How To get Out Of The New "Required" Data Plan

When I go to upgrade to the 8900 and g1 on t-mobiles website there is no mention of adding a data plan, just the price plus shipping and activation fee. Do they add this automatically without telling you? Sorry for the noob question.

It's under the "Required Services" section when you're at the screen to select extra services. Right there at the top.

When I go to upgrade to the 8900 and g1 on t-mobiles website there is no mention of adding a data plan, just the price plus shipping and activation fee. Do they add this automatically without telling you? Sorry for the noob question.

It's under the "Required Services" section when you're at the screen to select extra services. Right there at the top.

Man I must be blind, don't see anything like that. I login into my t-mobile select upgrade phone, select the line and then select the phone. It then just takes me to total price.

The other option would be to do a partial discount upgrade to a phone that doesn't require data, then you can remove the required data feature since the contract for it would no longer exist. 

Well according to what has been posted previously, you left out the part that the dumbphone would be on a NEW 2 year contract.  So yes, even though you get out of the data plan, your obligation may increase. 

It would be a problem if you're only doing a 1 year contract for the data phone, but if you're that concerned about not wanting a long contract you might as well just buy it outright and not have to deal with any of this.  And if you are doing a 2 year contract on the data phone, it would only be like a 15 day extension which is negligible.

It would be a problem if you're only doing a 1 year contract for the data phone, but if you're that concerned about not wanting a long contract you might as well just buy it outright and not have to deal with any of this.  And if you are doing a 2 year contract on the data phone, it would only be like a 15 day extension which is negligible.

Ok, let me use an example to clarify your answer.  I get a G1 today with "required" data plan and a 2 year contract.  18 months from now, the G1 is stolen, and I don't want another one.  I want to get a dumbphone.  So if I get a dumbphone that counts as an upgrade and they remove the smartphone data plan, I don't have to sign a new 2 year contract?  I only need to still be under contract for the 6 months balance left on the original agreement?

There has to be a way around this an easy way,, -.- they shouldn't enforce this, i was about to buy a blackberry this week too now, i have to see what i get..

It would be a problem if you're only doing a 1 year contract for the data phone, but if you're that concerned about not wanting a long contract you might as well just buy it outright and not have to deal with any of this.  And if you are doing a 2 year contract on the data phone, it would only be like a 15 day extension which is negligible.

Ok, let me use an example to clarify your answer.  I get a G1 today with "required" data plan and a 2 year contract.  18 months from now, the G1 is stolen, and I don't want another one.  I want to get a dumbphone.  So if I get a dumbphone that counts as an upgrade and they remove the smartphone data plan, I don't have to sign a new 2 year contract?  I only need to still be under contract for the 6 months balance left on the original agreement?

No you would have to get a new 2 year contract from that date, only get a partial discount on the phone, and have to wait 22 months from that date for a full discount upgrade.

Speaking of using partial upgrade to undo this stupid requirement, when would someone be eligible for partial upgrade after using their full upgrade?

It's weird, there's really no set date for a partial discount.  99% of the time its there 1 day after you do the upgrade (although you now have to wait 15 days before buying another phone at all).  However, there is no set time to get a partial, and if its not there for some reason 15 days later, there's nothing we can do to make it available. 

Another thing I just thought of is that I think customer care can put a new contract on for no reason at all.  So you could probably actually just call in a day later and say you want them to extend your contract to 2 years from that date and then remove the data feature since the upgrade's contract has been overwritten.  I don't know that that will work, they may require you to have a reason for getting a new contract.... someone will have to try I guess.

Great! +1 for that

I'm not one to extend my contract for no reason though, even if it's to remove the idiotic data plan... especially if I can remove it using partial upgrade and get a nice little dumbphone backup. Hmm... I'm even more willing to buy a phone I probably wouldn't use on a regular basis just to get out of this stupid requirement, wow. (But hey, it'd be there as a backup forever, unlike the data plan which requires a monthly payment as long as you have it)

Yea it probably is good to just get a little Renew anyway to keep in case ur good phone craps out!

