XPost: misc.phone.mobile.iphone, comp.mobile.android   
   From: harold@example.com   
      
   On Mon, 22 Jan 2018 17:10:11 -0500, JF Mezei wrote:   
      
   >> Then AT&T wouldn't let *new* phones block data (it's more complex than   
   >> that, but that's not the point here) so I summarily dropped AT&T for   
   >> T-Mobile (after toying with the idea of changing the IMEI because AT&T   
   >> insisted that they'd charge you for data if you switched the SIM card into   
   >> a phone that 'could' have data - even if you had data blocked!).   
   >   
   >   
   > The problem was people who got data-capable phones without data plans,   
   > and would rack up $10,000 bills because they ended up using data anyways   
   > but being charged $1 per byte or whatever the fee was for use of data   
   > without a data plan.   
   >   
   > There are other aspects too because they benefit when you move from a   
   > low ARPU plan with no data to a far mreo expensive plan with data.   
   >   
   > (and charging exorbitant amounts for us eof data without data plan was   
   > part of the strategy to push people to higher monthly packages to avoid   
   > those $10,000 bills).   
      
   The VP at AT&T kept giving me that "consistent bill" bullshit where I had   
   to constantly remind her that the phone line had a *data block* so it's   
   impossible to use data.   
      
   They'd let you have a data block, but they wouldn't let you put the SIM in   
   a phone that they called a "smart phone", where, they had the nospam-like   
   duplicity to say, with a straight face "what good is a smart phone not with   
   a data plan?".   
      
   That's when I realized that the VP was either the dumbest person on the   
   planet, or, just a duplicitous liar like nospam is.   
      
   It's frustrating to deal with people who say dumb things like that with a   
   straight face because you have to think:   
   a. Are they really that stupid?   
   b. Or, do they really think I'm that stupid?   
      
   It's the same with nospam with his deadpan responses of duplicity.   
      
   In the end, I gave up, and the government said AT&T told them they   
   "resolved" it, which was a bold outright lie but I was worn down by then.   
      
   The way I resolved it was to drop AT&T and move to T-Mobile and I've been   
   happy ever since.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)