What happens if I turn data off at AT&T?
If you deactivate Mobile data on an AT&T phone plan you will disable all internet service use on your phone that uses AT&T mobile network. This encompasses such activities as; Web browsing, App usage, listening to music/videos, using maps or GPS, and sharing pictures or files through the mobile network.
However, that does not mean that all the things that use the internet on your phone are disabled when you switch off the mobile data option. You will still be able to make voice calls and SMS, but you will not be able to access any other networks apart from those you had connected to a password-protected WiFi network within your reach. As such while you are locked out from the AT&T 3G/4G/5G network when you turn the mobile data off, your phone remains functional through voice, texting, and WiFi.
Here are some key things that will happen if you turn off your mobile data on AT&T
If You’re Using an iPhone, You Will Not Be Allowed to Connect to the Internet Using AT&T’s Network
Turning off your mobile data means you are shut out from the ATT mobility broadband network. This means that when a site/service requires internet through their mobile 3G/4G/5G network it will not connect or load. This ranges from websites and social media applications to music, video streaming, cloud storage, email, and other internet applications. Citizens rely on mobile data to afford that internet connection.
The options of Media Streaming & Large Downloads Will Be Disabled
In this case, you are unable to download or stream anything that would require larger than normal data because your phone has no mobile data. You will also be unable to stream music or movies from services such as Spotify, Pandora, Netflix, Hulu, etc because most of these services require internet access and you can only get internet access when the mobile data is on. Large app downloads and updates will also fail when the mobile data is turned off.
Real-Time Services Get Disrupted
Disabling mobile data also implies that any live services that require internet in the background of your phone are affected. This includes; VoIP telephony, communication services such as making WhatsApp calls or sending messages through mobile data, internet tethering that involves utilizing mobile hotspots, location tracking, and push notification services. All of them rely on stable mobile data connectivity.
WiFi and Other Non-Internet Telephony Capabilities Are Still Allowed
It is also important to know that you can still use WiFi for Internet connection if and when the mobile data is switched off. Therefore, if there is a WiFi network secured with a password in the vicinity, and you have connected to it, all other WiFi-compatible services and apps on the mobile phone will function as usual even with the AT&T mobile data deactivated.
However, other functionalities do not involve an internet connection and can be used through the phone with the help of AT&T Internet. This can include practicing making and receiving standard voice calls and sending and receiving text messages (excluding internet-based applications). Dialing 911 for emergency calls also remains possible even if the mobile data is out of service.
Data consumption and your phone bills are reduced.
One of the most obvious consequences of turning off the mobile data is that your consumed data for the given month goes down to a negligible amount inclusive of minor background operations. Thus, apart from cases when your bills are already (or are going to be) unlimited, your mobile bills should decrease significantly without any Internet usage on AT&T’s network resulting in data fees. Still, the data costs could be high in case one is using WiFi links, so just ensure WiFi is well restricted or else…
It Can Affect The Location Of A Place
When the mobile data is turned off, your phone does not get the mobile network location that normally assists your phone's GPS systems. Therefore, while using geolocation apps, it may be difficult to determine the exact location since it relies on GPS and can be less accurate if the GPS signals are poor. Losing mobile network location data does matter and accuracy depends upon the situation but maps, weather, transport, food delivery, rideshare, applications, and navigation are affected.
That is all the major impact of deactivating mobile data connection by turning it off on an iPhone or any other device using the AT&T network. In other words, the key conclusions are that you can make calls and send messages through the phone but otherwise have no access to the Internet except, potentially, for WiFi. This makes it possible for you to use WiFi at home or in areas that you have specified for your internet connection to enable you to have some form of internet access while blocking your mobile data connection which is expensive. But be careful that loss of mobile data affects many common applications and services requiring a continuous data connection in the background.
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