AT&T Mobile Share: Who's it good for?

Doesn't add up for me either. 5 iPhone's on a family plan

FamilyTalk Nation 700 with Rollover $60.00
Family Messaging Unlimited with Mobile to Any Mobile Calling $30.00
Data Unlimited for iPhone 4G LTE $30.00
FamilyTalk Nation 700 with Rollover $9.99
DataPlus 200MB for iPhone $15.00
FamilyTalk Nation 700 with Rollover $9.99
DataPlus 200MB for iPhone $15.00
FamilyTalk Nation 700 with Rollover $9.99
DataPro 2GB for iPhone $25.00
FamilyTalk Nation 700 with Rollover $9.99
DataPro 2GB for iPhone $25.00

Total $239.96 +tax

Mobile Share 5 iPhones $150
10GB's $120

Total $270 + Tax

$30 more and I lose my unlimited data??????

spblat said:

AT&T Mobile Share: Who's it good for?

Click to expand...

Me.

I agree that you are paying more with those share rip off plans.
The only good thing is you can offiically tether with them and do facetime over 3G on AT&T.
Thank you so much AT&T

It isn't good for large groups with a low minute family plan.

For us it is two iPhones and is $150 both ways, but mobile share is unlimited talk, and we don't have to switch anything if we need hotspot once in a while. We did lose 2GB of data total with mobile share, but we never go over 4GB total anyhow. Going to the 6GB shared would only be another $10.

If u have grandma who likes to talk for hours at a time to 10-20 landline users (other grandmas) you will burn that 700 minute plan up fast regardless if you have a-list.

Mobile share works for some. Doesn't work for others.

If you talk a lot it works great. But most people don't talk a lot anymore, they use a lot of data. Which is exactly why AT&T and Verizon want to tier your data and make talk unlimited.

BullittMustang said:

Doesn't add up for me either. 5 iPhone's on a family plan

FamilyTalk Nation 700 with Rollover $60.00
Family Messaging Unlimited with Mobile to Any Mobile Calling $30.00
Data Unlimited for iPhone 4G LTE $30.00
FamilyTalk Nation 700 with Rollover $9.99
DataPlus 200MB for iPhone $15.00
FamilyTalk Nation 700 with Rollover $9.99
DataPlus 200MB for iPhone $15.00
FamilyTalk Nation 700 with Rollover $9.99
DataPro 2GB for iPhone $25.00
FamilyTalk Nation 700 with Rollover $9.99
DataPro 2GB for iPhone $25.00

Total $239.96 +tax

Mobile Share 5 iPhones $150
10GB's $120

Total $270 + Tax

$30 more and I lose my unlimited data??????

Click to expand...

Same here, I don't get it all. It's such a rip off and they make it like they are doing you a favor.

This is why AT&T offers both and unlike Verizon didn't stop offering old plans

I pay the same amount for my shared data plan, but get more (AT&T).

Before shared data plan:
2 iPhone 4
250MB data on one
5GB data on the other
1400 minutes with rollover
1000 text messages on each

$160/month

After shared data plan:
1 iPhone 5, 1 iPhone 4
6GB data shared
Unlimited talk
Unlimited text

$160/month

Me. My bill went from $320 to $270..

I have 6 phones. Saved over $100 per month by going to shared data plan. More devices=more savings.

Joesmith13245 said:

I have 6 phones. Saved over $100 per month by going to shared data plan. More devices=more savings.

Click to expand...

Dam you must have a busy family

Old bill:
1) AT&T 1400 Family Share ~ $80 includes first line + $30 for unlimited messaging + $65 unlimited international data
2) iPhone $10 + $30 data plan for unlimited (used per month 300MB)
3) iPhone $10 + $30 data plan for 3GB (used per month 500MB)
4) Smartphone $10 + $30 data plan for unlimited (used per month 400MB)

That's $80+65+3*(10+30)=$295

5) iPad 3GB plan for $30
6) iPad 3GB plan for $30
7) iPad 3GB plan for $30
8) MiFi 5GB plan for $50
9) LaptopConnect 5GB plan for $50

For 5 data only individual lines (those are the minimum plans avalable for our usage needs on the iPad and MiFi and LaptopConnect only have the $50 plan) is $90 (for 3 iPads) + $100 for the two sharing plans [essentially].

