So imagine my delight when my coworker Todd yesterday flatly hands me over a free BlackBerry Curve. He and I had talked about smartphones (he's our aircard/phone admin) and features and such. Really and truthfully I just use my phone as a phone and for texting. His suggestion was to forgo a data plan that I would not need and just turn off data services on the BlackBerry itself. So I gleefully took the BB, turned off data, popped in my SIM Chip and went on my way.
That was yesterday afternoon. This morning, this bullshit was in my inbox:
Let me, before I continue, place up my person scenario for my usage. I don't care for mobile web. When I walk away from my computer(s) I care not for anything on the web or a computer. Text would be the only mobile service I use outside of phone calling. While I know we are in the Information Age and data is our greatest tool I am not so bound by data that I can't forgo it. If I need to watch something on YouTube I will be in front of a computer. If I want to show someone else I email them a link or embed it somewhere.
All I want/need was a full keyboard as T9 text input leaves much to be desired. So I do not need/want a data package. So with that let me move forward with a full deconstruction of this email.
We hope you are enjoying your Smartphone!
Well I was for less than a day, much of which was just charging the damn thing.
We appreciate and value your business and want to be sure you are aware of a change we've made to your account to ensure you have the best possible experience with data usage in the United States.
Here we have an Oh-Shit-O-Second, which is defined as the exact second you realize something is horribly, horribly wrong. Also, again, I've turned the data off. Options - Advanced - Network - Data Off. It's not that hard if you are an advanced user like myself.
Smartphones are made for data consumption-surfing the web, social networking, email and more.
That 'and more' would be a key phrase here. I plan on using the other features, fuckwits.
That's why we require a Smartphone data plan in conjunction with our Smartphones. This ensures that customers with data intensive devices are not unpleasantly surprised with high data pay-per-use charges.
It appears you don't know me. Yes I could use data. But if you notice no data went out because I fucking turned it off.
For whatever reason, our records indicate your Smartphone does not have an eligible data plan.
This would be because a) I don't need it and b) trying to view any website on my Razr was like trying to suck up 100 gallons of water up through a mile-long bendy-straw. I never got into the habit. Shit, originally I didn't have a texting plan either. It wasn't until that one relationship (my friends know which I speak of) that I needed that on my plan (she ran up and extra $30 one month).
We have added an appropriate Smartphone data plan for your device.
No that isn't what you did. What you did was start fucking with my money and my account. You put me on the 2GB $25/month plan. What you did was not give me an option to remove all data. What you did was force me back to my Razr and have to call back in to remove the data plan and the charge to my account (Which I will be watching you over like a hawk on speed to make sure you do your job. If it's still on my account come next week the levels of hell I will raise will be the likes of which that GOD has never seen). All of this before I had gotten my coffee this morning.
So that's where it stands. So you can't get a smartphone without data. Which I don't need. And finding a regular phone with a full keyboard is nigh fucking impossible. I've thought about smartphones before but since I would use data the lease I don't want it. I post to but don't check my twitter by phone, Facebook doesn't even come up on my Razr and I couldn't care less. I don't need data, stop trying to sell it to me.
[Edit] Based on a comment on my twitter (OMG I have that and you can follow me ^_^) I'd like to clarify that yes there are phone phones with full keyboards. They require unlimited text plans. I don't need this. The only reason I have texting was, again, because of that one charge because of that one person. I like $5/month vs. random charges every month. Consistency is divine ~_^
2 comments:
they did the exact same thing to us. My gf was using a crappy phone that was set up under my account as a second line. There was no contract on the second phone. One of my friends gave her an old blackberry. All she wanted to do was text without having to press each letter 3 times. Without asking or notifying me first, AT&T added a data package. I don't understand how they can force this on you without written authorization.
Somehow I think the email constitutes the written authorization. Or at minimum notice of change. Still BS.
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