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I just got $20 off my AT&T plan for having an iPad Data Plan

T

TwoFive3

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 6, 2008
63
27
So here's my story, maybe it will work for you:

I have the wifi only iPad but really want the 3G. I currently am an iPhone user. I do not like that you cannot drop data from the iPhone and I certainly do not like the thought of giving AT&T another $30 a month for data on the iPad. I was considering the palm pre plus because of it's wifi hotspot for free deal and $29 price point.

So i called AT&T to see what my cancellation fee would be if i jumped ship. I was told $125. My plan was the 900 minute, free nights & weekends and rollover minutes for $59. I explained why I was considering canceling. I told about my recently having purchased an iPad and not thrilled about paying yet again twice for data, especially seeing as most of my needs would be served by the iPad not the iPhone.

I know from past experience that from time to time, AT&T will float out different rate plans other than the ones in the brochure if you ask. So i asked. She sounded as surprised as me but there was a cheaper plan available. I had two options: 1000 minutes with rollover & NO free nights and weekends or 1000 minutes free nights and weekends & NO rollover. Either option: $39. Now i can get the 3G iPad and not feel so bad about spending another $30 per month for data. After all, i just saved $20 a month immediately.
 
I do this as much as I can.
Get a discount on cell phone bill for 3 months then I call back in three months.
Do this with U-Verse bill as well saves lots a money .
 
Nice deal!

Yeah, those loyalty discounts can sure come in handy. One time I managed to get AT&T and Comcast to basically try and outbid each other for home phone/cable/internet. Just had to set the install date for the switch out far enough to have enough time to back and forth counter offer between them.
 
I never intend to get the 3G. Mywi is working great.

Let me get this straight though. You got AT&T to negotiate on an iPhone plan?

That's big news. They have always been unapproachable for me in the past. So your new plan equals out to.

39.99 for 1000 minutes
Plus
30.00 for data

Not bad. I never use my iPhone as a phone.

I'm going to call my friend who works for AT&T.
 
Or you can just jailbreak your iPhone, install MyWi, turn your iPhone into a wifi hotspot and use it for data on your wifi iPad. No extra $30 a month data.

I have a 3G iPad but with this setup, looks like I'm not going to need it's data plan.

And enough from the peanut gallery about how MyWi burns through your battery--I and everyone else here are aware it will speed up battery usage but considering that most of us aren't streaming for hours on end, it's generally not a huge issue. I used it for 30 minutes of continuous next browsing, used about 35 MB and my iPhone battery lost about 3-4%. Sorry for the mini rant but every suggestion on these forums to use MyWi is always followed up with a battery comment. So I have to plug into my car charger a bit more---worth it to save $360/year.
 
I changed my plan saving $45 off my bill so my data plan is being paid for by AT&T and I get $15 extra each month.

Math is so fun.
 
No way. I am totally going to call. Are they open 24/7?


But wait--I already pay $39.99 for my 450 minute plan with free nights and weekends and rollover. I rarely talk on my phone--twenty minutes last month.


Wonder what they'll say.
 
wait...so you got 20 bucks off your deal. I would assume that it is technically towards your 3G iphone plan.

How you don't feel bad spending 30 dollars on the 3g plan for the ipad.

Did I get that right? and if yes....I totally would try and do this!!
 
tbayrgs said:
Or you can just jailbreak your iPhone, install MyWi, turn your iPhone into a wifi hotspot and use it for data on your wifi iPad. No extra $30 a month data.

I have a 3G iPad but with this setup, looks like I'm not going to need it's data plan.

And enough from the peanut gallery about how MyWi burns through your battery--I and everyone else here are aware it will speed up battery usage but considering that most of us aren't streaming for hours on end, it's generally not a huge issue. I used it for 30 minutes of continuous next browsing, used about 35 MB and my iPhone battery lost about 3-4%.
Click to expand...

