AT&T Again Raising Price of Grandfathered Unlimited Data Plans

[Chupa Chupa]

Let's compare it to something more relevant... for my in home internet, I pay a fixed monthly fee for unlimited data.

But it is different. For example, with home Internet you also buy data at a fixed speed rather than fixed amount. Slower speed packages cost less money and slower data means you use less of it. Infrastructure costs are also lower for home Internet because the cable and fiber lines are largely one time costs for the provider. They don't have to constantly upgrade towers with each succeeding generation. Also most home Internet providers bundled in several products with Internet so they recoup costs that way as well. If you look at the cost of an Internet-only home plan either via cable or the telephone company it's usually a lesser value than if you also bought TV and/or home phone service with it.

 

[whatdoesthefoxsay]

Same here ... paying 120 for 4 people on the 6GB plan (per phone) - thanks to most streaming services not counting against the data plan I have basically unlimited. Was always lucky and never had any coverage issues. Bad areas exist, but way less than most expect. The free Europa data also saved me a ton of money this year.

Me too. Same thing. I was mad when they upped the price last year and I took the chance to get out of my contract. I have the 4 lines for $120 and it has been great. Dare I say better coverage then what I was getting from AT&T.

 

[4jasontv]

Incoming **** storm of people complaining about the price increase. Like, I get it. I absolutely do. But how is this a surprise? Apple raises the price of their Plus iPhone $29, and no one blinks an eye.

But these telecom companies raise the price on your plan, and this one they haven't offered for almost 7 years and you're surprised? I'm not defending what they're doing, and I know this is going to trigger a lot of people, but getting worked up over a trivial amount of money just isn't worth it. Especially when you knew it was coming.

And if you want to flame me, keep it civil please. There's worse things in the world than getting worked up over $5.

You make a valid point. What about the reverse though? What if a customer decided that the cost of living was too high and sent a letter to ATT letting them know that they were lowering the cost of their plan by $5. It is an old plan, and they shouldn't have to pay full price for plans that aren't even offered anymore. If they have a problem with the changes they just need to buy back their device before the next bill cycle ends. That's how this works right?

I think it's a trigger because the carriers have had a history of abusing their power in the past, and so people feel it is important to rally against them every time they attempt to exert any sort of control. Sure, it is just $5, but how do they justify it? Inflation was 0.7% in 2015 and 1.7%% in 2016. That suggests that inflation is nowhere near large enough to justify it. Considering these companies are profiting from monopolistic access to public resources they ought to be able to account for and openly defend any change that is detrimental to consumers.

 

[C DM]

Why not? Do you pay a fixed monthly fee and get unlimited gasoline, electricity, groceries, water, haircuts, coffee, bridge crossings, manicures, or taxi service?

In 2017 installing new cell towers, planning for system upgrades (like 5G infrastructure) and running a network sill cost companies money.

But data isn't rationed. You can buy as much of it as you'd like just like bread at the grocery store. What TMob does is cute but as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. TMob isn't giving anything away. Even TMob has restrictions on the speed of your data. It's not as unlimited as you may think.

It is kind of interesting how text messaging was charged fairly crazy rates individually or even in packages given that it basically didn't really even use up the network or resources beyond what was already there for a long time for calls, while data was essentially unlimited at the time. As data became more popular data started to be charged individually or in packages while at the same time after years and years messaging mostly finally went to unlimited in many instances. More or less the same applies to calls and minutes and peak and off-peak and all of that.

 

[mindquest]

Why does anybody still use AT&T? I switched to Cricket a couple years ago, I'm still on the AT&T network, and I pay $30/month for unlimited everything. Yeah, my friends make fun of me for using Cricket, but I haven't noticed any difference in quality of service despite paying less than half of what I used to.

you get unlimited data? I didn't see that pricing listed with unlimited data.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

First Verizon, now AT&T, next .... I'm sure the timing of this isn't related at all to Trump's about to take office, and that the FCC is going to get large funding cuts and new "leadership". Nah, can't have anything to do with that.

If that were the case then ATT would just dump grandfathered plans all together or go up by more than a measly $5. It's certainly not going to get me to drop my unlimited plan and it's still less than if I bundled with DirecTV.

 

[Number 41]

First Verizon, now AT&T, next .... I'm sure the timing of this isn't related at all to Trump's about to take office, and that the FCC is going to get large funding cuts and new "leadership". Nah, can't have anything to do with that.

Has nothing to do with Trump and everything to do with getting as many people to dump their unlimited plans as possible.

