Database Users

Just bought used Atrix, AT&T auto data upgrade

I just bought a used Atrix from a friend and don't want or need data. Plenty of wifi around me.
I have done some research on how to get around AT&T's auto data upgrade and it seems like everybody who gets a new iPhone who doesn't want or need data does the sim card swap. This is where they get a new sim card, put it in their old phone, call att and data block it, then put the new sim into their new iPhone. My question is, is this the only way to get around the auto upgrade? And will this work with any smart phone, not just the iPhone?
Sorry if this is an old topic, but I searched and couldn't find a suitable answer so I figured I'd come to the pro's.

Atrix 4G Q&A
For all of your questions relating to the AT&T Motorola Atrix 4G

Just call them and be like you cannot afford it. If the rep refuses ask for the manager, if he refuses ask them for the corporate number and call them. I did that few times to get early upgrades and always worked.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App

The SIM card trick stopped working a while back, its impossible to not get a data plan with a smartphone now on AT&T unless you find a way to spoof your IMEI, which you're not going to find anything on because its illegal in some countries. Sorry.
They really shouldnt be able to force people to get data plans if they dont want them (for non-subsidized phones), but for now there's not much that can be done about it.

I don't think there is a way to avoid this since the minute you turn your phone on, they have your IMEI and all the other info based off of that. They made it very clear that you can't use smartphone without data plan. It will be added automatically

mac208x said:
Just call them and be like you cannot afford it. If the rep refuses ask for the manager, if he refuses ask them for the corporate number and call them. I did that few times to get early upgrades and always worked.
How did u get an early upgrade?
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my MB860 using xda premium

Jotokun said:
... its impossible... unless you find a way to spoof your IMEI... its illegal in some countries.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that's ridiculous. anyone know why?
Jotokun said:
They really shouldnt be able to force people to get data plans if they dont want them (for non-subsidized phones)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App

ifalldownalot said:
that's ridiculous. anyone know why?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Smarter thieves often change a phone's IMEI number so that if a device is reported stolen, its harder to track. Also a way to get around having a phone's specific IMEI number banned from a network, again usually because of theft.

ATT doesn't like it when you illegally tether

Received this text message today, promptly called and complained and had it switched back. Thought you guys would enjoy this.
I like the flex of muscle by att, can't wait for sprint to have service in my area.

Couldn't you just cancel your contract since they changed it without your permission?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using Tapatalk

Yes. There is nothing about tethering in the 2 year agreement. I work in a cell phone store and ive read the agreement with no tethering rules
Sent from my MB855 using xda premium

They claim that they sent me a message back in September but i don't ever recall getting it. And what do you mean cancel my contract, why would I do that, to get a cheaper phone? Haha
Sent from my Inspire 4G using xda premium

.
Thread moved. Would advise you to read forum rules and post in correct section.
Failure to comply with forum rules will result in an infraction and/or ban depending on severity of rule break.

how do they detect this?

exileinoblivion7 said:
Received this text message today, promptly called and complained and had it switched back. Thought you guys would enjoy this.
I like the flex of muscle by att, can't wait for sprint to have service in my area.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Firstly.
They are violating your privacy as a user.
Secondly.
If the said terms have been put into place after you have bought and signed for the device 'without you agreeing to it initially', then legally you have the right to sue them.
You can easily argue that AT&T is taking advantage of the idea.

OmegaRED^ said:
Firstly.
They are violating your privacy as a user.
Secondly.
If the said terms have been put into place after you have bought and signed for the device 'without you agreeing to it initially', then legally you have the right to sue them.
You can easily argue that AT&T is taking advantage of the idea.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The woman I spoke with on the phone said that back in September they sent me a similar text saying that if I continue to tether then I agree to it. I don't think I ever got that message but i flash roms so much that I could've missed it
This really brings to light just what a scummy company att really is. If there is anything I can do to retaliate it would be awesome if someone could send me a PM with some details as what i can do.
Sent from my Inspire 4G using xda premium

donsh00tmesanta said:
how do they detect this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think they detect it because tethering uses a special APN which is detectable by att.
I've also read(and immot sure how this works so dontquote me onit) but when att sends a signal out it has what's called a TTL number. This increases by a value of 1 everytime its passed down so the return number they get is higher than it should be.
Don't really know how it works but isaw those methods somewhere so thought I'd let you know
Sent from my Inspire 4G using xda premium

Thing is, if your on unlimited, there's NOTHING in your contract that says your allowed to tether on unlimited, and that's how they get you.
No way to sue, they state that your not allowed to tether, and will change your plan if you do, so they're completely in the right.
Remember this... we only get as much rights as the carriers allow us to have.

and the other side of the coin is......is there anything in there to not allow tethering?

