Well I’m having problems with my account billing with AT&T. I’m tryin’ like mad to see what I can do about the situation. When I find out what the outcome is, I’ll post about it in detail.

Peace, JbB

If you read my post a month ago (New ATT Data Plans, What You Need To Know), I talked about the future of mobile Internet use for iPhone users. I recommended people switch to the 2 GB plan a month, saving $5 off their phone bill. I talked about my usage and where I suspected it would be once iOS 4.0 and its multitasking came out.

Well iOS 4.0 has been out for a while now, and Pandora’s been updated or multitasking. So now I have a better understanding of what my monthly usage is.

As you can see from the image below, I’m more than halfway through my billing cycle and I’ve used 493 MBs.

So how have I been using my mobile Internet plan so far this month? Well before I wasn’t able to run Pandora while driving because I had to use the Neocell as my GPS navigation (Got My Car Docked (iPhone Dock That Is)), and we all know Pandora couldn’t run in the background before iOS 4.0 (not counting Backgrounder). But now that Pandora can run in the background, I’ve been running Pandora behind Navigon when I drive. And I’ve ran Pandora a few times on the mobile Internet when hangin’ with friends via the Minimove (iPhone Remote Controllers Can Control Pandora), and a bit when goin’ shopping, using headphones or whatever. So I’d say I’ve used Pandora over my mobile Internet about 10 – 20 hours this month. (I know next month it’ll be more, because Navigon and Pandora were glitching a few times when Pandora’s update first came out and I wasn’t running Pandora at time.)

Other uses for the mobile internet has been emailing maybe 5 or 6 30 second videos, emailing maybe 20 pictures, downloading maybe 15 pictures via email, sending and receiving maybe 50 text emails, publishing three posts via WordPress, maybe 4 hours of web surfing and maybe 2 hours of web apps, such as eBay, Twitter, etc.

That’s a lot of use for only half a month. And thankfully, I’ve only used 1/4 of my Internet usage. But that doesn’t account for the total Internet usage on the Neocell in the past 15 days or so. Whenever I’m able to get on wifi, such as at home, I do it. So about 80% of my time using the Internet on the Neocell is done over wifi.

So don’t think to yourself “Wow, he uses his iPhone a lot and only uses that much of his mobile Internet? Then I’m good…” if you don’t connect (or have) wifi at your home or work.

Check out the second image below, the one that shows the usage of all data coming into and out of the Neocell. This is since I upgraded to iOS 4.0, so since my billing period started, the actual usage is pretty close (it would be just a little higher). I’ve used over the 2 GB limit. Now I’m good because 80% of that **** was over wifi. But if you aren’t using wifi and you use your iPhone a LOT, be careful. You could o over the limit.

But, I’m pleasantly surprised that things like Pandora and emailing don’t suck as much data as I thought. As long as people have wifi to connect to every now and then, I don’t see anyone really going over the 2 GB limit. (Tether is a completely different, sad story though).

Oh yeah, if you haven’t gotten it yet, go out and get the AT&T myWirelesa app to monitor your data usage.

Peace, JbB

So, AT&T is changing up it’s wireless data plans for smartphones (which means iPhones). They’re changing them come June 7th, 2010, the same time as the WWDC, when Apple announces the next new iPhone. So here’s what you need to know.

First, and this is important, AT&T is 86ing their unlimited data plan. You can no longer select an unlimited data plan. Now, that doesn’t they’re taking away unlimited data from existing iPhone users. They can’t because it’s grandfather-claused into our contracts. The only way they could take it away from us is if they canceled our contract, which of course they won’t do. So they can’t take unlimited data away from you.

So the way it works is that their data plans have changed and there is no unlimited data plan to choose from anymore. If you choose a new data plan, you can’t go back to unlimited data. The good news is that all plans are cheaper (sorta’) and they finally allow tethering, but it’s not all good news…

New AT&T Mobile Data Plans

$15 DataPlus: 200 MBs a month

So this plan is the cheapest and starting plan. It gives you 200 MBs a month. This doesn’t include text messaging. If you go over the amount, your charged another $15 and receive another 200 MBs.

$25 DataPro: 2 GBs a month

This is the final plan for iPhone users who are going to use data from their phone only. It gives you 2 GBs a month. It doesn’t include text messaging. If you go over the amount, your charged another $25 and receive another 2 GBs.

$45 DataPro plus tethering: 2 GBs a month

You get everything from the DataPro 2 GBs a month plan, but now your also able to tether data from your iPhone. That’s it. You get nothing extra. You hear me? Nothing.

No contract renewal

Do you gotta’ renew your contract? Nope. That’s good news right there. You still can’t turn off a data plan though. You still have to have one if you have an iPhone (boo). But the good news is that for those who don’t need mobile data (after all, wifi rocks), you can switch to the lowest data plan without renewing your contract.

What plan should you choose?

Ok, so remember what I said? They can’t take unlimited data away from you. So should you even switch to a plan to save some money? The answer is: yes. But which plans?

Ok, let’s break it down; how much data do you use? Well check your bill to see. It, at least now, shows how much data you use. Here’s how much data the Neocell 3GS used.

So last month, I used only 235 MBs a month. I can tell you that’s more than the average user. But last month was a little bit light on how much data I use, because I’m getting my GPS repaired in my Lexus so, every time I drive somewhere, I’d load up the Navigon MyRegion GPS navigation app. So that means I wasn’t using Pandora (which I normally always use when I drive), and I suspect my monthly data usage would be somewhere around 300 MBs to 500 MBs.

