Status of AT&T Connected CAR" Plans (Pre-Paid) as of Nov 2019

[CaptainGizmo]

Ok, let me kick this topic off with my "READERS DIGEST" version of the state of the union in regards to AT&T's Connected Car Plan.

In short, it's a rolling disaster, and here's why...

1. You'll get the WORST run-around, should you need to contact customer support; and YOU WILL! They have a SEPARATE number for the Connected Car Plans (CCP), which is: 866-595-1222.
2. Their CCP reps are pretty much CLUELESS of this plan, what the devices are (ie. SPARK vs. MOBLEY vs. TOGO), what an RV is, and where to point you. In fact, the last rep told me to call another number, "specifically to help me with my RV". I looked it up...and it's the TOGO ROADLINK phone number!
3. Their website, even though it has a PICTURE OF AN RV on it, has not a single RV manufacturer in their "Makers" list; they're all Auto-makers!
4. The SPARK device, which I used to set up and account, MUST BE TIED TO A VIN of a "QUALIFIED VEHICLE". Once you move it, OR IT'S SIM, to another vehicle that AT&T doesn't recognize, THEY WILL CANCEL YOUR SERVICE. That's what happened to me. It's not a 100% sure thing, but most likely, they'll catch up to you.
5. Their terms of service are starting to become CLEARER on the restrictions, throttling, etc. with regards to "Mobile Hotspot" usages. In fact, one fo their plans for "Bring your own", clearly states PROHIBITED FOR MOBILE HOTSPOT USE!
6. And, speaking the "BYO" Pre-paid plans...OY OY OY...there are a TON of them! You can start out at "by the minute", then graduated up to 8GB...and up. But, you'll find that they ALL have caps. For example, their TOP OF THE LINE plan is $75, yet has the following cap: "10GB mobile hotspot. After 10GB, hotspot speed limited to maximum of 128Kpbs."
7. These plans seem to change EVERY DAY. Here you go:
   

   Shop

   www.att.com
8. If you try to get to their Connected RV plans, you'll find yourself in a stuck hole to TOGO Roadlink, and end up having to set up an account before going further. Here's the link for example: Togo Roadlink RV Wi-Fi Hotspot - AT&T

So, while you can see these plans for $360 a year or even $65/month, it's just not that simple. You've got limitations, restrictions, etc. etc. etc.

Again, one VERY important factor to remember, is that the plans we're referring to, are considered PRE-PAID plans, which means you pay up front on a month by month basis and can cancel at any time. AS such, AT&T treats you like Whale-poop...the lowest in the ocean. By this, I'm talking about the DE-PRIORITIZING of your service. When you put these SIMS into a device that either they see as a Hotspot, or even worse, don't recognize, you will be subject to degraded speeds or even caps!

Most folks who have had limited success, have had plans that are attached to an existing phone service, considered "Post-Paid", and are treated a bit better. Just like with my T-Mobile Tablet add-on, I can get much better speeds and a price that's not too bad; around $35/month.

But, when I comes to slapping that pre-paid AT&T SIM card into your PepWave...all bets are off, and your sailing uncharted territory. As of now, AT&T has no concept of "In-Car" vs. "In-RV", nor do they know that a "Mobile Hotspot" they sell is no different than a "PepWave" router. Until then, be prepared to have some long calls and/or frustrating moments of far less than satisfying service.

 

[Joe Hogan]

After purchasing a SIM card from an AT&T Wichita Falls store, I spent, literally, hours trying to get the Wichita Falls store to sell me a Data plan for the PepWave, to no avail. Somehow the store internet connection to Corporate had gone down. They finally referred me to the self service Internet portal.
After five days of attempts to get the AT&T website to recognize the SIM card and many many calls to AT&T customer "service", still no luck. I finally gave up. The AT&T SIM card was going to be a spare second data source for the PepWave. My existing VZN SIM card ended up working throughout the Southwest.
The AT&T data plans, as noted above, do not appear very appealing.

 

[CaptainGizmo]

Joe. As of now, it’s hopeless to even attempt to get a SIM for a PepWave...for many reasons. Primarily, they have no clue.

Now, IF...you wanna fork over a wad of money, you CAN buy their top tier BYO “HOTSPOT DATA PLAN”. Just be sitting down when you do so.

And, as I’ve said...MAKE SIRE YOU READ ALL OF THE FINE PRINT!!!!! Some of their “unlimited” BYO plans specifically say NOT FOR HOTSPOT use; and the really fine print wants you about throttling.

