AT&T Introduces New Smartphone Data Plans w/3GB and 5GB Options

[macnerd93]

LOL I'm so glad we don't get ripped off in the UK i'm on a carrier called Three here and I pay £35.00 its known as the one plan I get 2000 any network mins, 5000 three to three mins, 5000 texts and truly unlimited data with no fair useable policy also includes free tethering

 

[SpaceKitty]

Should we be expecting a Verizon blog post about how they are updating their data plans?

I hope Verizon does match these plans. Right now, I have 2GB for $30 on Verizon and so at this moment, AT&T has a better deal then Verizon.

 

[unlimitedx]

I hope Verizon does match these plans. Right now, I have 2GB for $30 on Verizon and so at this moment, AT&T has a better deal then Verizon.

I doubt Verizon will match. Remember these two companies are just two consolidated baby bells.

 

[Bonsai1214]

this is a direct result of the t-mobile merger not going through. they have to recoup those billions of dollars some how..

 

[ubersoldat]

(Most things are cheaper in the US than in Europe, sometimes substantially cheaper. Only internet access (300% more expensive in the US) and cell phone service (200 to 300% more expensive).

what exactly is cheaper? food is expensive, clothes are the same (unless you go to a outlet etc.), cable tv by far more expensive, apartment/house rents are much more expensive, restaurants more expensive... the us is for me only cheap because of the euro conversion rate.

 

[feszty]

Ripoff

This is nothing but a price increase. If you have $30 unlimited -- why pay $30 to get stuck with 3 gig -- at least the $25/2-gig had some monetary incentive.

Stupid AT&T.

Because these *******s will slow down data speed for the unlimited plans after 2GB. Just checked the FAQ in the email that I just got about being in the top 5%. They claim the average usage is 2GB, so all of us with unlimited will be effected big time. The speed cuts, according to some tests available on this website, are dramatic, about 10 times slower.

I wish we had a good alternative. As soon as T-Mobile upgrades their network so my iPhone works with 3G, I'm switching, leaving this sorry ass AT&T behind.

 

[Spectrum Abuser]

T-Mobile anyone? $30 for unlimited texting, 5GB of data and 100 minutes.

 

[zedsdead]

This just sucks. Have the unlimited, and now with iTunes Match, I am using a lot more data so I finally received a warning about being in the top 1% this month.

There is no point to keep the unlimited anymore other than for protest at this point, which really sucks. "They can pry the unlimited data from my cold dead hands."

 

[Poshie]

I am a user with unlimited plan, and I love it! There is a lot of haters around, but I think they just talk crap because they have to pay for more data, in the mean while I will try to reach the deep end of my unlimited plan ))) However, one of my friends brought to my attention one little suggestion for those limited plan users:
- How about AT&T rolling over data that have not been used?
They sure will charge you if you go over, why don't compensate if you go under?

 

[MacMojo1]

While I agree that it is steep I upgraded my 4S to 5gb tethering today and it works like a dream (with signal) I have my 3g ipad turned off and my mbp all connected to the iphone and was amazed that everything still worked when I received a call. I travel a ton and this is a lot cheaper than wifi at hotels where I don't have status or airports when Boingo wants an arm and leg.

 

[Menel]

I am a user with unlimited plan, and I love it! There is a lot of haters around, but I think they just talk crap because they have to pay for more data, in the mean while I will try to reach the deep end of my unlimited plan ))) However, one of my friends brought to my attention one little suggestion for those limited plan users:
- How about AT&T rolling over data that have not been used?
They sure will charge you if you go over, why don't compensate if you go under?

That.

And shared family data.

And tethering, using the data you pay for whether 200mb plan, 2gb, or 4gb.

 

[redscull]

Your paying $1 per MB? That's $2048.00 for your 2GB plan! You sir, are getting ripped off. Or just not telling the truth.

I average about 15MB a month usage* and pay for the $15 a month plan. The fact that it comes with 200MB is useless to me. If I wasn't being grandfathered in, I'd be paying $20 for the same 15MB. That's why this price hike is just that and not something in service to customers' needs. People on the bottom plan want the cheapest plan, not 200MB or 300MB or whatever. They want the cheapest, and whatever MB that comes with, they will stay under it.

*I'm on wifi at home and work and already have dashboard GPS/nav built-in to my car. And I disable push notifications for everything except SMS and Phone calls.

That's my personal usage though. I have 4 lines on my account, 3 of them iPhones ($15+$15+$25). I'd like to upgrade the 4th to an iPhone, but now that's absolutely never going to happen because it will cost another $20 instead of $15 (and it won't need 200MB, much less 300MB).

