Database Users

ATT wants to charge me for 3G now

This morning I got a SMS from AT&T (USA) saying that they have identified my device as a "smartphone" and they will now be charging me $30 per month for data. (I checked and have used about 400MB of data in the last month)
(previously I was on a $10 data unlimited + $5 (forced messaging) plan (EDGE).
When I called to ask, they said that the only way I can use the EDGE data unlimited plan was if I went back to my SE w810 phone. (Note that it has a full browser and IM capability too)
I'm shocked how they can force me to pay more by using their ignorance of data technology (diff between EDGE and 3G) as an excuse.
Some questions for the community:
1) has this happened to you and what did you do ?
2) which are the other providers that provide EDGE? (the ATT rep stated as a matter of fact that t-mo DOES NOT have a EDGE-only plan, but I have read that t-mo does have it)
3) do you think I should return my phone and wait for the ATT version?
4) which 3G band is more common around the world? (UMTS Band 1/4/8 2100/AWS/900 ) or the bands on the upcoming ATT N1 ?
ps: I'm thinking of calling them back and saying that my phone is not a smartphone. (coz its a superphone )

Switch your phone to "use only 2g networks" (under settings>wireless networks) and tell them that they are wrong and your phone is incapable of 3g connectivity. I'm on tmo and I don't think they have a 2g (edge) only plan...

so....
you have a nexus that gets at&t 3g? how is that possible?

britoso said:
This morning I got a SMS from AT&T (USA) saying that they have identified my device as a "smartphone" and they will now be charging me $30 per month for data. (I checked and have used about 400MB of data in the last month)
(previously I was on a $10 data unlimited + $5 (forced messaging) plan (EDGE).
When I called to ask, they said that the only way I can use the EDGE data unlimited plan was if I went back to my SE w810 phone. (Note that it has a full browser and IM capability too)
I'm shocked how they can force me to pay more by using their ignorance of data technology (diff between EDGE and 3G) as an excuse.
Some questions for the community:
1) has this happened to you and what did you do ?
2) which are the other providers that provide EDGE? (the ATT rep stated as a matter of fact that t-mo DOES NOT have a EDGE-only plan, but I have read that t-mo does have it)
3) do you think I should return my phone and wait for the ATT version?
4) which 3G band is more common around the world? (UMTS Band 1/4/8 2100/AWS/900 ) or the bands on the upcoming ATT N1 ?
ps: I'm thinking of calling them back and saying that my phone is not a smartphone. (coz its a superphone )
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They are not "using their ignorance of data technology as an excuse". I am sure that AT&T knows more about the technology behind their service than you or I. They are not using any "excuses" they are going by policy. If you have a smart phone on their network they require you to have a data plan. It is really in your best interest to pay for the unlimited plan. It prevents you from having insanely large bills. And if you can afford to by the Nexus One, you can afford the $30 plan. I had to pay for the data plan when I had my 8525 on AT&T and they didn't even have 3G in my area at the time.

thewayne01 said:
If you have a smart phone on their network they require you to have a data plan.
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You're missing the point. THEY get to decide what is a "smartphone". Even though there are two levels of service (EDGE and 3G), they force you into paying for 3G even if your phone does not support it.
An analogy is a gas station forcing you to fill premium gas even though your car runs fine on regular. The gas station's excuse is that you have a shiny car so as per their policy you can only fill up on premium.

britoso said:
You're missing the point. THEY get to decide what is a "smartphone". Even though there are two levels of service (EDGE and 3G), they force you into paying for 3G even if your phone does not support it.
An analogy is a gas station forcing you to fill premium gas even though your car runs fine on regular. The gas station's excuse is that you have a shiny car so as per their policy you can only fill up on premium.
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LOL at the analogy. How about drop the bucket of loss that is AT&T and go with TMobile????

j2eubank said:
LOL at the analogy. How about drop the bucket of loss that is AT&T and go with TMobile????
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i second this lmao

b1337 said:
you have a nexus that gets at&t 3g? how is that possible?
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this .

Are you on contract? If you are tell them to go eat a ****, or free you from your contract because they are changing the terms on you.
If you're not on contract, then well, it's really up to them to change terms as they see fit, and they get to decide how you use their network.

I'm not in contract, been with them (Cingular) since 2003.
What are my options for voice+EDGE only.
I will surely miss my rollover minutes.

I could be wrong, but I don't think data plans are ever Edge or 3G specific. You are paying for data based on smartphone usage expectations. They think smartphone users will use a larger bandwidth than someone who uses a feature phone regardless of what the phones 3g/edge capabilities are.
If you are interested in checking out tmobile, you would be suited perfectly do to one of their even more plus plans (no contract, no subsidy) which range from $59.99 for 500 min with unlimited data/text (or ~$55 for no text) up to $79.99 for unlimited everything...
Depending on where you live you may only get edge, or GPRS so make sure to check the coverage maps etc...
Edit: IIRC DFW is supposed to well covered by tmo...

rossiscatch said:
You are paying for data based on smartphone usage expectations.
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So browsing on EDGE on my old sony w810i uses less bandwidth than browsing the same websites on my N1 ?
There is NO cap on the EDGE-only "data unlimited" data plan.
In the past they have forced people who used more than 2GB/month to switch. I'm not even close to that number. All they have right now is that i'm on a phone they classify as a "smartphone".
So those rates are for t-mo 3G correct ?

