Can someone direct me to info about GoPhone data plans?

[prepaidcelluser]

I'm a PagePlus user, but have been asked to help set up an iPhone on GoPhone for a relative.

When I look on the website that shows prepaid plan rates (http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/pla...tip_sku5240223), I see that it says data is unlimited on the $50 plan. When I hover over the blue question mark by the column labeled "Data/mobile Web browsing† (on eligible phones)", the following message pops up:

PlanSmartphone users must purchase a data package to use data services with any plan.

What does that mean, and where do I find information about purchasing a data package?

[efparri]

The information is on the same page to which you linked. You can order data packages online or by calling Customer Service and using the interactive voice menu. You can only use the Customer Service method after you have established an account. The $50 Unlimited everything plan only applies to non-smartphones. If the phone you are using is recognized as a smartphone, data connections will not work unless you purchase a data package. No extra data package purchase is required for the $50 plan for non-smartphones. All other plans can use pay-per-use data for non-smartphones or you can purchase data packages. As stated in your message, pay-per-use data is not permitted for smartphones.

[prepaidcelluser]

Thanks. I see the rate / data amount info for the data add-ons down lower on the page.

A couple of questions....

Are those packages per month? Or until the data is used up?

If they bought 1GB for $25, if only 500MB are used in the first month, is the other 500MB lost, or does it stay on the account as long as the account is kept active?

And the term "unlimited" in the data column is confusing to me. It would seem that you'd be limited to the amount of data you purchase. Am I reading that wrong? If I buy 1GB, am I not limited to 1GB? Basically... are they saying the 'unlimited' is only if you are using the web on a non-smartphone?

[efparri]

The data packages last until you use them or thirty days, whichever comes first. If you add another data package before the existing one has expired, the additional package is added to the remaining amount in the current package to extend the combined total to expire thirty days later. If you add several data package during the same thirty day period, the expiration day is thirty days from the last . They are not added cumulatively. You can subscribed to data package so that they can be added at a fixed interval. As I stated above, unlimited data only applies to non-smartphones. All smartphones require finite data packages to use data at all. You can only purchase a data package if you purchase one of the two thirty day plans or the 365 day plan.. You cannot purchase data when you are on the daily access fee plan or the pay-per-call plan.

[naranja]

... Basically... are they saying the 'unlimited' is only if you are using the web on a non-smartphone?

Correct, as has been said, you definately have to buy seperate data package for the Iphone. What many folks do to avoid losing the unused portion of the 1gb data package (30 day expiry) is to set up the $5/50mb data package to auto renew after buying $25 data package. This keeps your data alive for $5 a month.

It really only makes sense to use the Iphone on ATT prepaid with the $25mo/250minute monthly plan adding data packages as needed. If that doesn't provide enough minutes, the Straight Talk $45 "unlimited" everything plan is a better deal than gophone's $50 "unlimited" plan that still requires buying data packages. Check the ST forum for details, your Iphone does not need to be unlocked/jailbroken and is still using the ATT network.

[prepaidcelluser]

Thanks - I had forgotten about StraightTalk.

The relative in question doesn't live in the States, but they are in the States 2 - 4 months out of the year each year for work-related reasons. The country where they live uses GSM (no CDMA at all). The children of the person who'll use the phone purchased it for them (used), and since they're in the states where we are now, they asked if I could help them get it up and running on a GoPhone plan with unlimited data. I wasn't finding such a plan, and the overall rates seemed somewhat astronomical compared to the PagePlus plans that are similar in nature. The biggest PP plan is $55 and includes unlimited talk and text and comes with 2GB of data. $29.99 buys 1,200 minutes, 3,000 texts, and 200MB.

Had they spoken to me first, I'd have recommended that they look for an Android world phone that they could use on PP in the states and their GSM technology when they return home... but they'd already made the purchase before talking to me.

One last question...

Can you tell me if StraightTalk has better coverage than AT&T? We don't happen to live in an area where there is native AT&T coverage, and AT&T customers sometimes have trouble getting a signal here. When I was on Tracfone, I seemed to have coverage everywhere. Is that true with ST, too?

[efparri]

Straight Talk GSM service uses AT&T or T-Mobile as carriers. It is rare that there would be T-Mobile service and no AT&T service. Could the TracFone have been running on Verizon?

[prepaidcelluser]

No, the Tracfone had AT&T as it's 'home network'. At the time, they had a very limited selection of Tracfones available, and the one I wanted (a flip) was GSM. I live in a Verizon area. I activated it using a zip in a city an hour away but had perfect coverage at home and pretty much everywhere I went.

[naranja]

Thanks - I had forgotten about StraightTalk.

One last question...

Can you tell me if StraightTalk has better coverage than AT&T? We don't happen to live in an area where there is native AT&T coverage, and AT&T customers sometimes have trouble getting a signal here. When I was on Tracfone, I seemed to have coverage everywhere. Is that true with ST, too?

You can get an att sim or a t-mo sim. For the iphone att sim is the obvious choice... the only choice if your iphone is not unlocked or you want a micro sim. I believe you get ATT post paid data speeds, better than att gophone but I don't know if it roams onto T-mo when there is no Att reception but I think probably yes.