The most important thing is to make sure you get switched to a 4g data plan. Just putting your sim card in the phone will not make the data work!!!! You do NOT need a new sim card, though AT&T has released a new sim card that isnt 3g/4g specific. (it looks cool though) Make sure if you are coming from a non android smart phone that you back up your contacts online (with google preferably) if you are coming from a non smart phone, make sure your contacts are saved to the SIM enjoy the phone guys!
what happens if we get the new SIM, the cool one? Cause I've had mine for a while and I think the contacts are kinda bad...idk, i want the cool stuff!
Ok..ummmm Wont switching to a 4G data plan = tierd pricing when the customer service nerd switches it in the system? Also....whats the best way to back up contacts w iphone? I was just going to manually copy the contacts over as i assume they wont even need my iphone to make the switch (new phone and new sim card...)
This is a non-issue. Unless there's something I missed, there is not going to be special "4g" data plans.... until LTE. And if that's not true and there really are, internal retail unit's systems will automatically bring up compatible data plan options upon upgrading and switching the IMEI to the Inspire.... making only the "4g" data plans show up... meaning that the guest shouldn't haveto take extra steps and ensure the rep is putting on a 4g data plan. Same thing happens when ordering online or through telesales. I cannot speak for retailer units though, but my assumption it would be a similar process. Either way, if there is a 4g data plan, rest assured that sometime tomorrow (Sat), all COR reps will get some kind of memo upon login regarding this....
It may update, but not right away. I think marc's point is to make sure it's switched over so you can enjoy 4g speeds out of the box. This explains why reviewers were not getting 4g speeds, despite having H+ on their devices.
What i'm saying is that 4g codes don't exist in the system as of yet... and even if they did, they would auto switch in the process of upgrading to this device. Marc's phone has something else wrong with it.... my store manager had his Inspire in the store today, and data worked fine.... 3g card with regular data plan.
ugggh...this is almost making me want to wait another week so i dont have to deal with a bunch of bull shoot about wrong sim cards and wrong rate plans.
I may be understanding this wrong, but are you saying you have to have a 4G compatible plan in order to achieve HSPA+ speeds? And I'm not sure how to word this, but will there be a unlimited HSPA+ plan for those grandfathered to unlimited?
This could very well be the case (maybe the IMEI needs to match up) but in myCSP under the febuary 13th frontline focus, it explains that you need HSPA+ data plans which are essentially the same as the normal data plans now, just a different SOC code. It could have been my sim card or phone though, but who knows, ill do more research into this tomorrow
The phones you buy at an AT&T store, or their online site are shipped with the proper sim installed. The master AT&T system computer automatically recognizes the IMEI (the phones unique identifier) number as a 4G phone. No human intervention is needed. The person you deal with only needs to determine how much data you're buying (which plan) it's very simple. Do not expect a dramatic increase in the data speed as 4G is theoretical so far, and only available at certain times in select areas. So I would take "4G" with a grain of salt. You are on the cutting edge. It will get better as time goes by.
OMG. I'm getting dumber just reading this thread. AT&T doesn't nor has it ever had "4G" ... it's 3.5G HSPA+, a 3G technology that AT&T and T-Mobile are using great marketing to make you believe it's a 4th generation wireless standard. There's nothing different in the system about it, and nothing has to be enabled on your account nor phone to make it work. MANY people from all over the world, like me, have been using HSPA+ (aka what ATT markets as "4g like speeds") and getting the 4G experience. If you don't know what you're talking about, you shouldn't spout or spread BS information. The ONLY thing different about a "4G Sim" is they print a 4G logo on it, NOTHING technically, nothing different as to the way it's provisioned into the network, and certainly won't make your phone any faster!
I'm pretty sure we all know that it isn't true 4G...but seeing as how that's the marketing name, and what has stuck, why not call it what it pseudo-is? we're just trying to get clarification before we buy a $100 dollar phone (or some who are buying it for $450) and lock ourselves into two years of crap. Chill out
Just to clarify what I said in my original post about the 4g data plans: If you are upgrading or buying this from an at&t store you dont have to worry about anything because when the employee enters the new IMEI in the system, it automatically prompts the employee to change everything to the right plans. Some people who are just buying the phone out right, and sliding their sim cards in the phone might not get DATA right away until the system refreshes itself with your phone on tap. As Oridus kindly stated, his managers phone was able to get data just by sliding the sim card in, so it might have been an isolated incident, but im just giving you the heads up from what i experienced.
I also did some verification this morning, and we were both right to some extent. The only people effected by this will be people buying their product at a 3rd party or outright. Any form of upgrade... the rep SHOULD change the plan for you... if not it's a bad rep lol.
Though in all fairness, the LTE rollouts aren't meeting the ITU's IMT-Advanced specifications either (and hence technically are not 4G per the ITU's definition). In other words, there are NO widely deployed ITU 4G networks and ALL the carriers are lying about 4G. Now, what you said about the SIM is correct. HSPA+ is provisioned exactly the same as HSPA, so there's no reason a 3G SIM won't allow 100% functionality on HSPA+ as long as it's provisioned correctly.
hi. just so things are clear for me. i have the $25 2GB data plan for AT&T, from what i am understanding my SIM card will not work if i buy the phone off contract from a third party retailer like amazon or best buy?
it should. when you go to buy it, ask them to just switch it to the HSPA+ compatible plan. No extra charge, just a new name
well technically i won't be going to a store to get it. i don't have any retail stores in my area. i'll be ordering it online.
So if we are using our renewing upgrade thing and getting it Radio Shack, will we still need to call AT&T later or will the RS dudes take care of that?
I believe the RS guys call up AT&T and do it with them, at least that's what they did for the guys who got it early at Costco. It should be no problem. As for Grandfathereds...I'm not really sure. I'm on it too (I got it with the original iphone 3G) and have been looking for answers too. I dont think we'll really know until tomorrow, but from what I can tell they have a HSPA+ compatible unlimited plan. Either that, or they'll have to manually set it up to be compatible
