AT&T Cell phone question, can you help?

[tmarquez]

We have the family plan with AT&T. My contract is up and I am eligable for for a "free" phone upgrade on my line. I don't really want a new phone, but I'd like to get one for DH (his contract still has a ways to go).

In the past when this happened, I would order the phone and then just simply switch the SIM cards. Never had a problem doing that.

This time DH wants to get a smartphone. I was wondering if it would work the same way? Or do they have some special type of SIM card? Also a data plan is required, so would I be able to switch that easily from my line to his?

Thanks!

 

[lovesmurfs]

We have the family plan with AT&T. My contract is up and I am eligable for for a "free" phone upgrade on my line. I don't really want a new phone, but I'd like to get one for DH (his contract still has a ways to go).

In the past when this happened, I would order the phone and then just simply switch the SIM cards. Never had a problem doing that.

This time DH wants to get a smartphone. I was wondering if it would work the same way? Or do they have some special type of SIM card? Also a data plan is required, so would I be able to switch that easily from my line to his?

Thanks!

We switch upgrades all of the time. You will need to go to the store and tell them what you want to do, though, or else the data plan is placed on the wrong phone number. It's not a problem at all for someone else in the family to use the upgrade.

I love my Blackberry, but it is a significant expense -- $30 for the data plan (and is ONLY on mine -- if DH gets a smartphone, it'll be an additional $30/month). AND I have to pay $15/month for "push" so that my office Outlook will send the emails and sync with my phone.

 

[Lanshark]

We had no problem switching our upgrades. DS broke his phone and I was due for an upgrade. He upgraded to an iphone without a problem. Just go in to a store.

 

[bdoyledimou]

keep in mind the new iPhone 4s use the new microSims so you would be issued a new one with the phone.

 

[schmitty]

Id stay away from the Iphone 4. Its a really really bad phone.

 

[RadioNate]

Id stay away from the Iphone 4. Its a really really bad phone.

Do you have one? I do & I don't find it to be a "really really bad phone."

It is FAR better than my mom's Sansung smartphone.

There are several videos online that duplicate the iphone4s reception issue with the new Captive.

 

[schmitty]

My my arent you quick to throw other companies under the bus just like the god you worship does.

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

We switch upgrades all of the time. You will need to go to the store and tell them what you want to do, though, or else the data plan is placed on the wrong phone number. It's not a problem at all for someone else in the family to use the upgrade.

I love my Blackberry, but it is a significant expense -- $30 for the data plan (and is ONLY on mine -- if DH gets a smartphone, it'll be an additional $30/month). AND I have to pay $15/month for "push" so that my office Outlook will send the emails and sync with my phone.

You can make the "ownership" change over the phone as well. I gave DD my last upgrade and although we switched the SIM card and the phone worked, it is still in your best interest to notify AT&T, especially when smart-phones and other phones are on the same plan. You can now get a data plan for as low as $15 per month for 200 mb of data use.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

We just went through this. It can be done, but the smartphone, like iPhone, doesn't have the type of sim card that you can use off of a regular phone, so those can't be switched like between two regular phones. They just use the new one that comes with the smartphone.

Re data plan. If you are a first time buyer of a data plan, the unlimited plan ($30/month) is no longer available. Your choices are the 2G/month for $25 or 200MB/month for $15. However, if you work for a company that gets an ATT discount, you can get a 25% discount ONLY on the 2GB plan, which brings the cost down to about $19/month, which may make more sense than the 200MB plan as you get a lot more data use for the difference of $4/month. (Discount is not available on the 200MB plan.)

 

[RadioNate]

My my arent you quick to throw other companies under the bus just like the god you worship does.

Whatever how incredibly insulting.

Considering people all over the net are showing the same reception issue on the iphone4 & the captive there is hardly a bus.

My iPhone works just the same as my blackberry but again you can believe what ever you want.

Seems you're doing some worshipping of your own.

But I digress.

 

[SandrA9810]

Every so often, you'll want to upgrade your sim card so you're recieving the best coverage. It's so easy to just swap the sim cards to keep your address book, rather than registering the new sim card. After going into a store, with some really nice sales people, the guy upgraded a couple of the sim cards to new ones.
Once you place your husband's sim card into the phone, AT&T will know which phone you are using and automatically add a data plan to his line. Because you can't have a smart phone without the data plan.

Unfortantly, you won't be getting the unlimited data plan. So decide which plan you want. If you do go with the iphone 4 or any of the brand new phones, look at the programs available and how much bandwidth they use. You don't want to sell yourself short.

 

[foolishmortal]

My my arent you quick to throw other companies under the bus just like the god you worship does.

so then the answer is no, you dont have an iphone 4 I presume.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Well I might have missed something but anyway, just an FYI. WalMart still has some of the older iPhones available for $97 and can do the ATT renewal in the store (go well before 9pm when the computer connection shuts down). If you go that route, try to get the 16GB phone instead of the 8GB (older), you may have to call or look around at different WalMarts to find one, but they're out there.

 

[disykat]

My my arent you quick to throw other companies under the bus just like the god you worship does.

What on earth are you talking about?

 

[schmitty]

Well I might have missed something but anyway, just an FYI. WalMart still has some of the older iPhones available for $97 and can do the ATT renewal in the store (go well before 9pm when the computer connection shuts down). If you go that route, try to get the 16GB phone instead of the 8GB (older), you may have to call or look around at different WalMarts to find one, but they're out there.

Id stay away from the 3gs also because iOS4 destroys the performance of those and getting something so out of date isn't a good plan unless you can get it for free.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Id stay away from the 3gs also because iOS4 destroys the performance of those and getting something so out of date isn't a good plan unless you can get it for free.

It's not that out of date. But thanks. I love mine and have no desire to do the iOS4 upgrade at this time so no issues for me. Not everyone has to be super high tech with these things, even if you are. I upgraded from the most basic phone on the planet so my 3GS iPhone, to me, is amazing, and there are plenty of others who feel the same way judging from the way these things were flying off the shelves.