AT&T: 11 Facts To Know Before You Sign Up

From AT&T’s website:

Detailed billing lets you see:

• Talk usage and call details, including numbers dialed and received, call length, and call time
• Text usage details, including to and from numbers, date, and time
• Data usage, including date, time, and amount used

From AT&T’s website:

With Mobile Insurance, you get:

• Protection against loss, theft, damage, and out-of-warranty malfunction
• 2 claims max. in a 12-month period for 1 device
• Device replacement as soon as the next day
• Screen repair for eligible phones in select areas as soon as the same day (may not be available for newer device models)

*Premiums, deductibles, coverage limitations, and other restrictions apply. Review legal disclaimers before signing up.

From AT&T’s website:

AT&T Mobile Security (App required)

• Device security to help protect your data from mobile threats.
• Informs you about corporate data breaches.
• Provides important security reminders.

AT&T Call Protect

• Detects and blocks calls from likely fraudsters before they reach you.
• Labels potential nuisance calls from telemarketers, etc.
• Use the app to automatically send unknown callers to voicemail and block Spam Risk calls.

From AT&T’s website:

Discontinue all suspicious call blocking and incoming call labels. You will receive calls from all sources, including robocallers and potential fraudsters.

From AT&T’s website:

Standard version:

• Get advanced data protection and secured Wi-Fi®.
• Monitor malicious use of your personal info.
• Automatically block fraud calls.
• Block or send spam calls straight to voicemail.
• Identify and manage unwanted calls.
• Includes AT&T Call Protect.

All the benefits of our standard version with two advanced security services:

Mobile Security Plus (app req’d)

• This service is Included with Unlimited Elite/Extra plans.
• Personal ID Monitor: Get alerts and helpful tips if your info is leaked on the dark web
• Secured Wi-Fi Connections: Your own private data connection on public Wi-Fi
• Safe Browsing: Warns or blocks suspicious websites

Call Protect Plus:

• Incoming Caller ID
• Use the app for Reverse Lookup on US numbers
• Custom Controls can automatically allow, block, or send call types to voicemail.

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From AT&T’s website:

• Enjoy it on us with your AT&T Unlimited Elite or Extra plan.
• Get advanced data protection and secured Wi-Fi®.
• Monitor malicious use of your personal info.
• Automatically block fraud calls.
• Block or send spam calls straight to voicemail.
• Identify and manage unwanted calls.
• Includes AT&T Call Protect.

This option can’t be removed.

This add-on is available for Android devices, Apple devices, and wearable devices. Here is more info from AT&T’s website on how this add-on works for each device category:

AT&T Number Sync Blocker for Android

Want to keep devices from syncing to your Android tablet? Add this free feature to each device you want to block.

• Prevent the use of NumberSync for a number on your account.
• Add this free feature to each Android device you want to block

AT&T Number Sync Blocker for Apple

• Prevent a number on your account from using NumberSync.
• Add this free feature to each iOS device you want to block.

AT&T Number Sync Blocker for Apple Watch (Cellular)

• Keep your Apple Watch (Cellular) from syncing with an iPhone on your account.

AT&T Number Sync Blocker for Wearables

• Keep your watch from syncing with a phone on your account.

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AT&T Passport is an add-on available for postpaid AT&T subscribers and gives you international coverage for a period of 30 days.

AT&T Passport includes the following features:

• Unlimited international texting
• $0.35 per minute of international calling
• 2GB of high-speed data, then billed for overages at $30 per GB
• No hotspot support
• $70 per line per 30-day period

AT&T also offers a $140 Passport plan with 6GB of data instead of 2GB.

You can schedule the AT&T Passport to activate on a desired date and be canceled at a desired data, even across billing cycles.

You can also choose to do a one-time payment, or to have the AT&T Passport automatically renew.

AT&T Passport works in 230+ supported countries.

To be quite frank, this add-on is astronomically expensive. You are much better off getting an international eSIM plan, or signing up for a carrier local to the country you are visiting.

Or, if you are traveling for a shorter duration of time, you may consider AT&T’s International Day Pass.

From AT&T’s website:

Secure cloud-based storage is yours. Use the app to back up your mobile content and access it from any device.

• Auto-save your contacts, texts, playlists, photos, videos, and more.
• Organize, edit, and share photos and videos.
• Transfer content to a new phone quickly and easily.

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From AT&T’s website:

Secure cloud-based storage is yours. Use the app to back up your mobile content and access it from any device.

• Auto-save your contacts, texts, playlists, photos, videos, and more.
• Organize, edit, and share photos and videos.
• Transfer content to a new phone quickly and easily.

