I have an unusual grandfathered unlimited data plan on a smartphone that does not have a voice plan. For nearly 30 years, I have been a volunteer emergency manager for a small city and I have used this data only smartphone in many emergency situations to save lives and property. There is little budgeted money and I always personally paid AT&T for this plan. This plan is tied to the State of Texas and is discounted about 30%. Now AT&T is forcing me to give up this plan by making upgrades unaffordable or either so obsolete that the device is not usable. I cannot afford to pay for another data plan just to satisy AT&T's addiction to money. I even tried to bypass this insanity by purchasing a 4G prepaid smartphone and transferring my SIM card. AT&T now has rendered this newly purchased smartphone useless. I am going public on this story because it is no different than the recent AT&T throttling that has resulted in the FTC lawsuit. I know of other emergency workers who will be forced to give up their smartphone unlimited data plans. So when you see volunteer emergency workers at work just remember how AT&T is screwing them. In a few years everyone should hear a giant sucking sound from AT&T when emergency workers have a mass separation from AT&T. Just Google firstnet.gov and see where they are going. AT&T has so neglected emergency operations that soon there will be an option. First Net is the answer. I guess I will just be without mobile data until that happens. No matter what the circumstances are, AT&T has a way to get you out of your unlimited data plan. Sadly someone may die because I cannot get a location on a leaky gas line or some other hazard. This is why volunteers just quit. I am responsible for a reverse 911 system to notify thousands of people in emergencies. How can I do this remotely without my smartphone? It is time to quit........
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