says I have only one line I can't get it. But after explaining how long I've been a customer and talking to resolutions someone got on the phone and was able to put my one line on the 4GB shared data plan. So now my bill is 70 plus the 40 for my line. Oh and minus the 20% with my job. I'm satisfied. Glad I got rid of the unlimited and I have no issues with the "speed" of my data.
 
My entire plan is old and I don't need to change plans. My plan fits me perfectly and I don't like being forced to make a plan change when it doesn't make one mother loving iota of difference what phone I have to use the same plan. It's just their BS and it pisses me off. :mad: I want to have the satisfaction of canceling my contract if they argue in a circle with me in front of other customers who want to upgrade. My phone doesn't require a new plan... PERIOD. I'll give my money to another carrier than give them the satisfaction of forcing my hand.

/rant
 
I've kept my unlimited plan in hopes that one day AT&T would go back to truly unlimited. However, I think those of us on the 4s that kept our unlimited plan might be forced off when updating to the new iPhone. Maybe I'm just reading to much into it, but when you look at your AT&T services it clearly says "unlimited data for iPhone 4s." With the way AT&T seems to be going I could see them using this as a loophole to move us off unlimited.
 
Shanewilliams said:
I've kept my unlimited plan in hopes that one day AT&T would go back to truly unlimited. However, I think those of us on the 4s that kept our unlimited plan might be forced off when updating to the new iPhone. Maybe I'm just reading to much into it, but when you look at your AT&T services it clearly says "unlimited data for iPhone 4s." With the way AT&T seems to be going I could see them using this as a loophole to move us off unlimited.
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From my understanding that started showing up somewhere around original iPhone & 3G or 3GS. It was to kinda show that visual voicemail and crap was "bundled" into a custom data plan for iPhones. I KNOW I've seen it since I went from 3GS to 4 & the to 4s. I think it changes when you log into your account & change the phone you have, or probably is updated on a monthly cycle when you pop the sim card in and use the new phone. I've kept unlimited in the hope that buying a full retail new iPhone & getting a nano sim from my local AT&T store will allow me to get unlimited LTE, even if slowed down after a couple gigs.
 
I also grandfathered in back from the days of my old iPhone 3G, then iPhone 4. Last month I bought a subsidized SGS3 directly from the local AT&T store. I explicitly asked if I would keep my unlimited plan before doing the upgrade (seeing as how I'm moving to LTE now) and he said yes.

No issues at all, even shows on my contract that I'm now on unlimited LTE. Nice to know that I won't get throttled until 5GB, I thought it was 3GB. My usage for the first month was only about 1.6gb, so I'm still in non-throttle shape. :)

When my husband buys iPhone 5, we'll make sure he gets the same deal (grandfathered 3G unlimited, upgrades to LTE unlimited).
 
I have unlimited with VZW and I rarely go over 250mb on my line as most if my usage is via wifi. I think the folks who worry about overage are usually the people who turn off wifi to conserve battery life and wind up using cellular data exclusively.
 
SpyderBite said:
I have unlimited with VZW and I rarely go over 250mb on my line as most if my usage is via wifi. I think the folks who worry about overage are usually the people who turn off wifi to conserve battery life and wind up using cellular data exclusively.
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Actually wifi is typically better on battery life than cellular if I'm not mistaken.

Unfortunately my job doesn't allow wifi networks, so I'm on LTE during the day now between iPad and GS3, although I do turn off wifi for battery life while I'm away from home not using a wifi network.
 
tekchic said:
Actually wifi is typically better on battery life than cellular if I'm not mistaken.

Unfortunately my job doesn't allow wifi networks, so I'm on LTE during the day now between iPad and GS3, although I do turn off wifi for battery life while I'm away from home not using a wifi network.
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Yes/no. Uses more power but is usually faster so you use it shorter amounts of time.
 
I have a grandfathered unlimited plan from AT&T. I have no other internet access, so it's worth it to me.
I generally use around 2-3 GB a month, so I'd pay the same $30 on the 3GB plan as I do for unlimited.
I was able to keep my unlimited iPad plan even though the new iPad is LTE capable. I hope the same holds true if the iPhone gets LTE.
FYI: I have gone as high as 10GB/ month on 2-3 occasions without any throttling or other grief from AT&T.
 
KeepCalmPeople said:
Hi all,

First time posting. I've greatly enjoyed perusing the threads on this forum so far. Some very passionate participants with strongly held opinions!

To my question (and I know this has been brought up in other threads, but I haven't seen a thread specific to this one concern):

Why do people hold onto their unlimited data plans so vehemently?