Great! +1 for that

I'm not one to extend my contract for no reason though, even if it's to remove the idiotic data plan... especially if I can remove it using partial upgrade and get a nice little dumbphone backup. Hmm... I'm even more willing to buy a phone I probably wouldn't use on a regular basis just to get out of this stupid requirement, wow. (But hey, it'd be there as a backup forever, unlike the data plan which requires a monthly payment as long as you have it)

Good point because I was sitting here trying to figure out how to save some money. And I found out I could save $80. However, reading this topic only showed me I could save $30 bucks, but now I will try to switch phones to something basic and try to at least save $30 more if not $50.

I'm very curious to see how this required data plan thing works out for T-Mobile. Is it really going to turn a lot of people off, will smartphone sales slow, will nothing change and they just end up reaping the cash benefits?

T-Mobile is supposed to be catering to the "don't wanna pay as much as the other guys" crowd... but I dunno about this one. I've had my Dash for years without data and love it (WiFi works just fine when I need it), why should I have to have it with all future smartphone purchases?

will nothing change and they just end up reaping the cash benefits?

lmao no.  Things aren't going to work out that perfectly.

Only thing that I am pissed with T-Mobile right now is I broke my 3 month old BB 8900, the trackball does not work so I got a free G1 (from a friend) and to use it I needed to have a G1 data so called the CS and then all this came up. Ok we no longer offer the 24.99 web and 400 sms, but I can give you 24.99 unlimited G1 data and for 4.99 more 300 TXT!!!!!!!! WTF are you talking about? Ok even if i dont TXT so much; in matter of fact i use may be 90 TXT a month and I hardly use the internet on my phone ( I might if i could get anything except the GPRS), i had to settle with the 34.99 which is of completly no use for me, I might put it on use if I could get 3G in my area. If they are going to jack the prices up like this they better have their Sh8 straight, and bring some phones from their overseas stock, from Germany and UK. Now we are paying the same price as the Europeans do per month and we still pay more for the phone upfront while signing a contract.
They pay $0.10 for a G1 and what we pay $149.99 and we are the one who is signing a lengthy contract then them i.e 24 months in comparison to 18 months. I know there is a competition there but we do have a competition over here, they are the 4th. For $85 I can go with any carrier and get every decent phone and superb coverage and a fantastic data that I want, which I am paying T-Mobile for GPRS connection and half freeway does not have a connection in which i commute 4 times a week. Only thing that is holding me with T-Mobile is the Loyalty plan. And I only use 1500 mins a top every month, which I can get from AT&T and still save I think.
And the funny thing is the top 2 national carrier in the country have their unlimited data and txt bundle for $30, $5 less than T-Mobile, I don't know what T-Mobile is trying to prove doing that when they are 4TH.
Enough of my rant.

And the funny thing is the top 2 national carrier in the country have their unlimited data and txt bundle for $30, $5 less than T-Mobile

Show me some proof of that.  Last time I checked it was like $45-$50......

And the funny thing is the top 2 national carrier in the country have their unlimited data and txt bundle for $30, $5 less than T-Mobile

Show me some proof of that.  Last time I checked it was like $45-$50......

If you mean Verizon and AT&T then yeah, we'll need to see some proof of that.

Data with AT&T for $30, add unlimited messaging for $20....... Data with verizon starts for $49.99, couldn't find the unlimited messaging - it's there somewhere. Regardless, $30 for both? Where?

http://forums.wireless.att.com/cng/board/message?board.id=messaging&thread.id=34202

so far i got the window capture of at&t still looking for verizon

its not letting me attach the picture.

I see Verizon's is bundled in with the 450 minute plan... it would work best as an add-on, especially if they don't bundle that with any higher minute options.

Considering T-Mobile likes to play catch up with everyone else's prices when they go up, perhaps they'll play catch up with their prices when the others' go DOWN? *crossing fingers for a $10 drop on T-Mobile*

Now, seeing as how both those links are showing as old, I would like to know how the heck those can be configured on their websites? Did they dispose of those deals already?

here it is

That's for dumbphones!!!! T-Mobile's is $20 for unlimited web and texting.  T-MOBILE IS THE BETTER VALUE!

Oh and here's the fine print on AT&T's site:

"MEdia™ Net and Data Unlimited are not available on PDAs/Pocket PCs, RIM® devices or LaptopConnect cards."