AT&T Announces New Unlimited Data Plan With 10GB of Tethering and $25 Off DirecTV

[bigjnyc]

I called AT&T, my 21% applies. I have it in writing.

what portion does it apply to? the $145?

 

[blackcrayon]

I didn't scroll through the remaining posts so not sure if you're aware. I was thinking it would be a great deal as I'm also on the $35 plan. With AT$T I'm used to reading the fine print. Looks like we're out of luck.

Qualifying Video Service: DIRECTV, DIRECTV NOW (excludes Go Big $35/mo. plan)

Ugh... Thanks! They could at least offer a partial discount! Guess this is AT&T we're talking about though.

 

[Oldfash33]

What about T-Mobile 2-phone all in for $100/mo?

Now I'm hearing 3 for 100

 

[agsystems]

So is the 22gb per line or total for all lines on the plan? Also, is the tethering only for the more expensive plan or both plans? I'm too tired right now to think about these things.

same thing here, too confusing - I got on a chat with AT&T and after a few minutes the guy said to keep my existing plan (Mobile Share Advantage 25GB) - if you are someone (or family of 4) that regularly goes over 25G a month, they simply don't make easy to get what you want - the guy said, keeping all lines with streamsaver on will save you more money than trying to go to the 'unlimited' plan as the tethering will be limited 10GB - in my current plan, I can use all 25GB for tethering if I want.

 

[creediddy]

I did a break down between two lines of 7 Plus 256GB models as these are the most expensive phones. Here is what I came up with for unlimited data plans along with 17-24 month billing to make all things equal. I am not taking into account any credits that are applied to the plans:

TMO
Out of pocket = $539
Monthly Plan = $160/month

Verizon:
Out of pocket = $0
Monthly Plan = $230.82/month

AT&T:
Out of pocket = $0
Monthly Plan = $220.84/month

Sprint:
Out of pocket = $218.40
Monthly Plan = $179.18/month

I personally believe that AT&T and Verizon have the better opportunity to minimize upfront costs. IMO this is a better option over TMO with more expensive phones. TMO has the cheaper plan than any provider, but you need a hefty amount upfront before you walk out of their store.

 

[7racer]

I have three reasons: 1) I don't trust T-Mobile's coverage (otherwise, I'd have switched a long time ago), 2) I get a 25% discount with AT&T through my employer and 3) Verizon is extremely restrictive when it comes to phones that can be used on its network. My employer also offers a 19% discount with Verizon, but the phone restrictions are a dealbreaker for me.

I heat you. I have been in AT&T since the original grandfathered plan. I was super worried about coverage especially in the hospitals and OR where I work. I use to have T-mobile and the building penetration was terrible.

However with AT&T I couldn't even make phone calls in my own house as I would get drops. I called multiple time and their fix was to CHARGE me for a microcell!!!

Since switching I actually get clear calls, works in the hospitals and OR and no drops in my house!!

 

[oneMadRssn]

This argument will soon be moot, since the EU will end roaming fees later this year (which means European customers will be able to use their plans in the entire EU). Yes, Europe is smaller in terms of land area, but bigger in terms of population ...

That's the thing though. The expensive part of expanding and maintaining a network is laying the physical cable and building the physical towers, especially in far-away places. Whereas upgrading a tower to support a larger population has a cost, but is less. The difference between building a tower and supporting infrastructure that can support 100,000 ppl versus 200,000 ppl is there but the costs diminish as it is scaled up. The difference between building 1 tower or 2 towers is huge, pretty much double every time.

Basically, building out a network to support a high population density in a small land area is less expensive than building out a network to support a low population density in a large land area.

 

[Wags]

I have the same deal...i fought for 2 weeks with retentions to get it ...but im dumping it friday and switching 5 lines to unlimited plus. No more worrying about my kid goin over. We cud stream video again. And also 2 other grandfathered udp lines get tethering finally.....and wait til 5g arrives in 3 years it will eat up data like rheres no tomorrow. U will be strangling on your capped 20 gigs. Att wud never in a million years offered this great new plan if it wasnt for verizons new plan. Im sure its killin those greedy bastards to have to do this. But they were bleeding customers at an alarming rate. .... so im taking advantage of the situation and lockin up unlimited now while its. available again

Yes, offer seems like only to stop bleeding. Just enough to get people to think close enough not to hassle with switching. Doesn't appear to be really going after new lines from Verizon or TMo.

 

[Mlrollin91]

what portion does it apply to? the $145?

So the plan is really $155 before the $10 auto-pay credit. So its $155 - $20 for each of the two lines, so $115. So my 21% applies to the $115. FAN does not apply to line fees, only service fees.

 

[kcamfork]

I'm on T-Mobile, with about 10 lines (business plan)

But I fail to see why anyone is still on AT&T.

With T-Mobile being the cheaper option, and Verizon having a vastly better network than AT&T while still being cheaper, it astounds me that people are still on AT&T.

