PAYG dataplan can work.

[Hook]

I have to admit that $30/Month plan is not bad. I would never use close to 100 minutes a month. If it had existed when the Nexus One first came out, I might have gone for the T-Mobile version. My present arrangement is still cheaper for me and I am happy with it, but I think this T-Mobile deal would be great for a lot of folks, depending on coverage.

[thock]

Welcome to Brighthand, Tracy.

Are you sure? When I log in and check available feature packages, I still have 10Mb for $5 listed.

All information I can find still lists that.

I'll keep checking in case it is a change they are just rolling out, but up to now, the trend over the past 2 years has been changes give you more for less.

Thanks, Hook. I thought I'd posted before in the Palm section, but maybe not...

I just checked again. It's weird. If you log on to your account and look at rate plans on the left-hand side, the rate plan window pops up and lists 5MB for $5, but if you go to buy feature packages, it's still 10MB for $5, so it appears that older users are still grandfathered in. However, if you go to AT&T's website, without logging in, it still says 10MB for $5. Maybe the pop-up window is a typo...

I've got a post-paid AT&T voice plan (family). 700 rollover minutes for $70/month (which, after taxes, is really around $85). I did not want to add a $25/month data package to that, and really prefer my PDA-type thing to be separate from my phone-type thing. So based on reading this rather lengthy thread, and looking at the options, I decided to try out the PAYG for a bit. I loaded $50 on my account, then bought a 10MB package, then a 100MB package, then a 500MB package, all to see how much data I'd use. I also bought a $5 texting package, just for the heck of it.

In the first month, I started out not being careful of my data, to see how much I could possibly use. It was a lot (no streaming video or music, though). Then I started only turning on the 3G periodically at work, as needed (wifi is locked down, there, and I don't like the idea of their servers seeing everything I do, even though I don't do anything wrong). At the end of the first month, I'd used only about 270MB, so I added another 500 to the remaining balance. I've been very picky about when I'll turn on 3G, and also added another 200 texts to the phone, so that I can get my Google Voice texts without having to have data on. I think I may like this a lot. We'll see, after this month, what the story is. The potential, here, is to save a bunch of money over a $25/month 2GB plan, or even a $15/month 200MB plan. I do use voice quite a bit, so I want to keep my postpaid plan for that.

My partner doesn't use a lot of voice minutes, since he is at the office a lot, and uses a landline, but I use cell minutes, primarily. It may be that switching him to the T-Mobile Walmart plan would be the way to go for him, but that would still be more than we're paying now, and he doesn't have a smartphone, as of yet. If/when we do get him one, we may switch us both over to T-Mobile. T-Mobile does get better coverage in some areas that we go.

Tracy

[Hook]

Thanks, Hook. I thought I'd posted before in the Palm section, but maybe not...

I just checked again. It's weird. If you log on to your account and look at rate plans on the left-hand side, the rate plan window pops up and lists 5MB for $5, but if you go to buy feature packages, it's still 10MB for $5, so it appears that older users are still grandfathered in. However, if you go to AT&T's website, without logging in, it still says 10MB for $5. Maybe the pop-up window is a typo...

I've got a post-paid AT&T voice plan (family). 700 rollover minutes for $70/month (which, after taxes, is really around $85). I did not want to add a $25/month data package to that, and really prefer my PDA-type thing to be separate from my phone-type thing. So based on reading this rather lengthy thread, and looking at the options, I decided to try out the PAYG for a bit. I loaded $50 on my account, then bought a 10MB package, then a 100MB package, then a 500MB package, all to see how much data I'd use. I also bought a $5 texting package, just for the heck of it.

In the first month, I started out not being careful of my data, to see how much I could possibly use. It was a lot (no streaming video or music, though). Then I started only turning on the 3G periodically at work, as needed (wifi is locked down, there, and I don't like the idea of their servers seeing everything I do, even though I don't do anything wrong). At the end of the first month, I'd used only about 270MB, so I added another 500 to the remaining balance. I've been very picky about when I'll turn on 3G, and also added another 200 texts to the phone, so that I can get my Google Voice texts without having to have data on. I think I may like this a lot. We'll see, after this month, what the story is. The potential, here, is to save a bunch of money over a $25/month 2GB plan, or even a $15/month 200MB plan. I do use voice quite a bit, so I want to keep my postpaid plan for that.

My partner doesn't use a lot of voice minutes, since he is at the office a lot, and uses a landline, but I use cell minutes, primarily. It may be that switching him to the T-Mobile Walmart plan would be the way to go for him, but that would still be more than we're paying now, and he doesn't have a smartphone, as of yet. If/when we do get him one, we may switch us both over to T-Mobile. T-Mobile does get better coverage in some areas that we go.

