I’ve been a long-time customer of T-Mobile which started waaaay back when they carried current, and powerful, mobile devices. These days they have a boring hum-drum of low-end consumer handsets - Blackberry and Sidekick excluded.

Staying a T-Mo customer has been easy. I’m paying $45 for 1,500 minutes and $20 for Hotspot and unlimited data which I use for my Nokia E61 and ocassionally my MacBook Pro. I’ve been holding out to use my upgrade credit for a new mobile device (preferrably a Nokia Symbian-powered phone) and waiting for 3G.

It seems neither are coming in this century.

I call Customer Service every few months and have found T-Mo is very tight-lipped. They could give Apple a run for its money in the secrecy department. In all: no upcoming Symbian devices and no word on 3G. If T-Mo waits any longer 3G will become 6G everywhere else.

Recently my in-laws made the switch from Verizon Wireless to AT&T Wireless and made my wife want to do the same because AT&T offers unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling within their customer base. Since my folks are on AT&T as well it got me looking to switch.

I’m dead set on a GSM provider which means T-Mo or AT&T. Here is my switching criteria:

• A generous calling plan between $40-$60
• Unlimited Internet data for my E61 between $20-$30
• Preferably the Internet plan includes tethering of my E61 to my laptop; wi-fi hotspot would be a cherry on top
• Avoid a long-term (i.e.: 2 year) commitment
• Use my existing E61 (future unlocked Symbian device) on their network

I’ve been contacting AT&T customer service every week in an attempt to get answers to these seemingly easy questions.

You won’t believe the answers I’m getting and it doesn’t bode well for advanced mobile users like me. Watch for part 2 where it all begins.

Related posts:

• Switching to AT&T Wireless ain’t easy to do - part 2
• Switching to AT&T Wireless ain’t easy to do - part 3
• Switching to AT&T Wireless ain’t easy to do - part 5
• Switching to AT&T Wireless ain’t easy to do - part 4
• Nokia E61 as a wireless modem for your Mac

Trackback URI | Comments RSS