Official Group 4 Transition Discussion (UT/WY/MT/SD/ND/MI/MN/CO/IA/NE)

**PrairieKat** · 04-30-2011, 09:34 AM

Rapid City SD - Two accounts: one ATT plan with iPhones, transitioned on April 20th, and; one old Alltel plan with swap-out phones, transitioned on April 27th.

Since the April 27th date, we have had multiple calls bounce directly into answering service without ringing into the phones. All these calls have been in Rapid City where signals are solid. I've called my husband, to his Rugby II and bounced into answering service. I cancel the call and immediately call again and get through. I have had calls come in to my iPhone since April 27th and they were bounced into answering service without ringing in. In two days, this has happened at least six times.

It seems excessive the number of times calls are bouncing directly into answering service without ringing the phone.

Is this a capacity issue or just bugs with the transition?

In regard to the free call to any mobile carrier feature on the ATT plan, we transitioned with an ATT plan and I discovered that we did not have that feature on the plan. The ATT Rep noticed it as we reviewed the features of the plan and added it for us. I would encourage everyone to make contact with ATT service center and review the plan you picked and to check if there are more features which can be added and would not affect the price of the plan.

**steelerstitch** · 04-30-2011, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by bigpapa30

All AT&T customers are considered mobile to mobile after you transition.

If you ever switch to an AT&T plan (700 min or higher family, 900 min or higher individual I think) then you can call any cell number on any carrier nationwide for free.

Thanks. I'll keep the plan I'm on.

**hahler2** · 04-30-2011, 10:24 AM

To get unlimited calling to any number you have to have unlimited txting. Then you call AT&T and request that unlimited mobile to any mobile be added to your account and they will at no charge. Here's the link.

http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/pla...ging-plans.jsp

**bigpapa30** · 04-30-2011, 11:17 AM

I don't see why some people are wanting to hang onto their Alltel plans like gold. I switched to an AT&T plan and I am paying around the same per month with more minutes and better features. I never went over 2 GB of data anyway with Alltel and now that I have a phone with WiFi I connect to it at home and work and only use between 200-500 MB of actual cellular data a month. If AT&T would just now raise the $15 plan to 500 MB I'd be paying less than I was with Alltel.

**myntrpd** · 04-30-2011, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by bigpapa30

I don't see why some people are wanting to hang onto their Alltel plans like gold. I switched to an AT&T plan and I am paying around the same per month with more minutes and better features. I never went over 2 GB of data anyway with Alltel and now that I have a phone with WiFi I connect to it at home and work and only use between 200-500 MB of actual cellular data a month. If AT&T would just now raise the $15 plan to 500 MB I'd be paying less than I was with Alltel.

Just keep in mind that what works for you doesn't necessarily work for everyone else. I am a very heavy data user and I know for a fact I would go over my allotment if I switched to an AT&T plan. That is why I'm so concerned with AT&T putting a limit on my unlimited Alltel plan (in some fine print buried in the service agreement or something). Alltel was truly unlimited and I never worried about going over a data cap and being charged extra. I hope AT&T will do the same thing.

**PrairieKat** · 04-30-2011, 01:37 PM

Regarding holding onto an Alltel plan - ATT does not offer a comparable plan. In our case, we would have to spend more money for the same features we are getting with the old Alltel plan.

**rainbowtoaster** · 04-30-2011, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by whitetigergrowl

As for paying Alltel the $200 fee, likely unless you find a way to have AT&T credit that back. It magically 'dropping off' simply won't happen as it will still be considered a debt to Alltel and not AT&T. The reason for the transition the way it is, is more than just to move the number over but to also prevent things like this from happening. It's a complicated thing. Had you waited, you would have still gotten the ETF from Alltel but then would have gotten a credit for it back from AT&T automatically.

Why would you have to pay the ETF? Simple. You are still under contract to Alltel and ported out while under contract to AT&T, another carrier. It may be owned by AT&T in your area, but it still is still considered 2 separate companies in the system.

