Can I remove data plan if using Tmobile?

[jenndy]

Hello,

I have 5 lines at att that are eligible for upgrades. I opened 5 lines for my parents business so all their employees would have cell phones. Therefore, they would not need the upgrades. I also have a tmobile account that im currently using. I want to get a iphone and unlock it to use eith tmobile. My question is can I get an iphone and cancel the data plan after 30 days w/ no problems? I would be unlocking it and using it w/ my current tmobile account. Im just worried that att wont let them cancel the data plan.

From what im gathering, it seems like att can only detect the iphone if you put in a att sim card right????? So they wouldnt be able to detect the iphone if i put my tmobile sim card in right????? Therefore, they wouldnt be able to add the data plan on my att account right????

So my plan is to upgrade one of the lines and pay the $30 data plan fee for the first month. Then, call and remove the data plan saying i either sold it or gave it to someone else....... Would that work?

Also, if i cant bring the sim card for the line i am upgrading, will they still upgrade or do they need that sim to put in the new iphone? because that sim card is never going to go in the iphone. My tmobile sim card would be going in the iphone right after purchase. Would that be ok?

Thanks in advance!

 

[peterhenley]

Can no do, you get iPhone, you signup for iPhone contract, which implies the data plan for the length of the contract. I unlocked mine and am running tmobile sim card pay as you go. There is no ATT iphone without data plan....

 

[twon]

Yes you can do that. Have the IMEI number ready from the phone that will be used on that line. No need to wait 30 days, you can call AT&T the same day. Sept 6th, things might change though.

 

[peterhenley]

No, you cannot do that. If you sign an iphone contract you have signed up for the iphone data plan.

 

[aristobrat]

No, you cannot do that. If you sign an iphone contract you have signed up for the iphone data plan.

If you tell AT&T that you've sold/lost/whatever the iPhone and are switching to a dumb-phone, they will let you drop the data plan. Like twon mentioned, be sure to have that dumb-phone handy when you call, as they'll ask you for some information from it.

To use an iPhone requires a data plan (per their policy), but there's nothing in the contract you sign that says you can't switch away from the iPhone and drop your data plan before your 24-month contract expires.

 

[twon]

^^^ exactly what aristobrat said. I initially wrote a very long post, but it got deleted when I went to post it from my phone. I speak from personal experience on this one. I have three lines, all have been opened with an iPhone, but I only use the iPhone on one line and only pay for the data plan on one line. The other two lines are used with "dumb phones" and data was turned of the day I got them on one and a couple days later on the other.

You do have to call them to do this though. They don't let you turn off the data charge on-line anymore.

Jenndy (or any others), if you need more info or details prior to going through with it, just let me know. I am just a little frustrated all my writing got deleted in the first post. I can write it again if it is needed though.

 

[jenndy]

Thank you sooo much Twon. More info would be great!!!! I want an iphone but i need to know for SURE if i can remove data plan....

Technically, the sim of the line that im upgrading would never even go into the iphone..... because my dad is using that line with a dummy phone and will continue to use it with a dummy phone. So when i get it, i would put in the tmobile sim right away..... that would be ok right? Do i need to bring in the sim card of the line im upgrading? no, right?

I wish there was someway i could know for sure about removing the data plan.... Should i call and ask att ahead of time? like if i plan to sell it or give it away as a present, would they cancel the data plan?

Thanks in advance!

Jenn

 

[jenndy]

^^^ exactly what aristobrat said. I initially wrote a very long post, but it got deleted when I went to post it from my phone. I speak from personal experience on this one. I have three lines, all have been opened with an iPhone, but I only use the iPhone on one line and only pay for the data plan on one line. The other two lines are used with "dumb phones" and data was turned of the day I got them on one and a couple days later on the other.

You do have to call them to do this though. They don't let you turn off the data charge on-line anymore.

Jenndy (or any others), if you need more info or details prior to going through with it, just let me know. I am just a little frustrated all my writing got deleted in the first post. I can write it again if it is needed though.

Can i ask u how long ago it was when u got your iphones and cancelled the data plan? because i also read that you were able cancel the data plan on the older iphone models but not the new ones?.........

