With AT&T techno difficulties are anytime

Travel difficulties are likely to consume much time around things that you wish they wouldn't. This is a given. When our computer fried in Bombay and again in Ethiopia, Egypt, and France we we much distracted. You are not likely to be able to easily navigate companies and offers, much of the time you will not be traveling long enough or in a place for enough time to use your minutes, need full time web access, or commit to needed minimum contracts. The world of consumer contracts is frightening. In fact, I wonder (and am looking for feedback) if most foreigners find it difficult or easier to accept services here in my own country - USofA.

When we accepted the lucky gift of a phone from a sister-in-law we did not know the pitfalls of technologies here. We had tried to reuse a couple of different rummage sale phones, one the screen did not work, on the second, it came with really awesome ringtones and preprogrammed Hank Williams Jr (bonus). At least they didn't come with viruses! Then we got this awesome 'smartphone' gift. The problem was - a couple days later - AT&T decided to send a message alerting me to my new data usage plan which they automatically subscribed me to. After much hours the next couple days between mom and (evil) AT&T corporation it turns out our 'smartphone' cannot be used without their expensive data package...

Even as my sister-in-law used this phone for the last two years with no data plan, AT&T decided in its infinite wisdom to not allow future non-contract users to use this same feature. Smart huh?

So, thanks to great family and friends (and a USofAbundance of richness and excess) we have an extra 'smartphone' we can't use. And the old outdated flip serves me just fine. Avoid AT&T.