AT&T Cracking Down on iPhone 3G Users who aren’t on iPhone data plans
Thanks to one of our readers, we’re finding out that some iPhone 3G users have somehow managed to get on data plans that aren’t intended for the iPhone 3G. The following is an e-mail that AT&T sent out to this customer regarding usage:
Subject: Important information regarding your iPhone 3G
The new AT&T - Your world. Delivered.
Our service records indicate that you are using an iPhone 3G with a data plan designed for other devices.
To avoid unexpected data overage charges and enable Visual Voicemail, please contact your telecom manager, or an AT&T representative at 1-800-331-0500.
Thank you for choosing wireless from AT&T. We appreciate your business.
Sincerely,
AT&T Customer Service
So, if you were enjoying paying only $15 for AT&T’s MEdia Net Unlimited, enjoy it while you can! Pretty soon, AT&T will be making sure that you’ll all be paying twice that amount for their sub-par 3G service for the iPhone. And speaking of which, after 2.1 we’ve noticed improved reception, or at least “improved signal accuracy” (according to Apple and AT&T) on our iPhone 3Gs, but the data speed still remains disappointingly slow. Have any of you noticed significant gains in data speed?
Thanks, Loyal BG Reader!
Sure enough. I was using the gen 1 data plan and they texted and emailed me last night. “Your Data Plan is not eligible for iPhone 3G. To prevent excess charges and enable visual voicemail, please call 611 to add a data plan for iPhone”
Bummer!
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WoW! How do they know that you’re using a iphone 3G? Does the phone trasmit data over the network letting ATT know that you’re using the iphone and not some other phone?
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I have seen no speed increases and I think the improved accuracy of the reception meter is BS too. I had full bards with 3G signal and couldn’t open a web page and my other apps that were network based were not functioning.
Also, is anyone else’s GPS suck donkey balls? It’s slower than molasses in January to acquire. God forbid your are in a car, or under an umbrella or there are clouds - then it just doesn’t work for shit.
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Works Fine for me still.
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just when I was about to do that they pull this trick out of their hat. Ugh
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I cant even get one bar at my home. Always stays on edge. Its amazing how AT&T and Apple andadverstise this and get away with it.
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Jerry: Advertise what? More than a single bar at your home? I don’t think I’ve seen that ad. Where can it be found? Has anyone seen it but you?
Please, BGR, don’t say positive things about Apple, or negative things about any Apple competitor. When you do, all the whiners come out.
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i am not on an iphone but my 3g speed according to testmyiphone.com comes up as .88 mbps, or 107kb/s which isn’t too shabby for being almost 5 in the early evening.
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My actual signal strength, as reported by Field Test, did not improve after 2.1, however my iPhone 3G went from 1 bar to 4-5 bars. Which I *would* call bullshit on, but I haven’t had any dropped calls since upgrading! Which is amazing, since I used to drop almost every call in my house prior to 2.1.
My 3G data speeds have always been pretty good - around 1.2 Mbps downstream. No change there.
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Perspective: How about the fact that its labeled as 3G and how about all those commercials with “Bars”. Are you that retarded or just an apple fanboy? STFU if you dont have anything smart to say. Maybe its the fact that BGR always has something good to say even when its bad….when it comes to ATT or Apple.
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Yep they sent me a text message with this, and I have no clue how they know but they do. The iphone is my second phone so its got the least amount of data usage, so I doubt there is any way for them to charge me any crazy fee’s. I suppose the biggest disappointment is the cat that I am going to have to cough up another $15 a month. From a functionality standpoint, the phone is fine, GPS works great and I certainly get 3G reception in the places I need it, just wish there were a method for tethering the phone so I would not have to pay $60 a month for my data card too when the phone is perfectly capable of doing so.
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to all
ATT is able to detect which phone you’re using, esp branded phones
then they’re easily detect are you using iPhone 3G
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I got the same text/email too.
There is no way in hell I’m paying $30 a month to be on AT&T’s shitty 3G network.
Why should I pay double just because of the device? I mean it’s not like I use more DATA because you can’t even tether with the iPhone.
If I use my e71 (with tethering) on the $15 media net ATT couldn’t care less.
and BTW I didn’t buy my 3G iPhone from ATT so I didn’t sign any agreements to pay anything.
