AT&T grandfathered unlimited data users.Have you voluntarily switched to tiered data

[quietstormSD]

I'm grandfathered into the unlimited data plan for AT&T. However, I did get to thinking, if I hit that ominous 3GB in a month. Would I just pay the extra $10 for the extra GB of data without throttled speeds.

The thinking being the throttled speeds would just be too unbearable, even though it's still "unlimited data"

And on top of that, I could add on the $20 tethering in a month I need it. (Mostly for traveling home where my parents don't have an internet connection)

So I was just wondering if any grandfathered unlimited data users voluntarily switched to the tiered plans. (Specifically the $30, 3GB plan with each additional GB costing an extra $10 a month). And how's it gone, and do you regret it.

 

[b166er]

I'm in the same boat. I am heavily considering dropping my unlimited and moving to a tethering plan. I sometimes need to tether and right now I jailbreak. But I am getting tired of the jb game- the jailbreaks are taking longer and longer with each iOS update. I rarely tether but when I need it I NEED it for school. It seems a hassle to be jailbroken just for that.

My plan is to wait for 4G, presumably we will get a new iPhone that uses it this fall. I will give it a few months and see how my data use is. Am I going over 5GB, am I being throttled, etc. I need to see 4G in action before I can make the final call. I generally do not hit 3GB right now but I'm sure that will increase.

If I don't hit 5gb a month and I am being throttled past 3gb,'I'll probably switch to a tiered plan.

 

[saving107]

Yes.

Tethering to iPad and iPod touch > Unlimited for just iPhone

 

[rgarjr]

No. I have no intentions in getting a capped plan and getting rid of unlimited.

 

[Beelzbub]

Yes, I made the switch and have never looked back.

I opted for the hotspot plan.

Login to your account and you can see how much data you have used every month over the past year. On a really high month I hit 2.8GB, on average I was around 2GB a month.

In addition to using the hotspot feature, I still use my iPhone the way I have always used it and have never gone over my 5GB.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

Hell no!!! Keeping my unlimited for as long as I can. I never been throttled or warned about tethering. I don't tether much tho. I hit around 3-4gb on average. There has been times I hit more.

 

[Zimmy68]

Yep, I switched when they offered the hotspot.
That was more important to me.
Checking my data usage since I had a contract, I rarely went over even 1 gig.

So giving me 4 or 5 gigs with a hotspot was more important to me.

 

[farmermac]

I gave it up to use the native hotspot feature.

I believe AT&T doesn't give you native tethering for free partly because of those unlimited plans.

 

[aneftp]

Just a warning to those currently having the $25/2GB data plan and also the $30/unlimited data plan IF you currently have an ATT FAN (discount with employer).

Those two plans, the $25/2GB and $30/unlimited data both come with data discounts.

So you if have a 20% FAN discount, you get $5-6 discount each month per line.

If you switch to a tethering plan or away from those two above plans, you will lose your discount unless you plan on paying at least $50/5GB data plan (that includes tethering).

So add those costs into your calculations (losing the data discounts)

 

[mvandam1]

Just a warning to those currently having the $25/2GB data plan and also the $30/unlimited data plan IF you currently have an ATT FAN (discount with employer).

Those two plans, the $25/2GB and $30/unlimited data both come with data discounts.

So you if have a 20% FAN discount, you get $5-6 discount each month per line.

If you switch to a tethering plan or away from those two above plans, you will lose your discount unless you plan on paying at least $50/5GB data plan (that includes tethering).

So add those costs into your calculations (losing the data discounts)

I just discovered this the hard way. I switched from the 2GB to the 3GB plan and lost my FAN discount. I sure wish I would have known before I made the switch.

 

[Riemann Zeta]

Absolutely hell no. I just upgraded my phone to the 4S and (as the AT&T guy also said) I'm hanging on the original iPhone plan until grim death. I've never used enough to be throttled, but I'd rather face slower data than a big surcharge per byte.

 

[rgarjr]

Just another reason not let go of your unlimited plan. So the 5GB with tether can or cannot get FAN discount?

 

[saving107]

Just another reason not let go of your unlimited plan. So the 5GB with tether can or cannot get FAN discount?

No.

Data plans do not qualify for FAN discounts, only voice and possibly text plans do.

 

[aneftp]

No.

Data plans do not qualify for FAN discounts, only voice and possibly text plans do.

Incorrect. The vast majority of FAN accounts have data discounts.