Damn that sucks that they're forcing you to upgrade >.< unfortunately, it's the same with t-mobile so it's up to you if you want to switch carriers
I had the "total internet add-on" data plan with t-mo with my dash, i only got edge on it though since the phone didnt support 3g. When i got my N1 i had 3g working for about 2 weeks just fine but one day it stopped working altogether, so i called them up and they said the same thing, "We have detected that you are using an android smartphone so you'll have to upgrade to the android internet plan"
Now i'm paying $25/month.
That's not too much of a difference than ATT's $30 but if you switch you'll actually be able to use 3g, and t-mobile's pretty cheap too so it shouldnt be too bad for you

britoso said:
So browsing on EDGE on my old sony w810i uses less bandwidth than browsing the same websites on my N1 ?
There is NO cap on the EDGE-only "data unlimited" data plan.
In the past they have forced people who used more than 2GB/month to switch. I'm not even close to that number. All they have right now is that i'm on a phone they classify as a "smartphone".
So those rates are for t-mo 3G correct ?
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Yup, T-mobile is essentially going for an "all or nothing" pricing structure.
Basically three options, X Minutes voice, text, data.
I hope they roll text and voice together soon.

britoso said:
So those rates are for t-mo 3G correct ?
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Yeah, the rates listed are for tmobile 3G (there is no EDGE plan on any carrier as far as I know), and you can take a closer look at tmobile.com. If those prices are good to you you should at least test tmobile out for a couple of weeks... 3G is definitely much more fun on the nexus than edge, and if you are going to be paying $30 a month more on At&t anyway you have nothing to lose. Also, you wouldn't be signing a contract, so you'd be in about the same position as you are now but with 3G capabilites.
With regards to data plans, I am not saying I agree with their logic; In fact, I think they should have 3G and Edge specific data plans. You would think AT&T would also welcome this to alleviate some of the 3G congestion for users who don't demand 3G speeds, or who's phones are not capable. I would even welcome a tiered package, for example, a 1GB hard cap for $10-15 or something.
Anyway, I think (total guess here) that they believe there is more use of push email, etc and apps that constantly update and grab data on phones like the iphone and nexus, so those are the capabilities I am referring to, not simply browsing the web.

There's no reason for them to have edge/3g data plans, that's not what they're charging you for. they charge more for smartphones because they use more bandwidth since they're able to load actual websites and do more than a basic cellphone with mobile web browsing. They may have a poor way of explaining the situation if they're saying it's because you've accessed their 3g networks (which as somebody has already pointed out is impossible with an N1), but it's simply because a smartphone accesses the data network more than a basic cellphone.

Why do you want EDGE only? Thing is the unlimited voice plans on tmobile are so cheap you don't need roll over. I used to be on AT&T as well and always felt more like I was the one doing the rolling over.

j2eubank said:
Why do you want EDGE only? Thing is the unlimited voice plans on tmobile are so cheap you don't need roll over. I used to be on AT&T as well and always felt more like I was the one doing the rolling over.
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I dont need more than EDGE. (gmail, gvoice, IM, occassional web lookup. thats all I use the web on my phone for)

original iphone (2g) users when they acquire a 3g or 3gs iphone receive emails and texts from att letting them know they have a 3g capable device (even if they have 3g disabled on the phone) and need to upgrade their plan to reflect this.
My girlfriend broke her 2g and adopted my iphone 3g when I moved to the n1. About a week after the migration, texts and emails started rolling in from ATT telling her to upgrade to a 3g data plan. I called ATT and they were less than friendly about the entire thing. I explained why she was on a 3g device and that if they checked their records, she was not using it. After a manager began to talk down to me I let them know she was in contract for the services offered for the iphone 2g and if they were adamant about the forced upgrade, they were free to let her out of her contract at not additional cost...so far the emails and texts have stopped. Keep in mind that she has 3g turned off on her phone so it's not like she is attempting to use a service that was not in her original plan.
It seems to me that they do actually offer an edge/2g only data plan if they are this persnickety regarding edge vs. 3g data usage.
...seriously lame if you ask me.

If the rumors about an upcoming AT&T N1 are true, then AT&T is probably gearing up to be able to detect the 3G N1's on their system and force them to upgrade. That would at least make some sense, even though I think they should be gearing more off of amount of data rather than type of data.
So, if they are gearing up for that - perhaps the current N1's are coming up in their system as "rogue 3G smartphones" even though these particular N1's are not accessing their 3G? They probably use IMEI numbers so it would boil down to whether HTC uses separate ranges for the different forms of the N1 or not - or whether they report the ranges with such fine granularity to the carriers.
My take on the "smartphone data" plan distinctions is that they really want to charge more for higher volumes of data, but any plan that includes a limit has such a bad public reaction these days that instead they make all of the plans "unlimited" and bank on how easy it is for the device to use the data to throttle the customers rather than a hard limit. In the end, the result is that they classify your device instead of your usage to appease the other customers and then you may pay in circumstances which seem unfair - all to save the "we don't like limits" crowd from rebelling...