This is not meant as a personal attack, please explain why you wouldn't switch from them?

T-Mobile - Coverage

Verizon - $30 per line activation fee. For 10 lines that's a large hurdle.

 

[clunkmess]

I mean they did raise the price for our grandfathered plans.

Is it finally the time to jump off our unlimited grandmothered plans and in to this tethering deal?

 

[chriscrowlee]

It's so refreshing for the first time in the past 20 years to see some real competition going on in the wireless space in America. There's a huge upside here for those with 4+ lines, but still, the competition between carriers is great. In the past it's always benefitted someone who will tolerate TMO coverage, yet someone who lives in an area that needs ATT or VZ got left out. This time everyone is seeing benefits.

The only question is are we at the bottom yet? ;-)

 

[Rigby]

That's the thing though. The expensive part of expanding and maintaining a network is laying the physical cable and building the physical towers, especially in far-away places. Whereas upgrading a tower to support a larger population has a cost, but is less.

If that was a major cost driver Russia and Canada should have the most expensive cellular plans in the world. Is that actually the case?

 

[Mlrollin91]

Is it finally the time to jump off our unlimited grandmothered plans and in to this tethering deal?

Thats what it looks like! I just need to make sure the math adds up properly.

 

[jclardy]

I wonder how many customers they lost last week to T-Mobile and Verizon. Must have been pretty substantial for this response.

I switched, no regrets so far. Generally service seems faster, but AT&T has better coverage inside concrete buildings here.

 

[ACG12]

Can someone explain to me what I would pay (before taxes) if I switch to this? I have 3 phone lines, 1 tablet & DirecTV Now service.

 

[chelsel]

Every time these american data plans are presented i laugh look up at the skylines if you wonder where your money is going.
Unlimited 4g everything is about 17$ here

where is here?

 

[Buran]

Too bad for AT&T, I already left. Where was this back when it actually mattered?

 

[HPLouis]

AT&T confirmed to me that the FAN will apply. I have it in writing.

I really hope so...but I'm doubtful. I would love to use my 25% work discount versus my 15% military discount.

We'll see what happens in a couple of day.

 

[Mlrollin91]

Can someone explain to me what I would pay (before taxes) if I switch to this? I have 3 phone lines, 1 tablet & DirecTV Now service.

$155 for 2 lines.
$20 line 3
$20 tablet

-$10 for Autopay
-$25 for DirectTV

Total: $160 + taxes (after discounts kick in)

 

[eyeseeyou]

Is it finally the time to jump off our unlimited grandmothered plans and in to this tethering deal?

I'm on a family plan. For me if I'm allowed to apply my corporate discount I'm hopping on the new unlimited plan.

At the same time hopefully I can land a new job elsewhere which at that point I wouldn't get the discount I'm getting now and would probably switch to T-Mobile.

 

[Mlrollin91]

I'm on a family plan. For me if I'm allowed to apply my corporate discount I'm hopping on the new unlimited plan.

At the same time hopefully I can land a new job elsewhere which at that point I wouldn't get the discount I'm getting now and would probably switch to T-Mobile.

Once the discount is applied to your account it always rolls over. You could get a different job but the discount will remain in tact.

 

[bigjnyc]

So the plan is really $155 before the $10 auto-pay credit. So its $155 - $20 for each of the two lines, so $115. So my 21% applies to the $115. FAN does not apply to line fees, only service fees.

That makes sense. Thanks

 

[avanpelt]

Can someone try and confirm if they can add the corporate discount

There's nothing in the fine print that says FAN discounts don't apply. However, it does say explicitly that you cannot stack the DIRECTV discount on top of other discounts. So, presumably, you'd have to choose whether you want to use the DIRECTV discount or the FAN discount.

In my case, the 24% FAN discount we have gives us slightly more of a discount on the $105.00 plan fee vs. the DIRECTV discount ($25.20 vs. $25.00) so I'd use the FAN discount if I switch us to the new plan. Plus, the FAN discount would likely be applied day one as opposed to having to wait two billing cycles for the DIRECTV discount to be applied.

 

[Mlrollin91]

There's nothing in the fine print that says FAN discounts don't apply. However, it does say explicitly that you cannot stack the DIRECTV discount on top of other discounts. So, presumably, you'd have to choose whether you want to use the DIRECTV discount or the FAN discount.

In my case, the 24% FAN discount we have gives us slightly more of a discount on the $105.00 plan fee vs. the DIRECTV discount ($25.20 vs. $25.00) so I'd use the FAN discount if I switch us to the new plan. Plus, the FAN discount would likely be applied day one as opposed to having to wait two billing cycles for the DIRECTV discount to be applied.

The base fee of the family plan is actually $115. But I don't know how the auto-pay fee + FAN works. That would be stacking. So auto-pay plus DirectTV would probably be better than only FAN.

so 24% of $115 is $27.60. DirectTV + Auto-pay is $35.