AT&T Cracking Down - iPhone 3G Users Currently on Other Plans Be Warned

[thetoothfairy]

Last week AT&T created quite a ruckus for altering their ToS, but after the backlash they ultimately decided against it. Well, we may be looking at round 2 here.
This time a tipster has told TiPb that iPhone 3G owners in the Atlanta and Austin markets who are not currently provisioned with an iPhone 3G data plan will receive an SMS message advising them that an iPhone 3G rate plan will be added to their line of service. These customers will begin receiving SMS messages today and the plans will be provisioned on the evenings of April 8th and 9th. It appears that AT&T just tapped these two cities as a trial run, the rest of the country should start getting similar alerts on April 21st.

So what does all of this mean? There are a few possibilities, depending on your mobile situation:
If you are using an iPhone 3G and you snuck in one of AT&T’s MediaNET data plans for $15 you will be forced on the $30 iPhone 3G data plan.
For those of you who share SIM cards between an iPhone and Blackberry while using a Blackberry data plan, well it may be a bit more troublesome. Since your BlackBerry requires a BlackBerry plan to work, you’ll need to make extra-double-sure you don’t get an alert and if you do, you will want to call up AT&T right away and explain that you’re a SIM-swapper and to leave your plan set to your BB plan — which will hopefully continue to work fine on an iPhone.
Lastly, with a PDA Unlimited data plan, expect minimal damage. It’s theoretically possible that MMS will not work since the iPhone currently does not support MMS, at least until AT&T flips the switch when iPhone OS 3.0 drops. So check that.

The upshot is this: if AT&T starts noticing that you’re using an iPhone 3G, they’re going to start enforcing their long-standing policy that you use an iPhone 3G plan. If you’re a regular SIM-swapper, you might be in for some hassles, depending on what your current plan is.
The thing that really rubs TiPb the wrong way is that the BlackBerry, PDA, and iPhone data plans all are $30. Why not allow us to change our devices as we see fit and keep it simple by one data plan to rule them all. BlackBerry users who try to switch their SIM to another device have long lived with the pain of not having a plan that easily works on non-BB phones. For now, iPhone plans do work fine on other devices.

So to all of the SIM swappers out there or for those of you who flew under the radar, how are you feeling about this? Isn’t part the point of having a GSM phone being able to swap the SIM with minimal hassle?

Chubz warning below......

Those swapping sims, watch out. I was swapping my bb sim card between my iPhone and bb. I got the AT&T SMS to use the right plan. Ignored it. 2 bills later I got hit with a 850 dollar bill for iPhone data usage. I had to fight to get it taken off. I had to add a line to use both of them. Sooner or later they are going to crack down of sim swapper and its bs

AT&T Cracking Down - iPhone 3G Users Currently on Other Plans Be Warned | The iPhone Blog

[nycdiplomat]

wow. im glad im with tmobile. im sure thats apple's stronghold on AT&T leaking through lol.

[LastSonOfKrypton]

Wonder how this will affect the Pre-Paid iPhone users w/no data plan. I never use data though. Hopefully they'll leave me be.

[HERO]

I got it hit with a 565 dollar phone bill last month.

[confucious]

They do seem to screw you in the states, but then AT&T didn't seem to get their T&C right in the first place.
T-Mobile here in the UK have got it just about right, 3 plans dpending on what you want,
1) Basic 3G only for use on phone, no tethering or streaming or VOIP - 1Gb Limit £7.50/month
2) HSDPA, tethering and streaming allowed, no VOIP 3Gb Limit £12.50/month
3) as above plus VOIP - £25/month

I have the middle option with 900mins or 1800 SMS or 900 MMS (or any combination of the 3) for £20.51 / month inclusive and never have to pay a penny more unless I call premium numbers or abroad.

AT&T do seem to have you guys by the balls over there!

[Channan]

If you can't pay the $30/month for unlimited data, why get the iPhone in the first place? You're better off getting a basic phone and an iPod touch.

[Masterz1337]

I wish at&t users could get a 20$ voice plan, for 200 minutes instead of 40$ voice plan with 400 minutes. I could roll with that if I kept my rollovers. Most of my calls are with other At&T users.

[BEEKS]

This whole thing just sucks, I was thinking about what it "means" to own an iphone the other day (in these trouble economic times), and I was like how a can a phone company "tell" you, that you MUST get an unlimited data plan if you buy this phone....? Nope, you don't get any options, you must pay us for UNLIMITED data use, even if you plan to only use a little. Plus you need 2,3,4 unlimited plans if you're on a family plan? Just makes no sense to me.........sorry for the rant, but Jeez AT&T, give us some options man. What's next, they're gonna start saying you must get pthe unlimited MMS Plan if you want the new 3G??

[confucious]

To own an iPhone without data is like having one arm tied behind your back.
But data does seem expensive in the USA
Here in the UK 'unlimited (which is limited as you can't stream data and there is an FUP) costs about $11

[thevmax]

I think you're missing the point. Just because AT&T charges $30 a month for the unlimited plan for the Iphone, doesn't mean it's right or that we should all just bow down to them and fork it out. Why is unlimited data on other phones like the Motorola's only $15 a month but $30 a month on the Iphone? Same data, twice the price! Think about it...

[confucious]

I have no idea what your plans are like - I pay £20.51 for all my ddata minutes and texts.
I don't want to think about your plans, I was just stating a fact - an iphone without decent data is a hamstrung iPhone.

[atulharnal]

Hi Friend's
Will u give me N70 mp3 Player like ultra mp3,music box etc.

[StealthBravo]

SPAM ALERT ^


I think the reason the charge more for the iPhone data plan vs the flip phone data plans is that you are obviously going to use more data on the iPhone plan

[tattoojack]

Hi Friend's
Will u give me N70 mp3 Player like ultra mp3,music box etc.

anyway,

its really quite simple.

its the iphone.

rich people.

disposable income.

elite?

hello?

now you get it.?


yayyyy tmobile!