[Q] Which MNVO to use?

So I'm currently on the T-Mobile $30 plan, which is great, but I'm left wanting for more minutes. So I use nearly all my data allowance each month, so being on a plan that doesn't have unlimited data with caps lower than 5 GB isn't acceptable. I'd also like to keep my H+ speeds. My budget is $45. My knee-jerk reaction is to go with GoSmart, since they meet all the criteria, and they aren't a subsidiary of tracfone. I'm a tad worried at their definition of High Speed Web, which is 3G. I know that H+ is technically 3g, but many companies have taken to calling it 4g.
My 2nd choice would be to go with Net10 or Straighttalk, but I've heard that data caps are unpredictable, and I'd rather not have to deal with that.
I'm not sure what else is out there...I'd like to go with AT&T due to their superior coverage, but I can accept that they may not have plans that appeal to me.

Sounds like you're out of luck. You can't get much out of prepaid services. Only T-mobile's $70 unlimited prepaid plan offers all you can eat minutes, text and data. But that's way out of your budget.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

Use voip for the extra minutes. In you price range you won't be able to find what you are looking for. For what it's worth, net10 is a subsidiary of tracfone and their service reflects that, they sucked big time for me.

I don't think Straight Talk or Net10 throttle as much if you have their T-Mobile SIM. It's AT&T that's screwing over the MVNO's, not the MVNO itself. In fact, I think on Net10's Terms Of Service it even states that if you have an AT&T SIM you'll be capped at 1.5GB of data and it doesn't apply if you have the "pink" net10 T-Mobile SIM.

Not first hand experience but it seems to be the gist from everything I've read... StraightTalk on TMO is a lot more relaxed than on ATT.
GoSmart's data will be slower than you're looking for. If you read closely you'll find the "3G" speedcap (can't remember off the top of my head but there is one. 3mbps?).
Do consider VoIP. If you're looking for something straight forward that works pretty well, download the Vonage app. Since an app update recently, you're now able to dial from the native dialer and choose Vonage (or set it to always). Works over wifi and cell data. If you're fine making your longer phone calls outbound calls, you'll do alright.

I was in a similar place. I just got my Nexus 4 and am testing out the TMo 30 plan. A good alternative is Solavei. If I remember correctly, they are $45 a month. You get unlimited call/text/data. 4G data is capped at 4GB - best I've found from an MVNO that offers decent minutes. I also read they allow TMo LTE. Again, not first hand experience. Just what I found while digging. If I find VOIP imperfect (which it was on the 35 Virgin plan before), I'll probably switch to Solavei.
Bonus: Taxes are NOT included. A lot of users reported approx $50 bills total.
Bonus 2: GoSmart does not offer H+. This has been reported by several users. Kept me away from their plan.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

ziddey said:
Not first hand experience but it seems to be the gist from everything I've read... StraightTalk on TMO is a lot more relaxed than on ATT.
GoSmart's data will be slower than you're looking for. If you read closely you'll find the "3G" speedcap (can't remember off the top of my head but there is one. 3mbps?).
Do consider VoIP. If you're looking for something straight forward that works pretty well, download the Vonage app. Since an app update recently, you're now able to dial from the native dialer and choose Vonage (or set it to always). Works over wifi and cell data. If you're fine making your longer phone calls outbound calls, you'll do alright.
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I have tried that, but I had a lot of people complain about an echo. Is that fixed?

sailerboy said:
I have tried that, but I had a lot of people complain about an echo. Is that fixed?
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With Vonage? Others always complain about echo when I use sipdroid/pbxes/gv, but over Vonage, everyone stops the conversation at some point to say that I sound way better than I usually do.

ziddey said:
With Vonage? Others always complain about echo when I use sipdroid/pbxes/gv, but over Vonage, everyone stops the conversation at some point to say that I sound way better than I usually do.
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I'm quite pleased with Spare Phone vs Groove IP.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

swagstr said:
I was in a similar place. I just got my Nexus 4 and am testing out the TMo 30 plan. A good alternative is Solavei. If I remember correctly, they are $45 a month. You get unlimited call/text/data. 4G data is capped at 4GB - best I've found from an MVNO that offers decent minutes. I also read they allow TMo LTE. Again, not first hand experience. Just what I found while digging. If I find VOIP imperfect (which it was on the 35 Virgin plan before), I'll probably switch to Solavei.
Bonus: Taxes are NOT included. A lot of users reported approx $50 bills total.
Bonus 2: GoSmart does not offer H+. This has been reported by several users. Kept me away from their plan.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
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Yeah, I think Solavei would be his only choice. I have Simple Mobile now, but they screwed me on the data. They throttled me a little after I passed the 2 gig mark, so I wouldn't recommend them. I'm tired of dealing with these MNVOs and all their bull, so I'm switching to the $70 unlimited plan from T-Mobile.

[Q] Cheap AT&T Prepaid Plan?

