Official AT&T Q&A Thread

[Oridus]

thanks, that would be great.

NC = $499

I have heard of people getting special NC prices online though depending on your account.

Log into your account online and see your contract date since you've already done the pre-order for it. Or call in to CS, and let us know what you find out.

 

[Jus10]

guys is there anyway to get it off ATT site as off-contract

but not as a AT&T customer, if im with someone else for example.

Only place you can purchase equipment without an account is in retail locations unfortunatly.

 

[nb_mitch]

Only place you can purchase equipment without an account is in retail locations unfortunatly.

But you can buy a device from almost anywhere "without a contract" and then cancel your at&t service immediately. They just aren't cheap.

 

[Jus10]

Marc can correct me if I'm wrong, but non contract lines can only happen on existing accounts if its done online or over the phone, otherwise you're getting atleast a 1year contract.

 

[MarcMaiden]

Marc can correct me if I'm wrong, but non contract lines can only happen on existing accounts if its done online or over the phone, otherwise you're getting atleast a 1year contract.

you can actually activate your own equipment under no contract. (i think thats what you guys are talking about)

 

[sween01]

Marc, thanks for doing the Q&A here. It's very helpful.

I'm ready to upgrade, and had been looking at a Captivate. Then, the new "4G" phones came out and I wasn't sure. I'm leaning toward still getting the Captivate, thinking that by time I'm ready for my next upgrade, that's when the HSPA+ will have fully rolled out, and LTE/HSPA+ phones will be available. Here is my concern:

I have unlimited data, and I absolutely, positively want to keep it. If I get the Captivate, thereby not getting on a "4G" unlimited data plan now, do I face the possibility that I will miss a 4G unlimited data grandfathering cutoff date sometime before my next upgrade? History tells me that they might use LTE as a way of "un-grandfathering" people with unlimited data.

 

[MarcMaiden]

Marc, thanks for doing the Q&A here. It's very helpful.

I'm ready to upgrade, and had been looking at a Captivate. Then, the new "4G" phones came out and I wasn't sure. I'm leaning toward still getting the Captivate, thinking that by time I'm ready for my next upgrade, that's when the HSPA+ will have fully rolled out, and LTE/HSPA+ phones will be available. Here is my concern:

I have unlimited data, and I absolutely, positively want to keep it. If I get the Captivate, thereby not getting on a "4G" unlimited data plan now, do I face the possibility that I will miss a 4G unlimited data grandfathering cutoff date sometime before my next upgrade? History tells me that they might use LTE as a way of "un-grandfathering" people with unlimited data.

I really would advise you against the Captivate. (most people here would as well) Its a good phone with bugs and lack of support from samsung (and AT&T) If i were you, Id look at the inspire and atrix. I currently have the inspire and it works very well. Plus, $100 is hard to beat. The atrix comes out tuesday and is quite a power house of a phone with a lot of features. You cant go wrong with either the inspire or atrix, and both devices will allow you to keep your unlimited data.

 

[jonhcox]

Marc,

Just wanted to say thanks. Just walked out of my corp store with my Inspire and I was able to get a slightly better deal than the Exception Upgrade, which was fantastic. Appreciate the information!

 

[MarcMaiden]

Marc,

Just wanted to say thanks. Just walked out of my corp store with my Inspire and I was able to get a slightly better deal than the Exception Upgrade, which was fantastic. Appreciate the information!

glad it worked out for you buddy!

 

[mi04se1]

I only had my Captivate for 6 months. Is there anyway to get the upgrade price instead of buying it off contract?

 

[Jus10]

you can actually activate your own equipment under no contract. (i think thats what you guys are talking about)

I misunderstood. The way it sounded was that he was trying to purchase the phone with no account, which can only be done in COR stores... but he ws just meaning no contract on his account. duh Jus10!

 

[Jus10]

I only had my Captivate for 6 months. Is there anyway to get the upgrade price instead of buying it off contract?

Not that I'm aware of, but I did hear Best Buy's buying back your cell phones and laptops and put the credit towards a new purchase. Don't know too many details on that though.

You would have to have it for atleast a year for customer service to try an early upgrade.

 

[sween01]

Marc, thanks for doing the Q&A here. It's very helpful.

I'm ready to upgrade, and had been looking at a Captivate. Then, the new "4G" phones came out and I wasn't sure. I'm leaning toward still getting the Captivate, thinking that by time I'm ready for my next upgrade, that's when the HSPA+ will have fully rolled out, and LTE/HSPA+ phones will be available. Here is my concern:

I have unlimited data, and I absolutely, positively want to keep it. If I get the Captivate, thereby not getting on a "4G" unlimited data plan now, do I face the possibility that I will miss a 4G unlimited data grandfathering cutoff date sometime before my next upgrade? History tells me that they might use LTE as a way of "un-grandfathering" people with unlimited data.

I really would advise you against the Captivate. (most people here would as well) Its a good phone with bugs and lack of support from samsung (and AT&T) If i were you, Id look at the inspire and atrix. I currently have the inspire and it works very well. Plus, $100 is hard to beat. The atrix comes out tuesday and is quite a power house of a phone with a lot of features. You cant go wrong with either the inspire or atrix, and both devices will allow you to keep your unlimited data.

OK, thanks Marc. I'm a bit hesitant about the Inspire and Atrix because, based on what I've read so far, they don't seem to compare to the Captivate in terms of call quality and battery life, which are two of the most important factors to me.