+1

As a test, I pounded MyWi tonight on my 3GS for a half hour straight, downloading over 50mb in that time, and my battery ticked down about 1% per every 10mb. If nothing else, who out there will actually use less than 250mb/month for $14.99? I would guess most users can count on dropping $30 for the unlimited. And with the way Safari reloads pages constantly, good luck! Bait and switch, anyone???

And speaking of unlimited, with MyWi, there is no 3G restriction as an added bonus! I downloaded full quality HD video from YouTube and an 18mb app update from the App Store.

Personally, I have had my 3G turned OFF for most of the 10 months I've had my iPhone because the call integrity is so unreliable here in NYC, and I've instead suffered with the EDGE network for no web surfing, just email-only when I'm out in the wild, otherwise relying on available wifi connections at home and at work, so I've basically been paying a $30 tax every month to AT&T for the "privilege" of having an iPhone.

With MyWi, I feel infinitely less ripped-off... :)
 
I'd just be happy if they let me put the iPad on my family plan for a reduced rate. I'm already paying for 3 phones, two of which are iPhones, so it would be nice to be treated like a valued customer... Especially since I'll likely use a whole lot less data now on my iPhone.
 
TwoFive3 said:
I had two options: 1000 minutes with rollover & NO free nights and weekends or 1000 minutes free nights and weekends & NO rollover. Either option: $39.
Click to expand...


Not really sure how this isn't anything more than a rate shell game unless you mostly use the phone during weekdays and always use up the majority of your minutes.
 
kenmarable said:
Wow, I haven't read the forums here much until recently. A bit of a tough audience, eh?
Click to expand...

Not tough, just annoyed. I was expecting to see a 9.99 plan, not that there was a net reduction in the overall bill but he's still paying the 30 bucks for data. Hell I used a coupon last night to buy cereal for $2 off, so I'm going to start a thread I'm only paying $28 for data.
 
gatearray said:
+1

As a test, I pounded MyWi tonight on my 3GS for a half hour straight, downloading over 50mb in that time, and my battery ticked down about 1% per every 10mb. If nothing else, who out there will actually use less than 250mb/month for $14.99? I would guess most users can count on dropping $30 for the unlimited. And with the way Safari reloads pages constantly, good luck! Bait and switch, anyone???

And speaking of unlimited, with MyWi, there is no 3G restriction as an added bonus! I downloaded full quality HD video from YouTube and an 18mb app update from the App Store.

Personally, I have had my 3G turned OFF for most of the 10 months I've had my iPhone because the call integrity is so unreliable here in NYC, and I've instead suffered with the EDGE network for no web surfing, just email-only when I'm out in the wild, otherwise relying on available wifi connections at home and at work, so I've basically been paying a $30 tax every month to AT&T for the "privilege" of having an iPhone.

With MyWi, I feel infinitely less ripped-off... :)
Click to expand...

I completely agree. I find myself never going to use the iPad as a GPS when I have my iPhone 3GS. And I definitely don't need the 3G when I can tether with MyWi. I also feel infinitely less ripped off, as my wife and I have over 3000 rollover minutes and barely use any iPhone data in a month.
 
I am assuming that this change was also associated with a new 2 year contract starting all over again. I am just throwing that out, since I know a lot of people do not realize that changes in plans causes a new contract. At least that's the way Verizon worked in the past. It may surprise people when they try to upgrade to the next gen iPhone.
 
I have the $59 plan for 700min, free nights and weekends. Have been with them long before the iPhone and I just called and requested my early cancellation fee amount, the lady rep asked why I was canceling, I explained I purchased the iPad and felt taken advantage of because I'm currently paying $50 for data on the iPhone ($30 for data, $20 for texts). And another $30 for the iPad..

She said, "right"... then rattled off my cancellation fee, $125 and contract is up in June of '11. I asked if there was any customer appreciation discount that I could get and she said "not on the iPhone" asked if there was anything else she could do for me and said "Thanks, have a nice day"..

:rolleyes:

As if I needed anymore validation to dump ATT..
 
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