10 cent per minute plan on smartphone 4G? [ Edited ]

[vtujfz]

Currently I have a nonsmartphone  (Samsung Eternity) on an AT&T prepaid 10 cent per minute plan.

I want to purchase a smartphone, HTC Inspire 4G on eBay.  It will be a 4G smartphone.  I want to keep the 10 cent per minute plan and turn off cellular data on the smartphone and just use wifi.

Can this be done?  What would I need to do to switch over to the new phone (new SIM card, keep same SIM card, etc.)?

Multiple representaives on the AT&T sales chat said I could do this and one said I could not.  So I'm not sure if it will work.

[tosh323]

from google, it seems that the HTC Inspire 4G uses the micro sim.

No Problem! Just order, or go into an AT&T store and pickup a new sim. However, I am not sure if you'll be able to retain you old cell number.

I am doing exactley what your wanting to do, but im using an iphone- Pre-Paid without cellular data... WiFi only.

I'd also suggest (if you havent already thought of it) looking into VoIP- Its free over WiFi

[jamileh]

All smartphones require data plans if they are active on AT&T's network. Turning off cellular data does not waive the requirement for a data plan. 

[tosh323]

@jamileh,

Are you sure? Because my iPhone 4s works just fine on AT&T pre-paid network without any data plan.

I assure you, if that weren't tha case I'd shopping for another carrier.

[wdsnls]

I agree with tosh323. When it was required to take a monthly plan, my wife and I decided it would be foolish to spend $30 p/m per smartphone. I went to the monthly and buy the data. She remained on the 10 cent p/m plan and only uses wifi. She also lost all the data in her account.

[jamileh]

Here is some information regarding the data requirement for smartphones: http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=54958&ct=5900004&pv=3&title=AT%26T+Data+Plans#fbid=kXUig...

Specifically: 

Data plan requirements for smartphones

New customers who purchase a smartphone and existing customers who upgrade or swap their SIM to a smartphone are required to subscribe to a data plan. Data plans allow our customers to fully utilize their device without concern for unusually high bills owing to excessive data usage. Customers who activate, upgrade, or switch their device to a smartphone will automatically have the appropriate data plan added to their account if one is not already present.

[tosh323]

@Jamileh

If customer own's an unlocked, or, out of contract AT&T smartphone and choose pre-paid service, data is an option, not a requirement.

Perhaps by AT&T's definition it's no longer a smart-phone.

On a side note/ I use my prepaid service very little now that I'm using VoIP with WiFi

[jeffreyw1]

Sounds like Jamileh is towing the company line.  I received a similar answer when visiting an AT&T store.  AT&T's policy is to require smartphones to have a data plan.  Whether they enforce it on their network is another story. 

[vtujfz]

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jamileh wrote:

...

Data plan requirements for smartphones

New customers who purchase a smartphone and existing customers who upgrade or swap their SIM to a smartphone are required to subscribe to a data plan. Data plans allow our customers to fully utilize their device without concern for unusually high bills owing to excessive data usage. Customers who activate, upgrade, or switch their device to a smartphone will automatically have the appropriate data plan added to their account if one is not already present.

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This seems to be talking about non-prepaid plans.

The fine print on the prepaid plan page says that a data plan is required to use data on a smartphone.  The wording is vague.  Does it mean that a data plan is required or is it required only if you want to use cellular data?  Is it not required if you don't want to use cellular data?