And finally, another deceitful AT&T marketing practice is that, while they advertise the plan as “Unlimited”, what they actually provide is pathetic if you pass their “Cap”! It would be like the water company saying they’ll give you all the water you want...1 drop at a time...useless!!

Good luck.


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[Neal]

While I've only heard of one case where the connected car plan (Spark) got shut down, ehemm, up arrow one post, I personally would still sign up for it and try it and take the risk, if I didn't already have an unlimited option. Get your spark device which has an eSIM, go to your local AT&T store and have them transfer the line to a sim card and hope for the best.

 

[CaptainGizmo]

While I've only heard of one case where the connected car plan (Spark) got shut down, ehemm, up arrow one post, I personally would still sign up for it and try it and take the risk, if I didn't already have an unlimited option. Get your spark device which has an eSIM, go to your local AT&T store and have them transfer the line to a sim card and hope for the best.

Ahem...it’s me. ;-)

FYI...my buddy got the BIG FAIL at the AT$T store this week.

The door of opportunity may have closed for all but the skinniest to sneak through.


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[Neal]

FYI...my buddy got the BIG FAIL at the AT$T store this week.

Please elaborate? In getting the line transferred? If so, yes, stores are hit or miss. Get a fail, proceed to next store.

 

[redbaron]

I just signed up for another one 2 weeks ago. Usual routine. It may be different as I am using mobley to associate sims with at the store, but never insert the sim in the mobley. Its first use is in the peplink.

I have done this 5 times now without fail. I am a heavy user and have had no problem
Also, this is a post paid plan, so maybe that helps.

2019 DSDP 4369 * Active Air * NHSO

 

[CaptainGizmo]

Please elaborate? In getting the line transferred? If so, yes, stores are hit or miss. Get a fail, proceed to next store.

Neal,

He went in, and the guy was adamant and said no way it could be done. He’s not gonna hassle the BS, since he’s on the FirstNet system and can get a whole lot more help that way.


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[CaptainGizmo]

I just signed up for another one 2 weeks ago. Usual routine. It may be different as I am using mobley to associate sims with at the store, but never insert the sim in the mobley. Its first use is in the peplink.

I have done this 5 times now without fail. I am a heavy user and have had no problem
Also, this is a post paid plan, so maybe that helps.

2019 DSDP 4369 * Active Air * NHSO

Ronnie,

Complete different beast for 2 reasons:

1. With a Mobley, you can swap the SIM without any intervention from the ATT stoops.

2. Pre-paid plan are like an alien to ATT. When you call, they’ll pass you off to a entirely different division and phone number.

There’s more, but I’m having such a good time enjoying my Old Fashioned in Arizona after a long 530 mile day. [emoji106] [emoji483]


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[redbaron]

Is there a reason you don't just get the mobley?

I know that AT&T no longer sells the hardware, but the hardware is fairly easy to obtain from ebay. Further, all you really need is the IMEI number.

I have 3 physical mobley devices, but 5 separate plans. I setup an account using the IMEI of the mobley, let it go for a full bililng cycle, and confirm that the pepwave IMEI is assoicated with the account, and then purchase a 2nd unit.

For $20/mo this is really a good plan, and fully unlimited.

I use the pepwave for my RV, rental properties, and my workshop. The data is reliable and fast.

 

[CaptainGizmo]

Don’t want the hassle ... AND PAY PREMIUMS for a Mobley off eBay.

OTOH, I guess you can buy Unlimited Plans all over eBay right now. Leftovers from Enterprise installs.

Supposedly legit, but I’m too skeptical.


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[Joe Hogan]

Here is a discussion about the latest Cell plans by some, in my opinion, knowledgeable folks:

 

[CaptainGizmo]

Is there a reason you don't just get the mobley?

I know that AT&T no longer sells the hardware, but the hardware is fairly easy to obtain from ebay. Further, all you really need is the IMEI number.

I have 3 physical mobley devices, but 5 separate plans. I setup an account using the IMEI of the mobley, let it go for a full bililng cycle, and confirm that the pepwave IMEI is assoicated with the account, and then purchase a 2nd unit.

For $20/mo this is really a good plan, and fully unlimited.

I use the pepwave for my RV, rental properties, and my workshop. The data is reliable and fast.

Been thinking about this, Ronnnie, and have a couple thoughts.

One, I wonder if the whole “secret to success” is that you’re on a Post-Paid account. Certainly, the support HAS to be better...heck, the pre-paid accounts with ATT and VZ can’t even use their app; despite the support agents telling you so.

