AT&T blocking data connection ?

[Alcibiade]

I got a nice SMS on March 18th from AT&T saying "An eligible data plan is required for Laptop, Tablet or MiFi devices. Call 611 as soon as possible for details and to avoid service interruption"
We are on 20th and I have no dtaa connection anymore
I happen to be paying the most expensive plan for my device (Coming from TP2), with an extra to have Exchange emails (Yeah can you believe you are charged extra for Exchange emails) and now.... I would have to pay even more because I use my SIUM in my tablet. WTF...
Maybe it's just me but if some of you have the same issue and found a workaround... Or maybe I should just step away from AT&T... F them...

Edit: Just got an SMS "Your data service has been restricted due to SIM swapping with a data Connect device". I pay 150$ a month for my data plan, calsl, etc... How much is not enough ????

 

[glenbarney]

I got the same thing. AT&T is now doing the same thing T-Mobile is doing. You cannot put a T-Mobile phone SIM in a T-Mobile tab, and, now, you cannot put an AT&T phone SIM (for example one with an unlimited data plan attached to it) into an AT&T tab.

It's all robbery.

My reaction to the text I got from AT&T was to erase, wipe, and flash my AT&T Galaxy Tab to Overcome 1.3.0, and then put my T-Mobile phone SIM into my AT&T Tab. Ha! THAT at least still works, since the two companies are separate.

And now, AT&T just bought T-Mobile! HA

Looks like after all the effort, I lose.

I am SO DONE with tablets and smartphones. Back to laptops and WiFi. The monopolies here in the U.S. are unbearable. And our government does nothing. No wonder the rest of the world hates us - we hate ourselves!

 

[Alcibiade]

I got AT&T on the phone
The guy first explained me that technically tablets and phone cannot connect teh same way, etc, etc... So I asked him to stop the Bs#it because technically it was possible for 3 months... The guy I had on the phone was polite and pretty embarrassed...
I was straight forward explaining I don't mind paying for an extra tethering plan if that's what they want but I just want to carry around only ONE device, etc, etc... In the end he was very clear: they want us to use our tablet with a different plant and different SIM card. period
Now... for me it's clear they saw the IMEI of my device was different from the one I used to have so this + the fact I used a lot of Data may have triggered the detection... Or it is in the access point we use... But anyway/anyhow there is no way we cannot make our tablets appear as a Galaxy S or whatever other phone. Aside from the screen too much of the Hardware is similar to a phone not to be able to do something about it...
Meanwhile my data plan is frozen
I am SO pissed off. I can't believe I leave these guys 150$ a month and they can't even provide a decent service...

 

[Alcibiade]

The worst: if I take a specific plan for my tab and trim down my phone plan it will cost me less
They are just F&*%#@ dumb and a terrible pain in the ass
Now let's work to "disguise" our Tab as a phone for AT&T connection...
I still think it has a lot to do with the Acces point setup... Or just the tethering... They guy on the phone was (maybe deliberately or not...) confusing about what was allowed and what was not... he was kind of implying that even if I get a tethering plan, tethering from my phone to my Tab would still be an issue if I don't use some kind of AT&T official tethering Software... (Weird...)
I am SO pissed off

 

[Alcibiade]

I am thinking and if I go for the tethering plan I really don't see under which stupid claim they can block me... Sue it will cost more, but whatever...
Still this is justa shame

 

[I Am Marino]

More AT&T fun I see.

Sent from my Incredible with the XDA Premium App.

 

[Alcibiade]

More AT&T fun I see.

Sent from my Incredible with the XDA Premium App.

Yes... Teh problem is since they try to avoid users going around their stuff it is not even easy to understand what is allowed or not. Initially i brought a phone from abroad and was told I could use it on an illimited data plan... Fine. But now the guy on the phoen didnt even wnated to be clear whether I could use a non AT&T phone for my plan (So we're not even talking about the tab)
I think they may be targeting heavy users that dont show the same IMEIR as the one they registered. Or soemthign else.. probably can detect by the protocols used that we are not technically ona phone (But hey technically, aside teh screen tehre is no major difference betweena Galaxy tab and a Galaxy phone...)

