vB Easy Archive - How long do you have to keep a data plan for?

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How long do you have to keep a data plan for?
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Posted by: myztikal47

Say I buy a Blackjack or Blackberry or whatever else, how long do I have to keep the Data plan for on the device? Say 2 or 3 months later, can I cancel the data plan and only keep my voice plan?

Posted by: flamingcrumb

Quote:

Originally Posted by myztikal47

Say I buy a Blackjack or Blackberry or whatever else, how long do I have to keep the Data plan for on the device? Say 2 or 3 months later, can I cancel the data plan and only keep my voice plan?

Good question. I have a support request in to Cingular with a similar question. I'll try to remember to post the email response I get (I went through the online support system because I wanted to get it in writing, if only by email!)

I have also spent ages scouring the small print in thr brochures for all the data plans and packages trying to figure out the best plan for me and to make sure I have the best/most appropriate one.

Quite a task as there are currently 18 different data plans offered excluding the MEdia Net services, then about another 18 plans and bundles involving MEdia Net services! In addition, there is some contradictory information provided on the Cingular website.

Aside from the really enourmous large web of data combinations and certain contradictions, the underlying first conclusion I have reached is that all add-on features (i.e. anything which is provided as a supplemental service to a calling plan) can be added and removed at anytime with no minimum period. You could have a feature for one day and change it and you will be billed a pro-rated amount. My second assumption/conclusion is that adding and removing the extra features has no bearing on one's contract period and does not extend it. My understanding is that contracts are determined by the deal offered with your subsidized Cingular phone (usually 2 years at present) or 1 year if you bring in your own phone. An existing customer can also opt to pay full price for a phone and have no change to their contract. In any case, it is my understanding that add-ons to calling plans certainly have terms and conditions, but a keeping the data plan for any set period at all does not appear to be one of them.

I assume this does not apply to data plans offered on their own e.g. buying a laptop data card with no calling plan at all. I would imagine that would have a contract period like a phone. I am just refering to add-on plans.

Other things to bear in mind is that plans may change and there may be special deals offered from time to time. My understanding is that once you have a plan, you may keep it as long as you wish, even if it is now longer being offered. Obviously, once one gives up a "legacy" plan, it cannot be re-added.

If I have this all wrong, I will be most grateful if anyone would be kind enough to correct me. Anyway, hope it helps a bit

Posted by: RF9

You can cancel, add, and change data plan features at any time. The contract is only on the voice plan. The data plan is an add on feature and they can be modified or removed any time (or frequency.)

Posted by: myztikal47

Quote:

Originally Posted by RF9

You can cancel, add, and change data plan features at any time. The contract is only on the voice plan. The data plan is an add on feature and they can be modified or removed any time (or frequency.)

But it would obviously be best to wait until you get your rebates right?

Posted by: Flyer00

Quote:

Originally Posted by myztikal47

Say I buy a Blackjack or Blackberry or whatever else, how long do I have to keep the Data plan for on the device? Say 2 or 3 months later, can I cancel the data plan and only keep my voice plan?

You can cancel as soon as they send you the rebate card. The lady at the Cingular store who sold me the phone told me to do this. She was very straight forward and honest and told me they don't monitor your account after they send it out. Sure enough, as soon as it arrived in the mail, I cancelled and picked up a cheaper Media Max and have had no problems! This was three months ago now.

Posted by: RF9

Yes. In fact monitor you rebate status online and as soon as it says your rebate is approved and has been sent for processing (which could take 2-3 weeks to print and mail the card,) you could drop the data then. That is if you really don't want the data.

Posted by: flamingcrumb

Think I said I would post back when I got the onine support response to confirm data plans and contract impact if any. This is nothing RF9 has not already stately with the usual accuracy! But here are the excerpts anyway!

There is a bit of stuff about rate plan changes too... off topic but seemed worth leaving in:

"During the first half of your commitment (first 6 months of a 12 month
contract or first 12 of a 24 month commitment) you can change your rate
plan with no changes to your commitment in any way. During the second
half of your contract you may be required to agree to an 11 month
commitment ... but only if the new plan includes a promotional feature. Versions of our plans without promotions are available should you wish to change your plan without the commitment extension and the new commitment will not effect your upgrade eligibility date.

You may incur a loss in rollover when changing your rate plan as when
changing your calling plan to a new plan with the rollover feature, you
may retain a portion of your accumulated rollover minutes equal to the
number of anytime minutes included with the new plan...

Adding, removing, or changing features on your account will not effect
your commitment at any point of your contract or while out of contract
unless specifically specified in the details for the feature (some
special promotions may require a commitment extension, however these
will always be clearly detailed and are rare)..."

Posted by: RF9

If anyone was confused, this is the important part of that quote as data and text messaging are considered "features" on your account...