I currently use T-Mobile's $30/month prepaid plan, but coverage in my area is pretty horrible, along with only getting EDGE speeds. AT&T on the other hand is pretty good in my area.
Ideally, I would like to keep T-Mobile, but I really don't like the coverage in my area (but it is bearable). I'd like to try out AT&T, but only if I could get it for a "cheap" price (being somewhere near T-Mobile's price).
Unlimited data would be ideal. Don't need voice "too" much. Unlimited texting would be nice, but not needed either.

espionage724 said:
I currently use T-Mobile's $30/month prepaid plan, but coverage in my area is pretty horrible, along with only getting EDGE speeds. AT&T on the other hand is pretty good in my area.
Ideally, I would like to keep T-Mobile, but I really don't like the coverage in my area (but it is bearable). I'd like to try out AT&T, but only if I could get it for a "cheap" price (being somewhere near T-Mobile's price).
Unlimited data would be ideal. Don't need voice "too" much. Unlimited texting would be nice, but not needed either.
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There's nothing comparable to the $30 plan at that price point. Especially not with anything near unlimited data.

espionage724 said:
I currently use T-Mobile's $30/month prepaid plan, but coverage in my area is pretty horrible, along with only getting EDGE speeds. AT&T on the other hand is pretty good in my area.
Ideally, I would like to keep T-Mobile, but I really don't like the coverage in my area (but it is bearable). I'd like to try out AT&T, but only if I could get it for a "cheap" price (being somewhere near T-Mobile's price).
Unlimited data would be ideal. Don't need voice "too" much. Unlimited texting would be nice, but not needed either.
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Here is a link to their plans. http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/plans/prepaidplans.html
The $60 month is unlimited talk and text with 2gb of data and $10 for additional 1gb's of data.
I switched from t-mobile as well due to "EDGE" everywhere and not connecting to data.
I could'nt be happier on ATT, my nexus is "H" everywhere with full signal everywhere.
Don't let the data deter you, you will find that 2gb is enough after awhile, and you only pay $10 for each 1gb when you need it each month, they'll send you a text if you a nearing your limit to buy more.
I love it. Getting started is a little pricey and don't let them talk you into a contract, the store workers are morons and don't know anything. They will also probably try to give you hassle about your phone, just tell them it's unlocked, and then you need the right apn setting, there is another thread on that to get faster data speeds.
Also, they will be puzzled when they first insert the sim card into your phone saying it doesn't work. They just need to wait about 30mins, then it will work. If you need to, just get the sim card and leave the store either way leave with the sim card even if they tell you it won't work. We will get you going.
It cost me about $90 the first month, you have to buy the sim card. Then $63 with tax each month after.

Verizon Brings Back Unlimited Data!

Not sure if anyone noticed but Verizon announced yesterday it was bringing back unlimited data! I was on the 24 GB plan with 10 devices. The VZ web site is basically down when you try and upgrade so I spent 2 hours on hold. When I finally got someone they compared what I pay now with what it would cost to go to unlimited. My cost went DOWN 30 bucks a month to go to unlimited. They can throttle you after 22 GB but only if there is heavy network congestion. I think this is the same thing T-Mobile and AT&T too. This new plan also provides 10 GB of hotspot use. I signed up just now.
https://www.verizonwireless.com/pla...=p&gclid=CNG6oabNjdICFcPqDQodRpkFHw&gclsrc=ds

Yeah this was all over Internet. Bad news: you can't use corporate discount. I am better off on their short lived 12 GB plan+2 extra GB wth rollover as it is cheaper wth corporate discount. Many months I have 20+ GB which is more than enough for me.
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

Just read up on this. Not a huge fan of Verizon but some things seem a little off to me about this plan.
"Everything included in Verizon Unlimited:
Unlimited talk, text and data.
If a line uses 22GB of data in a billing cycle, Verizon can throttle that line within the rest of the cycle should it attach to a congested network location.
10GB per month per line of 4G LTE tethering; drops to 3G after first 10GB.
Unlimited calls and text to Mexico and Canada.
Unlimited talk, text, and data in Mexico and Canada. Only first 500MB of data at 4G LTE speeds; 2G afterwards.
“Full-quality HD video,” which Verizon says comes at you the way the partner sends it. It’s not throttled to 480p like T-Mobile and Sprint do. Technically, that should mean you get 4K streams, 1080p streams, and whatever else is sent to you from a partner (the app you are streaming from). There isn’t a toggle on or off – you just get HD and above streams if the partner is sending that level of stream."
Source: http://www.droid-life.com/2017/02/12/verizon-unlimited-plan-faq-pricing-availability/
I've highlighted two bullets there for a very specific reason. In my experience, the unlimited plans are great for people that are constantly scrolling their way through Facebook and Instagram and can't stay off Snapchat. Additionally (and perhaps more importantly), these plans are useful for people that like to stream videos and shows when WiFi isn't available to them. The fact that these videos are streamed to your device in the highest quality the connection can achieve is actually a problem. This is because you only get 10GB of 4G LTE data a month, afterwards it's throttled to 3G. This means that watching videos will use up your 10GB in a flash and then you'll be stuck with mediocre speeds.
For comparison, the equivalent T-Mobile plan gives you 26 GBs of unthrottled data for $10 less, after which you have the chance of being throttled. The only drawback being that all of the video content you watch is in 460p or less. Either way, it's kind of cool to see Verizon bringing this plan back. Competition is usually good for consumers.
EDIT: jk, this is wrong lol