Tracy

Okay, I found the pop-up you are talking about. I'm willing to bet that's a typo since it doesn't appear anywhere else. I'll keep watching. I roll over my data on the 23rd. I don't think they grandfather 30 day feature packages (although they do grandfather the actual rate plans when they change them). For now, I'm just assuming the pop-up is wrong.

[thock]

I got a text, today, stating that the auto renew and data are going to go away on the 10-cent-a-minute plan as of 18 April. If you want to keep data, you'll have to switch to a monthly plan. Has anyone else heard that?

Tracy

[Hook]

I got a text, today, stating that the auto renew and data are going to go away on the 10-cent-a-minute plan as of 18 April. If you want to keep data, you'll have to switch to a monthly plan. Has anyone else heard that?

Tracy

I'll see if I have that text when I leave work (no reception here) and look into it. It doesn't make sense. What they may be doing is not allow *any* phone to do pay-by-the-kb data on the 10 cent plan. Remember, they call the PAYG data buckets "data plans" too.

I'll see what I can find out when I get home tonight.

[Hook]

I received the text and yes this looks serious. If I read it correctly, you will need to switch to either the $25 or $50 month to month plans to use the data packages.

I'll look into it later when I get home.

Via Tapatalk

[brickman65]

Wow! Looks they are trying to force everyone into a Data Package!

Think you can opt out of Data all together with this plan? Just use WiFi only?

[thock]

I don't know, Brickman, but I use it solely for data and texting. I have a different plan for voice. This set-up, while more expensive per MB, allowed me to spend as little as possible on data and texting, yet still use what I need. I don't need data all the time. Just when I don't have wifi. I don't have wifi at work, and I don't want to use company resources for personal stuff, so this was a good option for me. Plus, I don't WANT voice on my data phone.

Dunno what I'll choose to do if this is real.

[LandSurveyor]

That's pretty much my situation. My employer doesn't allow personal use of the city computer system. I take that to include wifi. I have privacy issues with that anyway and would prefer to keep my personal data separate.

If they have you backed into a corner, you might check into the $30/mo PAYG plan I use with T-Mobile, that is, if you get good Tmo coverage in your area. It comes with 100 voice minutes a month but I used Page Plus for that due to Verizon's superior coverage in the boonies.

[Hook]

I believe this is real although, so far the only evidence for it is the Text which reads:

On 4/18 data packages will only be available with monthly plans. Pls move to monthly plan if you want 2 continue data package use.

They have not yet put this information on the rate table, in our accounts, nor is there any official press announcement. However,there is no reason to doubt the text message.

What this means:

For most people, it may not be a big deal. For myself and Tracy, it will uselessly drive up our costs with no benefit.

Here is the rate table I posted in January. As of right now, this is what they are showing on the site.

In addition there are messaging and data feature packages you can add to the above if needed. Feature packages are good for 30 days and,if renewed before the 30th day, will rollover any remaining value.

The messaging (text/media/IM) packages are:
200 messages $4.99
1000 messages $9.99
Unlimited (no rollover) $19.99

The data packages are:
10 Mb $5
100 Mb $15
500 Mb $25


Right now I have the 10 cents a minute plan. I pay $25 every 60 days. That gives me all the voice, texts and data I need and sometimes I can even stretch it further. There are rare occasions when I might add a $15 data package, usually when traveling, but then it rolls over nearly forever at $5 a month. So, basically, most of the time, I'm paying $12.50 a month.

Now I am going to be forced to pay $25/month for just voice and text and then an extra $5 on top of that for Data rollover. So I have jumped to a minimum $30 a month. Not really a sob story, but I'd rather not have to pay it.

So the question now will be how badly do I want data? I now have the Samsung Galaxy Player 5 and have been looking forward to having the luxurious option of sometimes using my Nexus One as a wifi hotspot when wifi isn't available. I've tried it and it works wonderfully. Post 386 was made that way. However, is the convenience worth 30/month versus pulling out my brand new Samsung Flip Phone Best Buy was selling for $3 and staying on the 10 cents a minute plan and not buying data at all?

I have until the 21st when my packages are due to renew to decide (I doubt they will pull anything out from under me until the renewal date). I may decide it is worth it.

I'm not sure there is anything terribly evil about there having done this. It is the changing market, but I am disappointed because I had a very nice set up that worked really well for me.

I'll post if I learn anything different.

EDIT: To be clear, the $2/day plan will also *not* be an option. It has to be one of the two monthly plans, based on the wording of the text message.