Why I've given up on AT&T

[Urgo]

I've been monitoring this forum for the past couple of weeks keeping the tab open as well as monitoring twitter and countless other locations for news pertaining to the Galaxy Nexus coming to AT&T and I just wanted to share a bad experience that happened to me this past week with the rest of you so you don't get locked in to the same bad situation.

I've been a customer of AT&T (formerly Cingular & Cellular One) for 11 years and have had an unlimited data plan for at least the past 6 years (got a treo around 2004). One of the features I've used throughout this time was tethering (pdanet on the treo and my winmobile phone and then built into android). I normally don't use all that much bandwidth (under 5gb a month normally, usually under 3) but this past week AT&T contacts me (via email, txt msg, and snail mail) saying my unlimited plan is no longer good and that I need to pay a lot more for a lot less.

Even after talking to their customer service department they were dead set against doing anything and would rather see me leave then do anything to keep me.

To give a little more perspective I love android. I was watching android closely ever since the G1 came out and then the droid.. and the nexus one.. but I didn't want to switch off of AT&T. I ended up buying the nexus one the day they went on sale and thats the phone I still have. Since then AT&T's lineup of AT&T phones have severely lacked what the other carriers have offered so thats one reason this was really my final straw.


Anyway I just wanted to get the message out that if you're sticking with AT&T because you have unlimited data you should be scared, they are breaking their 'grandfather' promise and kicking people off.

I have made a youtube video stating all of this as well if you want to check it out and spread the word. Now I can't wait until the Verizon Galaxy Nexus comes out!

[YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn7ZCbU9uI0[/YT]

 

[Zendroid1]

So you tethered against their policy and were punished for breaking the rules? Good job

 

[Urgo]

The plan I signed up for and was grandfathered into was before they had separate tethering plans so I violated no such policy.

 

[phositadc]

Were they going to let you keep your unlimited data plan if you agreed to stop tethering? Or were they kicking you off of your unlimited data plan, period, nothing you could do to stop it?

Also, what would you say your average monthly data usage total (including both phone and tethering usage)? And how much of that total is attributable to tethering?

Just curious... trying to determine if I would ever be at risk for getting a similar letter.

The one thing I would warn you about is that you will not really be more satisfied with Vzw. Yes, its service and coverage is generally better, but you will never have the option of importing a phone. You know that Nexus One you've had for 2 years? Never on Verizon. Nor was the Nexus S which has been available on AT&T for quite awhile. Nor the GS2 which was available internationally (and importable to AT&T) over 6 months ago. Also, keep in mind there is not even a confirmed date for the GNexus on Vzw. Remember that Verizon was pretty much a slam dunk for getting the Nexus One, but it never did? I don't think that will happen with the GNexus, but who the heck knows when it will actually be available. On AT&T you could be rocking an unlocked GNexus right now if you were willing to import it.

So yeah, this sucks, but just beware that if you sign up for Verizon you will be stuck with the limited selection of Verizon phones, and when awesome new phones come out internationally you won't even have the option to import them. That was/is my major complaint with Vzw.

 

[Urgo]

Were they going to let you keep your unlimited data plan if you agreed to stop tethering? Or were they kicking you off of your unlimited data plan, period, nothing you could do to stop it?

Also, what would you say your average monthly data usage total (including both phone and tethering usage)? And how much of that total is attributable to tethering?

Just curious... trying to determine if I would ever be at risk for getting a similar letter.

The one thing I would warn you about is that you will not really be more satisfied with Vzw. Yes, its service and coverage is generally better, but you will never have the option of importing a phone. You know that Nexus One you've had for 2 years? Never on Verizon. Nor was the Nexus S which has been available on AT&T for quite awhile. Nor the GS2 which was available internationally (and importable to AT&T) over 6 months ago.

So yeah, this sucks, but just beware that if you sign up for Verizon you will be stuck with the limited selection of Verizon phones, and when awesome new phones come out internationally you won't even have the option to import them. That was/is my major complaint with Vzw.

You make some really great points here about the downfalls of Verizon. Perhaps when the Galaxy Nexus gets old I'll have to switch again. I just liked staying loyal and not switching and hoped the feeling was mutual. I haven't even been in a contract with AT&T for many years as I bought the nexus one directly from google. I stayed loyal because not because I had to but because I wanted to.

Anyway to answer your usage question I can't say offhand exactly how much was each but I was traveling at least a week in each of the months in the graph below... the rest was just phone usage.

 

[timberga]

Gotta side with most of the posters here.......

I was on Cingular with unlimited data too.....it was pretty clear even with unlimited data that tethering was NOT included, , they didn't even know hot to bill for it way back when.....

Your unlimited data is for your mobile device only, I'm sure that was stated in your wireless terms when you originally signed up (not that you have them).....It does suck, because I agree that we should be able to tether, but overall I can't fault them with charging for it. I haven't switched plans because I want to keep my unlimited data.

 

[Tom S.]

There's no way for them to tell you are tethering with pdanet. They could guess if you use a lot of data. You're usage doesn't look too high to me. I watch netflix and use a lot of data.

 

[Kevin OQuinn]

There's no way for them to tell you are tethering with pdanet. They could guess if you use a lot of data. You're usage doesn't look too high to me. I watch netflix and use a lot of data.

If you think that they can't tell I got a proposition for you...

Lol. Carriers are in it to make money. They most definitely know who tethers without paying.

Sent from my SGS II

 

[jflexe99]

I was somehow kicked off my unlimited data. But I got the unlimited data put back on thankfully no hassle.

 

[Tom S.]

If you think that they can't tell I got a proposition for you...

Lol. Carriers are in it to make money. They most definitely know who tethers without paying.

Sent from my SGS II

Wrong. If you use AT&T communications manager, then they know. With Pdanet, they do not. I only tether occasionally, as I use my phone for everything I can.

 

[theblizzard2009]

The plan I signed up for and was grandfathered into was before they had separate tethering plans so I violated no such policy.

Take a moment and read the 'Terms & Conditions' of ANY major cell phone carrier with a contract.

It clearly states across the board that Terms & Conditions are Subject to Change WITHOUT Notice, and can change at ANY time for ANY reason.

...it's 2011, almost 2012, the terms have changes. You are not grandfathered into ANYTHING once you sign a Terms & Conditions agreement. Not now, not then, not ever.

Have a wonderful day!