Thank you for your post. However, the problem is that the phone is making data transfers without our knowledge or consent, and no matter how closely we read the MMS rules, it is useless if the phone is operating outside of our control. This is true of any transaction to which you do not consent. 

 

The real issue is that the Pantech Duo is a PDA, is meant to be used as a PDA, and defaults to PDA functions in the absence of any Internet blocks. It was the responsibility of AT&T to make that much clear upfront, rather than indicate anything less (such as, for example "you can get the PDA plan to secure the rebate and then cancel it" - as has been told to me and several other friends). This is a dishonest and unethical business practice. 

 

After I complained, AT&T removed the $291.23 on my phone bill and, the subsequent month, $651.69 of additional data charges. Again, these were charges incurred automatically by the phone on its default PDA settings without anyone's knowledge and which continued until AT&T put a block on the phone's Internet access on Dec. 8. After Dec. 8, no charges have been incurred. 

 

The lesson here is don't buy a PDA phone if you don't want a PDA plan. You end up limiting your service by being forced to place Internet blocks, which also block multimedia messages - something normally included on non-PDA cell phone plan. Understanding the rules of MMS will not help if your phone is operating out of your control.