 

[ClevelandGuy]

I expect everything AT&T does to be the absolute worst -- yet, somehow, they still manage to exceed my expectations.

TMobile may be cheaper and as long as I am outdoors I get 5 bars on signal. However, I step indoors and it goes to No Service. Sprint and Verizon give me one bar of service indoors on G3 not even LTE. AT&T is the only one that gives me 2 bars on the LTE signal indoors which I find disgusting. It would be nice not to have to stand outdoors to get a really good signal!

 

[Greenmeenie]

I'm granfathered in on the AT&T unlimited data plan for the iPad. So happy I kept it. It's the one plan AT&T can never raise. Bwa-Ha-HA!

 

[Brookzy]

Why not? Do you pay a fixed monthly fee and get unlimited gasoline, electricity, groceries, water, haircuts, coffee, bridge crossings, manicures, or taxi service?

No, but I do pay a fixed rate for those things. I don't have a fixed electricity allowance for the month, and then an inordinate charge for excessive usage, and no recompense for unused allowance.

Also, I didn't use the word unlimited.

My position is that - especially in the United States - the regulatory environment has allowed a monopolistic operation of wireless, which has and is stymieing innovation and harming consumers.

One day there will be no notion of metered data for the average consumer. The carriers are delaying the arrival of that for as long as they can.

Anyway, you could probably write a million words on this and still not have considered all the arguments. It's an interesting subject area and hopefully the future is bright.

 

[iapplelove]

The first increase I didn't mind so much. This one is irritating

 

[ActionableMango]

Why does anybody still use AT&T? I switched to Cricket a couple years ago, I'm still on the AT&T network, and I pay $30/month for unlimited everything. Yeah, my friends make fun of me for using Cricket, but I haven't noticed any difference in quality of service despite paying less than half of what I used to.

In the past, every time I investigate an MVNO (including Cricket), there's always some gotcha like I can't get a new iPhone model (not even if I bring my own), can't tether, there's no unlimited plan, there's a vague warning that some features don't work (like Visual Voicemail or MMS), or it's on some ultra crappy network like Sprint.

I have spent hours and hours researching plans trying to get around these minefields, but always found some problem that kills the deal. Granted, things change. But before I got on this odyssey again can I just ask you, does Cricket have any of these problems?

 

[Juicy Box]

I switched to T-Mobile a couple years ago. Couldn't be happier.
They have similar unlimited plans, and none are anywhere close to $90/user

I would love to switch to T-Mobile, but the service is horrible for me where I live. Not too far away from me in Baltimore, T-Mobile is great. But, the 20 miles away, T-Mobile drop calls a lot, and the service doesn't work indoors in many places. If I lived in the city, I would use their service, but then I would live in Baltimore, which would really suck.


As for AT&T, I had their unlimited service with the first iPhone, and was going to keep it when I upgraded to the 4s. At the time, AT&T said that if I upgraded my phone, I could keep the unlimited data, but would lose my 250 text messages because they did not offer it anymore. The only option for Texting was $20 a month for unlimited, or pay $.25 each for individual. I ended up switching to Verizon after that.

The crap that these companies do to customers with grandfathered plans isn't worth it. Price increases, feature removal, and throttling just isn't worth it to me.

 

[Brookzy]

In 2017 installing new cell towers, planning for system upgrades (like 5G infrastructure) and running a network sill cost companies money.

Sure - but you can say that about any utility. Yet I don't see shock bills from my water company because I flushed the toilet a few extra times this month, and if I turn the heating off my gas bill goes down (because it's not an allowance system). The industry is broken and the relevant authorities appear to be broken themselves and/or lacking the powers they need to fix it.

 

[magicman32]

LOL, you had me interested until you think "service over Wifi" is a benefit they're offering, not a solution to letting you build the network instead of them. The idea is good, but they should credit me for the number of calls and data routed over my home network when using TMO WiFi... you proved my point perfectly though, T-Mo's barking salesman makes their customers think they're getting more than they are. You can have the snake oil. I don't believe I should have to use wifi at home to fill int he gaps in tmobile's industry-acknlowledged sub-par network.

I don't know when you last used the network but I paid ATT to get the hell out of my life in 2013 for T-Mo and the service is quite good (Where I live and travel). They have voice service nearly everywhere and their LTE POPS are on a VZ level.

I mean if it doesn't work FOR YOU, that's cool and all, but your harsh and misleading "snake oil" and "industry-acknowledged" comments isn't anywhere near the truth. They have improved coverage massively in the (nearly) 4 years I've been with them and are always looking to acquire low-band spectrum. You can't just throw up towers everywhere you want and use spectrum you don't have.

