GREAT NEWS on Gtalk, email, and messaging plans (official word)

[DesignDawg]

Hey everyone,

I know there was some major concern among some of us (myself included) about what types of messages would be coutned against the "messages" portion of our data plans. Many of us (myself included here as well) took advantage of the cheaper plan, thinking "I don't send 400 texts a month!" but have since been worried by some of the fine print and rumors that all IMs, Googletalk, and even EMAILS :eek: would be charged as texts. Well, I was just browsing through my.tmobile.com, and found in their FAQ the definitive word on this.


How much is the G1 data service? What is included?

T-Mobile offers two T-Mobile G1-specific data plans.

The first is an unlimited Web/data and unlimited messages plan for $35. This plan includes:

* Unlimited Internet access
* Unlimited e-mail
* Unlimited messaging (text, picture, and IM)
* T-Mobile HotSpot data access

The second option is an unlimited Web/data plan that comes with 400 messages for $25. This plan includes:

* Unlimited Internet access
* Unlimited e-mail (unlimited, part of Web/data)
* Unlimited IM on Google Talk
* 400 total messages (text messages, picture messages, non-Google Talk IM)
* T-Mobile HotSpot data access

TOP

With the $25 data plan, why don’t the Google Talk IMs count toward the included messages?

AIM® and Yahoo! Messenger use a text messaging protocol to send messages. Google Talk actually uses an XMPP protocol, which is billed as Internet access.

So, in summary, the things that will count as text messages against your 400 messages in the $25 plan are texts, MMS, and NON-GOOGLE IMs. All Googletalk and email are part of the unlimited data part of your plan!

Hopefully this will relieve some of you as much as it did me. I get WAY more than 400 emails a month.

[JAWheat411]

Guess I need to get used to using Google Talk lol. Never used it before. But I don't use IM that much anymore anyway.

[DesignDawg]

Yeah, I don't either. I guess my "GREAT NEWS" might not be so sweet for people who were hoping AIM, Yahoo!, etc. would be free... But it's at least great news to know exactly what to expect so you can have some control over your bill.

[NetCom]

Thank You DesignDawg - I appreciate good news you just posted!

Just to mention for other ppl looking forward to IMs ... I have had ICQ, AIM, MSN, Y on my MDA and since I got the MDA - I have started the application ONCE without loging into any of these instant messaging clients. That is how much IM is neccessary to have :)

[ariesboy]

on a laptop/desktop, I use AIM, MSN, and sometimes Yahoo. On the mobile (wing | dash) the built-in app uses text message. But then i found an app, Mundu IM, that allowed me to use those text msg services over the internet instead of my limited (400) text. However the software is for WinMo and for cost ($11). They just build one for iPhone. Hopefully they or someone else will build one for Android. And if they do, hopefully I can transfer my license over from my WinMo version.

http://www.mundu.com/

[Jorsher]

Thank You DesignDawg - I appreciate good news you just posted!

Just to mention for other ppl looking forward to IMs ... I have had ICQ, AIM, MSN, Y on my MDA and since I got the MDA - I have started the application ONCE without loging into any of these instant messaging clients. That is how much IM is neccessary to have :)

I never used the IM client that came built into the MDA/Wing simply because it sucks. It isn't really "instant" because a lot of times the messages you receive/send will remain in limbo. I had to constantly refresh the buddy list to get my messages, and it seemed to be a common problem. Instead, I just signed into AIM/Yahoo with SMS and that was much faster.

[tread]

on a laptop/desktop, I use AIM, MSN, and sometimes Yahoo. On the mobile (wing | dash) the built-in app uses text message. But then i found an app, Mundu IM, that allowed me to use those text msg services over the internet instead of my limited (400) text. However the software is for WinMo and for cost ($11). They just build one for iPhone. Hopefully they or someone else will build one for Android. And if they do, hopefully I can transfer my license over from my WinMo version.

http://www.mundu.com/

yep, that and things like IM+ i'm sure will be ported over to android since they are so popular... since google owns a part of skype if not all of it, that will be ported over as well for VOIP calling and skype chat...

refer to my post in a similar thread clarifying the issue somewhat... it short, its software based.

http://androidcommunity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=665&page=3

[dudinatrix]

YYYYYYYEES!!!!!!

This is GREAT news :) Thanks for posting this!

[benh57]

i concur, thanks for posting this. whew!

[ynp7]

So why doesn't the GTalk client support AIM like it does in GMail? This is a dumb setup.

[swaney29]

that sucks.. no aim or yahoo or msn with gtalk.. but there already apps so i dnt have to wrry

[porath]

So why doesn't the GTalk client support AIM like it does in GMail? This is a dumb setup.

it doesn't in the windows client either : /

[ROGUE7474]

I got the lower $25 plan. Has anyone inquired if you can change to the $35 plan before delivery.

