AT&T + FAN + Unlimited + Subsidy RANT!

[Closingracer]

That explains a lot.



I don't understand your point? That's called a scam. Instead of giving it to everyone, they are forcing people to be on two of their services so they can make even more profit. AT&T spent billions to purchase Directv and now they want to recoup their money.


News articles are everywhere:

AT&T doesn't care about cutting prices: http://www.cnet.com/news/as-wireless-wars-cool-down-at-t-says-it-wont-chase-customers/

AT&T is spending 21% and deploying Band 30 (aka 2.3Ghz WCS)

Connect the dots. There is no congestion issue.

AT&T is only offering unlimited to direct tv customers they already said so ..... Go read it.



As far as that goes what they tell the public and what they actually do is way different. They will tell you they thought of AT&T next , mobile share plans and everything else but they were reactions to T-mobile and Verizon and being competitive. Bandwidth is a limited commodity and considering they are getting more customers then less they are getting more congested not less which is simple math my four year old niece can do.


If you find then expensive then leave ? No amount of whining on a forum about it will do you any good.

 

[ToroidalZeus]

AT&T is only offering unlimited to direct tv customers they already said so ..... Go read it.



As far as that goes what they tell the public and what they actually do is way different. They will tell you they thought of AT&T next , mobile share plans and everything else but they were reactions to T-mobile and Verizon and being competitive. Bandwidth is a limited commodity and considering they are getting more customers then less they are getting more congested not less which is simple math my four year old niece can do.


If you find then expensive then leave ? No amount of whining on a forum about it will do you any good.

Its hard to take someone serious who doesn't know the difference between micro and macro economics. Especially considering that AT&T needing to compete with T-Mobile goes exactly to my point that they are trying to screw over their customers for profit and it's not just "congestion" like you claim.

As for me, I did leave. AT&T's new unlimited plan is 180 for 4 lines + DirecTV, T-Mobile is just $180. Still not as good from AT&T.

also FYI, T-Mobile doesn't do shared data.

 

[Closingracer]

Its hard to take someone serious who doesn't know the difference between micro and macro economics. Especially considering that AT&T needing to compete with T-Mobile goes exactly to my point that they are trying to screw over their customers for profit and it's not just "congestion" like you claim.

As for me, I did leave. AT&T's new unlimited plan is 180 for 4 lines + DirecTV, T-Mobile is just $180. Still not as good from AT&T.

also FYI, T-Mobile doesn't do shared data.

Lol i Know the difference but its the same general concepts .... They aren't screwing over the customers.... You are just whining they increased prices. It's just business.



and FYI I never said they did? did you even bother to read the post? They copied Verizon and their shared data plan....They copied T-mobile with AT&T Next.

 

[Applejuiced]

No I took a macroeconomics class so I know more then you

I stayed at a Holiday Inn express so I know more than you 2 combined

 

[Closingracer]

I stayed at a Holiday Inn express so I know more than you 2 combined

Lol? You helped the economy but that's about it.

 

[ToroidalZeus]

Lol i Know the difference but its the same general concepts ....

Micro econ = firms
Macro econ = economy at large
Not the same concepts.

They aren't screwing over the customers.... You are just whining they increased prices. It's just business.

It's like Morpheus said: "most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inured, so hopelessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to protect it."

and FYI I never said they did? did you even bother to read the post? They copied Verizon and their shared data plan....They copied T-mobile with AT&T Next.

Again T-Mobile doesn't offer shared data.

Come on man this is ridiculous; it's obvious you haven't done even the basic research here.

 

[aristobrat]

In 2007 when those 3G networks were just starting to take off SSDs were $40 per GB and now they are 36C per GB. You don't think the cell technology has come down in price too since LTE went mainstream 2012. That's economics 101, prices go down over time. The fact that the prices are going up here is a redflag that competition ain't happening.

US carriers each spent ("invested") $100B+ to install LTE on top of their existing 3G/voice networks. This was done with revenues that would have normally gone to the bottom line. And the bulk of the spend was done back in 2010, 2011, 2012... you know, the years before the LTE equipment got cheap (not that this point matters, IMO).

Now that the bulk of the rollouts are done, the carriers are going to reduce their capex spend (like you pointed out AT&T doing), and they're going to sit back and recoup that $100B+ that they spent ("invested") deploying LTE -- by leaving plan rates mostly the same. They're going to put that money right back towards the bottom line.

To me, that's Capitalism 101, and that's precisely what appears to be happening.

 

[Closingracer]

Micro econ = firms
Macro econ = economy at large
Not the same concepts.



It's like Morpheus said: "most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inured, so hopelessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to protect it."



Again T-Mobile doesn't offer shared data.