Alcolawl said:
Just read up on this. Not a huge fan of Verizon but some things seem a little off to me about this plan.
"Everything included in Verizon Unlimited:
Unlimited talk, text and data.
If a line uses 22GB of data in a billing cycle, Verizon can throttle that line within the rest of the cycle should it attach to a congested network location.
10GB per month per line of 4G LTE tethering; drops to 3G after first 10GB.
Unlimited calls and text to Mexico and Canada.
Unlimited talk, text, and data in Mexico and Canada. Only first 500MB of data at 4G LTE speeds; 2G afterwards.
“Full-quality HD video,” which Verizon says comes at you the way the partner sends it. It’s not throttled to 480p like T-Mobile and Sprint do. Technically, that should mean you get 4K streams, 1080p streams, and whatever else is sent to you from a partner (the app you are streaming from). There isn’t a toggle on or off – you just get HD and above streams if the partner is sending that level of stream."
Source: http://www.droid-life.com/2017/02/12/verizon-unlimited-plan-faq-pricing-availability/
I've highlighted two bullets there for a very specific reason. In my experience, the unlimited plans are great for people that are constantly scrolling their way through Facebook and Instagram and can't stay off Snapchat. Additionally (and perhaps more importantly), these plans are useful for people that like to stream videos and shows when WiFi isn't available to them. The fact that these videos are streamed to your device in the highest quality the connection can achieve is actually a problem. This is because you only get 10GB of 4G LTE data a month, afterwards it's throttled to 3G. This means that watching videos will use up your 10GB in a flash and then you'll be stuck with mediocre speeds.
For comparison, the equivalent T-Mobile plan gives you 26 GBs of unthrottled data for $10 less, after which you have the chance of being throttled. The only drawback being that all of the video content you watch is in 460p or less. Either way, it's kind of cool to see Verizon bringing this plan back. Competition is usually good for consumers.
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The only thing that is getting throttled is your tethering (hotspot) after 10gigs ..
As far as streaming movies and TV shows from your phone, you can do that as much as you want. And you won't notice and slowdown unless there is heavy network congestion AND you've used over 22gig already.
Nothing off or weird about this at all.

swapavi said:
The only thing that is getting throttled is your tethering (hotspot) after 10gigs ..
As far as streaming movies and TV shows from your phone, you can do that as much as you want. And you won't notice and slowdown unless there is heavy network congestion AND you've used over 22gig already.
Nothing off or weird about this at all.
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Click to collapse
I stand corrected. Thanks for clearing that up, I misread the DroidLife article on the matter. Carry on.

Alcolawl said:
Just read up on this. Not a huge fan of Verizon but some things seem a little off to me about this plan.
"Everything included in Verizon Unlimited:
Unlimited talk, text and data.
If a line uses 22GB of data in a billing cycle, Verizon can throttle that line within the rest of the cycle should it attach to a congested network location.
10GB per month per line of 4G LTE tethering; drops to 3G after first 10GB.
Unlimited calls and text to Mexico and Canada.
Unlimited talk, text, and data in Mexico and Canada. Only first 500MB of data at 4G LTE speeds; 2G afterwards.
“Full-quality HD video,” which Verizon says comes at you the way the partner sends it. It’s not throttled to 480p like T-Mobile and Sprint do. Technically, that should mean you get 4K streams, 1080p streams, and whatever else is sent to you from a partner (the app you are streaming from). There isn’t a toggle on or off – you just get HD and above streams if the partner is sending that level of stream."
Source: http://www.droid-life.com/2017/02/12/verizon-unlimited-plan-faq-pricing-availability/
I've highlighted two bullets there for a very specific reason. In my experience, the unlimited plans are great for people that are constantly scrolling their way through Facebook and Instagram and can't stay off Snapchat. Additionally (and perhaps more importantly), these plans are useful for people that like to stream videos and shows when WiFi isn't available to them. The fact that these videos are streamed to your device in the highest quality the connection can achieve is actually a problem. This is because you only get 10GB of 4G LTE data a month, afterwards it's throttled to 3G. This means that watching videos will use up your 10GB in a flash and then you'll be stuck with mediocre speeds.
For comparison, the equivalent T-Mobile plan gives you 26 GBs of unthrottled data for $10 less, after which you have the chance of being throttled. The only drawback being that all of the video content you watch is in 460p or less. Either way, it's kind of cool to see Verizon bringing this plan back. Competition is usually good for consumers.
EDIT: jk, this is wrong lol
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Alcolawl said:
I stand corrected. Thanks for clearing that up, I misread the DroidLife article on the matter. Carry on.
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Lol not a problem. Just didn't want any misinformation about the new plan being thrown around, because in some regards, this could be better than T-Mobile's plan.

TMobile is upping there game now! Gotta love competition...
http://www.droid-life.com/2017/02/1...ted-plan-caves-hd-video-high-speed-tethering/

Inapplicable corporate discount is what's keeping me from upgrading to this plan. I get 21% off. That's a significant amount.