I got the message. A 12 year veteran of AT&T. Broke my contract for free and switched to Verizon.
Done like a boss.
Sent from my DROID BIONIC

Can't the method AT&T uses to detect tethering be bi-passed by rooting and removing their tethering app...?

Another way the know your tethering is when you use several IPs at the same time, like you tether, connections include game servers, youtube, etc. And it's kinof hard to explain how you were able to watch netflix movies, youtube videos, play games at the same time.

How to get a an early upgrade ATT

I'm a relatively new att customer and the note was just annoinced and id like to get it for the contract price. Does anyone know workarounds to get it
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I927 using Tapatalk

.
Thread moved. Would advise you to read forum rules and post in correct section.
Failure to comply with forum rules will result in an infraction and/or ban depending on severity of rule break.

mariol66 said:
I'm a relatively new att customer and the note was just annoinced and id like to get it for the contract price. Does anyone know workarounds to get it
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I927 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
when is your upgrade....
can do 30 days prior to your date call cs

I just got my plan in december so I'm locked in for awhile but I didn't know ajything about the note then so idk cn I claim my phone stolen?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I927 using Tapatalk

Hmm...for a note you'd have to get it outside att now....if you upgraded last december...
Stolen..not really...unless you have insurance and willing to pay the deductable....
Sent from my GT-I5510 using XDA App

mariol66 said:
I'm a relatively new att customer and the note was just annoinced and id like to get it for the contract price. Does anyone know workarounds to get it
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I927 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My mom recently called complaining that her device was malfunctioning and they replaced her handset, she went through this process 3 times and at that point she said not to send her another phone, that she wanted a different phone. After many calls to customer service we finally got a hold of a really nice representative and she worked with her and she was able to "upgrade" to a Samsung Infuse which is MUCH nicer than the one she has now.

I had some legitimate issues with the Evo 4G, where my data connection would drop whenever I was inside a building, but as soon as I would get outside, or into the Sprint store, everything would run flawlessly. They kept telling me that there was nothing they could do because to them, it was working fine.. They told me, you can send your phone back for them to give you a new one, but that required me being without a Smart Phone for a week (which with my job, I use my Smart Phone everyday! I told them that was unacceptable) After many calls and complaints, I went into the store to get a new phone, where they informed me that there was a note on my account to let me get an early upgrade.
I think if you really want to get a different phone already, it might just be as simple as complaining that there is something wrong with your phone. However, they might want you to ship it back to have them give you a new phone of the same make (leaving you without a phone for a week or two) a few times before they even think about letting you get a different phone.
Try to find a legitimate flaw with your current phone, something that can't exactly be corrected, some seldom used feature that just doesn't work correctly, then complain like it's the end of the world

S4 Best Buy help

I'd like to get the s4 from a best buy location this week but I've got a few questions.
Do they do cross upgrades WITHOUT effecting the other line's sim/phone? I want to use my wife's upgrade but she'll be out of town so we can't have her sim/phone go off?
(I'm asking cuz in the past I had that happen)
If the upgrade date is 5/8,can I do it with best buy on may 1rst like I can at att?
Thanks to any best buy employees or otherwise experts who can help....

artofdesign said:
I'd like to get the s4 from a best buy location this week but I've got a few questions.
Do they do cross upgrades WITHOUT effecting the other line's sim/phone? I want to use my wife's upgrade but she'll be out of town so we can't have her sim/phone go off?
(I'm asking cuz in the past I had that happen)
If the upgrade date is 5/8,can I do it with best buy on may 1rst like I can at att?
Thanks to any best buy employees or otherwise experts who can help....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can answer the first question but not the second, I don't have a clue about upgrade dates and such....
I used an upgrade from another account I manage yesterday and they told me that worst case scenario, the other phone will be deactivated for a second or two while they process the phone onto the account and then off of it, restoring the IMEI that was originally used.... if she has an LTE phone already, it will make the process a whole lot easier since they don't have to add an LTE provision and then remove it
That being said, I thought it was kind of wild they had to do any of that in the first place when I thought they could just process the upgrade as an in-store deal since it wasn't going on that account - they didn't pull out the phone and do a test call on it, so why would they have to activate it in the system for the other number and then remove it? At one time, the guy processing it who I thought I had confidence he knew what was going on turned to me and said "do you by any chance have that other phone available so I can get the IMEI off of it?" Well no, of course I don't, I told you that! You had it in the system before you deactivated it, put it back! haha, oh BBY.....

