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AT&T Offering Unlimited Data to Keep iPhone Customers From Defecting to Verizon?

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Associated Press reports that AT&T is quietly offering some of its iPhone customers the ability to switch to unlimited data plans as a means to keep them from defecting to Verizon, which is rolling out an unlimited data plan of its own for a limited time as the carrier launches the iPhone next month.

According to the report, AT&T's offer is being made to customers who had previously been on an unlimited data plan for the iPhone on AT&T but had switched to one of the company's lower-cost capped plans when it restructured its data plans as the iPhone 4 was announced last June. As part of that restructuring, customers with unlimited data have been permitted to retain their plans, but those who opted to switch to capped plans were told that once that change had been made they would be unable to switch back to unlimited data at any time in the future.

Based on this new report, AT&T appears to quietly be making exceptions to that policy, allowing users to move back to unlimited data rather than seeing them defect to Verizon.
Verizon Wireless will start offering the iPhone on Feb. 10 with a draw that AT&T no longer offers to new subscribers: a plan with unlimited data usage. But The Associated Press has learned that some AT&T iPhone users on limited plans won't need to move to Verizon for unlimited data.

In an unadvertised loophole, AT&T Inc. has allowed subscribers who have had an unlimited data plan in the past to switch back. That includes anyone who had an iPhone before June, when the limited plans took effect.
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AT&T has declined to comment on the change in policy.

Article Link: AT&T Offering Unlimited Data to Keep iPhone Customers From Defecting to Verizon?
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2011/01/26/atandt-offering-unlimited-data-to-keep-iphone-customers-from-defecting-to-verizon/
M

Mike84

macrumors 6502a
Jun 23, 2010
818
135
Interesting. You know what they should do, they should bring back unlimited data for $20. Yeah, that would be nice.
 
SandboxGeneral

SandboxGeneral

Moderator emeritus
Sep 8, 2010
26,482
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I was one of those people who switched away from the unlimited plan last year and on the launch day for Verizon iPhone I called and they switched me back to unlimited.
 
Small White Car

Small White Car

macrumors G4
Aug 29, 2006
10,966
1,463
Washington DC
I thought it was odd that Verizon would come out with unlimited plans if they already know they'll be giving up on them soon.

But now it makes sense. Do you think the Verizon execs are literally eating popcorn while they laugh and read stories like this? Or do they just pantomime it?
 
quagmire

quagmire

macrumors 604
Apr 19, 2004
6,905
2,326
Will AT&T allow me to keep my tethering plan or will I have to give that up?
 
Le Big Mac

Le Big Mac

macrumors 68030
Jan 7, 2003
2,809
378
Washington, DC
Small White Car said:
I thought it was odd that Verizon would come out with unlimited plans if they already know they'll be giving up on them soon.

But now it makes sense. Do you think the Verizon execs are literally eating popcorn while they laugh and read stories like this? Or do they just pantomime it?
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No, I think they're saying "crap, we're now offering unlimited data but that's not a point of differentiation with AT&T--we'd be better off if we both had limited data."
 
Small White Car

Small White Car

macrumors G4
Aug 29, 2006
10,966
1,463
Washington DC
quagmire said:
Will AT&T allow me to keep my tethering plan or will I have to give that up?
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I'm sure you'll have to give it up. This isn't an actual plan change they've come up with...they've just let some floor managers aprove requests to move people back to the old account.

As far as their computer system is concerned, this is an either/or thing: 'Unlimited' or 'Capped with a tethering option.'

So some at&t reps are now allowed to move your account from one to the other...that doesn't change the fact that those are the only 2 choices they have.
 
cmaier

cmaier

Suspended
Jul 25, 2007
25,405
33,471
California
topmounter said:
How do they get away with always matching each other's pricing and plans?
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As long as they don't cooperatively set rates together, not much of a legal issue.

That said, **** AT&T and their ******** reception and flakey-assed microcells that never seem to work right.
 
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