I wonder what the core differences are between the old Unlimited data plan that costs $50 now vs this new one. I know they both will have the 22GB "soft cap" as that has been a thing for quite some time now. Since I'm sure quite a few of us tether without the extra monthly charge I wonder if we were to switch over and they provision our line, Verizon would be able to detect this? If that is the case 10GB being tethered will go fast especially when you're watching videos. I tether my devices a lot at work to listen music and watch YouTube and I can exceed that quite quickly. I'm wondering with the new plan with custom software on our devices if they would be able to detect the tethering activity or not. Looking forward to seeing people's thoughts on this . I'd save $8/month switching to the new plan even w/ my 21% discount not applying.

I get veterans discount so I'm really debating about doing this. I wonder since I have the bypass that the tethering would still get bypassed so instead of the 10gb it would be on the mobile side data.
*update*
Just switched to new unlimited. saving me like $24

coldconfession13 said:
I get veterans discount so I'm really debating about doing this. I wonder since I have the bypass that the tethering would still get bypassed so instead of the 10gb it would be on the mobile side data.
*update*
Just switched to new unlimited. saving me like $24
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Can you tell me please when you tether does it show your 10GB allotment being used on your Verizon page?

Won't go into effect till next bill period which is in march

coldconfession13 said:
Won't go into effect till next bill period which is in march
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I guess it would be a messy bill if you did make the change to go into effect immediately. Verizon and their prorations and month in advance billing.

Yup it would have been 213 or some crap

I switched immediately. Dropped my bill by about 20 or so.

won't save me any money with them taking away the corporate discount. It would cost me 45 more. I rarely use more than 2 GB a month, always on wifi (at work, home, wherever xfinity has a hotspot). I am on the 12GB plan and have 2 GB of bonus data from getting my pixel xl.

zetsumeikuro said:
I wonder what the core differences are between the old Unlimited data plan that costs $50 now vs this new one. I know they both will have the 22GB "soft cap" as that has been a thing for quite some time now. Since I'm sure quite a few of us tether without the extra monthly charge I wonder if we were to switch over and they provision our line, Verizon would be able to detect this? If that is the case 10GB being tethered will go fast especially when you're watching videos. I tether my devices a lot at work to listen music and watch YouTube and I can exceed that quite quickly. I'm wondering with the new plan with custom software on our devices if they would be able to detect the tethering activity or not. Looking forward to seeing people's thoughts on this . I'd save $8/month switching to the new plan even w/ my 21% discount not applying.
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The old plan doesn't have a throttle cap at all.

I lost my 20% Corporate discount but I kept running out of data with a week left in my cycle and I had the 30 GB plan. I have 6 phones and one tablet on my account. This new plan winds up costing about the same as the old plan with the 20% discount but I'll get more data as one phone rarely uses the bulk of our data. It's 4 of the 6. Even if they do throttle at 22 GB per line, that would be 88 GB in total on the 4 lines that use a lot of data.
It's not perfect, but it suits my needs better.

I have the old UDP with no cap use 200gb monthly never throttled and there's a loophole for the $29.99 pricing for UDP

Mike02z said:
Not sure if anyone noticed but Verizon announced yesterday it was bringing back unlimited data! I was on the 24 GB plan with 10 devices. The VZ web site is basically down when you try and upgrade so I spent 2 hours on hold. When I finally got someone they compared what I pay now with what it would cost to go to unlimited. My cost went DOWN 30 bucks a month to go to unlimited. They can throttle you after 22 GB but only if there is heavy network congestion. I think this is the same thing T-Mobile and AT&T too. This new plan also provides 10 GB of hotspot use. I signed up just now.
https://www.verizonwireless.com/pla...=p&gclid=CNG6oabNjdICFcPqDQodRpkFHw&gclsrc=ds
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Damn, 10 devices?!?! Very cool! What all do you have?
markwebb said:
Yeah this was all over Internet. Bad news: you can't use corporate discount. I am better off on their short lived 12 GB plan+2 extra GB wth rollover as it is cheaper wth corporate discount. Many months I have 20+ GB which is more than enough for me.
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
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Right now I am on 12 Gigs +6 Gigs Bonus Data. When I switch my bill goes up quite a bit. And I never use more than 10 gigs in a month. Not sure this is for me.
BurtGummer said:
Inapplicable corporate discount is what's keeping me from upgrading to this plan. I get 21% off. That's a significant amount.
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Yep, that was the other thing... No Corp Discount and must Auto pay on Checking Acount or a Debit Card... No credit cards allowed for auto pay on this program. :crying:
coldconfession13 said:
I get veterans discount so I'm really debating about doing this. I wonder since I have the bypass that the tethering would still get bypassed so instead of the 10gb it would be on the mobile side data.
*update*
Just switched to new unlimited. saving me like $24
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I am also a veteran... But I get a better discount with my employer. Did they let you apply veteran discount?

Project Fi not worth it?