I have a 24% FAN discount. So I only pay $22.70 for my data plan on all 3 of my $30 iPhone data lines. It's been this way for the past 4 years.

If I were to switch to the $30/3GB tiered data plan I would lose that 24% data discount.

Do a google search. AT&T changed the discount policy around the same time they got rid of the $25/2GB data plan.

 

[TypeMRT]

I gave it up to use the native hotspot feature.

I believe AT&T doesn't give you native tethering for free partly because of those unlimited plans.

I wonder if AT&T can disable the Personal Hotspot option if you use an unlocked iPhone and your account is contract-free? I'm considering buying the next iPhone unlocked so I can keep my unlimited plan just in case AT&T copies Verizon with forced tiered data plans on upgrades to 4G phones.

 

[Small White Car]

Absolutely hell no. I just upgraded my phone to the 4S and (as the AT&T guy also said) I'm hanging on the original iPhone plan until grim death. I've never used enough to be throttled, but I'd rather face slower data than a big surcharge per byte.

You haven't been throttled yet.

Once you do you will gladly pay $10 to make it go away. (I also dispute the idea that $10 is a "big surcharge," but to each his own.)

I rarely go over, so I've kept my unlimited. But I was throttled once and it was enough to convince me. I was going to dump unlimited but I haven't gone over 3 GB again since then so I just never got around to it. But if it ever happens again that'll be when I finally dump the "unlimited" for a plan that actually works. I'd rather pay $10 extra to have a phone that I can actually use.

 

[Beelzbub]

No.

Data plans do not qualify for FAN discounts, only voice and possibly text plans do.

I get a FAN discount on my $50 data plan.

 

[Spectrum Abuser]

No! I tether on my unlimited plan just fine when I actually need to. Losing unlimited data just to officially have the option to tether once in a blue moon is not worth it.

 

[Wide opeN]

They'll have to pry my Unlimited from my cold hands.

No way am I EVER giving it up Voluntarily.

Hotspot, that's what the Jailbreak Community is for.

You guys do know, Unlimited isn't coming back anytime soon right!?

 

[powaking]

Just a warning to those currently having the $25/2GB data plan and also the $30/unlimited data plan IF you currently have an ATT FAN (discount with employer).

Those two plans, the $25/2GB and $30/unlimited data both come with data discounts.

So you if have a 20% FAN discount, you get $5-6 discount each month per line.

If you switch to a tethering plan or away from those two above plans, you will lose your discount unless you plan on paying at least $50/5GB data plan (that includes tethering).

So add those costs into your calculations (losing the data discounts)

Same boat. My fan account gives 25% off data and voice, even for my wifes 2gb plan. Its cheaper for her to go over and get charged the $10 than it is to get the new 3gb plan. Have no need to tether so staying right where I am for as long as I can. The most I have streamed was 7.3gb one month but at the time I was commuting a long way and streaming a lot of pod casts/Pandora. Now not so much but do hit 2-3 gigs (if not more) on average.

 

[scaredpoet]

Yes.

Tethering to iPad and iPod touch > Unlimited for just iPhone

This. I tether enough that it was worth losing unlimited, given the cost savings.

I travel and tether my MacBook, and iPad. Rather than getting a data card for the laptop and a data plan on the iPad, it makes better sense to just use the hotspot on my iPhone to carry all three.

Yeah, I could jailbreak and all that, but rather than risk a hassle with AT&T, it's important that my data "just work," so I bit the bullet.

If I didn't have the need for tethering though, I probably would've kept unlimited on principle.

 

[Wide opeN]

I also get a discount on my iPhone data plan.

Basically, it's like my data is free after all the discounts are added up

 

[iPhoneApple]

Unless they make tethering cheaper, no.

 

[jplusc]

I'm going to wait for the family shared data plans and LTE iPhone to roll out before I decide.

My iPhone is Unlimited, the second line on my acct. is the 200MB (or whatever it is) and the third is 2GB.

I'm torn on how I want to proceed, since they up the throttling limit to 5GB on LTE for unlimited plans there's no motivation to go tiered unless they offer a $30/mo 5GB LTE plan.

From there, if they have the right offering for the family shared data it could be enticing. I would love to buy 5-6GBs for all lines to share if that would also allow for tethering on any of those lines...

 

[stabbyclaus]

I switched to Galaxy Nexus from Google Play & just slipped out my unlimited card. The GSM phone allows me to tether since ATT hasn't touched this phone.