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Captivate - contract vs buying from ebay

N

nhr

Lurker
I am well overdue for my AT&T contract renewal. Currently I have Nokia N95 brought from eBay few years back and I had added a data plan to my voice plan after I brought this phone. I have unlimited data plan at a very low price.

Now I am searching and researching android based phones and seems like captivate might be best choice. My next choice is HTC Desire A8212 as reports seems to indicate it works on AT&T 3G network.

No matter which provider I am considering for new phone, after the new contract my bill seems to be increasing by around $25 per month or more if I want to get unlimited data plan. The way I am figuring out is it's cheaper to buy unlocked/locked device from eBay in long term as new captivates are selling around 400 on eBay and still have $200 in my pocket.

I spoke with AT&T store people. They said they can not just upgrade the phone without renewing the contract. We even discussed buying from eBay and they said, they detect smart phones and will switch automatically to limited data plan even though I have unlimited data plan currently. The person said it's done by based first 6 digits of IMEI number and then comparing the plans.

Last time I added the data plan, they were surprised as their records said I have phone that does not support 3G. I just explained I brought one from market and want to use and got unlimited data plan.

So is this really AT&T policy? Does this mean I can not buy phone from open market without renewing my contract? Any other ideas

Thanks,

NHR
 
Yes you can. AT&T will automatically add a current data rate plan onto your account. Watch for it. Then call customer service. 1st level customer service will insist that it is AT&T policy for all smartphone and you have no other choice. Escalate to the supervisor/manager and he/she will take the data plan off/revert it only for that IMEI number.

If you change your phone again after this call, everything will go back to square 1.
 
rubiconjp said:
Escalate to the supervisor/manager and he/she will take the data plan off/revert it only for that IMEI number.
Click to expand...
It's a per-IMEI thing? Interesting. I just lost my Captivate to water damage, but will be purchasing a new one ASAP. So I'll have to deal w/AT&T again for the rate plan once I get my next one?
 
If you are under a current normal data plan, then there's no need to deal with ATT again. However, if you are under no data plan or older data plan that had special rate, then yes, it's a per IMEI exception that they have to make for you.
 
OK, guess I'll have to deal w/them again, b/c I'm on the unlimited plan. Odd, though, that nothing's changed since I've started using my old phone in the interim.
 
Good luck, many reports out there are that AT&T now sticks to requiring a "smarthone" data plan. Previous data plans that are not "smartphone" don't count.
 
I'm currently on a family phone plan that just has unlimited text and call and I'm planning on buying the Captivate off of someone.

If I was to insert my sim card into that Captivate, would it immediately start charging me data? I'm only here for another 6-8 months so I don't want to get into a contract and I want to bring the Captivate back home after debranding and unlocking it so is there any way that can happen or should I just cut my losses and not get the Captivate?

Thanks.
 
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