AT&T Introduces New Mobile Share Value Plans With More Data

[MacRumors]

AT&T today announced that the carrier plans to introduce a couple of new Mobile Share Value Plans beginning tomorrow, further expanding data bucket options for its customers while simultaneously cutting the prices of a few existing data storage options. Customers will have new options like 2GB ($30) and 5GB ($50), but those who opt-in for a plan with 15GB or higher will get unlimited talk and text to Mexico and Canada.

"There's never been a better time to be an AT&T customer," said David Christopher, chief marketing officer, AT&T Mobility. "Tomorrow, we roll out new plans for everyone, including a plan that gives 50% more data than on our most popular plan. And we're not done yet."

The announcement today sees the price of the 15GB plan cut from $130 to $100, alongside the 20GB plan getting reduced down from $150 to $140. The company notes that larger-size plans like 25GB, 30GB, 40GB and 50GB are also available, and business customers can get plans that go up to as much as 200GB.

All of the plans being announced tomorrow cover the same benefits and options under AT&T Next, which allows users to pay for their phone in monthly installment plans of 12, 18, or 24 months. AT&T mentions briefly that "select locations" still provide two year contracts for $40 per line, but the company is in obvious motions to begin supporting subsidized contracts less and less as they pivot to a focus on Next's installment plans.

Article Link: AT&T Introduces New Mobile Share Value Plans With More Data

 

[sputnikv]

300MB/month? Why even offer this?

 

[benfro6]

Wondering if users will have to call to ask for price break. Sometimes, companies "grandfather" in existing customers to the old price points.

 

[S197Mike]

What does this mean for me? I have the old 15GB plan but upgraded to the double data when ATT was offering it a short time. Now I have 30GB. No price change?

 

[AngerDanger]

300MB/month? Why even offer this?

To make the 2GB tier all the more appealing.

 

[Dominick624]

So if I'm on the 10gb $100 mobile share plan now, do I get automatically upgraded to 15 with the new benefits then?

 

[bushido]

$20 for 300mb? wow

 

[wizard]

Unless I can get a substantial corporate discount the new pricing isn't exactly attractive. In fact it looks like a price increase in some ways.


I like AT&T and have had great service with them but this could be incentive to look around when the next iPhine comes out.

 

[ghostface147]

300MB/month? Why even offer this?

For someone like my mom.

 

[S197Mike]

Unless I can get a substantial corporate discount the new pricing isn't exactly attractive. In fact it looks like a price increase in some ways.


I like AT&T and have had great service with them but this could be incentive to look around when the next iPhine comes out.

Yeah AT&T always seems to roll out new plans around iPhone launch. Best to wait another year to get a better deal

 

[konqerror]

300MB/month? Why even offer this?

It's for people on dumbphones. They still have to purchase data. A dumbphone works out to be $40 a month with unlimited minutes and text, with no subsidy.

 

[atari1356]

So if I'm on the 10gb $100 mobile share plan now, do I get automatically upgraded to 15 with the new benefits then?

I'm on a 10GB plan too. I'm guessing they'll automatically switch people to the 15GB plan (or just have you continue paying the same price for your 10GB until you switch to something else).

I don't use much data, so for $50 less a month I'll gladly drop down to the 5GB a month plan... assuming it still includes tethering?

EDIT: actually it looks like the 5GB plan would only be $30 less a month than the 15GB one for me, since they charge $25 per line (instead of $15 per line on the 15GB plan)

 

[yg17]

300MB/month? Why even offer this?

Because believe it or not, not everyone uses a ton of data. I'm pretty sure my parents could share a 300 MB plan and not go over.

 

[Xenomorph]

I'd like to get in on the free Canada / Mexico, but I currently have the 30GB "double data" plan. I don't want to lose that!

This is great for anyone on the current 10GB tier, though.

 

[keysofanxiety]

Goddamn reading this article and seeing the prices really highlights how American mobile carriers screw the customers. I get unlimited calls, unlimited texts and unlimited data -- albeit 3G -- for £20 ($31) a month. The rest of Europe's prices are fairly synonymous with this too.

 

[Karma*Police]

Unless I can get a substantial corporate discount the new pricing isn't exactly attractive. In fact it looks like a price increase in some ways.


I like AT&T and have had great service with them but this could be incentive to look around when the next iPhine comes out.

I've also had a good experience with ATT and I get a 20% corporate discount but I'll probably shop around anyway. I feel like some of T-Mob's recent moves might be a better value, even without a corporate discount.

One carrier I would never consider is Verizon. Their customer service is the absolute worst.

 

[hlfway2anywhere]

Well now i'm glad I switched to T-Mobile. AT&T really doesn't get it.

 

[I7guy]

I've also had a good experience with ATT and I get a 20% corporate discount but I'll probably shop around anyway. I feel like some of T-Mob's recent moves might be a better value, even without a corporate discount.

One carrier I would never consider is Verizon. Their customer service is the absolute worst.

Actually VZW customer service is excellent. But everybody has a ymmv story.

 

[konqerror]

Goddamn reading this article and seeing the prices really highlights how American mobile carriers screw the customers. I get unlimited calls, unlimited texts and unlimited data -- albeit 3G -- for £20 ($31) a month. The rest of Europe's prices are fairly synonymous with this too.

Not comparable.
How much does it cost you to call a non-geographic number? Call another mobile phone? Cost to send picture messages? Call a destination 2,500 miles away? Travel 2,500 miles away and make calls and use data? Additional cost for people to call your phone from a landline? This is all free in the US.
British carriers especially play the intercarrier compensation game to get their revenues (the whole NGN and calling party pays schemes), where US carriers bill upfront.

 

[rdlink]

The wireless carriers are getting as good with these data plan levels/charges as the cable and satellite carriers are with programming packages. They price the 5GB plan at $50, and $100 for the 15GB plan. No 10GB option at $75, because they know people will choose that.

Verizon is doing the same thing with their stupid new pricing. 6GB, and 12GB. No 8GB in the middle.

Slime buckets.

 

[Opieap13]

What does this mean for me? I have the old 15GB plan but upgraded to the double data when ATT was offering it a short time. Now I have 30GB. No price change?

There better not be no plan change. I love this plan.

 

[nagromme]

I wonder what happens to my current 1GB Mobile Share plan? I better call I think...

 

[S197Mike]

I'm hoping for a price drop.

 

[ZildjianLudwig]

For someone like my mom.

 

[keysofanxiety]

Not comparable.
How much does it cost you to call a non-geographic number? Call another mobile phone? Cost to send picture messages? Call a destination 2,500 miles away? Travel 2,500 miles away and make calls and use data? Additional cost for people to call your phone from a landline? This is all free in the US.

Wow, that's a pretty passionate response.

Just to clarify, my original point wasn't "whoo!! go Europe! US sucks!", but more "I hope you get fairer prices soon". I'm not sure why you're being so defensive for companies who, at the best of times, are widely regarded as pounding the consumer. But hey, if you're happy paying $100 a month because you feel you get more for your money, who am I to argue.