Upgrade to the Atrix "4G", Give Up Your Unlimited Data Pan

**das8nt** · 02-10-2011, 05:04 PM

A kick in the proverbial nuts from AT&T:

http://www.androidcentral.com/atts-4g-policies-revealed

(Title: Data Plan; too angry to type!)

**RippThaJacker** · 02-10-2011, 05:12 PM

I'm out, bye ATT. was already considering waiting for HTC pyramid, made my decision very easy.

**john_v** · 02-10-2011, 05:31 PM

I've been glad all week that I ditched ATT last Friday; have been enjoying my Android device and unlimited texting...thought I couldn't get any happier. Well this announcement just made a whole lot happier that I walked when I did and didn't give ATT any more money than necessary.

**eallan** · 02-10-2011, 05:35 PM

AT&T Responded to me on facebook saying that current unlimited users can upgrade to a 4g device and keep unlimited... we'll see.

**PringerZ** · 02-10-2011, 05:45 PM

From some of the posts in

The HSPA+ plans will allow you to grandfather your unlimited plans, this memo is supposedly for the LTE phones.

**Effington** · 02-10-2011, 06:13 PM

Will the Atrix work on AT&T's LTE network when they roll it out, or will it work on HSPA+ only?

What a scam calling HSPA+ 4G. Shame on you AT&T.

Although, technically, LTE isn't true 4G either...

**btgrave** · 02-10-2011, 06:24 PM

shut this thread down!

it has been clarified:

http://www.androidcentral.com/att-cl...heir-4g-policy

**EJL1980** · 02-10-2011, 06:25 PM

Originally Posted by Effington

Will the Atrix work on AT&T's LTE network when they roll it out, or will it work on HSPA+ only?

What a scam calling HSPA+ 4G. Shame on you AT&T.

Although, technically, LTE isn't true 4G either...

I believe AT&T's LTE frequencies are also in the 700MHz range as well, so no.

I've also read the ITU is acceptiong HSPA+, LTE, WiMax etc as "4G" now.

**textiaac** · 02-10-2011, 07:55 PM

Originally Posted by EJL1980

I believe AT&T's LTE frequencies are also in the 700MHz range as well, so no.

I've also read the ITU is acceptiong HSPA+, LTE, WiMax etc as "4G" now.

But HSPA+ is on 3G frequencies not 4G (700 Mhz) frequency. This is why it is not "4G" even though it can be legally labeled as such.

**EJL1980** · 02-10-2011, 08:09 PM

Originally Posted by textiaac

But HSPA+ is on 3G frequencies not 4G (700 Mhz) frequency. This is why it is not "4G" even though it can be legally labeled as such.

The frequency a network runs on has nothing to do with its generation.

**textiaac** · 02-10-2011, 08:35 PM

Originally Posted by EJL1980

The frequency a network runs on has nothing to do with its generation.

It is telling of the fact that it is old technology.

**EJL1980** · 02-10-2011, 08:50 PM

Originally Posted by textiaac

It is telling of the fact that it is old technology.

The reason LTE is going to be in the 700 MHz radio band is because it is no longer being used for television. It is not going there just because its new technology. I'm really not sure how you are coming to that conclusion, maybe i'm missing what you are trying to say?

**textiaac** · 02-11-2011, 01:07 AM

Originally Posted by EJL1980

The reason LTE is going to be in the 700 MHz radio band is because it is no longer being used for television. It is not going there just because its new technology. I'm really not sure how you are coming to that conclusion, maybe i'm missing what you are trying to say?

All I am saying is that HSPA+ is just a backhualed HSPDA and the fact that they share spectrum is not surprising.

**tawfiqmp** · 02-11-2011, 05:33 AM

Originally Posted by Effington

Will the Atrix work on AT&T's LTE network when they roll it out, or will it work on HSPA+ only?

What a scam calling HSPA+ 4G. Shame on you AT&T.

Although, technically, LTE isn't true 4G either...

To be fair, Sprint and T-Mobile are also calling theirs 4G and their speeds won't be much faster than AT&T's HSPA+.

**Ryan Roland** · 02-11-2011, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by tawfiqmp

To be fair, Sprint and T-Mobile are also calling theirs 4G and their speeds won't be much faster than AT&T's HSPA+.

True, 4G is kinda like Bluray. Even though there's attention around it it's kinda obsolete anyway when you consider Digital distribution will be a main form of video.

At least at&t called it 4G at the time of launch (HSPA+) where as Tmo had it for quite sometime and just decided to change its name to 4G just to make it look like they rolled out nationwide 4G overnight. Then to make a bold claim of having the largest "4G" network like it was gonna help them. Shame should be on them for trying to pull the biggest scam on America.

But according to ITU (sp?) no one in the US have true 4G until LTE rolls out then it will be on the same playing field as the rest of the major countries

**RedneckButlerBoy#AC** · 02-13-2011, 09:22 AM

What you guys forget is it doesn't matter what frequency or network type it runs on, but what APN (Access Point Name) it's set to use. That is why a branded device can't tether without a tethering plan but a Nexus can. When they are branded they program the phone to only go through certain APN's for certain things. Tethering done their way is limited to isp.cingular or broadband APN and something like a Nexus/stock android phone just uses the same WAP settings of the browser. All they have to do is tell the manufacture of any "4G" phone to make sure the browser uses what ever APN they decide to use for 4G instead of WAP and you are locked out unless you give up your unlimited data plan to move to one that has the "right" APN. Hopefully the hacker community will be able to change that otherwise we will be SOL come upgrade time.

