# Apple and AT&T hit with lawsuit over iPad unlimited data disappearance



## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

> Apple and AT&T have been hit with a class action lawsuit over the bait and switch of the unlimited data plan to iPad 3G owners. Since June 9th three consumers went to the law firm of Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP to file the amended complaint.


More here: http://www.tipb.com/2010/06/25/apple-att-hit-lawsuit-ipad-unlimited-data-disappearance/

It was only a matter of time...I'm sure there will be more.


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

The info is from a news release by the law firm distributed via Business Wire. This paragraph says it all:


> "The availability of an unlimited data plan was a key reason why consumers paid the extra $130 charge to access the 3-G network, and their ability to switch in and out of the unlimited data plan was also an important consideration in the decision to purchase an iPad," stated Lieff Cabraser attorney Michael W. Sobol. "The complaint alleges that Apple and AT&T should have known at the time they were promoting the availability of unlimited data plans, they were not going to keep that promise."


Steve, meet AT&T, your fine business partner.


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## Grentz (Jan 10, 2007)

I hate trivial lawsuits, but this does seem to have some merit.

They said or at least alluded to the fact that you could switch plans as you like and that implied switching to the unlimited whenever you wanted. Now that is obviously gone so I would probably be pissed too if I was in that situation.

I don't know why they dont just have an unlimited plan for like $35 at this point. So 200mb $15, 2gb $25, Unlimited $35. Keep the grandfathered people as they are, and be done with it!


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

I think the unlimited data plan is why a lot of people went with ATT. It's not jut ipad owners but Blackberry, iphone, and Android owners. Thankfully those that have the unlimited are grandfathered in, but I wonder if ATT will allow those that bought/registered the ipad before the change will be grandfathered in to the unlimited off/on plan. I think that would be a very smart move for ATT, and considering the pr issues Apple is now having, a move Apple should get behind.


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## Chris Blount (Jun 22, 2001)

I am grandfathered but I'm still a bit upset. I'm basically stuck in a "plan" instead of starting and stopping as I please. Apple and AT&T deserve to get slammed on this one.


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

Chris Blount said:


> I am grandfathered but I'm still a bit upset. I'm basically stuck in a "plan" instead of starting and stopping as I please. Apple and AT&T deserve to get slammed on this one.


Chris,
Do you have one for the iphone and one for the ipad?

This could really pi$$ off people that don't want a iphone (don't want ATT cell service) but want an ipad3g. Not everyone that has cable internet has wifi. I don't understand Apples' strategy in going with one, and the same, provider for both devices.


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## Chris Blount (Jun 22, 2001)

BubblePuppy said:


> Chris,
> Do you have one for the iphone and one for the ipad?
> 
> This could really pi$$ off people that don't want a iphone (don't want ATT cell service) but want an ipad3g. Not everyone that has cable internet has wifi. I don't understand Apples' strategy in going with one, and the same, provider for both devices.


I am grandfathered on both. My original idea was to start and stop the iPad plan as needed. I haven't decided what I'm going to do yet. If my job situation changes, the iPad plan definitely gets cancelled but for now it's no big deal.


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

Chris Blount said:


> I am grandfathered on both. My original idea was to start and stop the iPad plan as needed. I haven't decided what I'm going to do yet. If my job situation changes, the iPad plan definitely gets cancelled but for now it's no big deal.


You might want to check with your ATT person to see if you can start and stop and still be grandfathered in. I checked with mine, and even if my wife or I go with the other plan the other one remains grandfathered, and that goes if we even change phones.


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

So...is there an iSue app yet?


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

hdtvfan0001 said:


> So...is there an iSue app yet?


!rolling


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

hdtvfan0001 said:


> So...is there an iSue app yet?


Yes, the *iSue*™ app is available by free download from the web site of Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, aka "The Law Firm". Click on the "Sue the Bastids" link, agree to pay a $12,000 non-refundable retainer and check the "I agree to pay all out-of-pocket costs" box. Caution: When you click the [SUE] button, you authorize The Law Firm to sue on your behalf, and you further agree that The Law Firm shall deduct (collect), in advance of any payment to you, 40% of the gross amount recovered as their fee.

Additional language is located on the reverse of the on-screen document.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

I switched my iPhone down to the $15 plan because I simply don't use "unlimited" data. In studying my own usage, I haven't used 200MB of cellular (or 3G) data in the entire almost 2 years I've had the phone!