I want a family data plan. Something like $50 total to allow 4 iPhones to share even 2GB data would lower my bill while allowing me to upgrade that last line to an iPhone and not even impact anyone's data needs. But I suspect this will never happen because those per-phone data plans are how they do the math on recouping their smartphone subsidies. Maybe it's time the subsidies end in favor of drastically lower data plan costs.

 

[diamond.g]

I average about 15MB a month usage* and pay for the $15 a month plan. The fact that it comes with 200MB is useless to me. If I wasn't being grandfathered in, I'd be paying $20 for the same 15MB. That's why this price hike is just that and not something in service to customers' needs. People on the bottom plan want the cheapest plan, not 200MB or 300MB or whatever. They want the cheapest, and whatever MB that comes with, they will stay under it.

*I'm on wifi at home and work and already have dashboard GPS/nav built-in to my car. And I disable push notifications for everything except SMS and Phone calls.

That's my personal usage though. I have 4 lines on my account, 3 of them iPhones ($15+$15+$25). I'd like to upgrade the 4th to an iPhone, but now that's absolutely never going to happen because it will cost another $20 instead of $15 (and it won't need 200MB, much less 300MB).

I want a family data plan. Something like $50 total to allow 4 iPhones to share even 2GB data would lower my bill while allowing me to upgrade that last line to an iPhone and not even impact anyone's data needs. But I suspect this will never happen because those per-phone data plans are how they do the math on recouping their smartphone subsidies. Maybe it's time the subsidies end in favor of drastically lower data plan costs.

Are you willing to pay more for your phone? Most Americans aren't (which is why the iPhone costs what it does now versus when it first came out).

 

[redscull]

Are you willing to pay more for your phone? Most Americans aren't (which is why the iPhone costs what it does now versus when it first came out).

Me? Yes. I bought the first iPhone (Edge) the week it came out. What was it, like $600 or something?

I am good at managing my finances; I don't live paycheck to paycheck. I always buy lifetime subscriptions on my TiVos (+$400 upfront cost) because I know I will keep a unit at least long enough to break even vs. the per-month subscription ($15), and in the long run, that saves me money. I apply that financial philosophy to everything (my mortgage is my sole debt, and I'm working hard to get that elminated early too).

Assuming we had lots of options to choose from, I'd do the math on a subsized iPhone and expensive data plan vs. the unsubsized cost and presumed cheaper data plan. If the latter comes out ahead for me in a 2-3yr time frame, I'd absolutely do it.

Granted, I am fully aware that my ability to manage my money is not representative of most Americans. Obviously. And that's why I don't realistically expect a change in the system; it's targeted at the average person who needs to pay a premium to others to help him afford things.

 

[diamond.g]

Me? Yes. I bought the first iPhone (Edge) the week it came out. What was it, like $600 or something?

I am good at managing my finances; I don't live paycheck to paycheck. I always buy lifetime subscriptions on my TiVos (+$400 upfront cost) because I know I will keep a unit at least long enough to break even vs. the per-month subscription ($15), and in the long run, that saves me money. I apply that financial philosophy to everything (my mortgage is my sole debt, and I'm working hard to get that elminated early too).

Assuming we had lots of options to choose from, I'd do the math on a subsized iPhone and expensive data plan vs. the unsubsized cost and presumed cheaper data plan. If the latter comes out ahead for me in a 2-3yr time frame, I'd absolutely do it.

Granted, I am fully aware that my ability to manage my money is not representative of most Americans. Obviously. And that's why I don't realistically expect a change in the system; it's targeted at the average person who needs to pay a premium to others to help him afford things.

Nice, I too purchased the original iPhone (4GB and 8GB), and for sure thought that we would see the beginning of the end for carrier control. Too bad it didn't turn out that way.

 

[smallnshort247]

Why? I've I've had the iPhone since the very first one, two months in. I've NEVER reset my Cellular Network Data statistics and I am at 1.4GB total Sent and 9.8GB total Received. That is an average of around 250MB per month and coincides with my monthly AT&T bills from 150-350MB a month. I can't imagine using the 2GB per month AT&T gives new iPhone users, let alone needing unlimited.

Not sure if you've heard of Slingbox but I purchased the iPhone app. One nice thing about it is the ability to watch tv anywhere you have a signal. So I'd sit in my car and watch some of the NFL playoff games before going into work. It's no surprise that streaming anything will quickly eat up your data.