Come on man this is ridiculous; it's obvious you haven't done even the basic research here.

Lol micro isn't just firms .... And macro is the larger sense but the concepts are generally the same .... Applied differently though




And once again who is talking about t-mobile and shared data plans ? AT&T next is a financing plan that copied t-mobile no contract offerings.


I've done my research you just want to push your "opinion"

 

[cousintim]

I was ok with the $5 increase for unlimited data, but I also plan to leave AT&T now that they will no longer subsidize phones. My family members are very light users. They are all on the old 200 or 300MB plans, since everyone almost always has access to WiFi. I have the unlimited plan but only use 2-3GB per month, sometimes less. Nobody texts except me, and I'm on the $5 200 SMS plan.

My total bill on FamilyTalk 700 before taxes and with the FAN discount is $156. If I switch to the 5GB MobileShare Value plan while the lines are all still on contract, I would pay about $200 before tax with the FAN discount. Even if I were to wait until all the contracts are fulfilled, I would still pay $140, which isn't much of a savings at all, and I still wouldn't get subsidized phones.

I don't need unlimited minutes, and I don't need unlimited texting. 2GB isn't quite enough, and 5GB is too much. I could even get on Verizon's 3GB plan for $116 after corporate discount, since they only charge $20 per line. T-Mobile is even cheaper, but I'm a bit worried about the coverage. I guess I'll just wait a bit until the contracts are up and then decide.

Two words: Consumer Cellular (uses the AT&T network).

 

[bufffilm]

Two words: Consumer Cellular (uses the AT&T network).

Consumer cellular plans don't look that special. <shrug>

As for the OP, shop around and pick the plan that you can live with. Lamenting about how at&t is mistreating you, does nothing. It's 2016, not 2008. Time to smell the coffee.

 

[PLin]

Two words: Consumer Cellular (uses the AT&T network).

Yeah, I'm aware of them. If I go with any of the MVNOs, I'll have to install a booster for my parents, since only the main carriers offer femtocells and/or WiFi calling. Hopefully WiFi calling will eventually make it to more carriers.

 

[macfacts]

A chocolate bar use to cost a nickel!

 

[HEK]

A chocolate bar use to cost a nickel!

Those were the days, I remember in kindergarten during snack break you could get a carton of milk for 2 cents and the big spenders got a bag of chips for a nickel.

 

[cousintim]

Consumer cellular plans don't look that special.

They are a good value (price+network+customer service) for light and medium users.

 

[ZipZap]

With a FAN account even the $5 increase I am still way under what it would cost to switch from ATT to maintain unlimited. If I was willing to have less data maybe I could do a bit better but staying with FAN is still the best option as no carrier is offering a better deal.

 

[tl01]

Its hard to take someone serious who doesn't know the difference between micro and macro economics. Especially considering that AT&T needing to compete with T-Mobile goes exactly to my point that they are trying to screw over their customers for profit and it's not just "congestion" like you claim.

As for me, I did leave. AT&T's new unlimited plan is 180 for 4 lines + DirecTV, T-Mobile is just $180. Still not as good from AT&T.

also FYI, T-Mobile doesn't do shared data.

For some of us...we already had people on our account with Direct TV...so we got the Unlimited data without losing the Att coverage. We debated Tmo for a long time but their coverage is still too sketchy outside of the big metro areas. For us, it is worth it to do the unlimited and stay where we are.

 

[Sonmi451]

To play devil's advocate, this plan had no rate increase in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, or 2015.

I get your initial shell shock from seeing a 20% rate increase, but at some point, logic's got to kick in that a rate that has gone for that many years with no increase isn't going to last forever.

I don't think think I've had this plan since 2008 but I'd have to go back and look. Raising prices is fine, but it sucks where there aren't a lot of options so you're stuck. There are lots of examples of stuff/companies not raising prices in the last 10 years, not sure why it's suddenly okay because ATT does it.
[doublepost=1453152813][/doublepost]

As for the OP, shop around and pick the plan that you can live with. Lamenting about how at&t is mistreating you, does nothing. It's 2016, not 2008. Time to smell the coffee.

This is exactly what internet forums were created for. If you'd rather throw your hands in the air in indifference that's your right too.

 

[aristobrat]

I don't think think I've had this plan since 2008 but I'd have to go back and look. Raising prices is fine, but it sucks where there aren't a lot of options so you're stuck. There are lots of examples of stuff/companies not raising prices in the last 10 years, not sure why it's suddenly okay because ATT does it.

I'd be curious if you have an example of a company that literally invested over $120 billion dollars to improve a service and didn't raise rates.