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Wait, you’re taking this as a pro-AT&T and pro-Apple post? Seriously? Did you miss the following…
“for their sub-par 3G service for the iPhone”
“the data speed still remains disappointingly slow”
Oooooooh. Ok. Hater.
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This is definitely true and it is not only for iPhones although this is the ones that they are taking more seriously from the looks of it. iPhones usage is eating up most of the network.
Once you are on our network, the information is sent on which phones you are using, whether you have your IMEI correct/incorrect.
Yes I have definitely noticed improved speeds. I wasn’t even able to surf in my lower level apartment, let alone get more than one bar. Now I get 4-5 consistently and I am able to surf.
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This is just starting with the iphone, soon it should spread out to all users who are using a media net plan with a smartphone. We have a new department that is analyzing data usage.
Also AT&T always knows what phone you’re using if it’s AT&T branded. The IMEI transmits back and identifys the device.
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HAHAHA
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Yeah, AT&T runs IMEI sweeps - that is, checking the IMEIs in their network to see if they’re using the correct plans and such.
From what I’m guessing, they are searching IMEIs for iPhones that DON’T contain an iPhone Data Plan.
Then they take that list and send out the threatmails.
They _do_ know what device is used at any time - I pulled my Samsung A737 SIM and put it in a Nokia 6102i - My Wireless now shows me as using a Nokia.
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AT&T also locks certain “promo” plans from customers who have unlocked devices on their accounts, if the system captures your IMEI and it determines it as a “Unknown GSM device” you can’t get certain data plans on the accnt.
However, information on this new system last week and Sara is absolutely correct..on all points.
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To his argument BGR, this is hate towards AT&T, not Apple in anyway, which is probably well deserved seeing as how their 3G is pretty subpar. I don’t know if I’d jump on the bandwagon and say you’re pro-Apple, but I can understand why people would see it that way. BGR was arguably one of the only networks that haven’t really posted any bad news/issues surrounding the iPhone 3G. Didn’t see anything about the App store bricking devices, iTunes failing to sync or activate phone, the crashes of the 3G network that affected ONLY iPhone users, etc. Nothing negative.
I think the last thing I can recall seeing was the “FAILME” post about MobileME, but even to that it was posted in a “good light” type of story with that BS article “to employees that was supposedly leaked” with Steve Jobs saying how he knew they messed up. Come on, it was obvious in how it was written that it was pitched and purposely leaked to the media to keep their reputation and take the light off the fact that Steve made a pretty bold statement he was going after BlackBerry and their MobileME service failed on epic proportions. MobileME couldn’t work on a consumer level and they think they are going after RIM who dominates both the consumer AND enterprise side? Pretty funny.
So, in that sense (lacking any news stories about anything negative surrounding the iPhone and only talking about the good ones and putting positive spins on others) it’s sort of easy to see why people have come to that conclusion. Granted, YOU yourself have not made all the posts, as some have also come from staff. Regardless, though, it’s the image of the site that’s tainted with Apple fanboy love.
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Any data usage is going to go through AT&T’s gateway. Catching the browser information (Safari) in the HTTP request header is child’s play for them. Match that with the originating phone no., you get if they have an iPhone or not.
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It’s like getting a Blackberry and being forced to use a Blackberry data plan, always more expensive than regular MEdia Net or data plan.
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@Sara
Whats happens to the people who ignore the warning and don’t switch from Media Net to the iPhone 3G plan?
Will ATT cut of DATA altogether?
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I’m paying for the full 3G data access plan and I don’t even have 3G offered in my area. It pisses me off, but there’s not much I can do about it. I love my iPhone and I have to admit that the service (as in people) I’ve gotten from AT&T has been great.
In talking to them about their 3G and Edge speeds I’ve heard from technicians that the data requirements and extra load that the iPhone has placed on their systems took them by surprise. They expected a surge in usage, but never imagined so many iPhones would be sold and that so many users would use the net so much more than with other phones.
From what I’ve been told they are scrambling to upgrade their infrastructure and even bringing 3G to my area after the 1st of the year *woot!*
I still think it sucks that they force me to pay for 3G when they don’t even have it available in my state, and I wish they would let me tether and use VOIP, but compared to my old phone, well, there just is no comparison.
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Stupid asshole at att, they told me I would’ve HAD to get an overpriced iPhone plan if I wanted one. att sucks.
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