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

[Doc750]

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.

Those comparisons are irrelevant when discussing the iPhone. The carriers have historically created a higher pricing tier for it.

 

[ZipZap]

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.

Why do you even have an iphone?
15MB thats pretty much not using data at all.

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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.

Its very likely LTE will cost more...only competition would keep that from happening.

I'd be shocked if there was an unlimited LTE.

 

[redscull]

Why do you even have an iphone?
15MB thats pretty much not using data at all.

I use the heck out of my iPhone and my iPad. I just don't need much 3G. My phone is on wifi 23.5 hours of any give day. That 30 minutes being my commute, when I have no real need to use data. 3G isn't the reason to have an iPhone, nor does it define it. Lots of phones can use data on a 3G network. Only an iPhone has the OS and Apps that I like using so much.

 

[ZipZap]

I use the heck out of my iPhone and my iPad. I just don't need much 3G. My phone is on wifi 23.5 hours of any give day. That 30 minutes being my commute, when I have no real need to use data. 3G isn't the reason to have an iPhone, nor does it define it. Lots of phones can use data on a 3G network. Only an iPhone has the OS and Apps that I like using so much.

Ok, now its clear. You use alot of data just not over 3G. That explains how you have that IMPOSSIBLY low 3G usage.

 

[dman1967]

I have unlimited and never use more than 1.5 a month. I average less than 1mb a month. I would like a tethering plan and think that if AT&T wants to entice customers away from unlimited offer an option to go to the 5mb plan with tethering for $30 a month. It would be $20 less than a new customer could get but in exchange I give up unlimited.

 

[Wicked1]

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.

One thing that sucks is you have to go to $50 per month to tether, I wish they had an option for tethering on the 3G plan, only reason I have stuck it out with my unlimited plan, but I am using at most 1.2GB per month, 90% I am under 1GB

 

[nyze0105]

Many people pay for way more data than they use. Though it may seem like much, most people are drastically overpaying for cell phone data and making cellular phone execs richer at their own expense.

BillShrink found, according to CNET, that the typical smartphone owner uses about 81 megabytes of data per month, much less than the 200 megabytes, paying an extra $336 per year and putting an additional $79 million in the wireless industry's pockets. Information from the article Many people overpaying for cell phone data plans.

 

[h00ligan]

Yup. Im an IT professional and on wifi all day. I also don't live my life
For facebook, twitter, and instagram and usually prefer actually having fun rather than instantly uploading pictures to show everyone i know that im having fun.

I average 86mb a month. My non IT fielded girlfriend is never on wifi but works when she is at work. She averages 135-150 with a ton of mms to family.


Give me family 300 for $20.