AT&T Launches Unlimited 'Mobile to Any Mobile' Calling, Requires Unlimited Messaging

[MacRumors]

In what could be viewed as yet another bid by AT&T to keep customers from defecting to the Verizon iPhone, the carrier today announced that it will launch tomorrow a new "Mobile to Any Mobile" feature allowing unlimited calling from AT&T phones to other mobile phones in the U.S., regardless of carrier.

The feature, which rolls out tomorrow, requires customers to be on a qualifying voice plan and to have an unlimited messaging plan, which costs $20 per month.

Beginning Thursday, Mobile to Any Mobile will be available to new and existing AT&T customers with a qualifying voice plan who subscribe to unlimited messaging plans. Existing customers with an unlimited messaging plan can activate Mobile to Any Mobile by visiting www.att.com/anymobile. The URL will be available beginning Thursday.

AT&T has been taking a series of steps to combat the threat posed by the Verizon iPhone, tweaking its tethering plans to offer more data capacity and touting its network's ability to handle simultaneous voice and data.

Article Link: AT&T Launches Unlimited 'Mobile to Any Mobile' Calling, Requires Unlimited Messaging

[mikejd1]

so this is only unlimited "to" any mobile, what about "From"

[Drumjim85]

I'm assuming this also works with unlimited family plan messaging.

[countrydweller]

Originally Posted by Drumjim85

I'm assuming this also works with unlimited family plan messaging.

One would hope so.

[foodog]

Originally Posted by mikejd1

so this is only unlimited "to" any mobile, what about "From"

I know this is how Sprint's plans work. AT&T is looking better and better. Now if you could just stay connected long enough to carry on a conversation.

[eric_n_dfw]

Why is a calling feature tied to a messaging one?

[someone28624]

Nice. I wonder if the numbers the Google Voice app generates count as mobile numbers. This is really good for me, as some of my best friends are on Verizon.

[soulreaver99]

This is great! I just switched back to AT&T from sprint this weekend!!!

[a.jfred]

What I want to know is what do they consider a "qualified voice plan"?

[JGruber]

I'm hoping this document is right - http://www.ppcgeeks.com/2011/02/09/b...ting-tomorrow/

[touchtone561]

Originally Posted by eric_n_dfw

Why is a calling feature tied to a messaging one?

Probably cause they want to shakedown all the non-unlimited messenger customers with a new tiered messaging structure.

Perhaps, this new feature isn't a bad deal with A-List, etc.

Now if I had only more than 1.5 bars and an iPhone that didn't go toaster hot (not cylon) when I try to use it on the first floor of my home.

So when do you think the LTE Microcell(s) will arrive? [off topic]

[xplnusa]

I'm excited by this... Hopefully my plan will qualify..

[Moyank24]

This feature is long overdue, but better late than never I guess.

I think I can get used to this competition thing! Now I will wait patiently for my mobile hotspot.

[mattwolfmatt]

To me the rollover feature is my insurance plan. 450 isn't a lot, but the 1500 extra minutes in the bank allow me to not worry too much those months when I may call a little more than usual.

[jaj1962]

If you change your plan, you WILL lose any rollover minutes you have accumulated over the past year. Remember too that rollover minutes are only good for a year. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

[techiegirl]

You will loose your rollover minutes if you reduce your rate plan, but not if you increase it. Yes, rollover minutes expire after a year.

[shays992000]

You will only loose your rollover minutes if you switch plan types. Example from Family Talk to a single line plan. Changing minutes will not effect your roll over minutes.

[Medinarem]

Att on facebook said you must on the Att nation 450 &900 or the family 700 or higher to qualify and it's not cost additional for the service.

[NinjaHERO]

And this is why we wanted competition Mr Jobs. They battle and we all win.

[BrentT]

Originally Posted by jaj1962

If you change your plan, you WILL lose any rollover minutes you have accumulated over the past year. Remember too that rollover minutes are only good for a year.

I don't see anything yet that would cause you to forfeit any minutes less than one-year old. From the press announcement: "Rollover Minutes: Unused Anytime Mins expire after the 12th billing period. Night & Weekend & Mobile to Mobile mins do not roll over." That is the same as the current policy. I have changed plans within AT&T over the past 3 years without losing any minutes.
We will have to see the fine print tomorrow. Although, with this new option, there is less need for rollover minutes if you talk to mostly other mobile phones (which is the case for me). It will be easier to accumulate minutes with this plan.

[skeep5]

well this kinda goes along with the A-list requirements, for A-list you have to have a high enough minute plan, and if you do, like me, you never end up using your minutes because everyone you call is on your A-list. So I have 9000 rollover minutes... sheesh. And if i drop down a level, I lose all my rollovers, pay a fee, then have to bump it back up the next month anyway. It's just a complicated way of making sure I don't go over my minutes.

So I'll add this new feature tomorrow, and in 3 months I'll have 12000 rollover minutes. Hurray, i guess.

[shays992000]

Originally Posted by Medinarem

Att on facebook said you must on the Att nation 450 &900 or the family 700 or higher to qualify and it's not cost additional for the service.

This will be interesting! If this is true then AT&T is also trying to get old subscribers off of their grandfathered plans......

[iPhobic]

How about unlimited data for $20/month? That would be a real treat. I barely use my calling minutes

[a.jfred]

And since we're not touching the data plan, those of us with the grandfathered unlimited data plan will still get to keep the unlimited data plan, n'est pas?

[dotnsk]

Originally Posted by eric_n_dfw

Why is a calling feature tied to a messaging one?

I'd imagine so it looks like people are getting something for "free" (I'd be willing to bet that most of their customers are already on an unlimited messaging plan, particularly if they're on a family plan) while still maintaining some semblance of profitability for the carrier (messaging plans are generally believed to be pure profit).

I'm excited about this feature, even if I don't truly *need* it. I'm on the lowest-tiered family plan right now and I have literally thousands of rollover minutes. Most of my friends and family are on AT&T (lots of iPhone users) and I don't call anyone all that often anyway. However, it's always nice to have yet another feature that establishes peace of mind. Plus, I hope this is the first in a long line of steps to reduce the overall cost of monthly service for AT&T users (unlikely, but I can dream...and perhaps a massive deflection to Verizon will help speed things along).

Plus, it's just another choice for users. I may not use my phone as a phone all that often, but lots of AT&T users do. I bet this reduces the overall cost of a plan for some iPhone users, particularly those on a family plan.