Let's be a little intellectually honest about this without grinding axes, at least.

Compared to the other carriers, you are clearly getting more for your money. Period. I say that without stuttering, stammering or equivocation. I've been on both sides, and I ain't going back to the other side unless something drastically changes (but no one can come close to the 30 dollar 5 gig prepaid plan they offer, for my use-case).

 

[SeaFox]

ever notice how the at&t logo looks like the death star?

Really? I've never heard that observation before...

Then again, AT&T raising prices is also certainly a new thing.

 

[jent]

It might be time to switch for me. Does anyone know how I can estimate the cost of bringing over a five-line AT&T family plan? The T-Mobile website only shows up to four lines.

 

[severe]

One of the best decisions I've made in the past 10 years was leaving AT&T for T-Mobile. And I'm not kidding.

 

[theelysium]

**** AT&T I have had them for over 15years. I'm stuck in a grandfathered in data plan. It's BS they keep throttling, blocking services, raising the rate but what they don't get is that every time they do that I find more and more ways to rape their data! I have increased from 3gb, 5gb, 8gb, 10gb, and now I am in the neighborhood of 16gb a month. You want to **** with me AT&T, well guess waht I know how to **** with you... hmmm how else can I drain more data?

 

[CrAkD]

It still doesn't make sense for me really. I'd only be saving $5 and if I go over the 16gb it would cost me more. I guess I'm staying put.

 

[Teach4]

I am one of these grandfathered people and am sick of AT&T doing all they can to try and force me into one of their other plans. I am on an account with my sister and she doesn't want to quit AT&T because of another sister who is with AT&T. Otherwise, I would leave AT&T in a heartbeat.

 

[4jasontv]

Let's compare it to something more relevant... for my in home internet, I pay a fixed monthly fee for unlimited data.

But it is different. For example, with home Internet you also buy data at a fixed speed rather than fixed amount.

Home internet has data caps too, they are just larger. (EDIT: Typically. I am sure some of you don't have data caps, but I bet there are more people who think they don't but do.)

Slower speed packages cost less money and slower data means you use less of it. Infrastructure costs are also lower for home Internet because the cable and fiber lines are largely one time costs for the provider. They don't have to constantly upgrade towers with each succeeding generation.

So why don't I have gigabit internet at my place? I mean, if new hardware isn't needed. Is it because the DSLAMs and Switches still need to be updated to allow more users and higher speeds? If that's true land ISP's suffer the same costs as wireless ISPs. Except for storms when there are more points of failure for land ISP's?

Also most home Internet providers bundled in several products with Internet so they recoup costs that way as well.

You mean like how ATT Wireless pushes DirecTV and UVerse?

If you look at the cost of an Internet-only home plan either via cable or the telephone company it's usually a lesser value than if you also bought TV and/or home phone service with it.

Interesting word choice with "lesser value". Don't most of the home ISPs charge less overall if you agree to pay for basic cable or a land line? It was cheaper for me personally to get cable, even though I never actually hooked up my TV to the wall. Before you claim that as value, I get more channels OTA than they claim I will with the package I pay for. I don't need six home shopping networks because I have internet access.

Why not? Do you pay a fixed monthly fee and get unlimited gasoline, electricity, groceries, water, haircuts, coffee, bridge crossings, manicures, or taxi service?

Those things are finite resources, as opposed to data in a wire. So it's not really a good comparison. Especially since I do get electricity, water, bridge crossings, and local transport at a fixed monthly cost. I'm pretty sure the place that my lady gets her nails done offered a monthly plan at a fixed rate although there may be a difference between free touchups and whatever you were suggesting.

 

[npmacuser5]

But it is different. For example, with home Internet you also buy data at a fixed speed rather than fixed amount. Slower speed packages cost less money and slower data means you use less of it. Infrastructure costs are also lower for home Internet because the cable and fiber lines are largely one time costs for the provider. They don't have to constantly upgrade towers with each succeeding generation. Also most home Internet providers bundled in several products with Internet so they recoup costs that way as well. If you look at the cost of an Internet-only home plan either via cable or the telephone company it's usually a lesser value than if you also bought TV and/or home phone service with it.

Comcast now capping their internet at 1Tb. Above 1Tb Comcast will add 50gb for $10. Will not throttle as of now. No Unlimited for Comcast users.

 

[4jasontv]

That still beats Verizon with their single increase of $20/month (IIRC).

Oh, well if other companies are doing it then its ok.

 

[C DM]

Oh, well if other companies are doing it then its ok.

Nothing of the sort was said or implied.