 

[waltah!]

They are targeting unlimited data plan users who are sim swapping. If you're on the 2gb or tethering 4gb plan you shouldn't see anything. People were putting their sims into laptops/netbooks and going nuts. It breaches the agreement with AT&T and they have the right to change your plan if you don't reply to them or stop sim swapping.

 

[Alcibiade]

They are targeting unlimited data plan users who are sim swapping. If you're on the 2gb or tethering 4gb plan you shouldn't see anything. People were putting their sims into laptops/netbooks and going nuts. It breaches the agreement with AT&T and they have the right to change your plan if you don't reply to them or stop sim swapping.

I am not using it in a laptop but in my Tab. I use my Tab as my main phone and I ma pretty pissed off that AT&T decides which phone they like and don't like. It's not EVEN about the money: I proposed them to pay for a tethering plan (which would be stealing from me but whatever) and they do not even care
I would not even mind going for the 4Gb plan but that would mean giving up on voice services on my tab, ie would have to carry around two devices which i definitely do not want
Going the 4Gb plan + stripping down my phone to the cheapest plan AT&T has, would cost me less than I pay now... So it's not even a money issue. I am completely pissed off since I a ready to pay whatever they want but they do not seem to care

 

[Alcibiade]

Anyway it's fine. They managed to kill the GTab and all other 7" tablets to come
They nearly succeeded by originally forbidding calls on it. They succeeded with this last measure
It was for me the perfect size between a phone and an iPad. If I cannot have Voice + illimited data on it I will just go for a large 4.3" phone
Thank you AT&T for killing progress and congratulation for displeasing customers who were actually ready to pay (Because in actual facts I was ready to pay more if it is what they wanted from me)

 

[purline]

Anyway it's fine. They managed to kill the GTab and all other 7" tablets to come
They nearly succeeded by originally forbidding calls on it. They succeeded with this last measure
It was for me the perfect size between a phone and an iPad. If I cannot have Voice + illimited data on it I will just go for a large 4.3" phone
Thank you AT&T for killing progress and congratulation for displeasing customers who were actually ready to pay (Because in actual facts I was ready to pay more if it is what they wanted from me)

I'm in the same boat, Alcibiade. Never tether, just like the phone and tablet in one device.

Just got off the phone with our friends at AT&T and got the same message. Unfortunately, there is no 4GB plan for data devices like the Tab, just "phones". So I'm stuck with carrying a phone and a Tab until we figure out a way around this issue.

 

[starbuck123]

I got the same message from at&t too. I think the only workaround to this is to get the telstra or the other canadian tab that uses the 850 band. Anyone with the telstra tab want to do a trade for a like new at&t tab?

 

[waltah!]

Believe me it pisses me off too, and I work there. lol
I'm planning on getting a GTab and was going to use it for voice occasionally so it kinda throws a kink in the works. I have the 4gb tethering plan. I really just want to be able to jump right on the Tab and use it without kicking the hotspot on so I'll just end up going down to the 2gb plan for my Atrix and the 2gb plan for the Tab. I wanted to carry one device when I wanted to, but I love my Atrix so I'm not sure how often I would do it anyway.

 

[small9]

I believe AT&T doing the same as T-mobile by look up the IMEI. The IMEI database will match the phone you use. The only workaround is change the IMEI on the tab.
You will see the TAB Icon under your att account but I did not see that months ago....

 

[jstdontgiva]

Currently on the phone with att about the same issue...thing is im using an htc desire from telus...im not swapping my simcard with anything at all. They are saying my device is coming up as a telemetry unit which is therefore making the assumption of sim swapping. On the phone for an hour now and the geniuses still cant figure out how to fix the issue.