After doing extensive research and comparison....I don' t see how Project Fi is a better deal price wise.
I have not tried Google Fi....I just ordered a Pixel XL....but unless their plan prices lower to be more competitive....no thanks.
In-fact, I find Republic Wireless or MetroPCS to be a better deal if you are looking for a cheap NVMO.
I was gonna switch to a cheaper carrier, but then Tmobile is now offering 10gb pre-pay plan for $50. (vs the $40 3gb plan I was on).
Since I am directly with the network carrier, and not a NVMO like Fi, faster speeds and higher priority.
( Tested out Republic Wireless and MetroPCS in my area to compare, both are Tmobile NVMO's....and download speed is capped at around 25megs. On my Tmobile prepay sim, I get full speeds of 100+megs.) (ATT/Sprint NVMOS are capped at 8megs)
If Fi lowered their base plan to $10 or made it $5 per GB...then it would be far more competitive. Sure, they do the refund thing, but 10gb base would be $120 on Fi....i would have to only use up to 3GB on Fi to get a refund to make it $50 to match Tmobile 10gb price.
The only real advantage i can see with Fi is for low data users and those who needs the carrier switching ability in there area. Tmobile is far better in my area...and the 3rd carrier Fi uses isnt even anywhere near me. So, travel wise, I suppose Fi would also be a low cost option to VZW(which seems to be the most preferred for travel)

The only reason I'm on Fi is because data for tablets, etc. is free.
Well, it gets rolled into your plan's existing data usage.
But they don't charge you like $10/month for having a tablet or something.
Between that and the fact that I'm locked in, I'd already be back with AT&T which has the best overall coverage here in Texas.
Fi is good. But it's not GREAT.

Fi user here.
When Fi first came out it was a lot more competitive. Now that the other major carriers are offering unlimited data, unlimited streaming, etc. for ~$50-60 a month, it's hard to make an argument for Project Fi. I don't use a whole lot of data while on the go; I average about 2 GB a month, so Fi makes sense for me (a $45 phone bill is awesome) but this is not the case with most others. I also like the networking switching because T-Mobile is a bit weak where I work, while Sprint is somehow very strong (Sprint sucks pretty much every where else in my area). The data only SIMs are cool, the idea is cool, the speed is great, WiFi calling is stellar, network switching is neat and works relatively well, and if you don't use a whole lot of data, you can save a lot of money on your phone bill every month. If you're a person who likes to stream video and snapchat every aspect of their life while on the go, I'd say look elsewhere lol.
I used to be a T-Mobile customer. I switched to Project Fi when I got a Nexus 5X. My phone bill was substantially lower. Things have changed, however, and pricing among competitors has gotten a lot more... competitive. I find myself considering going back to T-Mobile from time to time, but it's not worth the hassle. Perhaps when I move to a new area / get a new job.

The main reason I'm still on Fi is because I travel overseas yearly and international data is considered part of your normal data pool. I came from T-Mobile who I wouldn't mind going back to if it wasn't for a bad experience with John Legere. Only other carrier I've considered is Verizon who have a terrible international data plan so thats not going to happen anytime soon.

FI User since i got my Pixel XL in 2016
Silenthillnight said:
The main reason I'm still on Fi is because I travel overseas yearly and international data is considered part of your normal data pool. I came from T-Mobile who I wouldn't mind going back to if it wasn't for a bad experience with John Legere. Only other carrier I've considered is Verizon who have a terrible international data plan so thats not going to happen anytime soon.
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I agree.
No Roaming.
Variety in carrier when traveling is a huge plus.
Low fees.
Hangouts works really well for ProjectFI users, still texting and making calls.
Even when i do have a month where i use 10gb it is still cheaper than the group plan i was supporting with ATT before.
And the peak is only that month.
Otherwise I am in the 65-95 per month range. Which was still half of my monthly with ATT.
If Verizon would take corporate discounts on the Unlimited plan I would switch but they dont so i wont.

I have been with Fi since the beginning. I travel quite a bit and has come in handy out of the US.
I was with AT&T before and they had great service everywhere I went here in the states. That said with my 2 phones I was spending 150ish a month for service.
With Project Fi my bills are around 70 a month. Very worth it for me.
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

If you don't like the idea of Fi, you're wanting to use it for the way wrong reasons. Fi isn't for people who want cheap data. It's for people who want reliable service and not having to worry too much about dropped calls and just want to have phone service. Yes you can get cheap plans from other carriers but you're stuck to their towers and where they have service. With Fi you have 4 options. T, S, US and WiFi.
Fi for the win! ??

Jammol said:
If you don't like the idea of Fi, you're wanting to use it for the way wrong reasons. Fi isn't for people who want cheap data. It's for people who want reliable service and not having to worry too much about dropped calls and just want to have phone service. Yes you can get cheap plans from other carriers but you're stuck to their towers and where they have service. With Fi you have 4 options. T, S, US and WiFi.
Fi for the win! ??
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I agree I came from at&t and never looking back, I love that fi has around the clock live customer service

In my country, unlimited LTE data is only about 25USD. and I'm not a frequent flyer.
so it's really too expensive for me.
but if it can lower it's base price, I'm willing to try it.

sakumaxp said:
I agree I came from at&t and never looking back, I love that fi has around the clock live customer service
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We were trying to same some money when we switched from T-Mobile so Fi works great for my wife and I. We are thinking of Xfinity Mobile but they are stuck on Verizon. Plus they got that whole net neutrality thing going on. The deal is attractive as fudge though. If you're an Xfinity customer that has home internet, you'll only have to pay for the data you use. So for my wife and I, or Mobile bill will be $24 total. But... Verizon! ?
stone0504 said:
In my country, unlimited LTE data is only about 25USD. and I'm not a frequent flyer.
so it's really too expensive for me.
but if it can lower it's base price, I'm willing to try it.
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If you need unlimited data I suggest sticking to your current service. I used to be one of those people that T-Mobile would cut off completely each month. Yeah, 200+GB most months. One month we are on Project Fi, and boy that was a total slap in my internet habits face. Turns out though, I actually only need to use 600mb of data a month because I'm always on WiFi at work, lol.