That's $190+$265=$485 a month. I use the iPad, but not the MiFI or the LaptopConnect at the same time. So that's pretty much a waste. My parents have the two other iPads I pay for and they use about 500-600MB a month. Again a big waste, but I can't go for the cheaper 300MB plan. I'm not teaching them jailbreaking, etc., so they can't tether and whatnot. If wanted to add tether to any of these lines, it would be a lot more.

Now with MobileShare of $200 for 10GB (which is plenty); lets me give lines that are more data hungry more data, whereas lines that don't need data still have some.
1) I broke off my first line to an individual for 450 minutes at $40 + $65 same data plan + $20 for unlimited messages = $125.
2) 3 other smartphones for 3x $30 = $120.
3) Now my iPads are only $10 each, for 3x $10 = $30
4) MiFi and LaptopConnect is suppose to be $20 each, 2x $20 = $40

My MobileShare is also $485 which evened out.

Now what do I get? Everyone in the share is pooled data, so people who need it more have it whereas people who don't aren't wasting data. People can tether without dealing jailbreaking. My parents can FaceTime with 3G.

Now I didn't take into my discounts, and various credits on my account. Overall I save about $20.

DJ.Nickk said:

Dam you must have a busy family

Click to expand...

Oh yea. 5 kids. 4 with phones. I needed 2 family plans to cover them since AT&T does not allow more than 5 phones on one plan. Until the shared data plans.

I've been mulling this over too.

Current plan with 3 iPhones
50+30 unlimited
10+30 unlimited
10+20 300MB
30 unl texts
Total 180 + fees/tax

We use 4MB tops in a month, usually less than 3MB.
I have two iPads with data plans 55
I have several wifi devices

Shared 6MB plan
90+105
Total 195 + fees/tax

It's 15 more, but I can drop one iPad data plan at 20 and tether. My other is Verizon with tethering, so I am keeping that one.

So for me, shared costs about the same, but I get tethering, which is something I value a lot...esp when I am on the road with my MBA. I am also thinking of getting an iPad mini, so tethering is again helpful. I don't like losing unlimited data, but it really isn't unlimited.

I have not switched plans yet, but I think I am going to, mainly for tethering.

$70 family talk 700min includes 2 lines
$25 2GB
$15 200mb $5 text
$20 300mb
3x $10 additonal lines
----------------------
$165 without fan, $141.25 with fan

Mobile share 4GB
$70 + $30 + 30 + 40 + 40 + 40 = $250 without fan, $232.5 with fan

6GB
$90 + 30 + 30 + 35 + 35 + 35 = $255, $232.5 with fan

10GB
$120 + 5x $30 = $270, $240 with fan

We have 2 dumb phones and personally I feel it's a total rip off to pay $30 for each of them.

In our case, going mobile share will increase our bill by $100. We will get a lot more we don't need (min, text).

It's kind of meaningless to compare with other people. Those who currently use a lot of min or use a lot of text or having all smartphones will benefit from the new plan.

Applejuiced said:

The only good thing is you can offiically tether with them and do facetime over 3G on AT&T.

Click to expand...

If one wants to make apples to apples comparisons then one should really consider this. Adding hotspot to every line will tend to tip the scale in favor of the shared plan. Of course, people are just comparing what they have versus what the at&t shared plans offer (understandably). However, the OP's question was whether anyone in any situation save money.

It shouldn't be inconceivable that a possibility exists even if it doesn't apply to you.

spblat said:

Not worth it for us.

Click to expand...

...and worth is an entirely different matter altogether. Worth is always highly subjective no matter what the topic.

takeshi74 said:

If one wants to make apples to apples comparisons then one should really consider this. Adding hotspot to every line will tend to tip the scale in favor of the shared plan. Of course, people are just comparing what they have versus what the at&t shared plans offer (understandably). However, the OP's question was whether anyone in any situation save money.

It shouldn't be inconceivable that a possibility exists even if it doesn't apply to you.


...and worth is an entirely different matter altogether. Worth is always highly subjective no matter what the topic.

Click to expand...

That's correct.
To some it might be well worth it and save them money every month.

It's good for at&t in closing the loophole that some of us use to upgrade to the newest iPhone yearly (to the tune of $9.99 per month or $120/year) by device swapping every other year.