[androidmaddy]

That indeed is the great news I've heard since the release of Android, at least for me.

I hardly send/receive any text messages but am a heavy google talk user. So, this is perfect for me. And for those occasional Yahoo/AIM sessions, I would just log into meebo. But keeping GTalk on all day and using their notification feature is just great :). I love T-Mobile.

[ynp7]

it doesn't in the windows client either : /

The one in GMail does, which is not only what I was talking about but what I said. Why would I care about the windows client?

[divestoclimb]

That indeed is the great news I've heard since the release of Android, at least for me.

I hardly send/receive any text messages but am a heavy google talk user. So, this is perfect for me.

Same here, and exactly what I would expect from the wording of the data plan. *phew* Now all I need to do is train my other smartphone friends to GTalk me instead of texting me.

[insight spinner]

I got the lower $25 plan. Has anyone inquired if you can change to the $35 plan before delivery.

Normally you can request a change in your plan anytime and it counts for the next next billing cycle, but I think if you call they will change you effective 1/1/01 (aka October 22, 2008, the beginning of a new age!!)

Oh, and don't forget if you have a family plan with unlimited messaging you should get the $25 plan and you will be covered for unlimited messaging by your family plan. I'm sorry I forgot who here got the info confirmed, but I thank them (at least 2 folks did).

[secrecyguy]

That sucks that the AOL IM will go though as text messaging on the phone.

I am not worry too much, I am sure there will be a program available soon that will use the Internet and not text messaging.

[rawskilz]

That sucks that the AOL IM will go though as text messaging on the phone.

I am not worry too much, I am sure there will be a program available soon that will use the Internet and not text messaging.
i got an sk lx so you know im a big IM user. but im getting the unlimted data plan so no worries here:)

[Xondria]

I went ahead and got the unlimited plan too. I don't want to worry about what I'm using or if I'm going to go over. I use text messaging a ton (I have a sidekick slide right now). I think I'd use the 400 up in a week or maybe two :eek:

[rawskilz]

I went ahead and got the unlimited plan too. I don't want to worry about what I'm using or if I'm going to go over. I use text messaging a ton (I have a sidekick slide right now). I think I'd use the 400 up in a week or maybe two :eek:
i may use that in a day lol im texting right now as im typing. alot of sidekick users are attracted to this g1 i wonder why:D

[chanster]

Don't know if I missed it reading through the pages quickly, but can you sign in your aim account in gmail? Would that still count towards your text?

[tread]

Don't know if I missed it reading through the pages quickly, but can you sign in your aim account in gmail? Would that still count towards your text?

reportedly you do not have this feature on the G1 although its offered on the gmail.com gtalk client portal... no doubt there will be internet-accessed programs that will prevent you from using text messages in no time if they haven't already been developed and released

[Cricketman]

Thanks for posting DD.

I'm going to go for the $25 plan as well. I'm happy that we get unlimited emails but the IM'ing thing is bugging me. Maybe someone will make a third party application that uses data?

[rawskilz]

Thanks for posting DD.

I'm going to go for the $25 plan as well. I'm happy that we get unlimited emails but the IM'ing thing is bugging me. Maybe someone will make a third party application that uses data?
this is possible. till then shell out the extra 10:confused:

[Cricketman]

I'm cheap :p

Plus, I'm the kind of guy who calculates how much this thing is going to cost me over the next two years.

200$ for the phone plus (35x24) = $1040 extra then I usually play. Plus, add the cost of apps!

[rawskilz]

I'm cheap :p

Plus, I'm the kind of guy who calculates how much this thing is going to cost me over the next two years.

200$ for the phone plus (35x24) = $1040 extra then I usually play. Plus, add the cost of apps!
wouldnt it be only 240? since its only 10 extra bucks we are talking about? and by then im sure an app would have come out..

looks at the bright side

[Cricketman]

$240 is practically another G1! :p

[benji]

No, you've used your upgrade, so $400 is the cost of another G1 :p


$240 is practically another G1! :p

[punkzanyj]

The Google Talk in the Gmail interface let's you sign into AIM. Does that mean you'll be able to do the same with G1...use GoogleTalk to IM with AIM? Sounds like they'll make you use the "everyone else" client to do that on the G1. Oh well.

[yiska]

I'm trying to confirm that using AIM/Yahoo/etc messenger services actually deduct from SMS. It's not that I don't believe it, I guess. I know tmo has told me that's the case.... I just haven't used them on my BlackBerry because I didn't find it convenient. So, I just tried it...I used AIM. I can't remember where I originally downloaded the client but it has T-mobile branding on it so I assume it's some officially sanctioned client. I sent one IM and received two and it did not seem to count against my SMS pile of 700 messages. I had 7 used before and I have 7 used after. So...what gives?