vB Easy Archive - PDA issue!

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PDA issue!
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Posted by: ccandi

I don't know if I am in the right place or not. I had a Palm Tungston and it died. I went to Best Buy and spoke to a salesman who advised me to buy a smart phone. I am an ATT customer so the natural thing to do was to upgrade to a smartphone. The problem was that since it is not time for an upgrade and to have all the benefits of my PDA, I would need a Blackberry which would have cost me $650 +. I can't afford that and told the salesman that.

Since, I am used to Palm OS, he recommended I search on ebay for a Palm Centro for ATT. I did, found what I needed, and bought one.

He also told me that ATT was changing their policies and forcing new customers to purchase a data plan the following day. But, since I was at the store the 5th, and had I purchased the phone from HIM I would have been grandfathered and allowed to keep my plan as it was.

I don't know at this point, if when I get my new phone if when I activate it, if it will require the data plan.

I am using the 900 minute with rollover/Nation plan and have the unlimited text feature.

I don't want to pay for a data plan on top of that, but realize I may have to. I don't want to pay for text messages per use if I don't have to as that is a well used feature. ALSO, though I could lower my minutes to 450 and simply not use it so much, add the data plan and lower the text messaging but I'm not sure what i can afford yet.

I saw that US Cellular has a promo for 1000 minutes per month but I already bought a phone/pda for ATT and my plan is not up until November. So, I don't know how switching to a different carrier will affect me either.

I started out to get a pda because I depend on it a lot. Now I feel like I am stuck in a whole and can't get out. I can't afford anything more than what I am paying now.

HELP

Posted by: wralford

The other alternative would be to bite the bullet, wait until your contract expires with AT&T and opt for the HTC Touch with US Cellular.

The first question would be how the Palm Centro with AT&T would compare with the HTC Touch in terms of relative monthly costs and capabilities.

If you can't wait for the current contract to expire, you might need to overlap -- basically you would be paying for service for your current handset AND the one with US Cellular.

The problem with that [besides paying two bills for a couple months] is that you might not be able to keep the same number after your contract expires with AT&T.

I might be wrong. Perhaps USCC would let you switch your number over after the contract expires and you would basically have a temporary number with USCC until then.

Posted by: ccandi

I am wondering if contacting the seller today can cancel the purchase of the Palm such that the holiday is on my side.

Posted by: zephxiii

USCC requires purchase of data plan when you get a smartphone...so maybe you should just stick with AT&T if they aren't forcing a data plan on you. Just pop your SIM into the Centro, don't call AT&T and add it to your account as there is zero need to do that, and that will guarantee that you have to get a data plan.

..and to be honest I would cancel the Centro just because it is a Centro :P

Also, you could always get and unbranded PDA and be in the clear.

Posted by: efparri

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccandi

I don't know if I am in the right place or not. I had a Palm Tungston and it died. I went to Best Buy and spoke to a salesman who advised me to buy a smart phone. I am an ATT customer so the natural thing to do was to upgrade to a smartphone. The problem was that since it is not time for an upgrade and to have all the benefits of my PDA, I would need a Blackberry which would have cost me $650 +. I can't afford that and told the salesman that.

Since, I am used to Palm OS, he recommended I search on ebay for a Palm Centro for ATT. I did, found what I needed, and bought one.

He also told me that ATT was changing their policies and forcing new customers to purchase a data plan the following day. But, since I was at the store the 5th, and had I purchased the phone from HIM I would have been grandfathered and allowed to keep my plan as it was.

I don't know at this point, if when I get my new phone if when I activate it, if it will require the data plan.

I am using the 900 minute with rollover/Nation plan and have the unlimited text feature.

I don't want to pay for a data plan on top of that, but realize I may have to. I don't want to pay for text messages per use if I don't have to as that is a well used feature. ALSO, though I could lower my minutes to 450 and simply not use it so much, add the data plan and lower the text messaging but I'm not sure what i can afford yet.

I saw that US Cellular has a promo for 1000 minutes per month but I already bought a phone/pda for ATT and my plan is not up until November. So, I don't know how switching to a different carrier will affect me either.

I started out to get a pda because I depend on it a lot. Now I feel like I am stuck in a whole and can't get out. I can't afford anything more than what I am paying now.

HELP

You can use the Palm Centro as a PDA only. You would be back to the situation you had before your other Palm PDA died. You can continue to use your current phone on AT&T Mobility.

Posted by: ccandi

Thanks for the advice! I agree that I could use the PDA feature only, but why would I want to do that if it would mean I could get away with carrying only one thing? lol

You telling me that I don't need to activate it helps tons!

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