Check in! (Those with unlimited data)

[Vee]

I mentioned it in another thread, but thought I'd share my whole story here:

I had an unlimited data plan from my iPhone 3G, 2 on this family plan actually (one is my fiancees) and had been monitoring our data usage the past 6 months. I would get close to 2gb/mo a few times, but never went over. She was no where near as close.

When I decided to bail on iP4 and go w/the Cappy, I stupidly decided to ditch the unlimited for 2gb+ tethering. Well after just a few days reading here and watching how much data this thing hogged up, I realized I had made a mistake and immediately called AT&T to see what they could do. Apparently if you give up your unlimited data, you have 48 hours to switch back, something that was not told to me at time of sale. I had called on my 51st hour after purchase...


So the chick on the phone told me there was nothing that she could do, so I proposed this situation: Return the Cappy and get back on my iPhone unlimited plan, then re-buy the Cappy and keep my unlimited data. She couldn't say "yes" for sure, but I could tell by her tone that I had found a loophole. I went back into the store where I bought it and presented this situation to the asst. manager, and he said that he thought he could get around it without me having to return the phone. It took about 24 hours, but I have my unlimited back! So excited I don't have to worry about killing apps every 30 mins and keeping an eye on 3G Watchdog and Juice Defender all day, it's a great feeling! Sure I gave up tethering, but it's saving me $15/mo and who needs it with all that this phone can do.

Who else is lucky enough to have grandfathered in the unlimited data?

 

[Sharkonwheels]

Had the unlimited on my line since March...Wife since her original iPhone in 2007.
Both grandfather-transferred over.

T

 

[Intervenient]

Also grandfathered in my unlimited data. Gotta love it.

 

[SmoovC]

Grandfathered since back in the day with a Moto Q9; then a HTC 8525, then switched to the 3G and the iPhone unlimited data plan, then a 3Gs, and now the Cappy.

 

[yahoowizard]

Wait, so if I have a data unlimited plan right now with my iPhone 2G, then I switch to the Captivate, I still have unlimited data =0?

 

[Vee]

Yep!

 

[Sledutah]

Wait, so if I have a data unlimited plan right now with my iPhone 2G, then I switch to the Captivate, I still have unlimited data =0?

Yes, as long as you never drop it down you will keep it. It doesn't matter if it's a iphone or smartphone unlimited.

I have unlimited data

 

[yahoowizard]

Actually, the iPhone 2G's data package is only 20 bucks a month, because it's edge, and it includes 200 text messages. I wonder how all that would play into it =0.

 

[Simba501]

Who else is lucky enough to have grandfathered in the unlimited data?

Me! Not having unlimited must suck for new AT&T users. If I was a new user, I'd probably go where I could still get unlimited data. 2gb just isn't enough for me. And I hate monitoring usage anyway....

 

[rlb4]

Sure I gave up tethering, but it's saving me $15/mo and who needs it with all that this phone can do.

You can still tether, and now with unlimited data you are better off. There are multiple ways to tether. You can use the Kies software or download PdaNet or Easy Tether from the market. All this can be done without rooting.

 

[Vee]

Oh I had no idea, thanks rlb4, makes this beastie even sweeter!

 

[lotreaglesfan]

i hate you all lol... i'm stuck with 2gb plan.... but i don't have 3g here in branson... and also my phone hasn't been a data hog luckily. i only have used in the past month 122.4mb of 2048

 

[emuneee]

I don't have an unlimited plan but between my house and work I'm on wifi all day. I've only used 140MB six days into my billing cycle.

 

[rlb4]

I don't have an unlimited plan but between my house and work I'm on wifi all day. I've only used 140MB six days into my billing cycle.

Only 140MB. That's about 23MB a day and you are on wifi mostly. That would be about 700MB per month. Seems like alot since you are on wifi mostly.

 

[Sharkonwheels]

You can still tether, and now with unlimited data you are better off. There are multiple ways to tether. You can use the Kies software or download PdaNet or Easy Tether from the market. All this can be done without rooting.

Q: If we're just doing standard stuff, like browsing and such, do they have any way to know we're tethering? Obviously, the built-in "PC Mode" tether probably gives them a heads-up, but stuff like PDANet and Android-Wifi-Tether (uses iptables and such), can they know we're using those?

When and IF I tether, it's basically just http/https stuff. No fancy pc-centric stuff, that would make it fairly obvious it's a connected pc, and not the mobile device...