 

[Alcibiade]

I believe AT&T doing the same as T-mobile by look up the IMEI. The IMEI database will match the phone you use. The only workaround is change the IMEI on the tab.
You will see the TAB Icon under your att account but I did not see that months ago....

Not sure it's through the IMEI. How do they do if I use a foreign phone ? If it is that simple, we all know how to find a solution...
I hope they do not make me PAY for my data plan while I they block it, I would be even more pissed off
One point I do not get: if I pay for a Tethering plan (Which I don't but am considering if it can help), why the hell would they block me from using my plan the way I want. Illimited + tethering --> I use it on my tab or anything else doesn't matter (Could be my phone tethered to my laptop it would be the same)

 

[Alcibiade]

Currently on the phone with att about the same issue...thing is im using an htc desire from telus...im not swapping my simcard with anything at all. They are saying my device is coming up as a telemetry unit which is therefore making the assumption of sim swapping. On the phone for an hour now and the geniuses still cant figure out how to fix the issue.

Funny cause it's exactly what I told them: I have a foreign phone as well (On top of my Tab) and I bet them that my foreign phone would have the same issue
MMh so they either detect what we do with the IMEI or potentially the radio (Or a combination of both)
I feel really bad trying to find a workaround while what I ma doing is perfectly legit when it is on my TP2, or I am even ready to pay for their Tethering plan........
If the issue is just the IMEI, that can be easily solved... But I dont like to have to be sneaky when again I pay honetsly my stuff every month
If you find a solution for your telus please tell us

 

[hybred-nexus]

Yeah I got that text last night around 9 pm I nearly craped my self. I was like wtf. I have the unlimited data. it shouldn't matter what device my Sim is in.. I guess I'll see what the tab does with the Sim that it came with. my Nexus still works fine though. I checked the website today and they are doing Maintenance to the data section. figures.

 

[Alcibiade]

Yeah I got that text last night around 9 pm I nearly craped my self. I was like wtf. I have the unlimited data. it shouldn't matter what device my Sim is in.. I guess I'll see what the tab does with the Sim that it came with. my Nexus still works fine though. I checked the website today and they are doing Maintenance to the data section. figures.

I am pretty sure my Tab fits ok within a 4Gb plan (I don't tether anyway). BUT I just dont wnat to carry aound 2 devices. My phone + teh Tab. And if I ahve to use their stupid plan / SIM card I will have to
I am surprised we don't see many more reactions. I thought a lot of us were doing Data + voice using their phone plans... Maybe not everybody was blocked yet. Or I just overestimate the number of US users using their tab like this. What's unbelievable is how other countries are managing the Tab vs the US (real pain here...)

 

[jstdontgiva]

Funny cause it's exactly what I told them: I have a foreign phone as well (On top of my Tab) and I bet them that my foreign phone would have the same issue
MMh so they either detect what we do with the IMEI or potentially the radio (Or a combination of both)
I feel really bad trying to find a workaround while what I ma doing is perfectly legit when it is on my TP2, or I am even ready to pay for their Tethering plan........
If the issue is just the IMEI, that can be easily solved... But I dont like to have to be sneaky when again I pay honetsly my stuff every month
If you find a solution for your telus please tell us

After getting off the phone here was the scenario:
The guy admitted to me that he was not very familiar with what was going on, however I could tell he was still trying pretty hard to find out how to resolve the issue by calling other departments and he didnt have a bias towards me having an unlocked phone like I know ATT personel tend to have.
Basically there were 3 options
1. return the phone which I laughed in his face ( this was recommended not by him but by another person in a diff dept
2. Turn the internet back on with the risk of shutting off again ( which I did not do because he told my my account was now flagged for disuse of internet and could result in plenty of charges I wouldn't want.)
3. Wait until Tuesday for a call back from him since some1 has to manually put in my IMEI # and override the system, (which was apparently down)

I took option 3 with the hopes that this will be resolved by the time the rep gets back to me on Tues. If it doesn't go well my phone is basically useless and I will probably push for a free phone somehow. Best of luck to everybody else, I will update ASAP