You may be able to get the credit back from AT&T for the ETF, but I don't know how easy it will be. DO NOT count on it just 'dropping off' from Alltel. As it still will be considered a debt to them.

Simply put, you should have waited. You now may have a bit of a mess on your hands to clean up and there are no guarantees you will get that credit.

You are ported over to AT&T. But any other possible issues may not show up till later. You're bill from Alltel may or may not also be pro-rated properly. I know the wait has sucked, but you may have made things worse for yourself by being so impatient and jumping the gun.

So just got my final alltel bill and and everything is FINE. ETF was properly credited and plan pro-rated. Probably worked because I'm in the last area to transisition and my account was all ready to go. No worries, worked great for me!!

**whitetigergrowl** · 04-30-2011, 09:34 PM

That's good to hear rainbowtoaster. Sadly, we seem to be in the minority not having problems. Crazy lines in Rapid City. Lots of miscommunication from AT&T in both stores and on the phone. It's been a nightmare even though the SD PUC says otherwise.

**PrairieKat** · 05-01-2011, 01:59 PM

Rapid City SD - We are still having calls bounce into answering service and not ringing through to the phone. It is starting to get annoying. It is happening with both accounts, with iphones and flip phones.

Any ideas as to why this would be happening?

**abenusa** · 05-01-2011, 03:46 PM

I have had that behavior in the past when porting T-Mobile phone numbers over to AT&T mobile. For about a week, calls that would originate from others on T-Mobile would go straight to voicemail instead of ringing my AT&T mobile phone.

Give it a week, maybe this will iron itself out on it's own.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**myntrpd** · 05-01-2011, 09:45 PM

So, my two lines transition on May 4th, and my number is from Grand Forks, ND, my billing address is Dickinson, ND, I live in Denver, CO, and I'll be in Seattle, WA on my transition date. I really hope everything goes smoothly....

**jaethos** · 05-01-2011, 11:49 PM

Apparently where I live is one of the Utah locations having network troubles. Despite what AT&T's map says they don't currently have the new 3G network up at the moment here, it's just Edge. They have just over a week to get it fixed up.

Oh, and a question. I was under the impression that during the 30 day transition period we would have the ability to upgrade our phones, even if the line wouldn't qualify for it normally. Is this really a thing? Only one line on my family account has more than a month to go to be out of contract, but I'd really like to replace the Eternity II with an HTC Freestyle on that line.

I'm more than willing to sign a new 2 year for it. Anyone know anything about this?

**PrairieKat** · 05-02-2011, 08:07 AM

@jaethos- My understanding is that regardless of old contract, you can swap the ATT phone you received for a upgrade or cancel service entirely, during the 30 day window after transition, regardless of old Alltel contract. As I recall, if you cancel you do have to turn in whatever phone you received from ATT for the transition. On upgrades though, I understood you could upgrade for any phone. I checked on this prior to our transition, asking if I could upgrade from the iPhone 3GS to the iPhone 4 in the 30 day window and I was told that I could but I would have to bring in the iPhone 3GS to turn it in for the iPhone 4, along with the additional charge for the iPhone 4.

**NicoleW** · 05-02-2011, 08:34 AM

Tomorrow is supposed to be my transition day. Keeping my fingers crossed.

**dmwagner** · 05-02-2011, 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by myntrpd

Just keep in mind that what works for you doesn't necessarily work for everyone else. I am a very heavy data user and I know for a fact I would go over my allotment if I switched to an AT&T plan. That is why I'm so concerned with AT&T putting a limit on my unlimited Alltel plan (in some fine print buried in the service agreement or something). Alltel was truly unlimited and I never worried about going over a data cap and being charged extra. I hope AT&T will do the same thing.

Yep, same here. Also, I put down around 1500 minutes a month on my 16 My Circle numbers. Buying those minutes anywhere but on Alltel would be quite expensive.