My girl’s been using her iPhone a lot this month, like more this month than she’s ever used her iPhone in the past. I asked her what her data usage was this month and she said it’s 235 MBs.

The average user should hover slightly under 200 MBs. Being so close to 200 MBs though, my advice is for people to get the 2 GB a month plan. No point to risk paying $15 for 200 MBs and an extra $15 for another 200 MBs, totally $30 a month when you could just spend $25 for 2 GBs and not worry about it.

Do I think 2 GBs is enough for a power iPhone user? ‘Freak yeah! I think the most I’ve ever used was 500 MBs, and that included Pandora everytime I hit the road, surfing while working, Youtube, app downloads, etc. I mean, this one month, we’re talkin’ bein’ on the Neocell 2G (didn’t have the Neocell 3GS yet) like 4-8 hours a day on 2G data that month. It still was only 500 MBs that month. So I honestly can’t see anybody goin’ over 2 GBs a month.

What’s the deal with tethering?

We finally got access to tethering, but it’s pretty… I don’t know, crappy. Here’s one thing that you need to know. You can’t use tethering (officially) with your existing unlimited data plan. If you go to AT&T and be like “Yo, hook me up with tethering!” they won’t just “add” it to your data plan. They’ll cancel (for good) your unlimited data plan and switch you to the “Datapro with tethering” plan. So that’s cleared up now.

But tethering, well… it’s a sucky ass plan. Here’s the deal; 2 GBs of data is more than good enough for iPhone users, even the most hardcore users (yo). But that’s for our iPhones, and we’re fine with that. But we can’t afford (data-wise) to share that data with a laptop. Using the same pool of data for a laptop is risky business. Now if AT&T allowed us to have tethering for no extra cost, shoot, I’d be sayin’ “yippy!”… but it ain’t like that. They want to CHARGE us $20 extra for… for what? Nothing! We get no extra data. None. Zip. Ziltch.

Bull ****. That’s what I call it. It’s wrong that they’re doing this. I can’t really give you much advice as whether or not you should get it. It’s up to you. Tethering is an amazing thing depending on what you need it for. I will say this… you can turn it on for your account for one month and turn it off without renewing your contract, so that’s the only good thing about it I can see.

My thoughts?

I think AT&T is preparing for the day when the iPhone is available  on another carrier. They’re trying to make their service plans more attractive. I think they need to do more when that day comes, because their plans are still pretty high… not compared to Verizon (now), but definitely compared to T-mobile and Sprint.

Peace, JbB

I’m sellin’ my baby… Yep,  it’s true, I’m finally sellin’ the original Neocell on eBay.

A recap for those new to the site, the Neocell was my first iPhone (the one for sale), a 24K gold and wood plated iPhone 2G 16GB. There’s a pic of me ‘n’ my “new baby” the first week I got it.

I was in a contract with T-mobile at the same, so the very first thing I had to do once getting the Neocell was jailbreak it to work on T-mobile. I had a choice between an iPhone 2G 16GB or an iPhone 3G 16GB. The reason why I went with an iPhone 2G is because of me bein’ on T-mobile, it’s impossible for 3G iPhones to access T-mobile’s 3G network. So why pay more money on a 3G iPhone if I can’t access the 3G speeds. So a 2G was a perfect choice for me. See, I did my homework before hand. This is how theneocell.com got started.

About 9 or 10 months later, once I was out of my contact with T-mobile. it became time for me to upgrade to an iPhone 3GS. So I’ve had the Neocell 2G sittin’ and lookin’ all pretty on my desk for a few months. I’ve put off sellin’ it because, well… it’s my baby. Hard to sell somethin’ that means so much to ya, ya know?

I remember all the great and wild comments I’ve gotten from people. There’ll be times I’d be out somewhere, messin’ around on the Neocell 2G and I’d look up and see a chick starin’ at me. I’d say to myself “If she’s checkin’ me out, she’s got a weird way of staring at me…” and then I’d realize “Oh, she ain’t checkin’ me out, she’s checkin’ the Neocell out.”. I’d get the same reaction from guys too, I’d look at a guy and think “What the ‘freak you lookin’ you??” and realize “Oh… the Neocell. It’s cool, it’s cool…”. It would happen out with people too, someone would ask “What was that guy lookin’ at?” and I’d say “Oh, my phone…” and they’d go “Oh… I thought he as a weirdo or somethin’.”

One thing I had to get used to (which I still get now with the Neocell 3GS) is that people will mistake the Neocell 2G for other phones. My banker, who sees me about once a week, regonized that I had a new phone instantly and asked “Wow, that’s awesome looking… is that the new Blackberry” (talkin’ about the Blackberry Storm). I got offended and said “Blackberry? Does this look like a Blackberry??” and showed him the Apple logo on the back. His response, “Oh, I didn’t think it was the iPhone because it has that… what is that, wood?”. That was the first time I realized that people will sometimes not recognize it as an iPhone because it’s so unique. So now, when I get “Wow! I love your phone! What type of phone is that? The new Blackberry / Palm / Droid / Nexus One??”, I take that as a compliment and simply say “No, it’s an iPhone…”.

I remember one person who checked out the Neocell 2G, they asked if they could feel it. I said sure, and they said “Ooo, I feel the wood…” and then they leaned in and sniffed it! I said “Whoh, what’er you doin’?” and they said “I wanted to smell the wood…”. I looked at this woman strangely and had to say “Yeah… sorry… it… it don’t smell like nothin’.”. Haha, wild.

Made a lotta’ memories with the Neocell 2G, I’m gonna’ miss it.

Peace, JbB