AT&T CEO says data-only subscriptions 'inevitable' for wireless networks

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Comments

  • Reply 41 of 75
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    orlando wrote: »
    Before we all start dumping voice packages and go data only, have they managed to find a solution for 911 calls?

    The solution was found years ago, but it costs the company money to implement. I remember the fight Vonage was having with customers and governments over it.
  • Reply 42 of 75
    libertyforalllibertyforall Posts: 1,418member


    Just use a GoPhone SIM on iPhone -- problem solved.


     


    I know someone who does exactly that.


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


     


    America. They don't give those out. And it doesn't matter, because I'd have to go with a regional carrier (or T-Mobile) that doesn't have the iPhone to be allowed to a plan without data, anyway.


  • Reply 43 of 75
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by libertyforall View Post

    Just use a GoPhone SIM on iPhone -- problem solved.


     


    I know someone who does exactly that.



     


    AT&T. They'll add the data plan.

  • Reply 44 of 75
    iansilviansilv Posts: 283member
    You know what else is inevitable Randall? Apple buying a carrier and forcing its competition to the roles they should have- dumb data pipes that behave like utility companies. No advertising budget, no idiot CEOs, no deliberate consumer confusion and tiered plans. THAT is the future RANDALL.
  • Reply 45 of 75
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    iansilv wrote: »
    You know what else is inevitable Randall? Apple buying a carrier and forcing its competition to the roles they should have- dumb data pipes that behave like utility companies. No advertising budget, no idiot CEOs, no deliberate consumer confusion and tiered plans. THAT is the future RANDALL.

    Not likely at all. Apple relies on the carriers to sell most of its phones. They're not going to piss off the carriers for some nebulous gains.
  • Reply 46 of 75
    tyler82tyler82 Posts: 1,100member
    Its called an ipad.
  • Reply 47 of 75

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    "I'll be surprised if, in the next 24 months, we don't see people in the market place with data-only plans," Stephenson said. "I just think that's inevitable."


     


    The thing that's most ridiculous about Stephenson's statement is that he acts like this is something new and totally visionary.


     


    The FACTS? I had a data-only AT&T plan on my Palm Treo 680 in 2007, which I got right before the original iPhone came out.


     


    When I bought my iPhone 4 in 2010, AT&T forced me to forfeit my data-only plan. Over the past two years, AT&T has billed me hundreds of dollars for phone service that I don't even use.

  • Reply 48 of 75
    libertyforalllibertyforall Posts: 1,418member


    Wrong, all you do is buy minutes with the prepaid cards at local supermarkets, etc.


     


    No data.


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


     


    AT&T. They'll add the data plan.


  • Reply 49 of 75
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by theJoshMeister View Post


    When I bought my iPhone 4 in 2010, AT&T forced me to forfeit my data-only plan. Over the past two years, AT&T has billed me hundreds of dollars for phone service that I don't even use.



     


    You fight that by refusing to upgrade ever. Verizon can pry my crappy flip phone when I'm dead and buried if they continue to refuse to allow us the plans we want. Maybe in 90 years they'll be able to shut off their old spectrum… image


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by libertyforall View Post

    Wrong, all you do is buy minutes with the prepaid cards at local supermarkets, etc.


     


    No data.



     


    Wrong, AT&T sees the iPhone on the network and adds the data plan. If you get to use 'know someone' stories, I do, too. Two optometrists, both with unlocked (via jailbreak) iPhones, both on Centennial. They don't have data with them because they have no use for it, one, and two because Centennial didn't support the right bands. Centennial gets bought by AT&T, and they get messages saying data plans have been added to their accounts. They're doctors, they're rich, they can afford it, but they were ticked off like no other. I think they've moved to T-Mobile by now… with unlocked iPhones still.

  • Reply 50 of 75
    libertyforalllibertyforall Posts: 1,418member


    You are just flat out wrong, GoPhone sim in original iPhone for YEARS with no data.  I set the phone up and regularly observed this working on the device.  Speaking from experience.  