I mostly use my iPhone in places where I have access to WiFi... and would rather save the $15 over keeping my grandfathered $30 unlimited plan that I already know I wasn't using.


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## Chris Blount (Jun 22, 2001)

Stewart Vernon said:


> I switched my iPhone down to the $15 plan because I simply don't use "unlimited" data. In studying my own usage, I haven't used 200MB of cellular (or 3G) data in the entire almost 2 years I've had the phone!
> 
> I mostly use my iPhone in places where I have access to WiFi... and would rather save the $15 over keeping my grandfathered $30 unlimited plan that I already know I wasn't using.


I can see doing that. Our problem is that we use Pandora and the Sling boxes quite extensively.


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

Nick said:


> Yes, the *iSue*™ app is available by free download from the web site of Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, aka "The Law Firm". Click on the "Sue the Bastids" link, agree to pay a $12,000 non-refundable retainer and check the "I agree to pay all out-of-pocket costs" box. Caution: When you click the [SUE] button, you authorize The Law Firm to sue on your behalf, and you further agree that The Law Firm shall deduct (collect), in advance of any payment to you, 40% of the gross amount recovered as their fee.
> 
> Additional language is located on the reverse of the on-screen document.


Cool....I figured there's an app for that.


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

I'm not big on lawsuits, but....

It's a little tough to take a "let the buyer beware" attitude when two very large corporations widely advertise and release a product that is dependent upon a utility service one of them provides and six weeks later significantly change the terms of the service.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Chris Blount said:


> I can see doing that. Our problem is that we use Pandora and the Sling boxes quite extensively.


I don't use Pandora... but I do Sling... I just wait to do it until I'm able to hook into WiFi.

Around here a lot of places have free WiFi... and I get lots of AT&T free WiFi hotspots either because of having the AT&T cellphone service OR with my U-Verse internet... so there aren't a lot of places that I normally visit that don't get me to free WiFi.

IF I didn't have so much WiFi access around... then the data on the cellular data plan might get used a whole lot more.


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## funhouse69 (Mar 26, 2007)

Unfortunately in most class action law suits the only winners are the lawyers and never the consumer. What usually happens is some lame out of court settlement where no blame / fault is found. This is a little different and I actually agree that this "Appears" like a bait and switch. If Apple didn't know that this was going to happen then they should be suing AT&T.

I am one of the people that specifically bought the iPad 3G for the ability to add on the plans INCLUDING Unlimited when I travel. To have this come up weeks after they went on sale is total BS and should have never promoted that they were unlimited "Without a Contract". I can still sign up for the unlimited now but would have to do it monthly and have an auto-renew every month. Well my friends that is a contract no matter how you slice it. I hope that something good comes out of this but as usual it will be many years before anything does and we will probably be on the 4th Gen of iPads by then.


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## wingrider01 (Sep 9, 2005)

BubblePuppy said:


> You might want to check with your ATT person to see if you can start and stop and still be grandfathered in. I checked with mine, and even if my wife or I go with the other plan the other one remains grandfathered, and that goes if we even change phones.


you might want to get this in writing, ATT staes you cancel the unlimited or change you will never be able to go back, this is in their faqs and on their forum


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

wingrider01 said:


> you might want to get this in writing, ATT staes you cancel the unlimited or change you will never be able to go back, this is in their faqs and on their forum


We are on the family plan and I know that one of us can go to the cheaper plan without affecting the other. She has the iphone data plan and I have the Blackberry data plan.
But yes, once one of us leave the unlimited plan there is no turning back.


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## HIPAR (May 15, 2005)

Anyone affected should be given the option to return the hardware to Apple for a full refund of purchase price and taxes and then have contracts with ATT terminated without fee.

--- CHAS


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## wingrider01 (Sep 9, 2005)

HIPAR said:


> Anyone affected should be given the option to return the hardware to Apple for a full refund of purchase price and taxes and then have contracts with ATT terminated without fee.
> 
> --- CHAS


Don;t agree at all, things change, life goes on, plans are dropped, plans are changed.


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

wingrider01 said:


> Don;t agree at all, things change, life goes on, plans are dropped, plans are changed.


Unless the on/off unlimited data plan was one of the advertised main selling points for the ipad, which I believe it was, so it could well fall into the bait and switch category. If that happened to me I just might sue.


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