T

 

[gunny5821]

Also, what no one has mentioned, is you can use your Wi-Fi all day long for all of your data downloads and it doesn't count against your 2GB data plan, so I was told by AT&T. Can someone chime in and confirm this. So if I'm right, just use your Wi-Fi connection for your heavy duty and save the 2GB for emergency situations..

Gunny

 

[rlb4]

Q: If we're just doing standard stuff, like browsing and such, do they have any way to know we're tethering? Obviously, the built-in "PC Mode" tether probably gives them a heads-up, but stuff like PDANet and Android-Wifi-Tether (uses iptables and such), can they know we're using those?

When and IF I tether, it's basically just http/https stuff. No fancy pc-centric stuff, that would make it fairly obvious it's a connected pc, and not the mobile device...

T

Nope. They can't tell at all. I've read many threads were people say that the data is just reported as data, same as if going through the phone. I have used MyWi on my iphone(Jailbroke) and never had a problem. I feel that we should not have to pay extra just for the ability to tether since the phones are capable of doing it stock and there are apps in the market. Now if they gave you extra data then I could see charging extra.

 

[nb_mitch]

Also, what no one has mentioned, is you can use your Wi-Fi all day long for all of your data downloads and it doesn't count against your 2GB data plan, so I was told by AT&T. Can someone chime in and confirm this. So if I'm right, just use your Wi-Fi connection for your heavy duty and save the 2GB for emergency situations..

Gunny

That is correct, Wifi doesn't count toward usage. Concerns me that those that claim to be using mostly Wifi are still claiming allot of usage.

For those of you that have had your device 2 weeks or more, what is your usage? How much on a 3g network. I have Wifi at home and work, I expect to only be in 3g during my 10 minute commute, which I do stream music over the net with WunderRadio on my bike.

 

[baji]

I too was grand fathered in on account of having an iphone for a few years. It's a small difference in price, so I decided I would keep it even though I have never even gotten close to the 2gb they offer now. That said, I have had the Captivate since release day, and I have used quite a bit more data than I ever did on my iphone.

 

[Sharkonwheels]

Heh - I was using more data on my Backflip than my wife EVER did on her iPhones!

I average between 800-1200MB/month, wife averaged 100-300MB/mo on iPhone 2G, 300-500MB on iPhone 3GS.

T

 

[Vee]

Also, what no one has mentioned, is you can use your Wi-Fi all day long for all of your data downloads and it doesn't count against your 2GB data plan, so I was told by AT&T. Can someone chime in and confirm this. So if I'm right, just use your Wi-Fi connection for your heavy duty and save the 2GB for emergency situations..

Gunny

The problem that I've seen with this is that many apps auto-restart and no matter how many times you shut them down, after shut-down and restart again, on this phone.

Try shutting everything down again, then shutting it down once more a few mins later, you'll see you're killing anywhere from 4-20 apps less than a minute after your first kill. Stressful to say the least, to have to keep tabs on this sort of thing.

 

[djb2]

oh the good ol 8525!!!!oh the memories!. I too have the grandfathered in plan. thank God!

 

[Sharkonwheels]

The problem that I've seen with this is that many apps auto-restart and no matter how many times you shut them down, after shut-down and restart again, on this phone.

Try shutting everything down again, then shutting it down once more a few mins later, you'll see you're killing anywhere from 4-20 apps less than a minute after your first kill. Stressful to say the least, to have to keep tabs on this sort of thing.

If it's the AT&T GarbageWare, root, install Titanium Backup, and 'freeze' the apps. They son't show up in the app drawer, do not run, but are still there and can be 'defrosted' back to factory state at will, on the fly.

This is what I did, to ALL the AT&T GarbageWare.

T

 

[tsanuri]

Actually, the iPhone 2G's data package is only 20 bucks a month, because it's edge, and it includes 200 text messages. I wonder how all that would play into it =0.

That is the loophole to use if you must to get unlimited data. Since the iPhone 2G was on a seperate plan that is considered a smartphone they will grandfather it in. There are some posts going around talking about it on other boards. The only way that this loophole will get closed is for AT&T to put a date that you had to of had the plan by. And I do not see them doing that since this was their first smartphone and they made a plan special for it.

 

[yahoowizard]

That is the loophole to use if you must to get unlimited data. Since the iPhone 2G was on a seperate plan that is considered a smartphone they will grandfather it in. There are some posts going around talking about it on other boards. The only way that this loophole will get closed is for AT&T to put a date that you had to of had the plan by. And I do not see them doing that since this was their first smartphone and they made a plan special for it.

So, I would just continue on the same 20 dollar plan, yet get 3G support?