BlackJack questions and rates

[brum]

Hi all - I tried searching the forum list for some of my questions and I couldn't find answers to a couple.

Do you really have to get the most expensive plan from AT&T to use the phone as a modem for a laptop (via BT)? Or is this something that AT&T is just telling me to up sell.

Can the AT&T "smartphone" unlimited data plan ($19.99) work? Or do I have to go with the PDA plan ($54.99). I have read that the smartphone plan will work online, but the salesman disagreed.

TIA,
/brum

[bradmatejo]

I was told the same thing by the salesman in the store, but he's wrong. The "Smartphone" plan will work. As will the various Media packages they have. I use the $19.99 one (called MediaMax?) because it included text messages too. Just add it online or by calling customer service. If they balk at putting it on a plan for a Blackjack (they shouldn't but just in case), just tell them you tried it and it was too much phone for you so you swapped phones with your brother/sister/whatever and are now using a Razr (or other dumb phone of your choosing). If they reeeeeeeeally wanted to they could look up your ESN and find out you're still using the BJ, but believe me they don't care.

[waterman]

I had picked up the mediamax 200 data plan also and gave it back within a couple weeks. The internet is so incredibly slow and non-functional that I figured I'll just make due with my current computer access.

As far as using the BJ as a modem -- again, the slow access speeds are terrible. It's taken a while for society to get to where the internet can be viewed rapidly, even given the huge graphic demands; and I'm just not willing to step back in time, in order to allow me to get email on demand.

That's my take. Good luck!

h2o