same here what happened yesterday, im goin to use my dad's
upgrade, since his phone is the galaxy s1, it turns out they deactivated his number(old sim) and they gave me the lte enabled sim, since i told them that i am the one gonna use both the s4 and s3 not my dad, they provided me a regular sim again for my dad but just to call 611 att customer service to transfer again the lte enbled sim to the regular one, such a hassel though, if only i have a simcard adapter that time.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium

Ok so she has an iPhone 5(lte right?) on that line now(the line I will use the upgrade date from.)
So it will go off for a moment and back on? For sure? She'll be so far from a att store that any problems would be a HUGE issue for us.
Please let me know. Thanks for help guys.

From my experience regarding dates, yes. As long as its the first of the eligible month. This was 2 years back when i got the s2 so not exactly sure if policy changed but i doubt it. Radio shack did the same thing.

artofdesign said:
Ok so she has an iPhone 5(lte right?) on that line now(the line I will use the upgrade date from.)
So it will go off for a moment and back on? For sure? She'll be so far from a att store that any problems would be a HUGE issue for us.
Please let me know. Thanks for help guys.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The iPhone 5 is an LTE device, you should be good on that end
I sent a text to the number I was upgrading before to warn the person they may be without service momentarily, and then called on my way out of the store, they did not notice any interruption in service, so yes, it's for sure

Questions and help issues go in Q&A
Thread moved
Thanks
FNM

KryptosXLayer2 said:
The iPhone 5 is an LTE device, you should be good on that end
I sent a text to the number I was upgrading before to warn the person they may be without service momentarily, and then called on my way out of the store, they did not notice any interruption in service, so yes, it's for sure
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for sharing the details of your experience!!! Good to hear.

kennyglass123 said:
Questions and help issues go in Q&A
Thread moved
Thanks
FNM
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, thanks.

...
j510 said:
From my experience regarding dates, yes. As long as its the first of the eligible month. This was 2 years back when i got the s2 so not exactly sure if policy changed but i doubt it. Radio shack did the same thing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is true of outside vendors like BB still? I know Att could do it but not sure about non att stores.

Best buy mobile employee here. Typically if you are cross upgrading it isn't an issue unless it's an iPhone 5 or an old phone that uses a standard sim card. If they call customer service they can typically make it work without deactivating the old phone, otherwise you would need to get a new sim for the other phone.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app

Apoyyo said:
Best buy mobile employee here. Typically if you are cross upgrading it isn't an issue unless it's an iPhone 5 or an old phone that uses a standard sim card. If they call customer service they can typically make it work without deactivating the old phone, otherwise you would need to get a new sim for the other phone.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for chiming in!
But wait, iPhone 5s do cause the trouble I need to avoid? Even with the lte sim in it already?
And what about dates, can you do a 5/8 upgrade on 5/1?
Thanks.

artofdesign said:
Thanks for chiming in!
But wait, iPhone 5s do cause the trouble I need to avoid? Even with the lte sim in it already?
And what about dates, can you do a 5/8 upgrade on 5/1?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is only a problem because they use a nano sim which is only compatible with an iPhone 5. As far as the upgrade date goes, Generally it's not an issue, we just might have to process it over the phone
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app

Apoyyo said:
It is only a problem because they use a nano sim which is only compatible with an iPhone 5. As far as the upgrade date goes, Generally it's not an issue, we just might have to process it over the phone
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I appreciate your help.
My issue is my wife with the iPhone 5 will be a a very important trip where she needs the iPhone to work.
So I and she won't have access to the sim to change it out or anything.
Is what I want to do not going to work then?

artofdesign said:
I appreciate your help.
My issue is my wife with the iPhone 5 will be a a very important trip where she needs the iPhone to work.
So I and she won't have access to the sim to change it out or anything.
Is what I want to do not going to work then?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is a good chance that it will work, but there is also the possibility that it doesn't. If we call AT&T to activate over the phone sometimes they are able to move the SIM without having to deactivate it. It will most likely not be an issue, but there is always a slight chance that it would be cut off. When you go to the store make sure you stress that her phone cannot be shut off and ask them if there is any way to do it so that doesn't happen.

Follow up :
I went to a BB mobile store on 5/1.
My *639# said 5/8 for upgrade but she said she could do it no call to Att needed. So she did. All went well. Wife's lte iP5 didn't even turn off(that we noticed).
So cross upgrade went well. Stoked!
Thanks all for help.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2

FCC and Verizon

Sent off a complaint to the FCC in regard to non-vzw nexus 6 on the vzw network. Basically, I said that the CFR states that they cant prevent us from using services the way there were intended to be just becaue we are using a non-vzw device. I spoke with someone at the FCC and they said I should file the complaint becuase not allowing customers to change their account details violates the C-block CFR.
Lets see where this goes.....