     


    Plans?!  I never said anything about a plan, this is where you buy x number of hours for $25 at a Jewel, and activate the card via phone, and then that amount is added to your GoPhone sim.  There is no plan!!!


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


     


    Wrong, AT&T sees the iPhone on the network and adds the data plan. If you get to use 'know someone' stories, I do, too. Two optometrists, both with unlocked (via jailbreak) iPhones, both on Centennial. They don't have data with them because they have no use for it, one, and two because Centennial didn't support the right bands. Centennial gets bought by AT&T, and they get messages saying data plans have been added to their accounts. They're doctors, they're rich, they can afford it, but they were ticked off like no other. I think they've moved to T-Mobile by now… with unlocked iPhones still.


  • Reply 51 of 75
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by libertyforall View Post

    You are just flat out wrong, GoPhone sim in original iPhone for YEARS with no data.  I set the phone up and regularly observed this working on the device.  Speaking from experience.


     


    Plans?!  I never said anything about a plan, this is where you buy x number of hours for $25 at a Jewel, and activate the card via phone, and then that amount is added to your GoPhone sim.  There is no plan!!!



     


    You're on their network, they can see it, they do whatever they want. That's all I know.

  • Reply 52 of 75
    neosumneosum Posts: 113member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


     


    You're on their network, they can see it, they do whatever they want. That's all I know.





    I have helped several people get setup on ATT with iphones and no data. First, setup a line without data using a different phone. Then turn off cellular data on the iphone and pop the chip in. If using an iphone 4 or 4s, just cut the sim to size and it works just fine. They've been using this for years and only use data when they are on wifi. Other than that, the phone, sms, gps, location service, etc portions work just fine. I was just like you, adamant about ATT forcing data plans because it happened to me. But after seeing that it hasn't happened to my friends, probably has to do with turning cellular data off, I know it's possible.

  • Reply 53 of 75
    blah64blah64 Posts: 993member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by libertyforall View Post


    You are just flat out wrong, GoPhone sim in original iPhone for YEARS with no data.  I set the phone up and regularly observed this working on the device.  Speaking from experience.  


     


    Plans?!  I never said anything about a plan, this is where you buy x number of hours for $25 at a Jewel, and activate the card via phone, and then that amount is added to your GoPhone sim.  There is no plan!!!


     



     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


     


    You're on their network, they can see it, they do whatever they want. That's all I know.



     


    I have no "I know someone who..." story, but I have an interest in this because I'd like to do it myself.


     


    That said, just reading the back-and-forth here with no bias, I think Tallest is misunderstanding Liberty's description, or at least missing part of it.


     


    If you don't have a plan at all, and AT&T is not your provider, then there's no plan to add anything onto.  Here's the problem I see:


     


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


     


    ... Two optometrists, both with unlocked (via jailbreak) iPhones, both on Centennial. ...


     


    ... Centennial gets bought by AT&T ...


     


     



     


     


    The phones may have been unlocked, but they were still on a plan, and those plans became AT&T plans, so from a technical standpoint AT&T can do whatever they want.  Right?  As long as they don't mind being seen as assholes.


     


    [edit: I just looked up GoPhone and see that they are also now owned by AT&T, so a big: huh?]


     


    So, Liberty, can you elaborate a bit on the GoPhone method?  What I'm interested in is having a pre-pay iPhone without ANY kind of plan.  In other words, just like if you went to any of the cell booths around and said "Hi, I'm John/Jane Doe; I'd like a phone with no plan", hand them some cash and be on your way.  (No, I'm not doing anything illegal, I'm just sick and tired of every damn thing people do being tracked, monitored and used for profiling)  Anyway, this works fine with cheap phones, but not so much with an iPhone as far as I can tell.