 

[iMaconApple]

i will never let my unlimited data go i dont pay for text..thats what iMessages is for..lowest min plan and added the 1000+ min free. too much roll over mins..use facetime for calling.. unlimited data=life is good nothing to worry...better data plan then before but the price needs to be bit lower..now lets wait for 4G on iphone lets see if we get unlimited data back
plus AT&T site says iphone 4S "4G" so i assume when a real 4G iphone comes out not unlimited data..yeah im a data hog never got text from AT&T but next month im going to use data like a HOG and see if i get capped

i feel bad for iphone users that use lots of data and dont have unlimited...how come most androids dont get this data cap

when 4G gets more and more/5G/WiMax ect..i assume will phones will just have data plan..no mins/text ect..just use data for calling voip/email/web ect..thats pretty much how i use my iPhone

 

[Menel]

i will never let my unlimited data go i dont pay for text..thats what iMessages is for..lowest min plan and added the 1000+ min free. too much roll over mins..use facetime for calling.. unlimited data=life is good nothing to worry...better data plan then before but the price needs to be bit lower..now lets wait for 4G on iphone lets see if we get unlimited data back
plus AT&T site says iphone 4S "4G" so i assume when a real 4G iphone comes out not unlimited data..yeah im a data hog never got text from AT&T but next month im going to use data like a HOG and see if i get capped

i feel bad for iphone users that use lots of data and dont have unlimited...how come most androids dont get this data cap [\b]

when 4G gets more and more/5G/WiMax ect..i assume will phones will just have data plan..no mins/text ect..just use data for calling voip/email/web ect..thats pretty much how i use my iPhone

Please substantiate the bolded statement.

Why would you TRY to get capped

ATT users got 4G with 4S, maybe you should stop being vague. Specify 3GPP Release 7/4G/HSPA+, or Release 8/4G/LTE, or even Release 10/4G/LTE-Advanced/IMT-Advanced.

 

[iMaconApple]

Please substantiate the bolded statement.

Why would you TRY to get capped

ATT users got 4G with 4S, maybe you should stop being vague. Specify 3GPP Release 7/4G/HSPA+, or Release 8/4G/LTE, or even Release 10/4G/LTE-Advanced/IMT-Advanced.

speaking of capped i just got capped haha..i just wated to test it out seem not to really affect my use..i get around 2MB down/1MB up..not bad everything still works good..i use pandora like crazy at work/car i do use wifi at work but eh ill mess with att plus we just got att 4G so i assume its not as bad as other places..now i wait for a 4G iphone..see if they have unlimited data back with 4G not that it will happen maybe but like 50$ for it on 4G

 

[fsck-y dingo]

As long as you keep using iPhone with AT&T, you can keep the old plan. I don't know when, if at all, AT&T would change their minds on that.

I'm thinking people with unlimited 3G data plans will be able to keep them for as long as 3G is supported by AT&T.

If the next iPhone is 4G device they'll probably have to switch to a different data plan or stay at 3G speeds.

 

[SpaceKitty]

speaking of capped i just got capped haha..i just wated to test it out seem not to really affect my use..i get around 2MB down/1MB up..not bad everything still works good..i use pandora like crazy at work/car i do use wifi at work but eh ill mess with att plus we just got att 4G so i assume its not as bad as other places..now i wait for a 4G iphone..see if they have unlimited data back with 4G not that it will happen maybe but like 50$ for it on 4G

If you are still getting 2Mb downloads, you didn't get capped yet but they warned you that you will soon. When you start getting DL speeds of 37kbs, you will know that you got capped.

 

[vega07]

Can't wait until my contract ends.

Anyone know when if the $20 plan qualifies for the FAN discount?

 

[iMaconApple]

If you are still getting 2Mb downloads, you didn't get capped yet but they warned you that you will soon. When you start getting DL speeds of 37kbs, you will know that you got capped.

get a text from att say im top 5% im sure i did get capped before i use to get 5MB+ down and 3MB+ up.. now i get around under 2MB down and around 1MB+/under.. its all good..

im thinking of getting a rocket 2 samsung to play with till the iphone 5 comes out..is it possible to use my unlimited data transfer to the samsung and then bring it back on the new iphone? i do have my discount ready for use..will see if i like the new samsung rocket 2 could use something for a change

 

[h00ligan]

exactly.... people get angry because of dishonesty from corporations..... 39.99 for 450 minutes? LOL really how much does it cocst really????? so i am going to take advantage until unlimited is gone...

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exactly.... YES!!!! and pooled minutes... im tired of being scammed....

They have pooled minutes....

 

[Menel]

I'm thinking people with unlimited 3G data plans will be able to keep them for as long as 3G is supported by AT&T.

If the next iPhone is 4G device they'll probably have to switch to a different data plan or stay at 3G speeds.

4S and many Android handsets are already 4G/HSPA+ and didn't require radically new data plan.

And several Android based 4G/LTE devices didn't require fancy new data plan.