Shopping Online—Top Questions and Answers

Shopping online is an easy way to get the cell phone you’re looking for. With free shipping, 30-day trial and exclusive online deals, there’s no better way. To make it even easier, we’ve put together the top list of questions for new and current AT&T customers.

New Customer Questions and Answers

Q. Which plan is best for me?
A. AT&T offers several different plans to meet each customer’s needs:

Individual plans are for customers who want one plan per account.
FamilyTalk plans allow families (2-5 mobile numbers) to share minutes and save on one account.
Unlimited National plan AT&T's new $99.99 AT&T Nation Unlimited and $199.99 AT&T FamilyTalk™ Nation Unlimited calling plans provide unlimited voice minutes with no domestic roaming or domestic long distance fees.
Prepaid plans, aka GoPhone, allow you to get wireless service without a service contract or credit check. There are two GoPhone options: Pay As You Go—pay with prepaid cards, online or by phone—and Pick Your Plan—prepay with automatic monthly payments.
Unity plans let current AT&T customers with wireline service receive unlimited calling between all AT&T wireless, wireline and business phones. Check eligibility to see if you qualify.
Data plans are for PC card modems or customers who are only interested in data—for email, internet and downloadable content. Customers who want both voice and data can get additional data services customized for the device you choose such as MEdia bundles (for most devices), Blackberry services, and PDA/Smartphone services.

Q. What is GoPhone®?
A. GoPhone prepaid service is wireless made easy. Simply pay in advance for what you need. No long-term contracts, credit checks or surprise bills—just all of the benefits of wireless, without the complications. There are two GoPhone options—Pay As You Go and Pick Your Plan.

Pay As You Go lets you pay for minutes and features using prepaid cards, by phone, or online 24/7
Pick Your Plan lets you pay for minutes and features with automatic monthly payments, using your credit card, debit card or checking account

Q. What if I change my mind?
A. No worries. You still have plenty of options:

30-day trial—use the phone for up to 30 days to make sure it’s the one that you want. If you don’t like it, you can return it to the closest AT&T retail store, and exchange the phone or cancel service without penalty. Note that you are still responsible for airtime and data usage charges generated before the phone is returned. See our return policy for details.
Change your rate plan—you can change your rate plan anytime through myWireless, our online account management site. You can even bring accumulated Rollover Minutes from your previous plan—up to one month’s worth.
Prorated early termination fee—starting May 25, 2008, AT&T will offer new customers even greater flexibility with a prorated early termination fee. This replaces the previous $175 flat fee that applied to cancellations that took place anytime during the life of your contract. The new prorated termination fee will start at $175, and will be lowered by $5 per month, every month, for the term of the agreement.
Add services—you can always add additional services through myWireless like Early Nights and Weekends or MEdia Net bundles to get the most out of your cell phone.

Q. How do I get things like sports scores, music, and ringtones on my phone?
A. Ringtones, games, graphics, weather, stocks, email—all of these are accessible or downloadable as data through MEdia™ Net, AT&T’s mobile internet or MEdia™ Mall, AT&T’s mobile store. To save money you can purchase a messaging or MEdia™ bundle starting at $4.99 per month.

Q. Why do you need my Social Security number? How is my personal information protected?
A. When you sign a service agreement, you are essentially signing up for an account, similar to a line of credit. By providing your Social Security Number, you give AT&T permission to check your credit and report your future payment activity to credit agencies. This helps protect your credit from fraud.
If you would prefer not to disclose your Social Security Number, you may purchase GoPhone online or at an AT&T store.
All of the information submitted to AT&T is protected by our secure server and automatically encrypted so that it cannot be read while traveling over the Internet. To learn more about how your personal information is used and securely stored, read our Privacy Policy.

Q. Am I able to get the same “deals” if I purchase in store rather than online?
A. Not always. Some of our promotions, such as instant rebates are only available online. Look for messaging such as “Online Only,” “Online Discount,” or “Online Only Price.” Shopping online definitely has its advantages.

Q. What is 3G? How do I know if a phone has it?
A. 3G stands for “Third Generation” and it represents our latest network technology. 3G has faster data connection speeds (think broadband or WiFi) and higher quality voice and richer graphics, pictures, easy-to-use personalization features, and high-quality video clips through CV, our premier video on-demand service. Look for the Orange 3G fireball logo on our All Phones page to find the latest phones we offer with this technology.
Right now, AT&T's 3G mobile broadband data network is available in most major metropolitan areas. We're working to expand the network so more people in more places can enjoy it soon.

Q. Do you offer free technical support with my new phone purchase?
A. Yes. There are three options for obtaining free technical support. The Answer Center and Wireless Forums are available 24/7 to help customers quickly answer any questions they may have regarding their wireless device. For more technical questions, customers can visit our live Tech Support Chat via Wireless Forums where they can speak to our expert representatives directly.
Customers can take advantage of our online Tech Support Chat from:

Mon-Fri: 8am-11pm EST
Sat: 9am-pm EST
Sun: Closed

Q. How do I transfer my number?
A. It’s easy to keep your number when you switch to AT&T. When you’re ready to check out, select the radio button “Yes, bring my number to AT&T” at the top of the shopping cart. You will then go through a series of important steps after you enter your payment information. You can also check your eligibility before you check out. Please note: only wireless numbers can be transferred online. To transfer a landline (wireline) number, please visit one of our retail stores for assistance.

