Upgrading from the Impression

If I were to purchase a newer unlocked smartphone would I be able to slip my SIMM into it and still enjoy the unlimited data for the reduced cost?

I love my impression, but I'm itchin for some type of Android based phone. The Nexus looks interesting. Not the second coming of the Jesus phone or anything like that, but I'd like to have a few moments alone with one if you know what I'm saying?

They're not kidding about AT&T's patchy 3G coverage. I'm not in an area that supports it.

AT&T's 3G coverage is fine, except in major metro areas. Most of that is because of iPhone users streaming live video via various sports apps. I've not had a problem with my 3G coverage anywhere in the western half of the country. The problems you read about are wildly overblown, and their maps cover all the major metro areas in the US. It's the outlying areas that AT&T gets patchy in. Suffice it to say, if you're in a fairly big city, or within 300 miles of a larger city, and have good Cellular coverage, you'll have pretty good 3G coverage with AT&T. Verizon's is better in outlying areas, but in the Metro areas no different as far as speed, and connection strength (dropped signals etc.)

That said, with the Nexus One you'll only get EDGE service on AT&T. I'm not sure about ALL phones, but if you're using a Smartphone, it's only a matter of time before AT&T finds out, using your IMEI which is reported to the network as soon as you log on, whether for Voice, or just data. Your IMEI corresponds to a number in a database which will give AT&T just about all the info they need on your phone. Once they find out what you've been doing, they'll likely call you and basically MAKE you change your plan. You might get away with it for a while, but I'd doubt for long.

If you wait a bit, AT&T plans to launch 5 Android-based phones the first half of this year...

http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=4800&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=30353

i thought i read somewhere that now if u have a smartphone and they catch u they will add the smartphone data plan to yur account automatically... am i right??

well it could be somewhere deep within the contract that tells you that if you are paying for a cheaper data plan and you have a smart phone and arnt paying for a smart phone that they can automatically bump you up to the smart phone data package without your permission

I believe they can just start charging you for a data plan even without informing you. It is all over every one of the sites when you go shopping for a smartphone. There is no reason for you not to knopw that they now require you to have a data plan for a smartphone if you are using one or switch to one. It came in one of thier bills a few months ago and announced it to everyone.

Sometimes it pays to open those things and read them.