 

[twon]

I bought my first iPhone (3G) a year and a half ago or so and used it on a single line with AT&T. The 3GS came out about the time I was going to put my mother and grandmother on a family plan with me to save them some money. They obviously didn't need/want iPhones. But I figured as long as I was adding a couple lines that would have a two year contract, I might as well get a couple new iPhones out of the deal. So, I had my mom and grandma go down to AT&T, just to pick out what their favorite phones where (not buy), then I bought the phones they liked on eBay new in the box for very little as they were basic phones. Then after I had the phones, I went down to Apple, bought two iPhone 3GS's. Once I got them home, I made the switch. One 3GS is now mine and the other is my girlfriends, both our original iPhone 3G's were sold on eBay. I did this around the beggining of July.

I was hesitant at first too. Remember, when you buy an iPhone from Apple, you have 30 days to return it. So, if you do everything with-in the first few days and for some reason you run into a wall, box the phone up and take it back and you will be out nothing.

The SIM that is in your dads phone will be garbage once you buy the iPhone. When you make a purchase, they will activate it in the store and install the SIM card for you, it is part of their policy, you can't get around that. That process also disables your dads SIM card. Once you leave the store, you can take that SIM card out of the iPhone and put it in your dads phone. I had mixed people tell me that the 3G SIM would or would not work in a "dumb phone". The 3G SIM card works fine in both the dumb phones I put them in (Pantech and Nokia), obviously that doesn't mean to say they use the 3G network.

Once the new SIM card is in your dads phone, you can call AT&T and tell them you are not using the iPhone on that line and need the data plan removed. They will ask you what phone is being used on it. You tell them the phone that your dad has. Then they will ask for the IMEI # of the phone, it is in the back under the battery. Give them that and they will put that phone back on the line and remove the data plan.

In my experience from calling AT&T (or any company for that matter), sometimes you get people on the phone that know what they are doing and sometimes you get people that are "still learning". If anyone tells you no, either politely ask for a supervisor or hang up and call back to talk to someone else.

I made two different calls when I did it because I did not have one on the phone with me when I called, the first call I made, the lady was not really nice about it, but did everything as I described above. The second call, the guy was quite pleasant and did the same thing. Your results may vary, but the end out come should be the same. If you have any issues, feel free to PM me.

Hope that helps

 

[twon]

I wish there was someway i could know for sure about removing the data plan.... Should i call and ask att ahead of time? like if i plan to sell it or give it away as a present, would they cancel the data plan?

To put your mind at ease, you can try this...

Call AT&T and ask, "I am a klutz when it comes to my phones and I break them all the time. You don't offer insurance for the iPhone and I can't afford another if it breaks. Am I stuck paying for data if I have to go back to using my old phone?"

They will tell you "no".

 

[goosnarrggh]

Thank you sooo much Twon. More info would be great!!!! I want an iphone but i need to know for SURE if i can remove data plan....

Technically, the sim of the line that im upgrading would never even go into the iphone..... because my dad is using that line with a dummy phone and will continue to use it with a dummy phone. So when i get it, i would put in the tmobile sim right away..... that would be ok right? Do i need to bring in the sim card of the line im upgrading? no, right?

I wish there was someway i could know for sure about removing the data plan.... Should i call and ask att ahead of time? like if i plan to sell it or give it away as a present, would they cancel the data plan?

Thanks in advance!

Jenn

My brother is an AT&T call centre representative. (I know, I can offer you no evidence to support this statement, I just hope you'll take it on faith.)

I asked him about exactly this sort of situation. He confirmed the following:

As long as an iPhone (or selected PDAs or other smartphone) is actually connected to AT&T's network, AT&T does officially require the account holder to have an eligible data plan. Any customer who doesn't have such a data plan is violating AT&T policy, and any customer service representative who helps you do otherwise is also violating AT&T policy.

But if you get rid of the iPhone, for any reason, and permanently switch back to a dumbphone, but you keep the rest of the account active, you are permitted to switch off the data plan at any time without penalty.

(Whoever buys the iPhone from you, if they then hook it up with AT&T, would then become the one required to sign up for an eligible data plan.)