It is seeming more and more that Verizon doesn't want customers. I am about to leave them but I have unlimited grandfather data so I can't.

nmil1484 said:
It is seeming more and more that Verizon doesn't want customers. I am about to leave them but I have unlimited grandfather data so I can't.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same boat. I am certainly no fan of their nonsense. I swear they do stuff just because they can or to see if they can get away with it. Too bad they are the only 4G signal around. Damn them and their awesome network.
Sent from my Google N6 on VZ

So what happened for you to want to send them a letter?
AFAIK there isn't anyone that has had issues using the n6 on big reds network has there?

I bought mine from Motorola, and have had no issues.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

I left verizon actually on monday. Customer service there sucks, and now i am on att and happy with them.

rpxz said:
So what happened for you to want to send them a letter?
AFAIK there isn't anyone that has had issues using the n6 on big reds network has there?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are unable to change your plan or receive recurring discounts you would normally be eligible for if you have a "non-Verizone device" on your line.

LunaticSerenade said:
I bought mine from Motorola, and have had no issues.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried changing anything on your account? Go online and try to change your data plan

rpxz said:
So what happened for you to want to send them a letter?
AFAIK there isn't anyone that has had issues using the n6 on big reds network has there?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have had three different reps tell me that they would return my call about changing stuff on my plan....never got call back and the executive office pretty much told me to go pound sand. Guess they forgot about the block-c rules they signed when gaining those bands.

the_rooter said:
I left verizon actually on monday. Customer service there sucks, and now i am on att and happy with them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would, but dont want to pay ETFs

ssgtob1 said:
I would, but dont want to pay ETFs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To me an ETF is nothing when u get rid of verizon. And if u go to certain providers they will pay the etfs for you

the_rooter said:
To me an ETF is nothing when u get rid of verizon. And if u go to certain providers they will pay the etfs for you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Who did you choose? Also I upgraded phone through Best Buy on my wifes line, wont they charge me too?

ssgtob1 said:
Who did you choose? Also I upgraded phone through Best Buy on my wifes line, wont they charge me too?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if the phone is through verizon doesnt matter where u buy the device from. Best buy doesnt charge the etf verizon does, but i went to att, but i believe tmobile, and maybe sprint does the buy out

the_rooter said:
if the phone is through verizon doesnt matter where u buy the device from. Best buy doesnt charge the etf verizon does, but i went to att, but i believe tmobile, and maybe sprint does the buy out
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wonder if I could do it without having to give them my phone....would want a Nexus 6 anyway.

ssgtob1 said:
Wonder if I could do it without having to give them my phone....would want a Nexus 6 anyway.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Idk wouldnt hurt to call and ask.

the_rooter said:
Idk wouldnt hurt to call and ask.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looking into it all now, sad day when they will let a customer who has been a customer since the bell atlantic days just walk because they cant get their heads out of their butts.

ssgtob1 said:
Looking into it all now, sad day when they will let a customer who has been a customer since the bell atlantic days just walk because they cant get their heads out of their butts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I left them as of monday and i was with them for 13 years. Same phone number and all. I am happy with att because now i can get any phone and they will allow it.

Google and Motorola Should Be Held Accountable
Read the following article for background:
http://www.androidpolice.com/2015/0...te-one-that-wasnt-purchased-from-the-carrier/
Google and Motorola should team up and take Verizon to court over this issue. Probably won't happen, they all share the same bed.
Google and Motorola should at the very least post a warning for Nexus 6 buyers about the problems with Verizon service and non-branded Verizon devices.
My feeling is that the financial folks at Verizon are making these type of poor decisions. Verizon is just too big to be held accountable for their behavior.
Rant off ....

What's the issue? Motorola phones work on and off Vzw network, and plan changes have nothing to do with your phone. Been with VZW for 10 yrs and never had issues. I have a Mot bought Nexus 6 and works beautifully. What issues are people seeing?

wrecklesswun said:
What's the issue? Motorola phones work on and off Vzw network, and plan changes have nothing to do with your phone. Been with VZW for 10 yrs and never had issues. I have a Mot bought Nexus 6 and works beautifully. What issues are people seeing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is not true.
If your devices is basically "unknown" they freeze the settings. For example my play store GPS they would not add volte to my account. Had to put my sim in a verizon nexus 6 for 5 minutes for them to make the change.