Loophole: How to get unlimited data

**jseah** · 01-09-2012, 09:20 AM

Originally Posted by LTE Fever

AT&T has an unlimited data loophole as well, its much simpler, straightforward, and basically always works. The only catch is you may have to spend $40-50 on a used first gen. iPhone if you don't have or know anyone with one. They may just be letting it slide a little until they *decide* its hurting the network performance.

Supposedly the iPhone 2G trick doesn't work anymore. Apparently activating an iPhone 2G now, you are not given the option to sign up for unlimited, they just put you on the 2GB plan.

**Cares** · 01-09-2012, 09:39 AM

Think about it this way...

No one "tricked" Verizon into giving us unlimited. In my experience and what appears to be everyone else's, Verizon CONFIRMED with you that you are going to be changed to unlimited and you had to agree to it. Your new service agreement with Verizon is to have unlimited data. If they decide to remove your unlimited, then I most certainly believe this would be grounds for changing my service agreement and allowing me to get off ETF-free.

If I were Verizon, I have 2 choices:

1) Close the loophole and let the thousands of people who got unlimited keep it and pay me my $100+ a month.
2) Audit everyone and take away unlimited thus changing service agreement and potentially lose my paying customer.

Easy decision if I was running a business.

**whitetigergrowl** · 01-09-2012, 10:59 PM

Originally Posted by jseah

Supposedly the iPhone 2G trick doesn't work anymore. Apparently activating an iPhone 2G now, you are not given the option to sign up for unlimited, they just put you on the 2GB plan.

I saw a few people in the ATT forum had that issue. No clue what to make of that yet though. Just like this one. Some say it's not working and no matter how many times they call it's a bust. And others say it still works and had it added the first call.

The ATT Unlimited Data loophole some people have always had issues with even though it's pretty straight forward. Although I wouldn't doubt if it's been killed by now.

Since this Verizon loophole is primarily for 4G phones and service maybe it's not a real big priority to close just yet since there aren't many people quite yet on LTE.

**akhi216** · 01-10-2012, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by jseah

Supposedly the iPhone 2G trick doesn't work anymore. Apparently activating an iPhone 2G now, you are not given the option to sign up for unlimited, they just put you on the 2GB plan.

That and the 2 GB or less throttling some people are reporting.

Sent from my R800x using HowardForums

**newyork4me** · 01-10-2012, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by Cares

Think about it this way...

No one "tricked" Verizon into giving us unlimited. In my experience and what appears to be everyone else's, Verizon CONFIRMED with you that you are going to be changed to unlimited and you had to agree to it. Your new service agreement with Verizon is to have unlimited data. If they decide to remove your unlimited, then I most certainly believe this would be grounds for changing my service agreement and allowing me to get off ETF-free.

If I were Verizon, I have 2 choices:

1) Close the loophole and let the thousands of people who got unlimited keep it and pay me my $100+ a month.
2) Audit everyone and take away unlimited thus changing service agreement and potentially lose my paying customer.

Easy decision if I was running a business.

^This.

If VZW pulls the unlimited, per their customer agreement, the customers can leave ETF free. That would be unbelievably boneheaded, and VZW is much smarter than that.

**whitetigergrowl** · 01-10-2012, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by akhi216

That and the 2 GB or less throttling some people are reporting.

Sent from my R800x using HowardForums

I smell something fishy with that 2 GB or less thing though. Because you know there are likely plenty of others in that same area doing as much and not getting the same warning. And there are others that have shown they are well over 5GB and not getting throttled. So something is amiss there.

**akhi216** · 01-10-2012, 01:55 PM

Originally Posted by whitetigergrowl

I smell something fishy with that 2 GB or less thing though. Because you know there are likely plenty of others in that same area doing as much and not getting the same warning. And there are others that have shown they are well over 5GB and not getting throttled. So something is amiss there.

Agreed, they're probably throttling people that they've caught tethering using hacking and/or people who we're late on a bill. Those are things that I would expect from a cutthroat business such as AT&T.

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**jseah** · 01-11-2012, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by whitetigergrowl

I smell something fishy with that 2 GB or less thing though. Because you know there are likely plenty of others in that same area doing as much and not getting the same warning. And there are others that have shown they are well over 5GB and not getting throttled. So something is amiss there.

I also suspect, as do a lot of people, that the throttle point varies based on how crowded the network is. From the replies in that thread, it seems like many of the people getting the warning notice or getting throttled right at 2 GB (or real close to it) are in congested areas like NYC (where AT&T is known to have major network capacity issues). It would be nice if the people that did get throttled also informed where they are located.

**fraydog** · 01-11-2012, 08:17 AM

I'm getting throttled now.

Verizon hasn't notified me but I'm pretty sure if I'm getting .20 Mbps on an empty tower, that I'm getting throttled.

**HF305** · 01-11-2012, 08:18 AM

In order to for the consumer to be able to escape from a contract, the company would have to change (deny a service, raise a price) something that was included at the time of signing, thus the consumer expected it to continue for the contract term. Adding a feature later only to have it taken away (and restored to conditions at the time of signing, such as going from loophole unlimited back to 2GB for $30) doesn't count.

**Cares** · 01-11-2012, 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by HF305

In order to for the consumer to be able to escape from a contract, the company would have to change (deny a service, raise a price) something that was included at the time of signing, thus the consumer expected it to continue for the contract term. Adding a feature later only to have it taken away (and restored to conditions at the time of signing, such as going from loophole unlimited back to 2GB for $30) doesn't count.

Naaaaaaaah. Pretty sure changing your contract terms from $30 for 2/4GB to $29.99 for unlimited is a new agreement. Let's say you didn't have $30 family text when signing up...you add it a month later. You're locked in for $30 for family text until your contract expires. They cannot change the pricing on it without warranting an ETF-free cancellation.

**newyork4me** · 01-11-2012, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by HF305

In order to for the consumer to be able to escape from a contract, the company would have to change (deny a service, raise a price) something that was included at the time of signing, thus the consumer expected it to continue for the contract term. Adding a feature later only to have it taken away (and restored to conditions at the time of signing, such as going from loophole unlimited back to 2GB for $30) doesn't count.

False.

Originally Posted by Cares

Naaaaaaaah. Pretty sure changing your contract terms from $30 for 2/4GB to $29.99 for unlimited is a new agreement. Let's say you didn't have $30 family text when signing up...you add it a month later. Pretty sure your locked in for $30 for family text until your contract expires. They cannot change the pricing on it without warranting an ETF-free cancellation.

Correct.

**mpossoff** · 01-11-2012, 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by newyork4me

False.

Correct.

But don't they have an out by differentiating access and features? It's cut and dry they can't change your access which you won't be obligated to an ETF.
But not so cut and dry that features fall under access.

**newyork4me** · 01-11-2012, 12:56 PM

Originally Posted by mpossoff

But don't they have an out by differentiating access and features? It's cut and dry they can't change your access which you won't be obligated to an ETF.
But not so cut and dry that features fall under access.

It is very cut and dry. Their customer agreement specifically says all features and optional services are part of your Service which they may not change or alter without allowing you to leave ETF free.

VZW's contract is actually very customer friendly.

**jseah** · 01-11-2012, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by newyork4me

It is very cut and dry. Their customer agreement specifically says all features and optional services are part of your Service which they may not change or alter without allowing you to leave ETF free.

VZW's contract is actually very customer friendly.

So that means what AT&T has been doing when catching people tethering without a tethering plan and unilaterally switching them from unlimited to the 4 GB plan couldn't be done by Verizon without allowing the subscriber to leave without ETF?