Data plan, oh data plan, how I don't want thee

[jimharle]

I just wish to vent a little.

We purchased a used iPhone for our daughter to use with her SIM card.  She's been using the phone for *two months* without a cellular data plan.  She doesn't need a data plan, as her data needs are satisfied with Wi-Fi, and the cellular data has remained off in the iPhone settings.

The AT&T system recently recognized the device change, and now we are required to have a data plan for her line.

Now, I totally get the data plan requirement on subsidized devices.  But not when bringing your own device.  The concept is simply absurd.  Requiring a data plan for smartphones without regard to need is an abusive, revenue-generating, bureaucratic policy, not a technical one.  I hate it.

[aristizzle]

It's part of the AT&T customer agreement. If you use AT&T service you agree that you are required to have a data plan for all smartphones. By using the Iphone without a data plan you are breaking the TOS and AT&T has the right to add a data plan.

At least you got to enjoy no data plan for a little while, at this point the best thing to do is to drop to the smallest data plan available.

[Dcookie ACE - Geek]

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jimharle wrote:

I just wish to vent a little.

We purchased a used iPhone for our daughter to use with her SIM card.  She's been using the phone for *two months* without a cellular data plan.  She doesn't need a data plan, as her data needs are satisfied with Wi-Fi, and the cellular data has remained off in the iPhone settings.

The AT&T system recently recognized the device change, and now we are required to have a data plan for her line.

Now, I totally get the data plan requirement on subsidized devices.  But not when bringing your own device.  The concept is simply absurd.  Requiring a data plan for smartphones without regard to need is an abusive, revenue-generating, bureaucratic policy, not a technical one.  I hate it.

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When the system recognizes what type of phone you are using, ATT automatically adds the correct data plan.

[jimharle]

I get that they CAN do it.  It doesn't mean that they SHOULD.  It's an abusve clause in the TOS.

I expect that market forces and such will change all of this in the future, and until then we'll just have to put up with it, or vote with our feet by moving to the other carrier that doesn't shove an unnecessary data plan down your throat (T-Mobile).  If her line wasn't on a family plan (it'd be slightly more per month for an individual minutes + text only account with them), I'd have made the move already.  It's just annoying being forced to pay an additional $20 a month for something she doesn't need.

[Per Guidelines: Keep it Relevant and Appropriate]

[Dcookie ACE - Geek]

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jimharle wrote:

I get that they CAN do it.  It doesn't mean that they SHOULD.  It's an abusve clause in the TOS.

I expect that market forces and such will change all of this in the future, and until then we'll just have to put up with it, or vote with our feet by moving to the other carrier that doesn't shove an unnecessary data plan down your throat (T-Mobile).  If her line wasn't on a family plan (it'd be slightly more per month for an individual minutes + text only account with them), I'd have made the move already.  It's just annoying being forced to pay an additional $20 a month for something she doesn't need.

[Per Guidelines: Keep it Relevant and Appropriate]

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I agree with you and ATT shouldn't do a LOT of things...the new upgrade fee is at the top of MY list. 

[BadBadLeroyBrown ACE - Warrior]

Ostensibly, it was a reaction to people inadvertently using data on their phones and racking up multiple thousand dollars bills. AT&T was, if I'm not mistaken, the LAST of the major carriers to require a data plan with smartphones. T-Mobile used to have an exemption for people who provided their own smartphones, but I'm not sure if they still have that.

And sorry, but "market forces" aren't going to do anything about this. The 2 largest carriers combined have nearly 200 million customers, and the "Big 4" have ~280 million or so. This is what deregulation and consolidation hath wrought!

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jimharle wrote:

I get that they CAN do it.  It doesn't mean that they SHOULD.  It's an abusve clause in the TOS.

I expect that market forces and such will change all of this in the future, and until then we'll just have to put up with it, or vote with our feet by moving to the other carrier that doesn't shove an unnecessary data plan down your throat (T-Mobile).  If her line wasn't on a family plan (it'd be slightly more per month for an individual minutes + text only account with them), I'd have made the move already.  It's just annoying being forced to pay an additional $20 a month for something she doesn't need.

[Per Guidelines: Keep it Relevant and Appropriate]

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[jimharle]

T-Mobile doesn't enforce a data plan when using a non-subsidized device, I verified this yesterday.

Perhaps I'm being too optimisitic, but I envision a future where portable computers and smartphones converge, and the "data" connection is used for all communication (data + voice), and where the devices are carrier-independent.  Granted, that's not going to happen any time soon.  But we can dream !

[theheff1]

Wow, I'm glad to see I'm not the only person upset about this junk smart phone policy.  Wi-Fi is so prevalent today and growing, and the smart devices are so good that may folks don’t need the data plans to satisfy  their need to surf the net, get e-mails, and text wirelessly unless we were on a mountain top in Colorado and wanting to know if that looming storm on the horizon was headed our way.  I will admit the data plans are an amazing thing to have if someone else is footing the bill (i.e. my company, my parents).   Maybe the smart phones, tablet computers, and growing Wi-Fi are changing the business model, and the telco’s are scared.  After all, they have invested billions to allow you to receive data on that mountain top in Colorado.

[OaklandGuy]

I too resent the data plan requirement, and would like to see it made optional. When I bought my smartphone over 2 years ago, it was because it had a Windows OS, so I could synch with my computer Outlook using a USB cable. Didn't want to use the Internet. I was specifically told at that time that I did NOT need to pay for a data plan, and for 2 years, I was exempted. Now something has changed, and I'm getting stuck with a data plan on my AT&T bill.  What's wrong with being able to opt for the pay-by-use category? Isn't that a data plan?   I'm kinda surprised at the many respondents who (basically) just say "get over it"-- I presume they are all heavy data users and can't related to my situation (semi-broke retired guy who gets sufficient Internet access using his computer).  It's a rip-off, and as one other poster said, just because they CAN doesn't mean it's RIGHT.

[stclair49]

Put her on an AT&T "PRE-PAY" plan. She can use the iphone with out a data plan and use wifi for her data needs.

You can call CS and have her phone number transfered from post paid to prepaid. If her line is still under contract, you will have to pay the ETF for the remaining contract period.