So, whether it be the Captivate or another non-4G phone, what do you think about the possibility of missing the unlimited 4G data boat? Should my grandfathered status be safe in 18-24 months, or do I face the possibility of a cutoff date before then? Thanks in advance!

 

[MarcMaiden]

OK, thanks Marc. I'm a bit hesitant about the Inspire and Atrix because, based on what I've read so far, they don't seem to compare to the Captivate in terms of call quality and battery life, which are two of the most important factors to me.

So, whether it be the Captivate or another non-4G phone, what do you think about the possibility of missing the unlimited 4G data boat? Should my grandfathered status be safe in 18-24 months, or do I face the possibility of a cutoff date before then? Thanks in advance!

I do not think there is a possibility of missing the 4g data boat. I think the only time AT&T might take unlimited away is when they launch LTE. So for now you are good my friend.

If call quality and battery are your thing, get the atrix. Trust me you will not regret it. It has a similar feel to the captivate, the phone runs faster, comes with android 2.2 (which does make a huge difference in battery and performance), and the reviews have said the atrix call quality is very good. That being said, I own the inspire and while the battery gets "me" through the day, the heavy heavy usage will run you out before days end. The inspire is already out (as you already know) and the Atrix makes it debut on tuesday. I'd try em out side by side when it releases.

 

[mi04se1]

Not that I'm aware of, but I did hear Best Buy's buying back your cell phones and laptops and put the credit towards a new purchase. Don't know too many details on that though.

You would have to have it for atleast a year for customer service to try an early upgrade.

If I buy say an Inspire off contract, what fees will I be charged? Would I have to pay an eft or any upgrade fees? I was doing the math on switching to VZW and getting a TB. I seen the phone is $299 with a 2 year contract plus the eft from ATT which puts it over $500. Even if I sell the Captivate, I will still owe aprox. $250-300.

 

[Jus10]

If I buy say an Inspire off contract, what fees will I be charged? Would I have to pay an eft or any upgrade fees?

If there's no discounts off of the phone, then the only thing extra is sales tax. The only time you pay an axtra upgrade fee is with a one or two year upgrade discount applied.

 

[chgachet]

Hello Mark,
I hope you can help me outI have been doing test after test of the data transfer on my new htc, not once I have reached 2000kps, 98% of the time I get between 500-700. I went to the corporate store, they gave me a "new sim card" that is the same look as what I had before.
I called to customer service, they told me this morning that I need to switch to the $45.00 data plan for phone to work correctly, even thou I have unlimited data plan right now.
Any ideas as to what I should do to get a decent speed on my htc?
Thanks.

 

[Jus10]

Hello Mark,
I hope you can help me outI have been doing test after test of the data transfer on my new htc, not once I have reached 2000kps, 98% of the time I get between 500-700. I went to the corporate store, they gave me a "new sim card" that is the same look as what I had before.
I called to customer service, they told me this morning that I need to switch to the $45.00 data plan for phone to work correctly, even thou I have unlimited data plan right now.
Any ideas as to what I should do to get a decent speed on my htc?
Thanks.

I know you asked Mark, but I wanted to chime in ASAP so you're not responsible for extra data plan charges... the plan doesn't effect the speed, try to take that back down immediatley. The main reasons why you're not getting the best speeds on a device is either coverage, or network traffic, never rate plans. That's hogwash. If your speeds didn't increase after updating the SIM, it could be coverage. But if you know alot of people on iPhone, tell them to stop using so much data. Its a network hog, and frankly I wish more people took their iPhones to Verizon.

 

[chgachet]

I know you asked Mark, but I wanted to chime in ASAP so you're not responsible for extra data plan charges... the plan doesn't effect the speed, try to take that back down immediatley. The main reasons why you're not getting the best speeds on a device is either coverage, or network traffic, never rate plans. That's hogwash. If your speeds didn't increase after updating the SIM, it could be coverage. But if you know alot of people on iPhone, tell them to stop using so much data. Its a network hog, and frankly I wish more people took their iPhones to Verizon.

Thanks s lot for your quick response...MY wife has a HTC aria and the speed on that unit is always close to 2000kps...mine 550, same time, same server city...

 

[mi04se1]

If there's no discounts off of the phone, then the only thing extra is sales tax. The only time you pay an axtra upgrade fee is with a one or two year upgrade discount applied.

I asked a rep on the ATT website and he said the same thing. I ended up buying the Inspire and got an email it shipped already and Ill recieve it on Wendsday.

 

[SS2006]

Only place you can purchase equipment without an account is in retail locations unfortunatly.

Or form amazon wireless
just got one for 599

 

[SS2006]

but I need to figure out how to unlock it

 

[Jus10]

Or form amazon wireless
just got one for 599

I never use Amazon. So I didn't know.

 

[MdX MaxX]

Question: When I login to my AT&T wireless account online, it says that I will be eligible for a fully discounted upgrade on 7/26/11. Is this the end-all-be-all date for a full upgrade? Or is there a way I can get around this? I'm so anxious about the Atrix, and I really don't want to wait until August to get it.

 

[Jus10]

Question: When I login to my AT&T wireless account online, it says that I will be eligible for a fully discounted upgrade on 7/26/11. Is this the end-all-be-all date for a full upgrade? Or is there a way I can get around this? I'm so anxious about the Atrix, and I really don't want to wait until August to get it.

You may be able to qualify for an early upgrade. Call customer care, sometimes there's a bigger upgrade fee involved but if you don't want to wait that would be the way to do it.