Data Plan Grandfather Rules: Where Are They Written?

[ecustomer]

I was told by AT&T customer service representatives that I can upgrade from an 3G BlackBerry Torch 9800 to a 4G BlackBerry Torch 9810 without forfeiting my "BlackBerry Personal" unlimited data plan but that I cannot upgrade from a 3G MiFi 2372 Mobile Hotspot to the 4G Elevate Mobile Hotspot without having to change my "Data Connect" unlimited data plan to one of the new plans with a fixed number of MBs.

This is contradictory. While a change in device was the justification provided for losing the unlimited data plan in the latter case, changing the device in the former case had no effect on the unlimited data plan.

Does anyone know where may I find AT&T's rules on grandfathered data plans?

[Mister Xiado]

I've seen plenty of 9810 upgrades done without dropping unlimited data. Just keep trying to upgrade over the phone, and if you can't keep your unlimited data, cancel the upgrade and try again with someone else. I don't trust stores, since changing your data plan would net them a payout, and they always throw people at Customer Care to restore the features that they removed.

Ask a rep to look up the talking points for data plus and data pro. Dunno how that applies to the new LTE data features, but the 9810 isn't LTE, it's HSPA+, like the iPhone 4, and THAT phone is allowed to keep unlimited data!

[okrahere]

Was any one able to upgrade a blackberry ONLY plan to a 4G data only plan. I got the same non-sense today at the store and over the phone when I tried to upgrade my blackberry to blackberry torch 9810. I was told that I could buy an only purchase a 3G blackberry to keep my 3G unlimited blackberry ONLY data plan and I was not eligible to purchase at full price or as upgrade price without losing my 3G unlimited blackberry ONLY data plan.

I guess there are so few folks with this plan that at&t is blowing us off.

[Mister Xiado]

You're being misled, then, and for what reason, I do not know. Look, ask technical support to process an upgrade for you SUNDAY NIGHT, and make sure that unlimited data is still an option when your data plan is being selected. You can always back out at any point if it's not, but upgrades NEVER require the removal of unlimited data.

Don't get information from a store. Their jobs are not to fix service problems; they exist to sell you things.

[NitroxDiver34]

I had this same problem when I upgraded with Tmobile. It seems all the major carriers who offered unlimited data prior to rolling out 4G data speeds now want all those old grandfathered data plans weeded out of their systems. By law, they cannot force you to part with your unlimited data plan, but they can lie to you to get you to switch! I called into customer care and demanded that they fax/email me something in writing stating the reason for their refusal to upgrade me unless I dumped my unltd data plan which is now an unltd HIGH SPEED data plan and they caved in and admitted that they could not force me to change data plans in order to upgrade.

[Mister Xiado]

Anybody who tells you that you have to drop unlimited data just to upgrade to another smartphone should be reported to their superior for providing misinformation.

[okrahere]

Did anyone's blackberry plan change from "BBRYUNLOPT" once 4G was enabled? If it changed what is the new code?

Thank again for all the great posts in this forum. I would have made a major mistake without these posts.

[okrahere]

Thanks for all the great information in this forum. I might have lost my unlimited plan without it.

Here was my experience with the AT&T unlimited rip off.

My Rate Plan*

Blackberry Including Unlimited MB

CODE: BBRYUNLOPT

Note: This is a blackberry data only plan. I have no voice minutes and no text messages on the plan. All voice calls and text messages are blocked.

The store was absolutely animate that in order to purchase a blackberry 9810, I was required to purchase a 4g tiered data plan. I even talked to the manager at the store and the reason given that this was a 4g device and the device required a new 4g plan. I called customer service twice and got the same response. Both the store representatives and customer service representatives attempted to enter the phone as an upgrade in the system and it was rejected for the unlimited blackberry option. Customer service over the phone even discussed the situation with the manager. Another reason given was this plan was not grandfathered because that it did not have voice minutes and only plans with voice minutes qualified for the grandfather status. I should have requested this in writing but did not think of that when in the store.

I decided to order online and interesting enough the plan did not change at all and the phone works fine after activation. My blackberry plan is still unlimited. I guess it is 4g but it probably makes little difference because where I live 3g and 4g speeds are the same. We are supposed to have 4g in this area but who knows. Anyway I needed a new blackberry but I was not going to buy the 9800 as the representatives insisted in order to keep my current plan.

I sale used gsm phones on craigslist, so I did some testing of the new 4G SIM.

1) The APN has changed from to “phone” but “wap.cingular” still works. Could not tell any difference in speed by changing the APN on the blackberry 9810.
2) The 4g sim works fine in other phones but unable to use the “phone” APN (which is the 4g APN for 4g phones on AT&T) in a HTC Inspire 4g. I guess the 4g APN “phone” is probably connected to the plan like other ATT 4g phones. Not really sure on this at all only ATT knows. The “wap.cingular” APN works fine though.
3) Phones that the sim was tested and data worked fine were T-Mobile Samsung Vibrant (2G), AT&T Motorola V551 (flip phone GSM), AT&T HTC Inspire 4g (3G) and AT&T Samsung Captivate (3G). All phones were unlocked and used the “wap.cingular” APN. The “phone” APN would not work in these phones.
4) The 4G sim would not work in an unlocked T-Mobile HTC G2 but the old AT&T 3G SIM card works fine in this phone. Could be an APN problem. The APN would never take, so it be something else causing the problem.

I hope this information helps someone, but whatever you do DON'T let them change your unlimited data plan.

Thanks a lot!

Later

[kilted_thrower]

Strange.

I was on unlimited when I had a blackberry. When I switched phones, I didn't lose unlimited. The only thing that changed when I switched to a 4G phone was I had to get a 4G sim card. But the issue of me losing my unlimited plan never came up.

Now if I could just get them to switch my unlimited to a tablet and switch to a non-smart phone for calling and texting would be awesome.