We’ve already heard about carriers forcing people (mainly smartphone users) to add a data plan when they purchase a new phone. This, of course, is nothing new for the iPhone, but has recently been forced onto other smartphone users by a few carriers. This is a first though. At&t says that it will be requiring a messaging plan on select “feature” quick-messaging phones. Odds are, if you’re buying a “quick messaging” phone, you’re not buying it just for the phone calls, so you’ll probably want to add messaging anyway.
Here’s the facts:
– Phones that require a messaging plan at time of purchase include: Pantech Reveal, Pantech Impact, Motorola Karma, Samsung Flight, Samsung Impression, Samsung Magnet, Samsung Solstice, Samsung Mythic, Samsung Propel, LG Xenon, LG Neon, and the LG Vu.
– It looks like the minimum monthly cost when buying a “Quick Messaging” phone is around $20. That’s a $5 200 SMS/MMS plan and a $15/month unlimited data plan. It doesn’t look like you can walk out of the door without paying less than $20/mo in features in addition to your voice plan.
– There are slightly different requirements if you have a family plan, so check those out in detail with your AT&T liaison.
– If you have an existing “Quick Messaging” device, you don’t have to do a thing. But, if you want to ever upgrade to a new device, you’d then be hit with the messaging feature requirement.
Screenshot after the break.
Source: BGR