Q. How long does it take to get my phone once I place my order? How do I check my order’s status or track it?
A. Once you place your order you will receive it within 3-5 business days. To check your order online follow these easy steps:

Go to Order Status
Follow the online instructions to check the status of your order
You may also check your order status by calling 1-866-391-0749

Keep in mind, your online order might not show on the Order Status page right away. Once your order has been shipped, you will receive an email confirming shipment information, including confirmation and order numbers.

Current AT&T Customer Questions and Answers

Q. How do I upgrade my phone?
A. With AT&T Upgrade Advantage, you're eligible for savings on a new mobile device every two years (some plans qualify sooner—see your account on myWireless for details). If you're an existing AT&T customer looking to upgrade your cell phone, you can log into your wireless account on myWireless to find out if any of your lines qualifies for a discount.
Customers who don’t qualify for discounts can usually purchase a new phone at our no-commitment price.
Check out our Support section for more information.

Q. How do I change my plan?
A. You can change plans at any time through your cell phone account on myWireless. There you can see what your options are and select a new plan. You can either increase the minutes on the type of plan you have presently or switch types completely. In either case, you do not have to extend your current service agreement.

Q. How do I add an additional line to my account?
A. You can add a line to your account through myWireless. You can add a line three ways:

Add additional lines with separate plans
Add another line for only $9.99 per line to an existing FamilyTalk plan
Convert multiple lines to a FamilyTalk plan and add a line for only $9.99 per line (up to 5 lines total)

For more information on how to add a line of service to your account see the Answer Center.

Q. How long is the warranty? Is there a trial period?
A. Equipment purchased from the AT&T website can be exchanged one time or returned by mail or to a store location within 30 days of purchase (a restocking fee may apply for damaged devices or missing equipment). AT&T mobile devices have a limited 1 year warranty. Refurbished devices carry a ninety day warranty from the date of purchase. To make a warranty claim after the first 30 days from purchase, call 1-800-801-1101 or go to myWireless and select Exchange Your Phone. For more information on replacing a lost, stolen or broken phone, please see our Phone Support section.
Please note: Apple branded equipment, such as iPhone, is covered by Apple's one year Limited Warranty and may be subject to a restocking fee if opened and out of its original shrink wrapping. Exchanges must be made within 14 days. For more information on returns and exchanges, see our Return Policy.

Q. How do I activate my phone? Is it hard?
A. Not at all. Most of our phones activate automatically as soon as you charge them. See Activate Your Phone and follow the steps if you’re having any problems. GoPhone activation is done online.
iPhone is activated via iTunes in just a few easy steps. For more information, see our iPhone Center.

Q. What is no-commitment pricing?
A. When you want a new AT&T phone, but don’t want to commit to a long-term contract, no-commitment pricing is an option. Also referred to as “retail price,” this option does not require a two-year contract or other long-term service commitment. It’s simply the non-discounted equipment price, and is available to customers that are not on a prepaid or GoPhone® plan.

You can buy a phone at no-commitment prices at AT&T retail stores. For an AT&T retail store near you, visit our store locator.

Q. Can I pay my bill online?
A. Absolutely. Just log in to or register with myWireless online account management. There you’ll see the status of your account, including billing information, minutes used, and more. If your statement is due, just select Make a Payment button. You can also view past bills or sign up for AutoPay.

Q. How do I replace my phone if I lose it? How long will it take?
A. AT&T offers several convenient and quick ways to replace a phone that has been lost or stolen or that is experiencing problems. If you have taken advantage of our Wireless Phone Insurance, you will receive your replacement phone shipped via overnight delivery in most cases.
AT&T mobile devices have a limited 1 year warranty. To make a warranty claim after the first 30 days from purchase, call 1-800-801-1101 or go to myWireless and select Exchange Your Phone. For more information on replacing a lost, stolen or broken phone, please see our Answer Center.

Q. Are there directions online on how to use my phone or device?
A. Absolutely. Almost all of our cell phones and devices have online manuals in our Support section. Just choose your phone or device and look for User Manual. If you’re not sure which device you have, you can find your phone by image.

Q. Where can I find your forum and ‘product’ chat room?
A. Our AT&T customer forums are available 24/7 in our Support section.

Q. Do you have a battery recycling center?
A. Yes. Reducing waste and recovering materials from the waste we can't avoid protects human health and safeguards our natural environment. While wireless phones comprise just a portion of that waste, AT&T and its customers can play an important role in addressing this issue. That is why AT&T has introduced a national recycling program. See AT&T Reuse & Recycle for more information.

Shopping Online—Top Questions and Answers

Top Questions for New Customers

Top Questions for Current AT&T Customers

New Customer Questions and Answers

Current AT&T Customer Questions and Answers