     


    What I'd really like is to do this and have data but no voice plan whatsoever.  It could even be very minimal plan.  Like Tallest, I have an old flip phone for voice that I refuse to give up, and have no problem carrying two devices.  I'm within WiFi coverage 95% of the time, so a Touch or laptop work great, but it would just be nice to occasionally be able to look things up when that's not the case.

  • Reply 54 of 75
    blah64blah64 Posts: 993member


    Also, EVERYONE should read this:


     


    How US Carriers Fool You Into Thinking Your iPhone 4s Is Unlocked


     


    Someone else posted a link to this recently, and it's a very, very informative article.


     


    There are actually 4 different versions of iPhone 4s.  They just don't tell you.

  • Reply 55 of 75

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Blah64 View Post


    Also, EVERYONE should read this:


     


    How US Carriers Fool You Into Thinking Your iPhone 4s Is Unlocked


     


    Someone else posted a link to this recently, and it's a very, very informative article.


     


    There are actually 4 different versions of iPhone 4s.  They just don't tell you.



    Proof as in a link confirming this.

  • Reply 56 of 75
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    iansilv wrote: »
    You know what else is inevitable Randall? Apple buying a carrier and forcing its competition to the roles they should have- dumb data pipes that behave like utility companies. No advertising budget, no idiot CEOs, no deliberate consumer confusion and tiered plans. THAT is the future RANDALL.

    I'm doubt that very much. It's always a bad idea to go into competition with your customers.
  • Reply 57 of 75
    bwikbwik Posts: 565member


    Horrible person.  It's good to study the company you're allying with.  AT&T wanted to hold us all hostage.  It's important not to forget that, and patronize the alternative services instead.

  • Reply 58 of 75
    libertyforalllibertyforall Posts: 1,418member


    I can confirm this also works on a 3GS that I saw work like this today as well.  


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


     


    You're on their network, they can see it, they do whatever they want. That's all I know.


  • Reply 59 of 75
    libertyforalllibertyforall Posts: 1,418member


    Yes, AT&T GoPhone, just take a phone only SIM from an activated GoPhone into an unlocked iPhone.  Add voice/sms credits to the phone with a card you buy at any retails store selling them.  No need for any data plan.


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Blah64 View Post


     


     


    I have no "I know someone who..." story, but I have an interest in this because I'd like to do it myself.


     


    That said, just reading the back-and-forth here with no bias, I think Tallest is misunderstanding Liberty's description, or at least missing part of it.


     


    If you don't have a plan at all, and AT&T is not your provider, then there's no plan to add anything onto.  Here's the problem I see:


     


     


     


     


    The phones may have been unlocked, but they were still on a plan, and those plans became AT&T plans, so from a technical standpoint AT&T can do whatever they want.  Right?  As long as they don't mind being seen as assholes.


     


    [edit: I just looked up GoPhone and see that they are also now owned by AT&T, so a big: huh?]


     


    So, Liberty, can you elaborate a bit on the GoPhone method?  What I'm interested in is having a pre-pay iPhone without ANY kind of plan.  In other words, just like if you went to any of the cell booths around and said "Hi, I'm John/Jane Doe; I'd like a phone with no plan", hand them some cash and be on your way.  (No, I'm not doing anything illegal, I'm just sick and tired of every damn thing people do being tracked, monitored and used for profiling)  Anyway, this works fine with cheap phones, but not so much with an iPhone as far as I can tell.


     


    What I'd really like is to do this and have data but no voice plan whatsoever.  It could even be very minimal plan.  Like Tallest, I have an old flip phone for voice that I refuse to give up, and have no problem carrying two devices.  I'm within WiFi coverage 95% of the time, so a Touch or laptop work great, but it would just be nice to occasionally be able to look things up when that's not the case.


  • Reply 60 of 75
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by libertyforall View Post

    Yes, AT&T GoPhone, just take a phone only SIM from an activated GoPhone into an unlocked iPhone.  Add voice/sms credits to the phone with a card you buy at any retails store selling them.  No need for any data plan.


     


    Must anything be done on your end to ensure you don't rack up any data charges?

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