Second, in retrospect, I kinda wonder if AT&T did a little “investigating” on my account when I called into them a couple times when it wasn’t working. I’d suspect that a support agent “could” flag the account if they saw things that didn’t add up; such as the PepWave being a foreign hotspot device.

Paying $70 and putting it on the Prepaid plan was a fail. Paying $200+ for a used Mobley may be the only alternative. HOWEVER, I think that going through the process of setting up a standard Post-Paid account, and staying away from the Connected Car Plan, is a better route to take.

In her video above, Cherie talks about that DataConnect PrePaid Tablet plan, in which she’s successfully taken that SIM and put it anywhere...even though this is a breach in their TOS. “Run Silent - Run Deep”, in other words...oh well. LOL


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[redbaron]

I do believe postpaid is a key to longevity with AT&T.

I have a business plan with the long gone mobile hot spot plans that were unlimited. I have 4 devices on those, 2 for employees, one for DW and one for me.

When the mobley came out I bought one for each of my stick and bricks as a failover and then another for my rv.

These units get varying degree of usage, from nothing to outright abuse.

So far I have been fortunate.

When getting the Mobley, I created separate accounts for each one. My thought was if one was flagged, I didnt want all the others to suffer.

2019 DSDP 4369 * Active Air * NHSO

 

[CaptainGizmo]

I do believe postpaid is a key to longevity with AT&T.

.....

When getting the Mobley, I created separate accounts for each one. My thought was if one was flagged, I didnt want all the others to suffer.

Good idea, and don’t ever call support...at least not when the SIM is in the PEPWAVE! ;-)


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[CaptainGizmo]

I setup an account using the IMEI of the mobley, let it go for a full bililng cycle, and [BOLD]confirm that the pepwave IMEI is assoicated[/BOLD] with the account, and then purchase a 2nd unit.

So, if I’m reading you correctly...

You set the account up with the MOBLEY’s IMEI...and then later CHANGED IT? Hmmm, or did you just swap the SIM, and then go online to see if the PepWave’s IMEI was showing on the account page somehow?

Cuz...I’m wondering if another trick would be to grab one of those corporate leftover plans off eBay and do the same exact thing...sans Mobley.



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[redbaron]

Here is the process:

* Obtain an IMEI for a Mobley that is not currently activated on plan you own. The key here is when you activate it, AT&T will look for this IMEI being used on another plan. If they find it, they *could* flag it for investigation. I have heard of others getting multiple accounts with a single mobley, only to lose their older accounts due to violation of TOS. I do not have first hand knowledge here, but feel that paying $75-250 per account for the benefit is worth it.

* Mobley's can be obtained from ebay without risk.
* once you have the IMEI, you can then proceed with the next step of registering the plan. You do not need the physical device. Contact the connected car plan group, referencing the FCA discount (see other forums for this info, I don't have the link readily available). Setup the account as post paid, by providing your SSN / TaxId, etc. The discount for autopay should bring the entire bill to less than $25 with taxes.

*Once the plan is activated, you can choose to either have AT&T mail you the sim, or to notate your account that you can pickup a sim for no charge at the AT&T store. I prefer picking up the sim at the store. You walk in, reference your account number and the need for a sim. Explain this is for a connected car plan, so the device is in "your other car" and you just need the sim. They will give you a credit card size plastic sim card. The sim can be removed and has various sizes.

*DO NOT PLACE THIS SIM IN THE MOBLEY EVER - It will become locked to the mobley without the ability to unlock. There are various discussion on obtaining the PUC code, but I have gone down that route so many times and failed that I cannot recommend it.

*place the sim in any hotspot device you desire and enjoy fast, unlimited internet.

 

[CaptainGizmo]

Good stuff, Ronnie...I’ll copy these notes for future use.

Thanks for the great detail!


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[Joe Hogan]

We have a VZN post paid account. Purchased a 8800 Jetpack with data card. Immediately ran into issues with the Jetpack. Once there was a software update to fix issues for the Jetpack, pulled the data card and sold the 8800. Moved the data card to the Pepwave. When it became obvious the VZN was throttling the Card I called CS. Explained that the card was in a Pepwave and the Jetpack 8800 was unreliable. The data card account is part of a three phone unlimited data account, not cheap.
No problems with getting data. Full speed right up to 15G. After 15G it is slow going to month end reset. My cell is truly unlimited so most times I will use the phone to search and download data. Only the TV and Laptop use the RV WiFi.

 

[Jim]

*place the sim in any hotspot device you desire and enjoy fast, unlimited internet.

Would an example of "any hotspot device" be my iPhone 6?