iPhone without data plan allowing data access?

[HangmanSwingset]

I have an iPhone 3GS 8GB, and I stream the radio a lot on it when I'm at home. Sometimes, when a song that I have on my phone is on, I forget I'm streaming and I leave the range of my WiFi.
The other day I went out for a walk and did this. The radio app stopped so I started selecting another song, when it started again. It turns out it was shifting over from WiFi to 3G.
here's the thing though: I don't have a data plan. I'm on prepaid. I pay for my service, and I keep no money in my account. Is it typical for AT&T to randomly neglect to block data usage from certain accounts? This has happened multiple times.
It's not just the radio either; Facebook, Twitter, email... You name it. I'm getting full data access.
Is there anything they can really do about it? My phone has been allowing data since I switched from the pay-per-minute plan to the $25 unlimited messaging/250 minutes plan. Can it come to bite me in the ass, or should I take advantage of it? And has anyone else encountered this?

Additional detals: I'm running on iOS 4.3.3, I was jailbroken with Redsn0w, now Jailbreakme. Data came through on both jailbreaks, so I don't think that is the issue. I also notice it's happening when I'm out and about and I get an email or other notification. I am also on baseband 5.16.02.

 

[macingman]

I have an iPhone 3GS 8GB, and I stream the radio a lot on it when I'm at home. Sometimes, when a song that I have on my phone is on, I forget I'm streaming and I leave the range of my WiFi.
The other day I went out for a walk and did this. The radio app stopped so I started selecting another song, when it started again. It turns out it was shifting over from WiFi to 3G.
here's the thing though: I don't have a data plan. I'm on prepaid. I pay for my service, and I keep no money in my account. Is it typical for AT&T to randomly neglect to block data usage from certain accounts? This has happened multiple times.
It's not just the radio either; Facebook, Twitter, email... You name it. I'm getting full data access.
Is there anything they can really do about it? My phone has been allowing data since I switched from the pay-per-minute plan to the $25 unlimited messaging/250 minutes plan. Can it come to bite me in the ass, or should I take advantage of it? And has anyone else encountered this?

Additional detals: I'm running on iOS 4.3.3, I was jailbroken with Redsn0w, now Jailbreakme. Data came through on both jailbreaks, so I don't think that is the issue. I also notice it's happening when I'm out and about and I get an email or other notification. I am also on baseband 5.16.02.

I doubt you'll be getting free data. They will be charging you for it most likely.

 

[goosnarrggh]

Is it typical for AT&T to randomly neglect to block data usage from certain accounts?

For post-paid customers, it is very common. In fact, it is standard policy for AT&T to leave data access wide open for post-paid accounts that don't have a data plan, and simply charge those accounts on a pay-per-use basis.

In order to make AT&T impose a block on data access, a post-paid customer has to specifically make a request for the block -- something they will refuse to do if they see that you're using a smartphone.

I don't know how it all works when you start dealing with prepaid customers though.

I don't have a data plan. I'm on prepaid. I pay for my service, and I keep no money in my account.

Are you absolutely certain that you don't have a positive balance on your account right now? This would all make sense if they were debiting your account for all this data usage. As it is, I'm genuinely puzzled.

Personally, if I were you I wouldn't make a habit of consuming all this data, because AT&T will certainly clue in to their mistake eventually.

 

[HangmanSwingset]

Are you absolutely certain that you don't have a positive balance on your account right now? This would all make sense if they were debiting your account for all this data usage. As it is, I'm genuinely puzzled.

Personally, if I were you I wouldn't make a habit of consuming all this data, because AT&T will certainly clue in to their mistake eventually.

I have $1.96 in my account. None of it has gone anywhere for weeks, and it expires in December.
It doesn't make sense to me either, and I started the topic to figure out if it's normal or if it's happened to anyone else.
It always seems to happen when I really start talking about switching to T-Mobile. The EDGE speed in Spokane is pretty decent on their network, plus I like having longer battery life. I don't get visual voicemail on my prepaid either, so I'm not losing out on that feature.