No Data Service From At&T (Usa) For My Thai Smart Phone

[Sam Drucker]

I picked up a new Android Smart Phone (HTC Wildfire) last month in Thailand, just before a trip to USA. I use AT&T (prepaid) in the States. It is the best option for me to keep my existing number, have GSM service, and not be paying for service while I live in Thailand.

I knew I would not be able to use AT&T's 3G service, as my phone has 3G frequencies of 900 and 2100 MHz. (I believe AT&T uses 850 and 1900 MHz.) But I did expect to be able to at least get EDGE service from AT&T. Not so. I went into an AT&T office to get the data service, we turned it on, and I got no "E" symbol and no Edge service. After some phone calls by the rep, turns out AT&T's Edge service does not work with Smart Phones using Prepaid service. They say it only works with their own supplied cheapo phones. Or any smartphone that is using a postpaid service.

I confirmed this answer at a second AT&T office. The reps in these offices did not seem very knowlegable about their systems, and had kind of a "don't want to touch that" attitude when I said my phone was purchased overseas.

Seems to me they are missing a market for selling temporary data services to USA visitors.

[lomatopo]

I'm almost certain it is possible for you to layer a pre-paid data package on to an existing pre-paid AT&T account. As noted your phone will not work on AT&T's 3G network, nor would it work on T-Mobiles'. It would work on T-Mobile's pre-paid voice and 2G network.

Which AT&T pre-paid plan do you use? $50 Monthly Unlimited Plan; $2 Daily Unlimited Talk and Text; 10¢/Minute Plan?

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phone-plans/pyg-cell-phone-plans.jsp

It does this, "**Smartphone users: You may use your smartphone on all GoPhone plans. A data package is required to use any data services on your device. Pay-per-use data is not available on smartphones."

Data Feature Packages

Access the Web, email, social networks, and more! Add to your GoPhone 10¢/Minute or $2/Daily Unlimited Talk & Text plans. Smartphone users must purchase a data package with any plan to use data services on their device.

$5 for 10 MB

$15 for 100 MB

$25 for 500 MB

Feature packages are good for 30 days as long as your account balance is not expired. Standard rates apply if feature package is not renewed after 30 days. Also, feature package balance rolls over if renewed before expiration date.

AT&T does block service based on IMEI number, for example to non-AT&T iPhones. But you should be able to purchase a data plan, activate it, configure an APN, toggle GSM only and use it. Maybe read up on others' experiences, sort out the configuration issues and I'm certain you'll get it working next trip.

[Sam Drucker]

I'm almost certain it is possible for you to layer a pre-paid data package on to an existing pre-paid AT&T account. As noted your phone will not work on AT&T's 3G network, nor would it work on T-Mobiles'. It would work on T-Mobile's pre-paid voice and 2G network.

Which AT&T pre-paid plan do you use? $50 Monthly Unlimited Plan; $2 Daily Unlimited Talk and Text; 10¢/Minute Plan?

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phone-plans/pyg-cell-phone-plans.jsp

It does this, "**Smartphone users: You may use your smartphone on all GoPhone plans. A data package is required to use any data services on your device. Pay-per-use data is not available on smartphones."

Data Feature Packages

Access the Web, email, social networks, and more! Add to your GoPhone 10¢/Minute or $2/Daily Unlimited Talk & Text plans. Smartphone users must purchase a data package with any plan to use data services on their device.

$5 for 10 MB

$15 for 100 MB

$25 for 500 MB

Feature packages are good for 30 days as long as your account balance is not expired. Standard rates apply if feature package is not renewed after 30 days. Also, feature package balance rolls over if renewed before expiration date.

AT&T does block service based on IMEI number, for example to non-AT&T iPhones. But you should be able to purchase a data plan, activate it, configure an APN, toggle GSM only and use it. Maybe read up on others' experiences, sort out the configuration issues and I'm certain you'll get it working next trip.

I am using the 10¢/Minute Plan, and what we did was add the $5.00/10MB plan for starters (to see how fast I would consume 10 MB of data.) That didn't work.

I see a Mobile Network toggle configuration looking at my phone that was turned off, and honestly I don't recall if that got turned on before. Now I'm back in Thailand, so I can't check it. Seeing the APN configuration though, I think that was not set and could have been the problem.

My guess is it may have actually been a configuration issue, although I was mis-directed by AT&T staff in two different offices, telling me it would not work with my Smart Phone on a Pay As You Go plan.

Thanks for the input.