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From AT&T’s website:

With Protect Advantage for 1, you get:

• 3 claims permitted over 12 months
• Same day device replacement and setup
• $29 screen repair deductible
• Unlimited battery replacement with $0 deductible
• Protection against, loss, theft, damage, and out-of-warranty malfunctions
• Same-day replacement is available in select areas for eligible devices and is subject to parts and technician availability. Eligibility is determined at the time of claim approval, and is contingent on certain criteria, including claim approval time.
• Screen repair for eligible phones in select areas as soon as the same day (may not be available for newer device models)
• Help setting up your device and transferring content with AT&T ProTech℠ support.
• Access to expert tech support by phone or through chat
• Unlimited storage for your photos and videos with the AT&T Photo Storage℠ app.

Identity protection through IDnotify™ (requires separate sign-up at idnotify.com/att, which:

• Alerts you if your personal info is compromised
• Monitors your social media activity for privacy or other risks with the content you’re sharing
• Provides identity restoration services by a certified specialist if you’re a victim of identity theft

*Premiums, deductibles, coverage limitations, and other restrictions apply. Review legal disclaimers before signing up.

From AT&T’s website:

With Protect Advantage for 4, you get:

• Flexible coverage for up to 4 devices, including phones, tablets, and laptops
• 8 claims permitted over 12 months
• $29 screen repair deductible
• Unlimited battery replacement with $0 deductible
• Same-day replacement is available in select areas for eligible devices and is subject to parts and technician availability. Eligibility is determined at the time of claim approval, and is contingent on certain criteria, including claim approval time.
• Screen repair for eligible phones in select areas as soon as the same day (may not be available for newer device models)
• Help setting up your device and transferring content with AT&T ProTech℠ support
• Access to expert tech support by phone or through chat
• Unlimited storage for your photos and videos with the AT&T Photo Storage℠ app

Identity protection through IDnotify™ (requires separate sign-up at idnotify.com/att, which:

• Alerts you if your personal info is compromised
• Monitors your social media activity for privacy or other risks with the content you’re sharing
• Provides identity restoration services by a certified specialist if you’re a victim of identity theft

\*Premiums, deductibles, coverage limitations, and other restrictions apply. Review legal disclaimers before signing up.

From AT&T’s website:

Use Purchase Blocker to prevent mobile purchases (apps, games, etc.) that are billed directly to your AT&T account.

Doesn’t restrict credit card purchases from smartphone app stores.

From AT&T’s website:

Get AT&T Enhanced Push-to-Talk (EPTT) and use your phone like a walkie-talkie. EPTT lets you communicate quickly and efficiently across organizations with the push of a button and can be added to any existing line of service with voice and data plans.

• Use your phone as a walkie talkie with unlimited range.
• Communicate with one person or a group.
• Connect in an instant with the push of a button.

From AT&T’s website:

Download the Secure Family app on your phone and the AT&T Secure Family™ Companion app on up to 9 family members' phones. Once the phones are paired to yours, you can:

• Locate family members on an interactive map
• Get an alert when your child enters or leaves a location like home or school
• Pause & resume Wi-Fi® and cellular data access
• Set a schedule to limit your child’s internet access
• Filter or block apps & web content

From AT&T’s website:

Use this feature to block Wi-Fi Calling on your device

AT&T’s International Day Pass is available for AT&T postpaid subscribers who wish to use their AT&T service when they travel abroad.

The Day Pass is $10 per 24-hour period and includes the following features:

• Unlimited international texting
• Unlimited international calling to 200+ destinations
• Unlimited calls to the United States
• Same amount of cellular data as your domestic plan in the United States
• Mobile hotspot support (same allowance as domestic plan)
• $10 for the first line, $5 for each additional line you activate within the same 24 hour period

You can activate the International Day Pass at any time by contacting AT&T or in your AT&T account settings.

Once the International Day Pass is added, you will automatically be charged $10 per 24 hour period that you use minutes, texts, or data outside the United States.

After you pay for 10 days, the International Day Pass becomes free for the remainder of your billing cycle.

When you return to the United States, you can leave the International Day Pass add-on enabled. That way, your phone will automatically work on your next trip abroad. You will not be charged for use within the United States.

You can remove the International Day Pass at any time by contact AT&T or via your AT&T account settings. Removing the Day Pass prevents you from being charged on any future trips outside the United States.

AT&T’s Pay-As-You-Go International plan lets you pay for only the amount of minutes, texts, and MB of data you use while traveling abroad.

However, AT&T’s international rates are some of the most expensive in the industry.

Here is the breakdown:

• $1.00 per minute in Mexico and Canada
• $2.00 per minute in Europe
• $3.00 per minute in the rest of the world
• $0.50 per text sent or received
• $1.30 per MMS sent or received
• $2.05 per MB of cellular data

$2.05 per MB of cellular data may appear affordable on the onset, however that comes out to $2,050 per GB, which is absurdly expensive.

Instead of getting AT&T’s Pay-As-You-Go international plan, you are much better off getting an international eSIM plan, or signing up for a local carrier in the country you are visiting.

You may also consider AT&T’s International Day Pass.