Side note, there have never been as many options for you to take your wireless service elsewhere (and even keep your number) than today. You are not stuck. I mean, this will require a little research on your part to figure out where the best value for you today is, but ... you're not stuck.

 

[imlynxy]

With a FAN account even the $5 increase I am still way under what it would cost to switch from ATT to maintain unlimited. If I was willing to have less data maybe I could do a bit better but staying with FAN is still the best option as no carrier is offering a better deal.

Are we going still have FAN discount on the UDPs after price increase? 5-25%=3.75 increase in my case.

 

[Sonmi451]

I'd be curious if you have an example of a company that literally invested over $120 billion dollars to improve a service and didn't raise rates.

Side note, there have never been as many options for you to take your wireless service elsewhere (and even keep your number) than today. You are not stuck. I mean, this will require a little research on your part to figure out where the best value for you today is, but ... you're not stuck.

I'm not sure who you're arguing for, nobody forced them to spend anything. There's obviously value in the service they provide but that doesn't mean we have to all blindly throw our money at them.

There's really only 2 options ATT or VZ, and Sprint or T-Mobile if you hate yourself. It has already been stated multiple times that VZ is more expensive for my needs.

 

[ToroidalZeus]

I'm not sure who you're arguing for, nobody forced them to spend anything. There's obviously value in the service they provide but that doesn't mean we have to all blindly throw our money at them.

There's really only 2 options ATT or VZ, and Sprint or T-Mobile if you hate yourself. It has already been stated multiple times that VZ is more expensive for my needs.

Was gonna thump up your post for the 1st paragraph but then I read the second paragraph.

I switched over to T-Mobile 2 weeks ago and it's not that bad. A few months ago they added b12 700mhz so if you are in a 700mhz market the service is only 1 notch below AT&T. I'm definitely not hating myself nor missing my at&t unlimited plan.

 

[aristobrat]

I'm not sure who you're arguing for.

I'm not arguing for anyone. I'm arguing against your thought that it's unfair for AT&T to raise the cost on a plan that hasn't seen a cost increase in eight years, despite the fact that the data speed on that plan has increased 50-300x over the same period.

IMO, the only way that thought would be logical is that you either didn't understand what's changed with the carriers over the last eight/nine years, or .. you actually did, and you just want to approach this from an angle that reads anywhere between whiny and entitled.

I figured I'd give you the benefit of the doubt on that one and throw out some basic facts to give you a framework, but if you just want to argue against them (like with your quote below), I'm inclined to believe you are approaching this from the other angle.

I never said anyone should blindly throw them their money. I just don't think anyone should be ignorant about details of the issue, either.

nobody forced them to spend anything.

Right. Because you and everyone else would have happily remained an AT&T customer if they left their data speeds at EDGE/3G rates, while the rest of the carriers did the $100B infrastructure upgrades to move their speeds up to LTE.

There's really only 2 options ATT or VZ, and Sprint or T-Mobile if you hate yourself. It has already been stated multiple times that VZ is more expensive for my needs.

Others have here have mentioned to you that there are MVNOs that resell AT&T and Verizon's network for cheaper than AT&T and Verizon do themselves. You don't get the same level of customer support, and you don't necessarily always get 100% of the speed, but you can use the same networks and save money. You're not stuck.

 

[imlynxy]

Att can raise the price, but they should stop the contract right away. This is against the agreement.
MVNOs don't work for a lot of customers since they 1.they don't give international roaming, 2. most of them deprioritized compare to postpaid.
We are at market situation now we get what we pay for. You want better coverage, go with Att or VZW, you want to pay less and have less, go with t-mo, you want to pay even less and have some network with a slow speed, go there.

 

[maxsix]

The fact is no one wants to pay more and get less.

But there's no way the carriers, or any carrier, can offer each of their many plans with the variety of data amounts at a significantly lower price than their competition. Even T-Mobile has increased their pricing in many markets recently.

In my area T-Mobile is a bit less than AT&T but service isn't up to AT&T or Verizon standards.

Verizon remains the most expensive.

There's nothing cheap about smartphone service if one uses more than 5 GB of data.

 

[Closingracer]

Att can raise the price, but they should stop the contract right away. This is against the agreement.
MVNOs don't work for a lot of customers since they 1.they don't give international roaming, 2. most of them deprioritized compare to postpaid.
We are at market situation now we get what we pay for. You want better coverage, go with Att or VZW, you want to pay less and have less, go with t-mo, you want to pay even less and have some network with a slow speed, go there.

Actually I'm paying less and getting better service with Sprint then Verizon overall lol. Verizon I have more service in more places but speeds weren't that incredible for me. Sprint is actually faster for me in certain areas like at home where I get over 10 Mbps. Verizon and AT&T I got around 7-8