If your monthly usage is 6GB+ I can see the advantage, but look at the disadvantages:
- No tethering unless jailbroken
- No taking advantage of iOS 6 Facetime over cellular (at least with AT&T)
- No taking advantage of the shared data plans (I know they are not attractive to most, but for families with 3+ smartphones/devices they have merit I think)

I've seen some posts where people are even prepared to pay for a no contract iPhone in order to keep their unlimited data - that's denying yourself a $20 a month subsidy on the phone right there.

Or is it just a case of wanting to hold the wireless carriers to their word, even if they don't want to support unlimited data plans any more?

I switched from unlimited to the AT&T 5GB plan with hotspot, and now my family is on the AT&T Share Plan with 6GB between 3 smartphones. We have 3 wi-fi only iPads in the family and being able to use any phone as a hotspot is very convenient. I have not missed the unlimited data once, nor have I exceeded my data allowance once.

What is your situation?
Click to expand...

I use ~20gb per month. Have you used an LTE device yet? iPhone users are in for a shock. I've been saying it for months
 
mateo124 said:
What I really want to know is if we already have unlimited 3G, how would we go about preordering on Apple.com(when you can of course) and still keep unlimited. Will the option be there or would we have to contact AT&T to do it for us? Anyone have an idea as to how this will work?
Click to expand...

When I went from 3GS to 4, the $30/month unlimited plan was already history, but because I was "grandfathered' it was one of my options when ordering. Ditto for the new iPad (3): when I setup my plan on the device, transferring the unlimited plan from my iPad 1 was one of the options.
I think It's really in AT&T's best interest to let up keep our unlimited plans since otherwise I'd have likely gone with a Verizon iPad and Sprint iPhone by now.
 
Great thread! I've been on an unlimited plan for nearly 4 years now. I just researched my data usage and I've never exceeded 2 GB, and I consider myself to be a routine user. I surf the net for at least 90 min a day on the cell network and use apps religiously throughout the day.

Why am I paying more for something I'm not really using?

Just food for thought,
Bryan
 
Last month, I used ~30GB of data. I stream a lot of music and video while I'm at work. Guess what, not getting rid of my unlimited data. Currently I have Android w/VZW. If the iPhone 5 does in fact have LTE, I will get. I do miss my iPhone but I was on at$t then.
 
MajesticNJ said:
J
The reason I say this is they did that for me on my iPad. My old plan was $25 a month but would not give me LTE. In the end I had to upgrade to the "newer" plan which included LTE but was $30 a month.
Click to expand...


My existing iPad plan transitioned to my new iPad with LTE support once I moved the plan from my old iPad using the Settings page. I still have unlimited on it.

I gave up my unlimited plan on my phone a couple years ago to save $5/month. I had never gone over 1GB. Though this last month I actually hit 1.1GB.
 
I have the following:

$50 Family Talk 550
$30 Unlimited data (phone 1)
$30 Unlimited data (phone 2)
$9.99 Phone 2

$120 Total

On shared plan, 10g would cost me $120 per month, PLUS $40 for each phone:

$200 Total

6g would cost me $90 + $35 + $35 = $160

Can't imagine why I'd want to stick with unlimited data. :rolleyes:

By the way, if I pay full price, it won't just be to stay with unlimited, it would also be to get an unlocked phone that I can use in other countries.
 
formerpc said:
Here's my situation:
450 mins $39.99
500 txts (w/unlimited in-network txts) $10
Unlimited data $29.99
Top-level insurance plan (I forget what it's called) $9.99
-10% discount I get through work on Mins and Data ($7 savings)
+taxes and misc fees $3.36

Total current monthly cost $86.33

I'll be ditching the insurance plan, so there's $9.99 off.
Now add the cost of the unsubsidized phone $18.50 ($450/24 months).

Brings the new "total" to $94.84 (taxes, etc. may be slightly different but for the purpose of this demonstration we'll assume they're the same).


If I switch to the 2GB Mobile Share Plan, with my company's 10% discount off the data/mins (but not the device fee, obviously)- brings the pre-tax/fee price to $94. Plus a few dollars for the taxes, etc. so maybe $98 total.

So it actually works out to be marginally cheaper to buy it outright (in my case- can't speak for others).
Click to expand...



You realize you can just buy the 2GB data package for $30 right?
 
If your grandfathered on AT&T Unlimited data plan. When I iOS 6 comes you will not be able to use FaceTime over AT&T celluar network.

AT&T is require people to switch to one of there new data/ data share plans to use FaceTime over the their cell network
 
formerpc said:
I see no reason to limit myself, esp. when I'm about to gain access to LTE. Please explain to me why I would want to give up unlimited LTE.
Click to expand...

But will you actually USE it to it's extent, or are you one of those unlimited owners who only use 1-2gb cause there's a bunch of those people who just want unlimited for the title.
 
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