iPhone 3GS Data Plan Question (family plan)

[walden210]

Currently, I am on an AT&T Family Plan with my 3GS. There's three people and we use the 500 minute plan, so it's about 110 or so per month. I am using the $30 unlimited data plan at the moment. I have some questions, but first let me tell you the "ideal" situation I want to be in.

My friend, who currently has some Sony Ericsson phone, recently bought an iPhone 3G. He did not have a data plan with his Sony Ericsson, and since his data plan was blocked, he had nothing to worry about with his 3G and "surprise" data charges. However, after about a week with his 3G, he decided he wanted to use Data on the go, and instead of buying the $30 unlimited data plan, he bought a $9.99 unlimited data plan additionally to his family plan for his Sony Ericsson phone. Right now, I believe that AT&T is unaware of the fact that he has an iPhone, and is giving him unlimited data for $9.99 because they think he has the Sony Ericsson. (He had to change APN settings but it works perfectly with the iPhone 3G).

1. If I call AT&T, could I remove the $30 data plan from my bill? (Yes I obviously understand that I wouldn't have internet on the go w/o WiFi but I want to know if this option is available.)

2. Could I somehow get that $9.99 data plan for my iPhone 3GS? If so, how?
-- The reason I ask is because I think that I would have to somehow tell AT&T I don't have the 3GS anymore, or else they would no way give me the $9.99 plan. So would I have to report I don't have a 3GS and that I am now using a dumbphone (not smartphone that uses data)? If this is the way to go, would I have to pay some cancellation fee on the iPhone? (Note I wouldn't be cancelling my contract, just the iPhone on my 3-way AT&T Family Plan).

I'm very interested in how to save money (obviously), so please help me out if you can. Or, if you have a better way for me to use unlimited data on AT&T WHILE staying in my family plan without paying $30, let me know. Thanks a bunch! (Let me know if you don't understand my questions because I could clarify.)

P.S. Is AT&T ever going to find out about what my friend is doing, because if not, then I am assuming I could somehow do this.

[gQstatus05]

Suck it up and pay the price to own the 3GS. You can't get around it. Sooner or later your friend will get detected by the system and he will receive a text message telling him to change his plan to the iPhone plan. nFamily Data Unlimited is only for BASIC phones such as Razrs, Moto's, LG select phones. If the phone is considered a PDA, Smartphone, BB, iPhone you need to have the correct data plan.

AT&T uses APN: wap.cingular so I don't know what your friend could have possibly changed the APN to because that's the only APN they use unless you have Dobson or are on the BLUE network. Secondly Visual Voicemail will not work because you are given another APN.

IT WILL NOT WORK.

Here is an example of when Cheating the System goes wrong...

data ineligible

[CaptainChaos]

AT&T knows what plan your friend is on. You cannot hide your IMEI number which identifies the phone to the network.