Still...Fi is a NVMO...so its gonna have multiple backend phone numbers (1 on each network) so more spam calls. (this is an issue with several people I know that use NVMOs)
.and the phone always searching and comparing multiple networks, so that would cause a bit more battery drain as the radios are more active than just locked to one band.
They need to catch up to the modern day times tough in price...to stay competitive. I read they are gonna offer a mid range price device compatible with Fi...so..they are doing...something.

speedingcheetah said:
Still...Fi is a NVMO...so its gonna have multiple backend phone numbers (1 on each network) so more spam calls. (this is an issue with several people I know that use NVMOs)
.and the phone always searching and comparing multiple networks, so that would cause a bit more battery drain as the radios are more active than just locked to one band.
They need to catch up to the modern day times tough in price...to stay competitive. I read they are gonna offer a mid range price device compatible with Fi...so..they are doing...something.
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Yeah but my Pixel tells me when its a spam caller so its no big deal. Same amount as when i was on ATT really.
You can also anchor it on one carrier or another so it isnt switching constantly which is what I do only because of preference for Tmob coverage over Sprint in my area.

parakleet said:
Yeah but my Pixel tells me when its a spam caller so its no big deal. Same amount as when i was on ATT really.
You can also anchor it on one carrier or another so it isnt switching constantly which is what I do only because of preference for Tmob coverage over Sprint in my area.
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How do u set it to use only one carrier?

As someone that has looked at most MVNOs, I'd say some possible selling points of FI might be for someone that:
1) Uses enough talk and text to justify unlimited talk and text, since some users don't actually need unlimited
2) Wants to limit their phone bill by not using a lot of data, since limiting data usage generally results in a lower bill at FI
3) Wants better coverage than just Sprint or T-Mobile native service, since there are probably cheaper options with Sprint or T-Mobile MVNOs that lack roaming
With that sort of criteria, the main competitors are probably going to be Verizon or AT&T MVNOs, although there may be a few other options like Twigby (Sprint MVNO with voice roaming). $20 is about where Verizon and AT&T MVNOs start with unlimited talk and text, and customers might get a bit of data. For example Boom Mobile begins at $20 for Verizon service and includes 250 MB with the option to add data that lasts 90 days. Like any service provider that only offers one plan, FI probably just doesn't fit your interests, since either #2 & #3 don't seem to be major considerations in your comments. It doesn't fit my usage either, simply because I don't use enough voice service that I need to pay $20 each and every month (#1).
Note: Currently there's probably no actual reason to use Twigby, since Sprint postpaid is offering a year of service for nearly free. The Pixel is one of the phones in the offer, so many users here could probably port to Sprint postpaid for nearly free service. Personally my main reason for passing on the free unlimited service from Sprint offer is that their limits for data roaming are rather low, and Verizon or AT&T have far more data coverage.

alluringreality said:
As someone that has looked at most MVNOs, I'd say some possible selling points of FI might be for someone that:
1) Uses enough talk and text to justify unlimited talk and text, since some users don't actually need unlimited
2) Wants to limit their phone bill by not using a lot of data, since limiting data usage generally results in a lower bill at FI
3) Wants better coverage than just Sprint or T-Mobile native service, since there are probably cheaper options with Sprint or T-Mobile MVNOs that lack roaming
With that sort of criteria, the main competitors are probably going to be Verizon or AT&T MVNOs, although there may be a few other options like Twigby (Sprint MVNO with voice roaming). $20 is about where Verizon and AT&T MVNOs start with unlimited talk and text, and customers might get a bit of data. For example Boom Mobile begins at $20 for Verizon service and includes 250 MB with the option to add data that lasts 90 days. Like any service provider that only offers one plan, FI probably just doesn't fit your interests, since either #2 & #3 don't seem to be major considerations in your comments. It doesn't fit my usage either, simply because I don't use enough voice service that I need to pay $20 each and every month (#1).
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My mother uses Republic Wireless $10 unlimted talk/txt plan. No data. Great for her. U can get some data for $5 more. (discontinued 2.0 refund plans though)

Fi $20 off code: NV503E Now should be worth it

kolyan said:
Fi $20 off code: NV503E Now should be worth it
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lol...not like a quick Google search wont find more than 100 Fi referral codes.
A one time $20 credit....

I would like to know how much the "real cost" is of Fi....that is...how much they charge for taxes and fees etc.
On my Tmobile Prepay...only thing is state sales tax...so $40 plan is $43.91

Duplicate post...wtf?

speedingcheetah said:
How do u set it to use only one carrier?
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FiSwitch
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cheekydevs.fiswitch&hl=en
Root makes it easier but is not required.