"Adding, removing, or changing features on your account will not effect your commitment at any point of your contract or while out of contract unless specifically specified in the details for the feature (some special promotions may require a commitment extension, however these will always be clearly detailed and are rare)..."

Posted by: 8525Junkie

Are you guys sure about all of this? Anywhere I've looked, for the 8525 at least, you now have to have a data plan added on, as a new customer. Which I am and ordered the 8525 earlier today. I'd love to cancel the data and just use the wifi from time to time as needed as I use the PDA programs more than internet or email, but it seems I have to have it for 6 months to get my rebate.

Posted by: RF9

Quote:

Originally Posted by 8525Junkie

Are you guys sure about all of this? Anywhere I've looked, for the 8525 at least, you now have to have a data plan added on, as a new customer. Which I am and ordered the 8525 earlier today. I'd love to cancel the data and just use the wifi from time to time as needed as I use the PDA programs more than internet or email, but it seems I have to have it for 6 months to get my rebate.

If you bought directly from Cingular, then yes. You have no obligation to keep the data plan.
If you bought from an authorized reseller or any 3rd party (eg: Amazon) then that retailer may have their own restrictions or requirements. You just have to go read their fine print.
But Cingular itself has no such requirement.

You can log on to your own account online and with a few simple clicks you can add, change, or remove data "features" under the "manage features" link pretty much as whenever and as often as you like.

Posted by: flamingcrumb

I would never disagree with RF9 who has yet to be wrong about a single thing!

I did wonder about this bit from the email response I got from Cingular abut contracts in general

"(some special promotions may require a commitment extension, however these will always be clearly detailed and are rare)..."

Even so, my understanding is that RF9 is saying indeed it may have special stipulations if you bought the phone from a reseller with a deal. My particular info came from Cingular directly, but I believe it was only in relation to the length of contract on the voice plan, meaning on very rare occaisions special discounts on an add-on feature (like data) might extend one's overall contract.

What does the fine print say on your deal? It matters not what I have been told, what matters is the contract deal you are being offered or have taken.

Personally, I like to buy my own non-carrier, unlocked phone, so I can set it up anyway I like. The phone costs a lot more, but it means no two year contract, (on a phone that may only have a one year warranty and they won't let you insure anyway). Plus it is less restricted by their software setup and I can pick my own data plan etc on my own. Plus I can walk sooner with no early termination fee. That's just my choice. I just hate contracts and want to be ready to bail ASAP!... even if I have to pay more upfront. Buying their phone with a deal upfrint I figure they will end up squeezing more cash out of me later, lock me in and limit more choices.

Posted by: RF9

That's also the reason I don't upgarde through third parties. I upgrade either directly from Cingular because I know there are no data plan copmmitments. That is unless I buy an unlocked, which I tend to not do anymore because it's so much more expensive with PDAs and I now have access to Cingular Premiere.

But even to get the $100 off instantly on a treo 750 for having a data plan and getting the mail in rebate, I didn't have to keep the data plan. Once I qualified for the rebate (about 2 weeks) I could drop the data feature immediately.

Now going forward we know the iPhone is going to have some pretty ****ed up pricing and terms (like require a 2 year contract, but give you $0 subsidy discount). I wouldn't be surprised if they made you commit for some kind of iPhone package for a certain period which would go against cingular's M.O. to date.

Posted by: flamingcrumb

Do you mind if I ask what is Cingular Premiere? Sorry for the n00b question. I have often seen it mentioned but haven't managed to figure it out from the wiki or doing searches. I am probably just being brain dead and the info is right under my nose.

I had been assuming it might be a category of business discount one may get through an employer, but I do not know. I presume it is something you qualify for or you do not, but not something one can find a side entrance to!

Would you be very kind and give a short explantation of Premiere status please? Thanks as always and all the best.

BTW, RF9, off topic, but possibly of interest, reading up on the Cingular forum it appears there is now a new PDA Max plan (40 bucks unltd incl 1500 messages). But customers moving to it are reporting they are being told they lose access to the isp.cingular APN and that this is the intended goal for all PDA plans. Wonder if you heard about this (silly question, you hear about everything!) but more to the point, what is your take on this.... any particular significance? Should I get paranoid about Cingular locking down access just to their own Xpress mail services and stuff and locking out vital ports, or is this likely no big deal? TIA

Thanks again.

Posted by: flamingcrumb

Sorry to bump - no option to just edit my last post. Just to clarify I read the reports of PDA Max customers losing isp.cingular access on the customer forum run by Cingular. It may have read like I meant the Cingy part of the HoFo forum.

BTW it sure does look iPhone pricing will be sky high! Can't help but wonder if they will end up cramming on a 40 buck data plan rather than the 20 dollar plan that would make more sense for a feature phone, just to maintain the whole super-high value image thing for financial ends. That could also potentially broaden Cingular's current definition of a PDA as very specifically anything with a Qwerty keypad... (sorry mods, I am rambling off-topic here!)