If I can keep my grandfathered att unlimited data ill buy an iPad 3 for sure and even pay an extra $10 a month. If I have limits ill stick to wifi.
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Verizon Moving Closer to Shared Data Plans?
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We shall see. I suspect this is also to turn iPad buyers into data consumers. And they aren't going to let you add those to your shared data plan without paying SOMETHING. If you have an additional line phone it will be $9.99 voice/text + $9.99 data, and for adding a tablet it will be $9.99 for data. Just watch.
And one more thing: there is no way AT&T or Verizon are going to let you get a subsidized device like an iPhone and not pay something extra for that line's data! If you're only paying $9.99 for the voice line that's $240 for 2 years, not even enough to cover the subsidy.
I'd pay for family data at $10 per 1 GB and $10 per subsized device which accesses that shared data, as long as the minimum was no more than 2 or 3 GB.
Unsubsidized devices, like 3G iPads, should not have to pay $10 to access that data, though. That's ridiculous. There is the cost of the data ($10 per 1 GB), and then there's the per-line fee ($10) which exists purely to offset the subsidy. That fee simply doesn't apply in any logical way to other devices.
Without "unlimited" data, tethering should be free, and tablets should access that shared data without a fee. Now, if there is a concern that Joe would then just share his data plan with 50 tablet-owning friends who almost always use wifi but might occassionally need 3G (and thus 2-3GB remains adequate), maybe charge $5 for non-subsized device access. But $10 is just too much for these. And really, that data still gets paid for, so it just shouldn't matter.
Unsubsidized devices, like 3G iPads, should not have to pay $10 to access that data, though. That's ridiculous. There is the cost of the data ($10 per 1 GB), and then there's the per-line fee ($10) which exists purely to offset the subsidy. That fee simply doesn't apply in any logical way to other devices.
Without "unlimited" data, tethering should be free, and tablets should access that shared data without a fee. Now, if there is a concern that Joe would then just share his data plan with 50 tablet-owning friends who almost always use wifi but might occassionally need 3G (and thus 2-3GB remains adequate), maybe charge $5 for non-subsized device access. But $10 is just too much for these. And really, that data still gets paid for, so it just shouldn't matter.
As long as it's cheaper. They have no incentive to do that on its own, though. However, this is a great way to get people to buy tablets to share data with, which I'm guessing is their motivation. It may also get people in that are fine with the device purchase price, but not ok with an extra $30 a month data (parents with teenagers potentially).
Well i don't know why europe is cheaper. Maybe it's a cost of living thing? I have no clue. Are europeans happy with their plans or do they complain too?
I believe these plans are overpriced as well, but the company is just looking for money. That's capitalism and that's what it's always been. The customers feelings are irrelevant. You can only vote with your wallet but if no one is willing to do that there's no reason for a company to help them out
I am still amazed that companies have not done this yet. The technology exists to account for the usage, it is just some useless firewall between accounting and the tech department preventing this.
Shame on whoever is last to market with this, as IMO it is years too late.
Shame on whoever is last to market with this, as IMO it is years too late.
These companies post record profits every single year. Why not lower the data rates????
Ironic that this is posted on an Apple website, no?
Other than greed, there is no reason for separate versions of the iPhone and iPad to exist for each carrier.
I had been switching between AT&T's 200 MB plan and the 2 GB plan, depending on how much data I used that particular month. I currently have the 200 MB plan, and the next time I need additional data, I will have to go to the more expensive 3 GB plan, and then I assume I won't be able to go back to the 200 MB plan, and will have to pay $5 extra per month for the 300 MB plan. Bunch of greedy jerks.
Also, I don't think slower 2G data usage should count against your data allowance.
I had been switching between AT&T's 200 MB plan and the 2 GB plan, depending on how much data I used that particular month. I currently have the 200 MB plan, and the next time I need additional data, I will have to go to the more expensive 3 GB plan, and then I assume I won't be able to go back to the 200 MB plan, and will have to pay $5 extra per month for the 300 MB plan. Bunch of greedy jerks.
Also, I don't think slower 2G data usage should count against your data allowance.
3 years contract is not that bad with some of the newer terms of service. 450$ or 490$ subsidy divided by 36 months. After 1.5 years you owe 213$ plus the upfront cost is 160$ or $100 on sale. After 24 months it would cost as little as $80 to cancel. After 24 months savining $20 a month on your plan would give you $480 savings on the plan.
Il take that 480$ over an $80 cancelation any day.
3 year contracts suck but AT&T sucks 10 times more
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Jailbreak+Tethering app=problem solved....well only for a phone or tablet nearby!!
I think whoever does the data sharing first and does it right with a good price then it will motivate people to sign up!!
Jailbreak+Tethering app=problem solved....well only for a phone or tablet nearby!!
I think whoever does the data sharing first and does it right with a good price then it will motivate people to sign up!!
I'm in.
If AT&T lets me get a data plan for myself (such as 3GB or 5GB) then lets me add my daughter for $10, and my wife for $10, then I guess I'll be finally dropping my "Unlimited".
I'll be paying $50-$70 a month for data instead of the $90-$110 I'd pay now if we all had our own data plans.
If AT&T lets me get a data plan for myself (such as 3GB or 5GB) then lets me add my daughter for $10, and my wife for $10, then I guess I'll be finally dropping my "Unlimited".
I'll be paying $50-$70 a month for data instead of the $90-$110 I'd pay now if we all had our own data plans.
Yes it does.
It also makes sense for couples who don't use that much data outside of their home and office. Seriously, 2GB is a shitton for most people, splitting it for a family is the most logical thing to do. The data plans are what scares people away from smartphones anyway. If you're VZ or AT&T, $9.99 is a whole lot more than $0.
I think you've got it right on this one. I don't think there will be an additional per line charge for the data. It will be similar to the family text plan.
So let me see if my math is straight:
Verizon buys a $600 iPhone from Apple. They in turn sell it to customer for $200, needing to recoup $400+ over 2 years let alone the cost of providing service. This line in question is being repaid at $9.99 for voice service and nothing additional for data, totaling $240 over the term. Sound like something Verizon or AT&T would do?
Isn't this basically tethering with no distance limits? For me I tether my phone to my WiFi tablet so that way instead of paying for two data plans I just use the one unlimited plan for both devices.
things are a little more expensive when you are on a family plan.
base plan for 1 user is $39.99
base plan for 2 users is $59.99. so you are paying an extra $10 plus another $9.99 for the extra line just to share a family plan.
base text for 1 user is $20
base plan for 2 users is $30(more value when you have 3 or more people)
judging by the trend here...they aren't going to just let u share a $30 3gb data plan and not pay an extra to make it a family data plan. It's probably an extra $10 fee making it $40 to share.
so you're $9.99 line is not just $9.99 on top of the main line. Everything has to be bumped up to a family share which is more money.
$10 to share voice extra
$10 to share text extra
$10 to share data extra
PLUS you're $9.99 add a line=$40/month
$40x24 months=$960, plus you already paid $199 for the cost of the phone
Yes that I agree with. It's a way of charging higher rates for the same amount of data, and additional complexity for a family to calculate their bills. Shocking from a telco.
I got my Verizon phone in early November. I have the 2gb plan and have yet to come close to using even a 1gb and I use the phone a lot. BUT no radio streaming, no tv, no movies. My house and 3 of my clients have wifi so I stay on that when I can.
I would so love to be able to buy 2gb and use it till it's gone and then buy another block. Especially as I'm looking at an iPad this year. I won't need data on it all the time but when I do the extra $30/mo is going to stink.
Diane