**textiaac** · 02-13-2011, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by Ryan Roland

True, 4G is kinda like Bluray. Even though there's attention around it it's kinda obsolete anyway when you consider Digital distribution will be a main form of video.

Interesting analogy.

**Tom S.** · 02-13-2011, 04:06 PM

Originally Posted by Bob Brown

shut this thread down!

it has been clarified:

http://www.androidcentral.com/att-cl...heir-4g-policy

Someone needs to tell the reps answering the phones. He had no idea what I was talking about and said I had to have one of the new tiered plans. I couldn't grandfather in my unlimited plan. I have a Blackberry bold 9700 with an associated tether unlimited plan. I'm assuming I should have these data plans grandfathered in, right? This guy's logic was that every device has its own data plan, so you could never port that plan to another device.

Am I completely wrong here? If I am, how would you ever get to the point where you could upgrade to a new device and keep your old unlimited plan? This guy was giving me an example of going from the iPhone 4 to Iphone 5 where you could keep your unlimited plan. So, if I own a Atrix 1, when the Atrix 2 comes out I can grandfather in my plan? That was a joke.

**ka3yan** · 02-13-2011, 06:08 PM

He was wrong.

**RedneckButlerBoy#AC** · 02-13-2011, 08:19 PM

If anyone still thinks they will let you keep your unlimited data on a HSPA+ device, read the top of this page Engadget posted.

**corneliusm** · 02-13-2011, 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by Tom S.

Someone needs to tell the reps answering the phones. He had no idea what I was talking about and said I had to have one of the new tiered plans. I couldn't grandfather in my unlimited plan. I have a Blackberry bold 9700 with an associated tether unlimited plan. I'm assuming I should have these data plans grandfathered in, right? This guy's logic was that every device has its own data plan, so you could never port that plan to another device.

Weird... I spent all morning with 4 different people from AT&T (trying to get my credit card to process- ended up going to a store), and none have told me that I needed to switch to a tiered dataplan. In fact, the last woman I talked to advised me how to keep my unlimited (since my 3G unlimited plan is incompatible- it must be upgraded to 4G unlimited to preorder).

If the person on the other end tells you to switch to a tiered plan, immediately hang up and find someone else. Maybe there's a couple of at&t employees who were misinformed or idiots. The ones I dealt with weren't.

**jess.hickey** · 02-13-2011, 08:48 PM

(well, now this looks a little out of place since the posting above it was removed) for those that missed it, someone posted the following link trying to prove we would all loss our unlimited data plans

What I can provide to this is the following

After I ordered my Atrix from an online rep and convinced her I did NOT have to give up my unlimited plan and she finally agreed I checked my online account to make sure everything remained in place.

What they did was put an expiration date sometime in April for my current unlimited plan. Right above it there is a plan that looks identical and at the same price that has an effective date that is the same as my current plan. If I click on the information button for the new plan I see the following

SmartPhone Personal
Data Plan for SmartPhones. Unlimited domestic data usage. Only available for upgrades. Requires customers to be on a "Gold List" SmartPhone Plan prior to upgrade to HSPA+ device.

So, new subscribers or those without a current unlimited plan may have to sign for one of the new plans. Also, if you will look at the third line down on the photo it says "Pricing and bucket sizes are the same as non HSPA+ smartphones"

**foxpacific** · 02-14-2011, 04:55 PM

HAH!!! After all the stories I'm reading, now I have one of my own.

I walked in the store to preorder the Atrix, they wouldn't take my cash or debit card, has to be a credit card. I don't own one so I leave the store trying to find somebody that has one.

I figure I'll call it in with the credit card number of a friend. The guy on the phone first tells me I can't keep my unlimited plan, and I'm thinking oh boy here we go, so after a little discussion he puts me on hold and comes back on the line. Says he doesn't know why the store wouldn't take my money for the "Matrix.. or what was it called?"... I try to confirm, telling him the Motorola Atrix, he said he's never heard of it before!!!!! I'm about to fall on the floor laughing, WHAT!!!! All the advertisement going into this new device and an AT&T employee has never heard of it... oh my gawd!!!

Now, I kinda knew he had no clue what was going on in the first place, but THAT clueless... really?????

Still on the hunt for my Atrix!!!!

**dLo GSR** · 02-14-2011, 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by foxpacific

HAH!!! After all the stories I'm reading, now I have one of my own.

I walked in the store to preorder the Atrix, they wouldn't take my cash or debit card, has to be a credit card. I don't own one so I leave the store trying to find somebody that has one.

I figure I'll call it in with the credit card number of a friend. The guy on the phone first tells me I can't keep my unlimited plan, and I'm thinking oh boy here we go, so after a little discussion he puts me on hold and comes back on the line. Says he doesn't know why the store wouldn't take my money for the "Matrix.. or what was it called?"... I try to confirm, telling him the Motorola Atrix, he said he's never heard of it before!!!!! I'm about to fall on the floor laughing, WHAT!!!! All the advertisement going into this new device and an AT&T employee has never heard of it... oh my gawd!!!

Now, I kinda knew he had no clue what was going on in the first place, but THAT clueless... really?????

Still on the hunt for my Atrix!!!!

how do you have a cellular phone plan but not a credit card?